How to install Windows XP SP2 using only a pen-drive and Gparted

Hello everyone,

Windows XP is still a widely used operating system, even with Windows Vista easily available.
Many find Windows XP one of the best operating systems ever created, and even getting better (with Service Pack 3 soon available).

This tutorial will teach everyone that has an uncommon system (like us), having only USB-boot, the precise instructions to install Windows XP SP2 on a computer without CD-ROM drive, floppy disk and network boot.
We were actually getting tired of running around the Internet and not finding a good solution, so here we are.

You'll need the following:

• Windows XP CD
• A pen-drive having at least 1GB space (an iPod Shuffle 1st gen was used here).
  
• Another pen-drive (for Gparted) - we used a 256MB pen-drive, although we think a 64MB one is enough.
  
• A computer capable of USB booting (a Dell Optiplex GX620 was used here)
  
• Gparted
  
• This file right here

As simple as that. Now the instructions:

1. Unzip the downloaded file to a directory. Here we will use C:\Dos as the directory.
2. Insert the 1GB pen-drive.
   
3. At this directory, you'll find a file named HpUSBformat.exe. Run it, and it should detect the pen imediatelly.
4. Choose the following settings:
1. FAT32 as the filesystem.
2. SYSTEM as label.
3. Quick format
4. Create a DOS startup disk, using DOS system files located at: C:\Dos (for us, correct this if you unzipped the file to a different directory).
5. Click Start. And the pen should now be bootable.
6. Copy all the files at C:\Dos to the pen-drive. It will ask you to overwrite some files. Accept that.
   
7. Copy all the files and folders from Windows XP CD to the pen-drive.
8. Eject the pen.
   

We assume that you have a Gparted USB pen-drive already prepared.
If not, learn here how to make one.

Preparing the partitions:

1. Boot Gparted LiveUSB.
2. We will now erase the entire MBR and partition table. THIS WILL DELETE ALL YOUR DATA.
1. Open a terminal.
2. Write dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1 (assuming hda is your hard-drive).
3. Reboot with the pen inserted. It will boot Gparted again.
4. Create a 4GB partition, FAT32 filesystem at the beggining of the hard-drive.
5. Mark the partition as bootable (Right-click on the partition, choose Flags and mark boot as true).
6. Click Apply and wait until it's done.
   
7. Remove Gparted USB pen and insert the 1GB pen.
8. Reboot.

Copying Windows installation files to the hard-drive:

1. Boot with the 1GB pen inserted. It will open a DOS shell.
2. Write sys d: and press Enter. Your system is now bootable.
3. Write nc and press Enter (sorry for the program language, if someone has an english version, it would be much appreciated).
4. Press Alt+F2 to change one of the hard-drives to D: . Choose it and press Enter.
5. At the C: drive, choose the first file of the list and Press F5. At the destination, write D:\ . Press Enter.
6. Do this for all the files and folders on C:\.
7. Exit nc and remove the pen.
8. Reboot.

Installing Windows:

1. Boot your computer.
2. Write cd i386 and press Enter.
3. Write winnt and press Enter.
4. Voilá. Let the fun begin.

I hope this helps everyone having a somewhat strange computer.
We sure were happy!