XP Pro Bootable CD

[CondorMan]

A colleague has recently run into problems with his Windows 2000 which generates an error when he tries to start his laptop. I'm conscious that I may run into a similar problem some day! I have XP Pro SP2 and the recovery disc which came with the laptop will reinstall the OS, overwriting the data. I don't have an original XP Pro SP1 disc.

Is it possible for me to generate a CD that I could use to boot into my XP Pro, should the hard drive, or one of the files on it, die? If I can do this, at least I could have access to my working files, the internet etc. and I could have a chance of repairing the problem.

Thanks for your time and patience!

 

[franklin97355]

Google for windows PE

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you. I was under the impression that I could create a CD from my current XP Pro system that I could use to reboot my system in an emergency, rather than from the hard drive. Is this belief wrong?

 

[highlandkelly2002]

You can create the disc, but it won't boot, because the PC only copies the i386 file to HD, you would have to access the disk throug dos if windows doesn't boot. Or this is a little extreme, but Tom Edison said "937 failures, now that's progress." fdisk and format the harddrive, yeah you'll lose all files, reinstall WinXP. What I do then after install is make a folder named "WinXP" (in c:\) that way I don't have to remember where I hid it on myself, then if you have enoug space on HD copy the enite disk, to the new folder you made, I go into Windows Explorer click on whatever drive the WinXp disk is in the click edit select all, copy go to new file right click then paste, then go fix a sandwich it takes a little couple minutes
Any questions?

Kelly

 

[CondorMan]

It seems a bit extreme for a relative novice like me! In the c:\WinXP option, are you suggesting copying the manufacturer's installation disc (I don't have a standard XP Pro CD)? I guess I could gain access to that from DOS, but how would that help me? If I could run the files from there, wouldn't it be the same as putting the manufacturer's CD in and running it from there? So far as I'm aware, that would reinstall the OS and overwrite my data.

I suppose what I'm really getting at is "if I had a system crash (with boot failure) and I took my laptop to a computer professional, how would (s)he gain access to my system to investigate or do a data file backup prior to reinstalling everything?" I assumed that it might be possible to create or purchase a bootable CD which would load the OS, just as it was possible to create bootable floppies on older systems.

Thanks again for continued input and patience!

 

[SimonDavies]

What you need to do is goto

http://www.wininternals.com

and have a look at ERD Commander 2005, that should give you what you want for a booting into a corrupted system however it's unlikely to help you should it be a hardware failure.

FYI I use a version of ERD Commander 2005 that has more utils on it on a daily basis, well worth investing in.

SimonD.

The real world is not about exam scores, it's about ability.

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you Simon, that looks like what I'll need. I appreciate that it won't necessarily help with a hardware failure. I think I'll invest in the workstation version.

 

[highlandkelly2002]

When I am troubleshooting a hard disk, the first thing I do is power up and hit f8 or delete or control to bring up the screen that allows me to opt for command prompt. I then do c:\fdisk /status this shows me the partitions of disk, but if I get a message "unable to read media" that's different anyway hopefully your partitions are ok, I then esc out of fdisk, then I type edit at the c:\prompt, I then while holding down ALT key type the f and then o file open.

this shows me if any files are still on the disk being anaylized, I then write down the location of setup.exe for the operating system, if it was copyied to disk, like say C:\winxp\setup.exe, that's how I have it setup of my HD, this is what I meant by accessing the CD disk through DOS, ***if for some reason you can't access the command prompt screen when computer first boots go into "SETUP" (f1, f4, sometimes f10) look under security and see if unattended start is enabled, dis able I have found that sometimes when this option is enabled my keyboard locks up and then it wants passwords etc etc

Hope it helps and it's really not that hard as long as you don't act like your in college and read too much into it, ok? ***Do u have a win98 startup floppy?

let me know how it goes
Kelly

 

[CondorMan]

Thanks for the tips - fdisk sounds scary!!!

I don't have a win98 startup floppy.

 

[linney]

You might be able to make use of BartPE (a free mini XP self contained on a bootable CD and run from CD).

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Cannot logon to winxp...losing lots of valuable documents
thread779-975236

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

Mount an unbootable NTFS drive? !!HELP!! Tough one.
thread779-738178

 

[CondorMan]

Excellent - it looks as if the MS articles may be what I want (to create something from my own system) but the other items are likely to be of benefit too.

Many thanks.

 

[PalmTest]

Hi CondorMan,

Fdisk sounds scary indeed.
But by adding the switch "/status" it merely displays the partition information and exits back to the Command Prompt.
So the command "fdisk /status" is safe to use.

 

[CondorMan]

Hi linney

I've just had a look at the MS articles that you quoted. They refer to copying some files to a floppy. My laptop doesn't have a floppy drive but I guess I could get hold of an external one. Could I use one that attaches to a USB socket? Will the necessary driver(s) be there to allow me to access a USB socket if there's a boot failure?

As an alternative, could I simply copy the files that MS listed to a CD? The default Boot Device Sequence is set as CD-ROM, Floppy Drive (even though I don't have one!), Hard Disk Drive. I'd prefer to use a CD if I could.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[linney]

Those boot floppies can be boot CD's but you will need third party burning software to create them.

Bootable CD Hassles

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-09-12.htm

I want to copy a bootable program from floppy to cd
thread779-1114211

Floppy-Based Software W/O Floppy?

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-10-14.htm

 

[CondorMan]

Thanks linney - it looks like that's what I need. I'd better get onto it this weekend!

 

[linney]

If you type "recovery and repair" in the Help and Support program's Search Box, it will give you a lot of useful information which may be handy to know.

And don't forget about Backups.