Im prob being a tard but....

[saint_stevo]

Got a fairly old laptop in from a mate cos it want working, O.S needs a reload, but it wont boot from CD, nor from a USB CD Drive. Whats my options?

 

Was thinking put the HDD into another machine, load XP and that will be that, but its IDE and all the laptops at my disposal are SATA.

 

I currently cannot see the wood for the trees though.

 

Options?

 

A tired and over-worked s_s

 

xx

[Weston Super Saint]

Is the IDE the same size as a desktop IDE?

 

If so, stick it in there and copy XP on to it...

[saint_stevo]

Is the IDE the same size as a desktop IDE?

 

If so, stick it in there and copy XP on to it...

 

no as laptop HDD are smaller than Desktop HDD's and have smaller IDE

[exit2]

steve, why wont it boot from cd? is it that old that the bios doesnt alow it?

[pedg]

no as laptop HDD are smaller than Desktop HDD's and have smaller IDE

 

You could get something like this:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=28724&doy=19m9&C=SO&U=strat15

 

probably cheaper on ebay I expect.

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

steve, why wont it boot from cd? is it that old that the bios doesnt alow it?

 

I can't think of there being a bios that old in a laptop. I've had problems with loading from a CD before and ending up having to make 1,2 and 3 load from CD and disable load OS from alternative sources. Then when OS is successfully copied to the HDD, change the BIOS on the first restart or the cycle starts again!

[saint_stevo]

have tried setting it to boot to CD, disabling HDD boot and all sorts, but still wont boot from the CD. Its not horrifically old, probably bout 4 or 5 yrs. Think the CD drive may be a tad knackered.

[thesaint sfc]

Tried a different CD?

 

Otherwise you'll need to buy a laptop to desktop IDE converter.

 

Or chuck the laptop in the bin.

[saint_stevo]

have tried many a CD.

 

have pilfered the laptop>desktop converter