dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
uniqs
42

howie1
Premium Member
join:2003-04-08
Antarctica

1 edit

howie1 to DOStradamus

Premium Member

to DOStradamus

Re: Make your own Windows XP CD.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can boot a Windows 98 Startup floppy with CD ROM support (assuming you have a floppy drive and a Win98 startup floppy), change to the drive with the CD containing the i386 folder and then type WINNT when inside the i386 folder.

No Boots
@rr.com

No Boots

Anon

said by howie1:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can boot a Windows 98 Startup floppy with CD ROM support (assuming you have a floppy drive and a Win98 startup floppy), change to the drive with the CD containing the i386 folder and then type WINNT when inside the i386 folder.
I boot with 98 and has cdrom support, but I cannot se anything in the i386 folder. he shows no files. In WIndows he shows driver.cab and sp2.cab

DOStradamus
MVM
join:2003-11-04
Santa Rosa, CA

DOStradamus to howie1

MVM

to howie1
To make a bootable Win98 DOS floppy (or image for a bootable CD) with the minimum for installing XP, et.al:

FORMAT/S under Win98 DOS

Copy these files over to it:
HIMEM.SYS
OAKCDROM.SYS
MSCDEX.EXE
SMARTDRV.EXE

Make this your CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD069
DOS=HIGH
LASTDRIVE=X

And this for AUTOEXEC.BAT:
MSCDEX /D:MSCD069 /L:X
SMARTDRV

This loads the SMARTDRV disk cache (*very* important), and makes the CD-ROM drive letters start at X: , so we can boot off it, then:
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

...and we're off the the races!

-NK

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

AB57

Premium Member

said by DOStradamus:

. . This loads the SMARTDRV disk cache (*very* important), and makes the CD-ROM drive letters start at X: , so we can boot off it, then:
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

...and we're off the the races!
re: My specific situation (Win98 & floppies out of the picture)--

Disregard the 'X:', change 'X:' to 'C:', or change 'X:' to whatever letter my CD drive is currently set at?

Thanks.

javaMan
The Dude abides.
MVM
join:2002-07-15
San Luis Obispo, CA

3 edits

javaMan

MVM

Click for full size
said by AB57:
said by DOStradamus:

. . This loads the SMARTDRV disk cache (*very* important), and makes the CD-ROM drive letters start at X: , so we can boot off it, then:
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

...and we're off the the races!
re: My specific situation (Win98 & floppies out of the picture)--

Disregard the 'X:', change 'X:' to 'C:', or change 'X:' to whatever letter my CD drive is currently set at?

Thanks.
There a several ways to create a boot disk but the simplest is to use something like Nero which includes a feature to create a bootable CD since many, if not most, computers no longer have floppy disks. Do you use Nero?

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

AB57

Premium Member

said by javaMan:

There a several ways to create a boot disk but the simplest is to use something like Nero which includes a feature to create a bootable CD since many, if not most, computers no longer have floppy disks. Do you use Nero?
No, I don't use Nero. What does creating a boot disk have to do with this?

I'm asking a clarification question of someone who says I can (apparently or theoretically) reinstall my OEM XP installation directly from an I386 folder using a couple of DOS commands.

javaMan
The Dude abides.
MVM
join:2002-07-15
San Luis Obispo, CA

3 edits

1 recommendation

javaMan

MVM

said by AB57:
said by javaMan:

There a several ways to create a boot disk but the simplest is to use something like Nero which includes a feature to create a bootable CD since many, if not most, computers no longer have floppy disks. Do you use Nero?
No, I don't use Nero. What does creating a boot disk have to do with this?

I'm asking a clarification question of someone who says I can (apparently or theoretically) reinstall my OEM XP installation directly from an I386 folder using a couple of DOS commands.
The CD needs to be bootable when the computer starts or you will get the message the other guy got "Insert bootable media." In other words, an operating system must be loaded from the CD in order to be able to do anything else. Once the computer has an operating system running, it's simply a case of logging onto the CD drive, usually the next letter after all the logical drives (on mine it's F:) and then navigating to the i386 directory that was burned to the CD and executing WINNT.

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

AB57

Premium Member

said by javaMan:

said by AB57:

What does creating a boot disk have to do with this? . . .
The CD needs to be bootable when the computer starts or you will get the message the other guy got "Insert bootable media." In other words, an operating system must be loaded from the CD in order to be able to do anything else. Once the computer has an operating system running, it's simply a case of logging onto the CD drive, usually the next letter after all the logical drives (on mine it's F:) and then navigating to the i386 directory that was burned to the CD and executing WINNT.
Ah! Now your talkin'! Thanks, javaMan!

All of those parameters are already in place for me.
Also Acronis backups of my current installation.

I may just have to run this one on up the ol' flagpole.
Thank you again, javaMan.

DOStradamus
MVM
join:2003-11-04
Santa Rosa, CA

DOStradamus to javaMan

MVM

to javaMan
Can I ask what I hope to be a *REALLY DUMB* question around here, but how many of you out there don't have an old, used and spare hard drive sitting around someplace?

I think I'm getting closer and closer to never needing to ever see a barber again, every time some poster here needs some kind of alternate bootable device, doesn't have a floppy drive, can't make a bootable CD (or hasn't, and can't because his 'puter's broken).

I cannot stress enough how important it is, to have just one other bootable disk of some sort around.

TO CLEAR ONE THING UP: the MSCDEX.EXE switch "/L:" specifies where to start assigning CD-ROM drive letters. Pick a "high" enough one, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT on the floppy image, that's loaded as the boot image on your CD, can then look like this:

MSCDEX /D:MSCD069 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

.... and you can walk up to *almost any" computer, and boot right off the CD into Windows SETUP!

-NK

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

AB57

Premium Member

said by DOStradamus:

. . I think I'm getting closer and closer to never needing to ever see a barber again, every time some poster here needs some kind of alternate bootable device, doesn't have a floppy drive, can't make a bootable CD (or hasn't, and can't because his 'puter's broken).

I cannot stress enough how important it is, to have just one other bootable disk of some sort around.
Is this directed at me?
I have several discs stored that I can boot from. I don't recall asking "how can I make a boot CD?"
TO CLEAR ONE THING UP: the MSCDEX.EXE switch "/L:" specifies where to start assigning CD-ROM drive letters. Pick a "high" enough one, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT on the floppy image, that's loaded as the boot image on your CD, can then look like this:

MSCDEX /D:MSCD069 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

.... and you can walk up to *almost any" computer, and boot right off the CD into Windows SETUP!
Yeah, that's about as clear as mud, at first glance.
It might look to be in crystal-sharp focus to you, but not to me.

I've gotten the information I need, though. Maybe.
Thank you anyway.

javaMan
The Dude abides.
MVM
join:2002-07-15
San Luis Obispo, CA

1 recommendation

javaMan

MVM

said by AB57:
said by DOStradamus:

TO CLEAR ONE THING UP: the MSCDEX.EXE switch "/L:" specifies where to start assigning CD-ROM drive letters. Pick a "high" enough one, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT on the floppy image, that's loaded as the boot image on your CD, can then look like this:

MSCDEX /D:MSCD069 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:
CD \I386
WINNT

.... and you can walk up to *almost any" computer, and boot right off the CD into Windows SETUP!
Yeah, that's about as clear as mud, at first glance.
It might look to be in crystal-sharp focus to you, but not to me.

I've gotten the information I need, though. Maybe.
Thank you anyway.
Using the information above in the autoexec.bat file eliminates the need to issue the commands to start the setup manually. And by assigning a drive letter high in the alphabet you can minimize the possibility of running into conflicts with logical drive assignments if a computer has several hard drives. The information isn't critical to making a usable CD, but it makes life easier.
Jimmy Carter4
join:2007-09-24
Mooresville, NC

Jimmy Carter4 to DOStradamus

Member

to DOStradamus
Hey, you don't need a hard drive to test it. Create a partition, it is really easy to do.
Jimmy Carter4

Jimmy Carter4 to DOStradamus

Member

to DOStradamus
I posted how to make your own Norton Ghost 9.0 recovery disk on the software forum..

Creat a partition , install two operating systems..

Restore quickly using the recovery disk environment.

KrazyDawg
join:2001-02-07
San Francisco, CA

1 recommendation

KrazyDawg to No Boots

Member

to No Boots
said by No Boots :

said by howie1:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can boot a Windows 98 Startup floppy with CD ROM support (assuming you have a floppy drive and a Win98 startup floppy), change to the drive with the CD containing the i386 folder and then type WINNT when inside the i386 folder.
I boot with 98 and has cdrom support, but I cannot se anything in the i386 folder. he shows no files. In WIndows he shows driver.cab and sp2.cab
You can also download a boot disk for any OS from »www.bootdisk.com/

howie1
Premium Member
join:2003-04-08
Antarctica

howie1

Premium Member

said by KrazyDawg:
said by No Boots :
said by howie1:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can boot a Windows 98 Startup floppy with CD ROM support (assuming you have a floppy drive and a Win98 startup floppy), change to the drive with the CD containing the i386 folder and then type WINNT when inside the i386 folder.
I boot with 98 and has cdrom support, but I cannot se anything in the i386 folder. he shows no files. In WIndows he shows driver.cab and sp2.cab
You can also download a boot disk for any OS from »www.bootdisk.com/
Thanks, it's been so long since I needed one that I forgot about bootdisk.com. Excellent suggestion.
Jimmy Carter4
join:2007-09-24
Mooresville, NC

Jimmy Carter4

Member

Howie, your wrong.

I only posted it because a lot of people got OEM computers and no Windows XP CD to reinstall the operating system..

The very best thing about my CD method is that it is instantly recognized by Microsoft as the operating system that came loaded on the computer.
Expand your moderator at work

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

2 edits

Octavean to Jimmy Carter4

MVM

to Jimmy Carter4

Re: Make your own Windows XP CD.

said by Jimmy Carter4:

Howie, your wrong.

I only posted it because a lot of people got OEM computers and no Windows XP CD to reinstall the operating system..

The very best thing about my CD method is that it is instantly recognized by Microsoft as the operating system that came loaded on the computer.
I know what you mean I posted a little something about it here:

»Examining HP Recovery Discs, What You See Is What You Get

The goal was basically to let people know the basic locations of the OS install files, driver install files and if necessary install files for individual application on OEM systems.

***edit***
Now my interests are to start the same process with Vista OEM systems. Unfortunately, I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to work with unaltered OEM Vista systems so I haven’t been able to figure out the process. I’m guessing everything is there though,…..

***edit***
I mean, if you think about it, with Vista there is no i386 file or WINNT.exe / WINNT32.exe file so the install method differs somewhat.

ZZZZZZZ
Premium Member
join:2001-05-27
PARADISE

ZZZZZZZ to DOStradamus

Premium Member

to DOStradamus
»www.simplyguides.net/gui ··· er.shtml

I just use Autostreamer and have for years,