Installing XP via a USB stick...

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

A good tutorial here from demon-knight on eeeuser... worth keeping here for posterity!

P

What you need

- PeToUSB

- Copy of Windows XP

- 1GB USB flash

1: Put your Windows disc in your drive.

2: Insert your USB flash.

3: Load PeToUSB

4: Configure it with your sources and destination like this

5: Click start

6: Once it's finished remove the USB flash and insert it into your EEE PC. Set the BIOS to boot from the USB flash.

7: Watch it install! ;)

[Guest leonxki]

AWESOME. So easy. Defo XP for eee pc. Might even experiement with two or three instals before perfection.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I'm gonna play with the default setup, then play with getting Vista on, then likely settle with XP I think...

P

[Guest Monolithix]

To be honest there's nothing Vista offers that isn't in XP in this case. I'm up for playing from a curiosity point, but as this will have to be my workforce for the next month or two i think i'll stick with a nice simple XP install ;)

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

:(

I like the idea of an Intel TurboMemory card in the miniPCI-E slot you see... and it only works with Vista ;)

http://www.intel.com/design/flash/nand/turbomemory/index.htm

P

[Guest J273]

So do you think with the standard 512mb ram

XP lite is possible?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Yeah, I reckon so...

P

[Guest J273]

I've nlited a version of xp installs fine on my main pc but when i try and install it via a USB stick on the eee

it starts to boot then comes up with:

'File \$WIN_NT$.~BT\biosinfo.inf could not be loaded.

The error code is 18

Setup cannot continue.Press any key to exit.'

As anyone any ideas as to what the problem could be?

[Guest J273]

I've tried everything now just cant get xp installed...Ive followed your guide above Paul...but keeps popping up with the error above.

I've even tried a full version of xp not an nlite version...still get the same.

[Guest Monolithix]

Is it an OEM version of XP (Dell/HP/Acer/etc)?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I had one of my USB sticks refuse to work, and switched to another...

P

[Guest chucky.egg]

How well do these things run with XP?

Can you run Outlook on it reasonably, and will it sync with Exchange (no reason why it shouldn't I guess)

[Guest Monolithix]

Yeah i'm running OL2k7 on Exchange with no problems ;)

[Guest leonxki]

I've nlited a version of xp installs fine on my main pc but when i try and install it via a USB stick on the eee

it starts to boot then comes up with:

'File \$WIN_NT$.~BT\biosinfo.inf could not be loaded.

The error code is 18

Setup cannot continue.Press any key to exit.'

As anyone any ideas as to what the problem could be?

I indeed feel your pain. When I got my eeepc, I tried several versions of nlited XPs. That error was my worst enemy. Even full versions of XP wont instal. The conclusion I ended up with was that the error existed in how PeTo USB copied files to the USB stick. WinFLP however works, but I feel is lacking. It also has some unnecessary files that CANNOT be removed via add/remove programs.

Will explain more when I get home.

[Guest J273]

Great thanks alot fella...Ive tried everything ,Just cant get xp to install no matter what i try.

Ive been pulling my hair out for the past few hours trying to figure it out.

If you could explain hot to get round the error matey that would be great.

Thanks alot

[Guest leonxki]

Great thanks alot fella...Ive tried everything ,Just cant get xp to install no matter what i try.

Ive been pulling my hair out for the past few hours trying to figure it out.

If you could explain hot to get round the error matey that would be great.

Thanks alot

Well, for the meantime, I haven't got an answer. I am stuck with Windows XP For Legacy PCs. That iso seemed to work even with PeToUSB. The easiest way to sort this out is to get an external optical drive. That way, there's no need for emulation as the external usb drive can take a burnt iso made from ntile nlite. But, as I know, even I would rather fight and get this running properly. When Im done with uni, soon, I shall do this. P.S Google for "instal xp from usb" Many pages going in and out of MSFN forums lead to a solution. (I didnt catch the specific link as I was getting distracted from work, so I closed my browser and got back to work, same as now really ;)

Edited November 22, 2007 by leonxki

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

The problem is with WinFLP... is it's illegal.

P

[Guest J273]

Ive tried everything now.....3 usb sticks ,2 SD cards

Nlited + full xp home and PRO

Nlited + full xp home and PRO OEM

Still get the same error.

I've just ordered an external optical drive....I hope that's gonna work

As anyone installed Ubuntu on the eee?

Edited November 23, 2007 by J273

[Guest Monolithix]

Not here i dont think, but there are a few vids with k/ubuntu on youtube...

[Guest Phil Lee]

I'm going to give this a go since I don't have a USB CD. I'm currently copying a Windows installation CD to a USB stick. Once I've done this and hopefully gone through the installation process, how do I get the device drivers from the ASUS DVD?

Bugger, I get the error code 18 with my USB stick.

Edited November 30, 2007 by Phil Lee

[Guest Dade]

I'm going to give this a go since I don't have a USB CD. I'm currently copying a Windows installation CD to a USB stick. Once I've done this and hopefully gone through the installation process, how do I get the device drivers from the ASUS DVD?

Bugger, I get the error code 18 with my USB stick.

There is a slightly easier way to do this. First make the usb key bootable then copy the i386 folder and all its contents from the WindowsXP CD to the usb key. Boot the Eee from the USB key and when you get to the dos prompt type cd i386 so it looks like this E:\I386 replacing E with the drive letter of your usb. Next type winnt.exe hit enter xp should then start to install.

[Guest Phil Lee]

Thanks for the suggestion but I've gone back to Xandros after installing XP from a USB CD and finding it very slow to strart up (no real surprise there). Now I need to find some way to use my VIII to access the net.

[Guest Dade]

Thanks for the suggestion but I've gone back to Xandros after installing XP from a USB CD and finding it very slow to strart up (no real surprise there). Now I need to find some way to use my VIII to access the net.

Slow to start up? Really? Mine runs like it's on speed!

[Guest Phil Lee]

I took the easy option and installed the full version of XP Home SP2 then patched it with the latest updates. I installed the free edition of AVG antivirus and stuck with the Windows firewall. Startup time was around 2 minutes from pressing the power button to having a live wifi connection. With Xandros I can have a live wifi connection in 30 seconds.

I'd be interested to know how you installed XP. Also have you upgraded the EEE at all? If I can get XP booting in less than a minute I might consider going back. Of course if I can connect to the net using my Vario III under Xandros then there is no way I'd install XP.

[Guest Phil Lee]

I've now used nLite to strip down XP a lot. I also slipstreamed in a package of Windows updates and Firefox, Skype and AVG Free Edition. I had some issues with the sound card not being detected. I had to manually update the device drivers in Device Manager. I was also unable to restore my backed up XP activation files so had to activate XP again to use Windows Update. I ran Windows Update and only included the bare essential updates. I missed out IE7 and all versions of .Net for example.

Having done all this I can safely say that XP is a lot faster to start up and is a lot smaller. My Windows folder was 447Mb prior to running Windows Update and is now 540Mb. The system now takes 53 seconds to boot to desktop with a live wifi connection. I'm a happy camper now and will definitely be sticking with XP.

On investigation it appears I've stripped out some of the components used by the Windows firewall. I've just installed PC Tools Firewall Plus which appears to be a lightweight firewall. Startup time is now 63 seconds.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Phil Lee