Re-installing windows XP cannot boot to USB or DVD

[Paul41windows]

DELL INSPIRON 6400

Looking for some help and advice. I have windows 8 installed over existing copy of XP but runs too slow on laptop and need to revert back to windows XP. However, big problems!

problem 1 - wont boot to DVD. Removed hard drive and selected DVD for first boot in bios.

Problem 2 - created a bootable USB and selected USB from bios

Both of the above giving error of no OS. Googling for an answer leads me to the laptop must have a faulty motherboard. So either there is some workaround for this problem or I'm stuck with a mega slow laptop. Any help ideas?

The XP is proper disc and I have tested it on another machine.

There is an option to boot from NIC! Anyone advise on installing from NIC? Something I have never tried.

Another thought is to remove the hard drive create 2 partitions on it, copy the XP disc to one partition and hope it loads. Again anyone done that before? Any guidance?

Also if anyone else had this problem and resolved this some other way please let me know.
Thanks in advance

 

[alphanumeric]

How did you create the bootable USB thumb drive with XP on it? I have never ever been able to get that to work with XP. When you tested your XP CD did you actually boot from it on the other PC? The reason I ask is it will autorun from within an already running Windows but that doesn't mean its bootable.

 

[Paul41windows]

Yes tested both on another laptop to ensure they were bootable.

I use a free program called ISOtoUSB just google there address is same as name of program. Certainly works.

What I am doing for workaround if because the person upgraded and installed from within windows (never booted from CD) going to get them to log in and go to add remove program's as they should be able to restore back to original version of windows. If not will go for copying files to hard drive option as that should work

 

[alphanumeric]

One way to do it is to start the install in one PC using the syspart command, and then move the hard drive back to the laptop to finish it.
Requirements for Using the "WINNT32 /SYSPART" Command < It refers to windows 2000 but I believe it works for XP too. Instead of running setup.exe you run winnt32 /syspart