How to make a bootable XP CD.

unclebob123 · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:12

I have downloaded a copy of windows XP with service pack 2 and am trying to make it into a bootable CD. I was hoping someone here could help me out. I have nero 8 if thats any help.

Also when I boot from the CD, will it give me the option to completly format the hard drive whihc the operating system is currently installed on.

Thanks in advance.

asim18 · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:20

unclebob123 said:
am trying to make it into a bootable CD.,

unclebob123 said:
Also when I boot from the CD

If you're booting from the cd, you already have a bootable cd.

And downloading copies of windows is illegal.

dave-lew99 · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:27

asim18 said:
And downloading copies of windows is illegal.

Not from MSDN/Technet

Without being pedantic - asim18 is right

Dano · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:31

Taking comments out of context for the win!!!

Also when I boot from the CD, will it give me the option to completly format the hard drive whihc the operating system is currently installed on.

True, there should be a question mark on the end there but it is obviously a question.

Yes it will by the way.

Cobertizo · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:32

unclebob123 said:
I have downloaded a copy of windows XP with service pack 2

You're probably better off with a bootable full retail version of XP, if that's not an MSDN download.

But if you want to make a legal version of XP bootable, having slipstreamed SP3 (may as well, rather than SP2...), then you'll need the relevant boot sector when you burn it. You can extract it using the methods described here:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_create_a_bootable_xp_sp3_cd.htm

Steve09 · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:33

If you've downloaded it as a .iso file, use ImgBurn which is free to burn it to a CD.
If you've downloaded it via MSDNAA like I did from my University, it will be bootable once burned.

asim18 · 8 Jul 2008 at 19:35

Dano said:
Taking comments out of context for the win!!!

True, there should be a question mark on the end there but it is obviously a question.

Yes it will by the way.

Ah sorry, i read it as: "Also when I boot from the CD, it will give me the..."

unclebob123 · 8 Jul 2008 at 20:38

Thanks everyone.

Its a fully legal copy downloaded from my universitys MSDN account.

Steve09 said:
If you've downloaded it as a .iso file, use ImgBurn which is free to burn it to a CD.
If you've downloaded it via MSDNAA like I did from my University, it will be bootable once burned.

Strill having problems though. You said if its downloaded from MSDN it should be bootable once burnt. The file its self is downloaded as a RAR. I then unpack the files and burn them. Is there anything special that needs doing in order for it to be bootable. For example should i put all the files into a folder on the root of the CD etc..?

Thnanks

sid · 8 Jul 2008 at 21:01

unclebob123 said:
Thanks everyone.

Its a fully legal copy downloaded from my universitys MSDN account.

Strill having problems though. You said if its downloaded from MSDN it should be bootable once burnt. The file its self is downloaded as a RAR. I then unpack the files and burn them. Is there anything special that needs doing in order for it to be bootable. For example should i put all the files into a folder on the root of the CD etc..?

Thnanks

Hang on a sec. does it unpack a ISO file? or just a load of files???

.walls · 8 Jul 2008 at 21:29

open image burning software. file --> open --> point to iso --> burn.

do not extract with winrar. do not drag file into image burning software (as this will likely burn the file to disk, not the image, which includes the boot sector). Do not pass go, do not collect £200.

Steve09 · 9 Jul 2008 at 01:31

You might have set WinRAR to open .iso files, so don't worry about that.
Once the file is downloaded, it should be a .iso you don't have to do anything to it, or extract anything, just leave it!
Then, burn the .iso to a blank CD and you're done. When you now put the disc in, it will automatically run.

bledd · 9 Jul 2008 at 10:17

if you've downloaded it from MS, mother's life it isn't a .rar file

set windows to show file extensions (dumbest 'feature' of windows ever was to hide them), verify that it's a .iso file

use imgburn to burn the file, it's an 'image' file

done

Dano · 9 Jul 2008 at 11:11

bledd. said:
set windows to show file extensions (dumbest 'feature' of windows ever was to hide them)

Sorry to jump off topic again, but you're kidding right? For the common or garden average pc user it's a stroke of genius to hide extensions.

bledd · 9 Jul 2008 at 13:59

photo of you.jpg.exe

= user owned

uv · 9 Jul 2008 at 14:04

bledd. said:
set windows to show file extensions (dumbest 'feature' of windows ever was to hide them)

+1

Vista does it right, in that it shows extensions, but doesn't select the extension for editing by default when you go to rename the file

bledd · 9 Jul 2008 at 14:11

yeah, one of the best inclusions in vista