Creating a bootable CD to install XP

alexthecheese · 28 Jan 2008 at 11:24

I'm trying to find out where on earth I can create a bootable CD so that I can go and install XP.

I currently have one, but it doesn't have the format command so the drive remains unformatted and when I run the XP setup it says there is no space for the temporary files.

I've had a rumamge about google and Microsoft but can only find floppy bootable setup files, and the PC doesn't have a floppy drive. :rolleyes:

J.T · 28 Jan 2008 at 12:06

Boot from the XP CD and format the drive when you go through the install options?

Thats what i normally do....

uk_viper · 28 Jan 2008 at 12:13

try nlite?

alexthecheese · 28 Jan 2008 at 13:14

My CD won't boot for some reason.

Nlite... I'll have a search, cheers.

alexthecheese · 28 Jan 2008 at 13:42

OK I dont think that's quite what I want, or it is but seems a bit overkill.

Assuming I can make my HDD bootable, which I can do now, I think, is there any way of getting the CD drive working? I'm thinking MSCDEX and all that jazz from a long time ago....

m4cc45 · 28 Jan 2008 at 14:19

www.bootdisk.com

You can download an ISO image or even a floppy if you have a drive.

They're the Windows floppies as well so include the format and fdisk commands.

M.

marc2003 · 28 Jan 2008 at 14:23

check the bios to make sure it's set to boot from cd first. i don't see how you can access files on an xp cd but it doesn't boot?

m4cc45 · 28 Jan 2008 at 14:27

marc2003 said:
check the bios to make sure it's set to boot from cd first. i don't see how you can access files on an xp cd but it doesn't boot?

Use MSCDEX to access the files on the XP CD - if it doesn't boot of the CD it could be down to all kinds of problems but it may be wise to make a bootdisk and check it. Alternatively you could just try copying the original XP CD and see if this works.

M.

BigBoy · 28 Jan 2008 at 23:05

just use nlite and the make iso option far better and safer

using mscdex to access files on the xp cd will get you nowhere as you will not be able to format the drive that way.

bledd · 28 Jan 2008 at 23:46

use nlite, and only select the makeiso option, it'll just create a bootable disc from your files

m4cc45 · 29 Jan 2008 at 07:15

BigBoy said:
just use nlite and the make iso option far better and safer

using mscdex to access files on the xp cd will get you nowhere as you will not be able to format the drive that way.

Of course you will.

The bootdisk I linked to is basically a CD version of the old Windows 98/ME/XP bootdisks which used MSCDEX to mount the CDROM drive. On the disk, as I posted, is the Format and FDISK command - so why wouldn't you be able to format the drive?

Personally if you can boot of the CD then run setup you can remove / amend the partitions in there and format the drive.

M.

marc2003 · 29 Jan 2008 at 08:48

m4cc45 said:
Of course you will.

The bootdisk I linked to is basically a CD version of the old Windows 98/ME/XP bootdisks which used MSCDEX to mount the CDROM drive. On the disk, as I posted, is the Format and FDISK command - so why wouldn't you be able to format the drive?

Personally if you can boot of the CD then run setup you can remove / amend the partitions in there and format the drive.

M.

that really would have to be a last resort. i'd look at the issue of my cd not booting rather than mess with floppy disks, fdisk and cdrom drivers. this is 2008, not 1998.