How to Create a Boot Disk

What is a Boot Disk?

A boot disk will allow you to boot off of a diskette instead of your hard drive. This diskette can be used to fix issues which may arise during the lifetime of your computer as well as can be used to help load MS-DOS games or games you may not be able to run from Windows or MS-DOS because of high memory requirements.

After you have created a boot diskette following any of the below instructions it is highly recommended that you write protect the diskette to prevent possible computer virus infection.

Creating a MS-DOS Boot Disk
To create a MS-DOS diskette begin by getting to the DOS directory by typing:
     • cd\dos

Once at the C:\DOS directory skip to 'Copying Additional Files'.

 

Creating a Windows 3.X Boot Disk
To create a Windows 3.x diskette from Windows Program manager click File and then choose the option to Exit Windows which will get you to a prompt, at the prompt type:
     •cd\dos

Once at the C:\DOS directory skip to 'Copying Additional Files'.

 

Creating a Windows 95 Boot Disk
In Windows 95 Microsoft has created a new method of creating a bootable recovery diskette. Unfortunately however this diskette does not support CD-ROM support and is missing a few recommended files. To do this click:
     • Start / Settings / Control Panel
     • double click the Add Remove programs icon
     • click the Startup Disk and create disk

Alternatively to create a Windows 95 boot diskette manually from Windows click:
     • Start / Shutdown and choose the option to restart the computer in a MS-DOS prompt
     • At the prompt type: cd\windows\command

Once at the C:\DOS directory skip to 'Copying Additional Files'.

 

Creating a Windows 98/ME Boot Disk
An excellent feature of Windows 98/ME is its boot diskette. Using Windows to create a Windows 98 boot diskette will give you all the needed files as well as CD-ROM support. To create a Windows 98 boot diskette click:
     • Start / Settings / Control Panel
     • double click the Add Remove programs icon
     • click the Startup Disk and create disk

Alternatively to create a Windows 98 boot diskette manually from Windows click:
     • Start / Shutdown and choose the option to restart the computer in a MS-DOS prompt
     • At the prompt type: cd\windows\command

Once at the C:\DOS directory skip to 'Copying Additional Files'.

 

Copying Additional Files
(NOTE: When making a boot disk if you are running "Stacker" or some kind of a DoubleSpace or drive swapper program, this may not work.)

Once you are in DOS and at the correct directory as instructed in the above sections by operating system you are ready to create your bootable diskette. Place a diskette which does not contain any information (it will be erased) in the computer.

At the prompt if you have MS-DOS 6.2 / Windows 3.x / Windows 95 / Windows 98 type:
     •FORMAT A:/S

If you have MS-DOS 5.0 type using double density 5.25" diskettes type:
      •FORMAT A: /360 /S

If you have MS- DOS 3.11 through 4.0 type using double density 5.25" diskettes type:
     • FORMAT A: /4 /S

Once the diskette has been formatted and the system has been transferred you should be returned to your original directory. In this directory type:

     • copy format*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy fdisk*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy mscdex*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy sys*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy edit*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy qbasic*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     (Win 95/98 users skip this line)
     • copy debug*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy himem*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
     • copy emm386*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]

If you are planning to use this diskette as a diskette to load games or you feel that you need mouse support you will need to copy the mouse driver onto the boot diskette. The MS-DOS mouse driver is generally mouse.com / mouse.sys. Locate this file and copy it to your bootable diskette.

Once you have copied the above files create an autoexec.bat and a config.sys, get to the floppy drive by typing:
     •A:

At the floppy drive type:
     • copy con autoexec.bat [PRESS ENTER]
     • @echo off [PRESS ENTER]
     • LH A:\MSCDEX.EXE
     • /D:CDROM [PRESS ENTER] (This line is used for your CD-ROM drive.)
     • LH A:\MOUSE.* [PRESS ENTER]
       (Skip line if you did not copy mouse file, the * is either sys / com).

Press and hold CTRL + Z—this should return ^Z. Once this is displayed press enter to copy the file.

     • copy con config.sys [PRESS ENTER]
     • device=a:\himem.sys
     • dos=high,umb
     • device=a:\emm386.exe noems
     • files=30
     • buffers=20
     • devicehigh=a:\oakcdrom.sys /d:CDROM (This line is used for your CD-ROM drive.)

Press and hold CTRL + Z—this should return ^Z once this is displayed press enter to copy the file.

Congratulations! After completing the above steps you should now have a bootable floppy diskette.

 

Creating a Windows NT Boot Disk
To create a boot diskette you must have access to the i386 directory located on your Windows NT CD or possibly your Hard disk drive.

Format the floppy diskette you wish to make a bootable Windows NT boot disk using the Windows NT machine.

Copy boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr to the floppy diskette just formatted.

If you are using any SCSI devices which you need access to you will also need to load these drivers onto the diskette.

 

Creating a Windows 2000 Boot Disk
To create a Windows 2000 Professional bootable diskette you will need four 1.44MB diskettes and the Windows 2000 Professional CD. Click:
     • Start / Run / browse to the CD-ROM drive.
Open the "BOOTDISK" folder and double-click makeboot.exe and click ok to launch the program to create the diskette.

Users can also easily create an Emergency Repair Disk. Click:
     •Start/ Programs / Accessories / System Tools /
Open 'Backup.'
From the Backup window click the button for Emergency Repair Disk and follow each of the steps.

 

Creating a Windows XP Boot Disk
Create MS-DOS bootable diskette
When formatting a floppy diskette users have the option of creating a MS-DOS startup disk, follow the below steps to do this:
     • Place diskette in the computer.
     • Open My Computer and right click the A: drive and click Format.
     • In the Format window check Create an MS-DOS startup disk.
     • Click Start

 

Create Windows XP Setup diskettes
Microsoft is beginning to phase out bootable floppy diskettes in favor of bootable CD discs and has not included a method of easily creating a bootable floppy diskette in Windows or from the CD. However, Microsoft has created web pages for users who still need to create bootable diskettes to install (not upgrade) Windows XP, below is a listing of each of these pages:
     • Microsoft Windows XP Home
     • Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
     • Microsoft Windows XP Pro
     • Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP1

 

How to Use a Boot Diskette
Once the bootable diskette has been successfully created following the below steps you will be able to boot from the diskette.

Place the diskette into write protect mode (in case a virus is on the computer this will not allow the virus to transfer itself onto the diskette).

Insert the diskette into the computer and reset or turn on the computer to begin the boot process.

As the computer is booting up, answer the questions prompted (if any).

Once at the A:\> take the appropriate actions depending upon the situation of the computer.