XP Boot Disk ??

Hi, Do I need to make a Boot disk for XP ?. Cant find any mention of it anyware , Any advice appreciated. Thanks Des.

 

Hi, Fella's , thanks for your prompt replies. Des.

 

Yes you should. If something happens to your boot files you will be able to boot the PC into a properly running system. I had an NT server that I ran for a year from a boot disk until I was able to take the time to rebuild, since it couldn't/wouldn't be repaired.

DRD

 

Sure wish I understood the differences between these BootDisks for WinXP, (in other words, just when you would use one as compared to another).
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q310994
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314079
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305595

 

Hi Jim, The first link you list refers to the set of 6 floppies that can be created for running a setup or repair session of XP. They will contain the necessary tools to prepare a HD for installing XP. They are useful in the event that you cannot boot to the install cd directly via changing the BIOS boot sequence. Sometimes that's an issue. In addition, those floppies can provide you with the ability to access the Recovery Console without you having to have the install cd or having the Recovery Console already installed on your HD. Most people don't install the RC and some don't have the original install cd to get it from, such as many OEM users. I think that covers your first link.

The other two links seem to refer to the same principal item. That would be a floppy disk that has the necessary bootloader files to allow you to boot XP when it has corrupted one of its own bootloader files. That can happen easily since none of those files are protected from deletion. In addition, if your MBR gets corrupt, XP will not boot. With this bootloader floppy, it uses the MBR that is contained on the floppy and booting will proceed normally so that you can access Windows and affect repairs. Furthermore, with the bootloader floppy, you can set the delay time at -1 and it will pause without timing out during boot and give you plenty of time to select an F8 boot menu screen to access Safe Mode or whatever. That's a big plus for some folks who can't seem to hit F8 at the proper instant after POST to get that menu.

Frankly, I don't see fit to keep the 6-set of floppies since I use drive image backups for protection of my OEM installation. I couldn't setup a drive and install XP since I didn't get the install cd.

I do however keep a bootloader floppy around and recommend that others do it as well. It's the first thing I recommend when someone is having a boot problem. If it doesn't help, it at least clears some things from suspicion. BTW, it is quite easy to make this bootloader floppy if you do it in advance of needing it. If you wait and have to make it on another computer, it requires you to verify that the other computer has the same ARC path booting settings as yours. If not, you'd have to edit the boot.ini file accordingly. Bottom line, make it now, test it, than write protect it so the bootsector will be virus protected and put it away for safe keeping. Hope you never need it.

There is also another boot floppy that you can make in XP. You'll see that offered in Windows when formatting a floppy or other drive. It is merely a dos startup disk. It has just enough dos files to boot to the disk and no tools to do anything with. It is used mostly for providing a vehicle for some other tool, such a bios flash tool, and has little value beyond that.

Best regards.
ps. Since I touched on using the 6-floppy set to get to the Recovery Console, you may be interested in a good plain talk presentation of some of the powers available there. If so, read this.

 

To create a boot disk for XP/NT/2K:

Format the disk in XP, but do not choose the option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk "

Copy the following files from the root of drive C: (these are hidden system files. You may have to go to Folder Options to see them).

BOOT.INI
NTLDR
NTDETECT.COM

If you the option to boot to "Previous operating system on C:" also copy BOOTSECT.DOS

That is all there is to it. Label it and put it away somewhere safe and hope you never need it.

DRD

 

surferdude2--Thanks very much for the clear presentation. I will save that, (and hope I never have to use it).

NetDoc--Believe, in order for those four files to be useable as a BootDisk, you have to have copies of them that do not have the hidden attribute, so you cannot just copy and use the ones in C:\ without changing the attribute. Maybe I am wrong.

 

The attributes won't matter Jim, just so long as you get a copy. I guess that's important to the extent that you can't see them to copy them unless you are configured for showing System and Hidden files.

You only have the bootsector.dos file if you are running a dual boot system with Win9x. Otherwise it doesn't exist.

 

surferdude2--Thanks for the clarification. Wonder where I got that idea. I now see from
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=311073
that changing the hidden attribute is not needed.