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Create a bootable CD emergency repair disc for XP?

Anonymous
2011-05-28T17:02:18+00:00

Is it possible to create a bootable CD emergency repair disc for XP? 

The issue is CD vs floppy

  1. create a bootable CD from an operable pc with XP os?

and/or

 2. create a bootable CD from a floppy? (emergency repair disc)?

Since my (amateur) perception is that most newer PCs don't have floppy drives, I'm confused about why CD-based repairs aren't covered by Microsoft??

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-05-30T08:40:49+00:00

    Here is how to make a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and a Hiren's BootCD (neither require XP media).

    I do not recall in recent memory any XP issue I could not resolve with one or the other.

    The Microsoft Support Engineers either don't know how to do this or are prohibited - I think because there is not a Microsoft KB article about it. If you are a SE and making a post, you better include a Microsoft KB article in it somewhere or it doesn't count.   I think they just don't know how...

    You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file and burning it to a CD.

    The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

    xp_rec_con.iso 

    Download the ISO file from here:

    <Link removed>

    Use a new CD and this free and easy program to burn your ISO file and create your bootable CD:

    http://www.imgburn.com/

    Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

    http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

    It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is working.

    You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.  These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

    When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

    Press any key to boot from CD...

    The Windows Setup... will proceed.

    Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

    Select the installation you want to access (usually  1: C:\WINDOWS)

    You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

    You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder.  This is the same as the 

    C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

    The Recovery Console allows basic file commands like: copy, rename, replace, delete, cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.

    For a list of Recovery Console commands, enter help at the prompt or read about the XP Recovery Console here:

    http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_console_cmds.mspx?mfr=true

    Make yourself a Hiren's BootCD which you can download from here:

    http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

    The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete.  Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.

    Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD.  You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.

    In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it.  The BurnToCD.cmd will use the extracted BurnCDCC.exe file to burn the .ISO file to a blank CD using your existing CD burner.  You can also use your own CD burning software as long as your software is capable of creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file.  Most modern CD burning programs can create bootable CDs from an .ISO image.  Creating a bootable CD from an ISO image is not the same as just burning the file to a CD.

    If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:

    http://www.imgburn.com/

    Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

    http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

    It would be a good idea to test your new bootable CD on a computer that is working.

    You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.  These adjustments are  made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

    When booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options.  Choose the Mini XP option.  Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.

    Using the Mini XP, you can access the Internet, maneuver around your system, search for files, copy files, replace files, run various scans for malicious software, edit text files (like the c:\boot.ini) etc.

    There are dozens of free and useful tools included in the CD that can be used to repair your system or copy your important personal files to another device (like a USB device or external drive) in the event that you just give up and decide to reinstall your XP (hopefully you will

    not make that decision).

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-06-09T10:10:16+00:00

    In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it.  The BurnToCD.cmd will use the extracted BurnCDCC.exe file to burn the .ISO file to a blank CD using your existing CD burner.

    In the latest Hiren's Boot CD v 14.0, while doing so you need to tick SAO in the BurnCDCC dialogue; otherwise the PC doesn't see the files on it and Mini XP faults on many functions, e.g. "Open with Notepad"on a file in Explorer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-05-31T03:25:51+00:00

    Here's the end of MY story: (BTW this does NOT describe the 2 weeks of the side issues I investigated looking for a solution to my non-boot problem)

    1st - EVERY one of those Recovery Console .isos that I burned and tried over the last 2 weeks, failed because they did NOT have EULA...so other than fixmbr, fixboot and a couple of other commands (and ability to see that data still exists) they are unhelpful.

    In MY case, I had 2 PCs - one dead, and this one.  Both are PCs that came with XP Pro installed from the OEM (ie no freakin' CDs - the biggest problem that we face)

    Using a couple of different bootable CDs I had the ability to save my data by copying it to a USB drive.  Later I learned that the dead PC had i386 folder and files - those I also copied out.

    I used a process (search "Jimmy Carter") to turn that i386 data into bootable .iso CDs - in effect - my own Windows CP Pro CD (I also had to modify the .iso to include SP 2 in order to get a complete repair / in-place upgrade).

    I was then able to repair / upgrade in place, and reboot with my current settings and all data.

    2 weeks of my life gone.

    Thanks for NOTHING Microsoft and HP!

    .

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-05-30T04:41:57+00:00

    Yes, Microsoft's "customer service" sucks, and so does HPs.  Why? or rather - how so?

    A sap aka the mark aka a customer buys an HP Compaq with XP Pro installed - no CDs or floppies, thank you.

    Comes the day it won't boot -

    Microsoft wont do $%^& and pushes you off to HP

    HP won't do %^&* and wants to charge for getting a CD

    $%^& 'em all

    So, an individual is cast to the internet to try and search out solutions on their own

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-05-29T15:12:16+00:00

    Hi,

    The below article might be helpful.

    How to create a custom startup WinPE CD-ROM in Windows XP

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303891

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