1) Use one of the laptop to desktop drive adapters (compgeeks.com) to connect
the laptop drive to any desktop machine.
2) either boot from a DOS floppy or boot to DOS. run fdisk and
create the partition and set it active. reboot (to DOS again). format
the drive. make SURE you format the correct drive letter. use fdisk/display
to verify. better yet is to boot from floppy and have all other drives
disconnected.
3) in DOS still, copy a bootable DOS to the laptop drive with the command
"SYS C:" or whatever is the appropriate drive letter.
4) reboot your desktop machine to windows. put in a Win98, WinME, or whatever
cd and copy the important stuff to a subdir on the laptop drive. I usually name
it Win98CD or WinMECD or whatever. I copy the drivers, tools, Win98/ME dirs, and
the other top level files into the laptop dir. leave off the add-ons and
cdsample dirs to save space.
5) now you're basically done and ready to rock. put the laptop drive in the
new machine and boot. it should boot into a DOS prompt C:>. cd into WinMECD
or whatever subdir you named it and run "setup".
Hint: unless you really need the space, keep the WinCD dir around as long as
possible. whenever you install a driver or whatever and it asks you to
"insert the Win CD" it will automatically go to the subdir to pick up
the drivers and other files it needs. if it doesn't you can browse to the
subdir manually.
Steve
"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States)
assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may
exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be
at all times armed." -Thomas Jefferson.
