Question : How to install XP with F6 driver requirement and no floppy

I have replaced the mobo/CPU/RAM on a (failed) PC that ran XP Pro. and cloned the HDD to a larger model. To get this to work I realise that I need to replace the Hardware Abstraction Layer and I believe the easiest way to do this would be to run a repair install of XP. Is that right ?

I slipped my XP Pro inc. SP3 CD into the drive and booted from it but the install hung at the “Setup is starting Windows” screen early on in the process (before the F8 licence acceptance screen).  No problem I thought, I’ll just get a disk controller driver from Asus for their M4N78-AM V2 mobo.  There’s a couple named:
NVIDIA AHCI Driver files for Windows 32/64bit XP & 32/64bit Vista& 32/64bit 7.(WHQL)
NVIDIA SATA RAID Driver files for Windows 32/64bit XP & 32/64bit Vista& 32/64bit 7.(WHQL)

In the BIOS I have SATA Mode set to AHCI (rather than SATA or RAID) so using Nliteos I slipstreamed a copy of the 1st driver into a new installation CD and started to boot.  But the process stalls as before.  I have tried pressing F6 to direct the installation process to the location of the driver files, but in XP it will only accept a floppy disk as the location.  Alas, this mobo has no floppy riser.

I wondered if I could boot from a USB stick and followed the instructions at this site but the PC didn't boot.

How can I get this working please ?

Answer : How to install XP with F6 driver requirement and no floppy

Try the instructions here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/51140-integration-of-nvidias-nforce-raid-and-ahci-drivers/page__p__356029

The short ("fast & dirty install") instructions usually work well but if you are having problems then use the longer detailed instructions which don't have any of the shortcuts. This is all about identifying the AHCI .inf files from nVidia so the nlite install pushes them at the right stage of the XP install.  Note the setup differs between  32 & 64-bit versions.

Otherwise leew has the pragmatic solution - you need to be sure the USB FDD is supported in your BIOS though.