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Bootable USB Drive - Boot mgr?

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sidroski

Technical User
Sep 21, 2004
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Been Telecom Tech for a while. Now I'm the last but I am tasked with become a Data Tech to supplement the 15 data techs they got. Glad I got a job, sincerely. When I started this a month ago, they had a bootable disk and then an image on the USB depending on job. Now they want to get away from the disk, which is welcome on my part. The thumb drive that came with the new images has a Bootmgr file but I think more is needed to make the USB a bootable disk that can then reimage the PC with what the user needs. You can get to the selection of where to boot from, USB being one of them. With the USB that has the loaded software, when it is selected, the system ignores it and continues to boot XP or 7. The guy who is showing me this is OK with networks but not PC's. What files need adding or USB partions need activating to make this a bootable USB with selectable images? I'm sure this has been asked but I lack the knowledge to see that it is the same problem as mine. thanks, wish me well and any pointers to a path to gain pc knowledge is appreciated. Been through SOHK's, wish to avoid this with PC's. Thanks
 
You might want to have a look at this currently running similar post.

Making a USB stick bootable
thread779-1633706

 
I saw that, lot of programming (took 9 hours of C++ at a local university, so not scared of that) but we don't have admin rights. Looking at files that are on one of the boot disk or elsewhere that need to be transferred to make the USB bootable. Thanks for the response Linney. Glad you helped me make myself more clear.
 
Easiest way to make a usb thumb drive bootable is download sp27608.exe from HP.com. it is a little program to format usb drives. it is free to use. and works on all drives not just those from HP. next go to bootdisks.com and download a windows 98 bootdisk. extract those files to a folder called win98boot.

After installing the hp application, run it, and plug in the usb drive. Wait for the usb drive to be seen in the drop down menu. Check dos startup disk. select "using dos system files located at" browse to the win98boot folder,click ok. click yes to the warning that all files will be erased. when it is done click close, you now have a dos bootable thumb drive, and can put any files or folders you want on the rest of the drive, remember that dos has a 8.3 naming structure so don't go over 8 characters or getting to the right folders can be a nightmare. :)

 
i just finished do just this.
we use acronis for making images and restoring systems.
step 1. find fbinst.
step 2 create a menu.lst with the following stuff in it.
This is what is in the menu.lst file for your information.

Color blue/green yellow/red white/magenta white/magenta

Timeout 30
default /default

title Acronis 2010
find --set-root /ac1.iso
map (hd0,0)/ac1.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)

step 3. copy the acronis.iso to the disk

boot the usb stick/drive..

you can add other iso images to the menu and they will boot too as you add them to the menu.

see burg or grub4dos lots of good info there to make usb bootable and configurable to what ever you want.


hope this helps....
 
Thanks, was on this all morning, had to take the thumb drive, copy it to a cd, boot from the CD and then load the programs from the CD's. Not a data guy but I guess I will try, they don't know either. The first one loaded from the thumb but none of the rest would. No answer but it works.
 
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