Installing Windows XP on Bootcamp without a Superdrive

[Gavbo]

Hi All,

I am looking for a step by step guide for Installing Windows XP on Bootcamp without a Superdrive via Parallel or Fusion. I managed without a Superdrive for a year now, seems a bit silly to get one now, especially I am unlikely to reuse it again.

Thanks in advance.

 

[macboy4]

Hi All,

I am looking for a step by step guide for Installing Windows XP on Bootcamp without a Superdrive via Parallel or Fusion. I managed without a Superdrive for a year now, seems a bit silly to get one now, especially I am unlikely to reuse it again.

Thanks in advance.

You seem to be talking about two different things... do you want to install via bootcamp, or virtually via Parallels or Fusion? If you want to use a bootcamp partition virtually you have to install it through bootcamp first.

There is no way I know to install via bootcamp without a physical drive. You actually install Windows like you would on any PC and PCs don't have remote disk.

 

[Winni]

Hi All,

I am looking for a step by step guide for Installing Windows XP on Bootcamp without a Superdrive via Parallel or Fusion. I managed without a Superdrive for a year now, seems a bit silly to get one now, especially I am unlikely to reuse it again.

Thanks in advance.

You cannot install it into Boot Camp without a physical installation medium. However, if you just want to install it in Fusion or Parallels, you could download an ISO image of the Windows XP installation CD and mount this as your installation medium in Parallels/Fusion (yes, that is supported). If you know somebody with a CD/DVD drive, you can insert the Windows installation CD and create the ISO image yourself - on a Mac with Disk Utility, on Windows with some of the many available and downloadable freeware tools. Copy that file then to a USB stick and use it on your Mac.

 

[Gavbo]

You cannot install it into Boot Camp without a physical installation medium

Notice the question is not "It is possible ... "

 

[Paul B]

I *think* you can mount the iso to your SD card, but you should mroogle for definitive answers.

 

[Winni]

Notice the question is not "It is possible ... "

Notice that a simple thank you would do, as I am not being paid by you to give you technical support, to solve your problems or to write a guideline for you for something that cannot be done without the disk drive you're to cheap to buy.

/end of waste of my time.

 

[lucifiel]

Hi All,

I am looking for a step by step guide for Installing Windows XP on Bootcamp without a Superdrive via Parallel or Fusion. I managed without a Superdrive for a year now, seems a bit silly to get one now, especially I am unlikely to reuse it again.

Thanks in advance.

Step 1: Buy an external DVD Drive that isn't a superdrive.
Step 2: Follow the bootcamp guide that apple provides.

Done.

 

[alphaod]

For Vista and 7 you can image the install disk onto a USB drive and go from there, but with XP, I believe you need to use the installation disk which requires a USB optical drive.

So maybe use Windows 7? It's a pretty good OS. With Professional and above there is always XP mode you can use for your legacy programs.

If you must use XP, you'll need to buy the drive or borrow one from a friend.

 

[Gavbo]

I guess I would have stated ..... I am looking for expert advises.

 

[chappy87]

I cannot believe the rudeness of the OP. You came to the forum, asked a question, to which a number of people gave their time in providing perfectly decent answers, and respond in a very rude manner. I don't know what advice an "expert" would give that is different to anything that's been suggested here. In future, go straight to a qualified "expert" instead to filling the boards with this sort of response.

 

[lucifiel]

well see, an "expert" can apparently solve his query, even though, there are in fact people who could be called "experts" who are on this forum.

for the record, I'm not an "expert" but i have also the effort to search google for this problem and concluded that it's not doable, but hey, some people are of the opinion, "if i want it done, you all better think of something"

 

[Gavbo]

Those were hardly decent answers ....

Here is a guide for installing Vista/Windows 7 to Boot camp via Parallels bypassing the need of a Superdrive.

http://insidethebrackets.blogspot.com/2009/04/install-windows-on-macbook-air-with-no.html

The creator quoted "I believe this is more likely to be a success with Vista or 7 because of their image based install process - a generic image is copied to the hard drive and then customised for your system. This process might work with Windows XP but I haven't tried it."

... Which I dont understand fully so here I am ...

Before someone ask "why dont you try it then?" I simply have too much to loose on my machine at the current state thats all.

Any testers would like to give this a try and report back?

 

[btbrossard]

I guess I would have stated ..... I am looking for expert advises.

Part of the problem is your looking at spending hours of time figuring out a solution to a $50 problem (the cost of most USB Drives).

Most people's time is more valuable than that, but if your that cheep, whatever.

 

[btbrossard]

Those were hardly decent answers ....

Any testers would like to give this a try and report back?

I'm sure people will flock to help your arrogant ass out.

 

[chappy87]

Those were hardly decent answers ....

Here is a guide for installing Vista/Windows 7 to Boot camp via Parallels bypassing the need of a Superdrive.

Well, Expert Tip 1: perhaps you should first realise that you're confusing Parallels and Boot Camp. They are not the same thing.

Before someone ask "why dont you try it then?" I simply have too much to loose on my machine at the current state thats all.

Expert Tip 2: A failed installation in Parallels cannot do any damage to anything on your machine. It just won't work.

Any testers would like to give this a try and report back?

With your attitude, no, I very much doubt it.

 

[lucifiel]

if the OP had just read the comments on the blog post (which I have relied upon several times), he will note that it has been noted that Win Xp doesn't work.

but hey, that guy's not an expert either. that or the OP didn't read. Geez couldn't be the latter now can it?

 

[alphaod]

Those were hardly decent answers ....

…

Any testers would like to give this a try and report back?

So try it yourself; why should anyone waste time on a pointless task for someone else who is inconsiderate?

 

[roslee7]

agreed with yo guys, after giving him some tips and decent advice and yet , he says, he is looking for an expert. Anyway, this is a forum and if u think , u need an expert, why not pay the service and dont waste people time here. such an arrogant newbie.

 

[Gavbo]

More value added replies I see ....

Anyways the answer is yes is possible with the help of another mac with a CD drive. The method involves cloning the window bootcamp partition over to the Macbook Air.

http://forum.maccast.com/index.php?...ithout-superdrive/page__p__80582&#entry80582?

 

[Scottsdale]

You really are acting inconsiderately. You want people to try it all and give you a report back. Then you tell everyone how worthless they are for not holding your hand through a process. Then you criticize people when they don't drop everything they're doing and find the answer for you. Why don't you "add" some "value" to these forums rather than be a nuisance to the members?

 

[alphaod]

More value added replies I see ....

Anyways the answer is yes is possible with the help of another mac with a CD drive. The method involves cloning the window bootcamp partition over to the Macbook Air.

http://forum.maccast.com/index.php?...ithout-superdrive/page__p__80582&#entry80582?

Excellent; so the solution to saving $50-$100 on a SuperDrive is spend upwards of $500 for another computer.