Installing XP from USB Key

[opendestiny]

I recently bought a netbook in Germany, as I am currently travelling through Europe and got really sick of hostels advertising "free" internet, only to find out they only mean wifi. Anyway, as I bought it in Germany it came loaded with Windows XP in German. Normally this would not be a problem, I'd just insert the boot disks and install the language files needed to change over to English, but as many netbooks are wont to do, mine lacks a CD drive. While I could, in theory, just connect to an external USB CD/DVD rom, I don't really want to purchase one and do not know of anywhere I would be able to borrow one. Thus, I have began looking into installing an english version of XP from USB key.

I have tried the basic instructions that come up when you google (such as found here) but everytime I try to select the virtual CD drive where my downloaded windows .iso is mounted it tells me there are no XP install files in that directory. I have tried several different .isos, as well as copying the files from the mounted virtual drive onto the harddrive, and none of it works. I'd like to install the "lite" or "performance" version of XP for obvious reasons, but the USB install seems to be having none of it. I have not yet tried with the full, 630MB version of XP (it is currently downloading).

If the full version of XP works, is there any way I can cut it down closer to what is found in Lite/Performance? Do I have to do it before I install or can I do it after? Alternatively, any idea why the Lite/Performance ISOs won't work, or is it just because I am trying to copy the files from a virtual drive? Help is hugely appreciated!

 

[sshaggy]

format the usb key in ntfs.
open command prompt, start-programs-accessories-cmd.
Type the following commands without quotes and press enter.
"diskpart"
"list disk"

Now note the disk no of the usb key, disk 1 or disk 2. Be careful while selecting the disk. Use size as reference.

type the following in sequence

select disk 1 (where disk 1 is the disk number of usb key)
active
list partition
select partition 1
active
exit

Now mount the iso on a virtual drive
From cmd, browse to boot directory the virtual cd drive.
G:\cd boot (where G: is the drive letter of the virtual drive)

Now, when u are here, type this
g:\cd boot\> bootsect\nt60 h:
where h: is the drive letter of the usb key.

Now exit cmd.
copy all files from the mounted image to the usb key.
Then boot from the usb key.