I will try to be as detailed as possible, including pictures as i go.
(My laptop is a Dell Latitude CSx, but this will work for any make or model with the same issue)

*Please be...

Click here to read the entire tutorial

Hopefully i will have some time to re-write this with some pictures for SC, but for now it's only over on this site: Removing a Dual Boot

My laptop has a floppy drive, but the CD drive is unreliable. This support page says that you need the CD drive eventually. How can I use these setup disks to get at the contents of the installation CD without using a CD drive? Can I copy the contents of the CD to my hard disk (using another computer and the network)? Thanks!!

if you can gain access to the drive by any means, simply copy the cd to the drive as i have mentioned in this tutorial.
There is also the option to install a dual boot with any OS, if there is an OS on the drive, simply install XP or Vista directly to another partition on the drive from the OS already installed, by copying it's cd to the drive.
(Network your drive and copy from another comps drive is also workable)

Another option is an external cd drive, this should be ok once the floppies are installed.

Your guide worked like a dream. Thank you

Hello there, I'm new to forums and I really need some help. Been around computers for a while, but this one has me scratching my head.
I have a dell Latitude CSx no floppy, no cd. I also have an IBM thinkpad t30, dvd drive.
*I removed latitude's hard drive and placed it on my IBM installed dos.
*Then I placed latitude's hard drive on an external adapter and loged into my winxp on my IBM.
*Copied i386 and smartdrv onto latitude's hard drive.
*Removed it and placed it back.
I followed the steps exactly as instructed by your guide. The windows xp installation goes through to the point where it copies all the files, but when it restarts to start the setup, I get "ntldr missing" no bootable drive. Not even DOS will bootup. I tried the steps several times, but no success.

any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Hi - When I Try To Install Dos 7.1 To My Laptop Drive In The Desktop Pc,the Cd Of Dos Runs But It Does Not Give Me Any Options To Install It To The Laptop Hard Drive - Is The Install Disc Burned Wrong Or Is The Desktop Pc Not Finding My Laptop Hard Drive Or Something Else??? Thanks

If you have a cd drive in a second laptop (hex24) there is a simpler method. Simply place it in the laptop and format the drive, and start the install of XP, when you reach the first restart, hold the power button to stop the install from resuming after the restart, remove the hdd and place it in the correct laptop, and presto all settins will be installed for the correct laptop

(Chipleadjoe) If the installation is not offering you to install to this drive, it may be connected incorrectly. I suggest disconnecting all other drives and only having the laptop drive connected to remove any confusion

William your the best Thx.

i like to think so, but we all like to hear it now and again. Glad to hear your issues are solved