Netbooks forum: How can I install XP on my Asus EeePC?

I don't see that detail in your post.
Bob

Sorry, I'm not following this clarification request and how it is related to my original question?

I'm having problems getting XP back onto my Asus EeePC. Last night I tried making a PE-to-USB from the Asus EeePC XP CD. It didn't work because that CD does not have NTLDR in the i386 directory. I'll try copying NTLDR from another XP CD.

Since this machine has SATA drives and XP doesn't come with the drivers for that, YOU as the installer must know this.

You claim you have the Asus restore CD but it appears you are trying to do something odd with it? Why?
Bob

OK. I think I understand the SATA issue now. So I just went into BIOS and set the SATA to IDE. I assume that I do not need the SATA driver now.

I do not have a DVD drive to use the Asus Restore CD and I could not get that CD onto a USB drive.
Therefore, I made a bootable BARTPE USB from another XP CD.

After installing XP from the BARTPE USB flash drive, it booted and only got the blue "WINDOWS SETUP" screen, then the same message "...ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded".

Other than buying a DVD drive to run the original setup disc, could you suggest anything else I could try?

But you will encounter folk that won't get the drive or borrow it and they lose weeks or more over that item. It's not optional. It's like a spare tire for the car. Eventually you'll need it but it doesn't stop you from using the car or having a repair service fix it for you.
Bob

Thanks for your suggestion. I realize this is the preferred solution. Even better, just buy a new netbook!
But I may be able to save $40 and learn something by trying it the hard way.
I'll try a few more things before giving up.

It's "hard wired" to use an ext. CD/DVD drive in order to install the OS. Being that its also XP just makes this harder or impossible. Unless you have access to some ext. drive then its going to be practically a tail-chasing exercise. You may want to check out:

http://www.bootdisk.com

My goto method that helps at times but not always, google for ADA-2020(or similar adapter) and have a CD drive laying around or remove from old PC for install use. Below is one and remember you can re-use this on other projects.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=30504-DT&cat=CCD

tada ------Willy

Thanks Willy. I've tried several versions of the USB installs and they all seem to hang when files need to be put on the HDD. Like R.Proffitt stated, it's probably an issue with XP not being able to work with SATA without drivers. I even tried a Live DOS USB with FDISK. FDISK insisted the HDD to be Drive 1 and the USB to be Drive 0. So it couldn't make the HDD the active bootable one.

The adapter looks interesting, but since I only expect to use it once or so, I'm going see if Santa may spply me with an external DVD drive. I'll check back after Xmas.

Santa came through and got me a portable DVD drive. I booted up with the recovery disc that came with the netbook. However, it wanted to RECOVER the XP version that was supposed to be on the hidden partition on the HDD. It did not allow a CLEAN installation from the CD.

I gave up on the EeePC CD and just booted with a regular Microsoft XP OS CD that I had from another computer. That booted fine and did a clean install with no problems. I now have my netbook back in normal operation.