Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

I have an OLD crusty laptop which i'm going to use for tuning (133mhz). it has no CD ROM on it but I would like to reformat the HD and install Win XP on it. Is there a way I can do that through my desktop computer if I connect the laptop to it?

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

Winxp might not let you install on that laptop. I can't remember what the minimum requirements are for XP, but I used to have a 133Mhz laptop and it said that it didn't meet the requirements and could not install.

What do you need XP for anyway? just use 98 or something.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

Get a Win98 boot up disk and format it through there. I would recommend, with that slow of a computer, nothing newer than Windows 98.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

He doesn't have a CD drive Sinister, so unless he has 98 on disk, he couldn't do it that way.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

Yeah, the laptop does not have a CD rom. I was going to install Win 98 because i've heard it runs smoother than Win 98 on old computers.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

well what does it already have installed? is it just a bare? no os? you can install xp pro through the network, but on that pc it will be hellish.

just run linux with wine to run the tuning software. as far as i know, most of those tuning software is just a bunch of mathematical ---- and wine will run it.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

I installed XP on a 166mhz. You need 64mb of memory though.
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Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

I'm pretty sure 166 is actually the minimum req. Like I said, I tried to install it on a 133Mhz laptop and the installer quit out saying the computer was too slow. Linux is the way to go, but without a CD ROM drive that's even a hard thing to do. Do like Kain says, install over the network.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

or just install linux via more than one floppy diskette.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

I wasn't aware there was a linux distro that would fit onto a reasonable amount of floppy disks

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

buy an external cd rom off ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...739499256&rd=1

my dad had one of these and it worked fine.
if i could get to it easy i would sell it to ya cheap.
but i be in california and it be in kentucky. :(

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

yes u can if they are both linked threw lan and you get VNC. my lil bro uses it to install and do things to the one in his room from out here all the time.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

i would just use an early edition of 95, its more stable and alot smaller than 98 (98 blows ass)you can laplink both computers in dos mode etc or somthing like that thru the paralell ports, its just slow. 95 on disks would be your best option

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

Well you can get an adapter to put a laptop hard drive in a desktop machine. They're cheap.
You could put the hard drive in the desktop machine, format it and put the OS installation files on there, then put the drive back into the laptop and run setup. You can't install Windows on one machine and expect it to actually work when you change the hardware drastically, so setup has to be run on the laptop.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

im either going to use it with win 98 which is on it right now or try to find an adapter for a spare HD i have (has diff plugs)

Thanks all

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

Just keep it like it is. However, if you have to, uninstall any unnecessary programs taking up space and add-ins to Windows 98 that you don't need.

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

yeah thats what i've been doing. It only has a 1gig HD on there. ::)
I would just think a nice fresh reformat would do the comp good. :D

Re:Can U format a laptop through a desktop?
 

you might be able to run win2k, but i would stick with 98 i guess...