Create Windows 2000/XP bootdisk

Making a Boot Disk for Windows NT/2000/XP

The primary purpose of an MS-DOS boot disk is to boot for such procedures as upgrading your system ROM. If you need to boot into Windows XP (or 2000), you need a startup floppy disk. This kind of disk is only good for booting into XP/2000 when you have a damaged NTdetect file, or something of that nature.

To create this type of floppy, format the floppy in NT4/2000/XP. Copy Ntldr and Ntdetect.com to the floppy. Now, add a boot.ini file such as the one shown here.

[boot loader]

timeout=30

Default= multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Windows XP"

If you're using NT or 2000, modify the lines appropriately. In NT and 2000, you need to change the default partition and the operating systems to Winnt.

If you want to view an NTFS volume, without actually booting into Windows, you'll need to get a copy of NTFDOS from Sysinternals at - link dead(http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a62361a76629466a4) - New Link - http://www.compguystechweb.com/troubleshooting/fdisk/ntfsfsdr.html

Using Windows XP (or Windows 98), format a system floppy. Extract the NTFSDOS files to the floppy and then create an autoexec to run the program. All you need in the autoexec.bat file is the single line ntfsdos.

When you boot with this disk, you can read the NTFS disks on your system. You cannot copy files to the disks, but you can copy files from the NTFS disks to the floppy, or to any FAT 16 hard disks that you might have in your system. You might be able to copy to a FAT 32.

If you need to copy files to an NTFS disk, you can purchase NTFSDOS Professional for $299. This utility will allow you to both read and write NTFS disks from your floppy disk boot.