A startup disk with function (XP or ME)

[albertleng]

Dear all,

I'm trying to create a startup disk which will help me to boot into
dos prompt and then go on to do specific function. For eg, after the
pc is booted into dos prompt, it will go on to format the harddisk.

I managed to create the startup disk but it cannot go on to format the
harddisk after i added a batch file which will format the harddisk. It
failed. The following message prompts out something like:

"... not supported in dos prompt".

Can anyone give any idea on how to create such disk using WinXP or
WinME? Or any link that i can refer to?

Thanks a lot.

Regards,
Albert

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Dear all,
|
| I'm trying to create a startup disk which will help me to boot into
| dos prompt and then go on to do specific function. For eg, after the
| pc is booted into dos prompt, it will go on to format the harddisk.
|
| I managed to create the startup disk but it cannot go on to format the
| harddisk after i added a batch file which will format the harddisk. It
| failed. The following message prompts out something like:
|
| "... not supported in dos prompt".
|
| Can anyone give any idea on how to create such disk using WinXP or
| WinME? Or any link that i can refer to?
|
| Thanks a lot.
|
| Regards,
| Albert

 

[CS]

Dear all,

I'm trying to create a startup disk which will help me to boot into
dos prompt and then go on to do specific function. For eg, after the
pc is booted into dos prompt, it will go on to format the harddisk.

I managed to create the startup disk but it cannot go on to format the
harddisk after i added a batch file which will format the harddisk. It
failed. The following message prompts out something like:

"... not supported in dos prompt".

Can anyone give any idea on how to create such disk using WinXP or
WinME? Or any link that i can refer to?

Thanks a lot.

Regards,
Albert

A Win98 EBD or boot disk with the FDisk and Format utils on it should
suffice. www.bootdisk.com

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm trying to create a startup disk which will help me to boot into
dos prompt and then go on to do specific function. For eg, after the
pc is booted into dos prompt, it will go on to format the harddisk.

I managed to create the startup disk but it cannot go on to format the
harddisk after i added a batch file which will format the harddisk. It
failed. The following message prompts out something like:

"... not supported in dos prompt".

Can anyone give any idea on how to create such disk using WinXP or
WinME? Or any link that i can refer to?

If you want a genuine DOS startup disk, I recommend the Win98 boot
floppy, which can be made on any machine not running XP, by running the
program tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd\fat32ebd.exe on the Win98 CD. Not on
the ME CD though.

You should not attempt to format the XP hard disk in this way though:
You do it as part of a reinstall of the system after booting the XP CD
direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New Install.
When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete the
current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next
stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one

 

[SlowJet]

Follow Carey's information and ignore the creeking noises of the 20th
Century

Everything about computers is different now.

SJ.