What is the replacement in XP for "format /s" in Win98?

[fogelda]

I need to create a flash for some PC card and I'm using "format /s" in Windows 98. There is no "/s" parameter in Windows XP. Is there something else that does the same?

 

[Snickle]

There is no /s in WinXP because you can't boot to a WinXP floppy directly like in Win9x/ME. There's 2 files downloadable that in turn will create a set of 5 or 6 floppies used for installing WinXP when the CD drive is not bootable on an older computer. The WinXP CD is bootable to allow installation or running the Recovery Console.

There is an option in the right-click and Format menu for System Files but it is for an MS-DOS boot floppy, actually the version is Millenium. Will not give access to NTFS-formatted hard drives.

 

[roamer1]

From WinXP Help:

*BEGIN*

To create an MS-DOS startup disk
The MS-DOS startup disk you create will allow you to boot into MS-DOS.

Insert a floppy disk into your computer's floppy drive.
Open My Computer, and then click the floppy disk drive to select it.
On the File menu, point to the name of the floppy drive, and then click Format.
Under Format options, click Create an MS-DOS startup disk.
Click Start.
Important

Creating an MS-DOS startup disk erases all information on the floppy disk.
Notes

To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
The MS-DOS startup disk only allows the system to boot into an MS-DOS prompt. The disk contains no additional tools.

*END*

**SPECIAL NOTE:**

I have found DOS Boot disks made with 2k (I haven't tried WinXP) to be unreliable for use with many DOS utilities- I don't know why. I would really recommend using Win98 to create SYS'd floppies.

 

[Marcs41]

Check here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/original.htm

The solution is out there.

 

[BlackburnKL]

In answer to raomer1's comment about some utilities being unreliable from Win2K.

I think you will find that Win9x/Me are based on DOS 6.22 and WinNT/2000 are based on DOS 5.0. As a result, newer DOS commands (such as DELTREE) are not available. Also, newer options (such as the /P switch for the MEM command) or displays (such as the much improved display for the MEM command) are also not available in NT/2K. BlackburnKL

 

[Marcs41]

Black, about the MEM command , you can do a workaround with mem|more instead op mem /p The solution is out there.

 

[roamer1]

Actually, BlackburnKL, I believe that Win2k FORMAT has something to do with it too- must write the header differently or something- as floppies formatted in 2k and then used to unpak self-installing drivers (etc.) often fail to work as well. I found this out buying a 50pak of floppies and reformatting them off of a 2k box as factory formats always give me fits. Same floppies formatted on Win98 work fine. go figure...