How to create XP Pro boot CD using 1386 Folder

[EW]

This may be recurring, but... I have a Windows XP Pro system, fully legal,
activated, etc., but without any installation CD. My question: can I
possibly create a boot CD with the files on my hard drive, supposedly the
i386 folder? I need this only in case of catastrophic hard drive failure. I
understand that the Bart PE Builder can do this in most cases, but in mine,
I have only the i386 folder to work with. FYI, I do have the Product Key
for XP Pro, etc.

Is there hope? Comments please. Thanks.

EW

 

[Kardon Coupé]

Can you not Ghost your drive at the present state, incase of the
"catastrophic hard drive failure" then at least you can get back to that
until you find another means of 'obtaining' a Windows XP disk?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This may be recurring, but... I have a Windows XP Pro system, fully
legal, activated, etc., but without any installation CD. My question: can
I possibly create a boot CD with the files on my hard drive, supposedly
the i386 folder? I need this only in case of catastrophic hard drive
failure. I understand that the Bart PE Builder can do this in most cases,
but in mine, I have only the i386 folder to work with. FYI, I do have the
Product Key for XP Pro, etc.

Is there hope? Comments please. Thanks.

EW

Here are a few options:
- Create an image with an imaging product such as Acronis
TrueImage as recommended by Kardon.
- Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD and use xcopy.exe
or robocopy.exe to copy the existing system to an external
USB disk.
- Temporarily install the disk as a slave disk in some other
WinXP PC and use xcopy as above.

If you do not already have a Bart PE boot CD then you will
need a WinXP Professional CD to make one. Burn one from
a friend's CD - sooner or later you will need it!

 

[David Webb]

See this tutorial for details:
http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

Good luck!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See this tutorial for details:
http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

Good luck!

That's a nicely written and very comprehensive page!

 

[Plato]

This may be recurring, but... I have a Windows XP Pro system, fully legal,
activated, etc., but without any installation CD. My question: can I

One should always have the intatalltion CD for the OS you want to use.

 

[Clearwire Mail]

One should always have the intatalltion CD for the OS you want to use.

Sure. Just like one should always have enough money in the bank to forego
getting a loan. Or have their cholesterol level below 200. Or.....
Please, things happen!

 

[PD]

EW wrote:

One should always have the intatalltion CD for the OS you want to use.

You should seriously consider changing your moniker to "worthless
****tard".

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Sure. Just like one should always have enough money in the bank to forego
getting a loan.

Right.


Or have their cholesterol level below 200.

Right again.

Or.....
Please, things happen!

Unfortunately, one doesn't always get to control all the important
things in one's life. For example, as you undoubtedly mean to point
out, not everyone *can* get their cholesterol level below 200.

But there are things that you *can* control. This is one of them. When
Plato says "One should always have the intatalltion CD for the OS you
want to use," he is correct.

 

[Plato]

Sure. Just like one should always have enough money in the bank to forego
getting a loan. Or have their cholesterol level below 200. Or.....
Please, things happen!

Correct. Having the money to pay for something you want to buy is ALWAYS
better then paying interest and hoping you have a job in the future to
pay back a loan. And yes, eating correctly is the best thing.

 

[EW]

On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 17:30:07 -0600, "Clearwire Mail"

Incredible! I can hardly believe this! I asked a simple question about
trying to create a boot CD for my XP Pro system using the i386 folder and
what do I get. Lectures about my not having the original CD, and other
irrelevant stuff. I'm going to keep calm and ask again whether this process
is possible. I'd really like to have my (LEGAL!!) XP Pro system back IF the
hard drive ever crashes (it's old) and I install a new drive.
Thanks....

EW

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Incredible! I can hardly believe this! I asked a simple question about
trying to create a boot CD for my XP Pro system using the i386 folder and
what do I get. Lectures about my not having the original CD, and other
irrelevant stuff. I'm going to keep calm and ask again whether this
process is possible. I'd really like to have my (LEGAL!!) XP Pro system
back IF the hard drive ever crashes (it's old) and I install a new drive.
Thanks....

EW

What about making a positive comment about the excellent link
that David Webb gave you?

 

[EW]

What about making a positive comment about the excellent link
that David Webb gave you?

Yikes! I don't see the message. I've refreshed (downloaded) my newsgroup
messages up to 600 messages and still can't find it. Maybe another 300 or
so.....
In any case, thanks. I need to see that link.

EW

 

[EW]

See this tutorial for details:
http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

Good luck!

Perfect! I finally was able to download and find your reply (I guess I need
to increase the number of download message headers on my newsgroup client).
Your link will solve my situation, thanks.

EW

 

[David Webb]

You're welcome....and thanks for the feedback!

Perfect! I finally was able to download and find your reply (I guess I need
to increase the number of download message headers on my newsgroup client).
Your link will solve my situation, thanks.

EW