Can i install my computer without the cd?

Question

OK. MY COMPUTER IS ALWAYS ENCOUNTERING PROBLEMS AND ERRORS SHUTS DOWN AUTOMATICALLY AND IT'S SO STRESSING FINDING A WAY TO FIX IT. SO I WANT TO RE-INSTALL MY PC, BUT MY CD-ROM DRIVE IS NOT WORKING IS THERE ANY WAY TO INSTALL MY PC WIHOUT THE CD EXPECT DOING IT THE 6 FLOPPY DISKS WAY AND WTF IS NORTON GHOST AND IS THERE SOMEWHERE I CAN DOWNLOAD THE INSTALL FILE

Answer 1

There really is no easy way without a working CD drive. Norton Ghost is a program for taking an image of your whole hard drive and restoring from that but if have not created a previous image from a time when there were no problems, then it is not going to help. I suggest you either buy a replacement CD-ROM drive (they are not that expensive and would be a good investment for other uses) or borrow a drive from another machine.

Answer 2

You could borrow a friends computer and create a PC to PC network, then you can do a network installation using the other computer's working CD drive. Networking on XP is real easy, start from "Network Places", follow the wizard.
Better still if you've got the skills swap your friends CD drive into your system use it to do the installation then return it.
If all else fails, take you system to a repair center.

Answer 3

sounds like a hard problem to solve. I would check why the CD drive is not working (The cables connected properly and so on)
I don't know any Windows that you can run off a floppy. There are linux distros that you can not sure what the names are tho :(

Answer 4

Have you tried a Windows Repair? This would be done in Safe Mode and Windows would not be loaded. Here is information on Repair.
Safe Mode: Press and hold F8 while Restarting. Continue to hold until you see a black and white menu. Press the key for Safe Mode.
Repair:
WindowsXP Repair Explained
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/options_to_use_when_a_system_will_not_start.mspx?mfr=true

WindowsXP Repair Tools
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm#How%20to%20Repair%20Windows%20XP%20by%20Installing%20Over%20top%20of%20Existing%20Setup:

http://www.download-download-this.com/4.html?OVRAW=Windows%20Installer%20corrupted&OVKEY=window%20installer&OVMTC=advanced

Fix and/or Repair Windows
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm
http://www.onsitechicago.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=23&nav=0

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How do you know your CD/ROM is not working? Have you check it through the Device Manager?
Start
Settings
Control Panel
System
Hardware
Device Manager
right-click on CD/ROM and select Properties
this will tell you if it is in fact the CD/ROM

If your CD is legitimate, you have the product key, and you registered it at installation, you may be able to explain the problem to microsoft and they may allow you to download. Might charge a nominal fee - or not.

Another thought comes to mind. If a friend will allow you to temporarily copy the CD onto his/her computer, perhaps you could put it on a flashdrive. I haven't tried this with Windows, but it's worth a try. To do this, your friend would have to:
-Press and hold the shift key - keep it down
-put the CD in his/her CD/ROM
-continue holding Shift until all lights stop blinking
-open the CD/ROM
-click Edit, Select All, Copy
-go to the desktop and paste
-transfer it to a flashdrive

Answer 5

no way. if you still have your CD in good condition, and you cant afford to buy... use the keyword "please" ... borrow a drive!

Answer 6

i think maybe you should leave things alone for a bit.