in the bios setting, switch the primary boot option to usb drive. in an external hd, load the os, connect to the machine and reboot. you should then be able to navigate to the file in the usb drive via command command prompt. installing thru lan is more easier if you have such a setup. first, ask your admin at work or school. then take your computer, connect the lan cable and ask the admin to do it.

bhikhaari · Jul 11, 2009 2:45 PM

Try this:Do you have friends with similar laptop? I mean the same hard drive goes in their Laptop? If it does , place your hard drive on your friends laptop and download the Operating system. Once you put it back on your laptop if it recognize the OS., you are all set. Or get a External CD from a computer store and download the software and return it.

SyanJali · Jul 13, 2009 2:04 PM

Hey AnonymousGuy, I ran into same problem couple of months ago. 1.I tried using external CD-ROM to install; but ( in my case) i found notebook doesn't support boot from external CD ROM. 2. I also tried via USB, i was able to boot my system via USB linux; it worked but my machine would just work from USB and was blank after its removal( i couldn't install via USB either). When i was all hopeless i took it to repair center, and they replaced my CDROM with some old ROM( same model as my laptop) and installed that. Thats the only way that worked( cost me around $90; as i ruined my recovery CD  by placing it in broken Drive many times; scratching it; and $30 for the Drive from old computer)

129lane · Jul 13, 2009 2:44 PM

Installing OS from an USB flash drive is much faster than from an optical drive. The most important part in this process is to make your USB flash drive bootable. Follow the step by step instructions from the following link and you should be able to install Windows OS in your laptop. http://www.askvg.com/how-to-cr... PS: Even though the instructions is for Vista, I think it should work for XP as well. The Diskpart command mentioned in the instructions doesn't work with XP, so make sure you have access to Vista. If you don't have access to Vista, try googling if you can find the XP version of  Diskpart Good luck!

thisisbinod · Jul 13, 2009 2:45 PM

Looks like problem solved... but if you are able to boot and your optical drive is not working. You can mount the iso ( virtual drive) and then do the installation that way. I use Magic iso, you dont have to burn DVDs or CDs, just mount and extract ( install)

yellow · Jul 13, 2009 3:04 PM