How to install Windows without floppy drive?

[WhiskeyPapa]

I have an old IBM ThinkPad (P120, 40MB RAM, 1.3GB hard drive) that currently has Windows 98 on it. It has a CD-ROM drive, but no floppy drive.

Any idea how I can reformat the hard drive and install Windows 95 or 98? It is apparently too old to have a bootable CD-ROM drive, as I have already tried that route.

Any bright idea that I'm missing?

[rajatQ2]

Originally posted by kb0wwp

Any idea how I can reformat the hard drive and install Windows 95 or 98? It is apparently too old to have a bootable CD-ROM drive, as I have already tried that route.



That is really tricky. Are you sure its not bootable? I have an old thinkpad too and mine boots if you set the bios. Its just one setting in the bios of the computer. I think mines a P200 but dont really remember, since its just propping up my beta casette player anyhow.

if you cant get it to boot from anything but the HD, you are pretty screwed. Did you check ebay for replacement floppy drives? Or computergeeks.com

[eSDee]

You could use an IDE adapter to connect it inside a desktop machine as the main drive, then install everything that way. When you stick it back in your laptop, the rest of the hardware should look like plug and play.

Good luck.

[CynJon]

Would a USB floppy drive work? If so, maybe you could borrow one... :shrug: CompUSA had one for $25 a couple weeks ago, now the cheapest they show is $50...:(

[WhiskeyPapa]

Originally posted by eSDeeLoco
You could use an IDE adapter to connect it inside a desktop machine as the main drive, then install everything that way. When you stick it back in your laptop, the rest of the hardware should look like plug and play.

Good luck.

Hey, great idea. We have a plethora of notebooks around here - I'll stick the drive in a computer with a floppy drive, reformat and install Windows, then stick it back in the ThinkPad.

I knew there was an easy solution somewhere...

[GilbertsGrape]

another solution is to copy DOS and Dos CD drivers on to a CDR and then copy from the cd to a Dir on your Pc.
shut down windows to dos prompt load dos CD drivers and install that way

word