install mandrake or xp via external usb drive
 

can anyone please tell me if it is possible for me to plugin an usb external cdr drive to a laptop, and start install winxp or mandrake.
for example, my laptop give me the option to boot a bootable OS by pressing (C) from the keyboard.
since the cdrom drive that came with the laptop is defected, I cannot start the installation directly.
by the way the computer came with a floppy drive as well;
since I have an external usb cdr drive, I think It may be possible for me to put the bootable OS in this drive and start the installation from it.

can anyone help
sincerely ,clint

I speak for linux, never used xp.
If your built-it cdrom actually reads data, and it's supported by your distro, then you only have to boot from a floppy (either download an image or look for it on the 1st cd) and then supply the built-in cdrom as installation media.
Otherways, i don't think it will be easy, unless your bios is smart enought to boot from usb. You can try booting from floppy with a recent kernel image supporting usb, chances are you will be able to mount your usb cdrom.
If you have some sort of os on the laptop able to read cds, you can copy the whole inst cds to a directory on the disk and then use it as install medium... of course you'll have to prepare a dedicated partition first, otherways you'll blow data away before completing install.
Or, if you have a running networked linux machine, you can export cds via nfs.

However, if you really need to install xp, I fear you'll need to fix your cdrom: I heard it's not what I call 'Open and flexible' :)
best wishes