Can I reformat windows with usb CD drive?

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X14Halo

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I have a Dell Inspiron XPS laptop, and I don't have my CD drive with me (I let a friend borrow it and now I am across the country). I have a USB CD drive with me....can I reformat using this? Will my computer recognize this USB device with windows not installed?
When i go into the boot menu before windows loads, it says CD/DVD/CD-R Drive as an option. I do not have a CD drive in the computer itself...the only one connected is the USB one. Is this the one I want then? Or am I screwed?
 
X14Halo said:
I have a Dell Inspiron XPS laptop, and I don't have my CD drive with me (I let a friend borrow it and now I am across the country). I have a USB CD drive with me....can I reformat using this? Will my computer recognize this USB device with windows not installed?
When i go into the boot menu before windows loads, it says CD/DVD/CD-R Drive as an option. I do not have a CD drive in the computer itself...the only one connected is the USB one. Is this the one I want then? Or am I screwed?
Click to expand...

put windows install cd in and set the boot order in bios and see if it boots off the usb cd, if so your set.
 
With a newer PC, I don't see a problem. You may have to change a setting in the BIOS to allow USB devices to boot the computer (mainly a security setting to keep people from circumventing windows logon via a USB flash drive) but that would be the only change you may have to make.
 
Here's how I think this will go down for you:

Put XP CD in drive and choose to boot from USB...

It will probably come up, load some things, then ask you to format your C: and what not, good to go. When it's done it'll start loading some drivers.

When it reboots it will get to the GUI part of the install. THAT is where I think it will have problems. I don't think it will be able to pull the rest of the files off the CD because it won't know to use your USB device as the CD with the XP disc.

It's worth a shot though, I do that laptop is USB 2.0... XPS, it should be...
 
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