Can you boot a floppy from harddrive???

  • Thread starter Thread starter P. Burrows
  • Start date Start date
P

P. Burrows

I need to boot into real dos - booting from a floppy disk takes too
long. Booting from a CD isn't convenient (and also takes too long), so i
was wondering is there someway to copy the floppy image to the harddrive
and somehow boot/reboot from this?

(or if you could make a temporary ramdisk to boot from, but i don't
think that works in windows systems)
 
Hi,

XP and Win 2000 don't have a "real DOS" to boot into. What appears to
look like DOS, the cmd prompt, is really emulation.

If you can be specific as to what you're trying to do that you think can
only be done through a prompt, you'll probably get some better help.

---==X={}=X==---


Jim Self
AVIATION ANIMATION, the internet's largest depository.
http://avanimation.avsupport.com

Your only internet source for spiral staircase plans.
http://jself.com/stair/Stair.htm
 
Hi,

XP and Win 2000 don't have a "real DOS" to boot into. What appears to
look like DOS, the cmd prompt, is really emulation.
Click to expand...

I know, hence I say boot from floppy. Because that does appear to be a
"real DOS". Hence i ask if there is someway to move the image up to the
harddrive so i don't have to wait the time it takes to boot from
harddrive.

If you can be specific as to what you're trying to do that you think can
only be done through a prompt, you'll probably get some better help.
Click to expand...

Run a dos program to make an image backup of the harddrive. (And in
general i would feel better to be able to avoid the censorship of XP if
the need arrives.)
 
Hi again,

.........Run a dos program to make an image backup of the harddrive.

I see. I don't remember the program names as I use Ghost (which closes
Windoze to mirror a drive) but there are several I've seen mentioned
around here that duplicate/mirror your drive to another. You might try a
new thread with something along the lines of Cheap/free HD imaging
software needed, and see what happens. Might be you could get a floppy
to do the work for you, but I wouldn't have a clue how to proceed.

---==X={}=X==---


Jim Self
AVIATION ANIMATION, the internet's largest depository.
http://avanimation.avsupport.com

Your only internet source for spiral staircase plans.
http://jself.com/stair/Stair.htm
 
Hi again,

........Run a dos program to make an image backup of the harddrive.

I see. I don't remember the program names as I use Ghost (which closes
Windoze to mirror a drive)
Click to expand...

It is an old version of Ghost. Which version of Ghost closes windows and
how does it manage to do this when there isn't a real Dos?
but there are several I've seen mentioned
around here that duplicate/mirror your drive to another. You might try a
new thread with something along the lines of Cheap/free HD imaging
software needed, and see what happens. Might be you could get a floppy
to do the work for you, but I wouldn't have a clue how to proceed.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks Bill ;)
 
Hi again

......Ghost closes windows.....how does it manage to do this when there
isn't a real Dos?

I don't have a clue, maybe it's running Linux. (Sorry!)

See of you can find a knowledgeable person to tell you what version of
DOS XP is fronting for and see what happens.

---==X={}=X==---


Jim Self
AVIATION ANIMATION, the internet's largest depository.
http://avanimation.avsupport.com

Your only internet source for spiral staircase plans.
http://jself.com/stair/Stair.htm
 
Hi again


I don't have a clue, maybe it's running Linux. (Sorry!)
Click to expand...

Pardon, i thought you knew what you were talking about.
No, its a dosprogram. And hence it can't run under XP without booting
into a 'real' dos which you can do by creating a dos bootdisk under
win98

See of you can find a knowledgeable person to tell you what version of
DOS XP is fronting for and see what happens.
Click to expand...

I don't understand that comment. I thought we had agreed that XP doesn't
front for any kind of dos.
 
In the extreme, you could make your harddrive a 'dual boot' system.
If you already have XP installed on the HDD, then you might need a
utility like 'Partition Magic' to create a small partition for your
DOS needs. However, I'm curious as to exactly what you want to
accomplish. If you just want to image your current system, then,
Symantec Ghost HAS a builtin tool to make a network boot disk, allow
you to boot in a DOS mode, map a network drive and save your .gho
image file to a network resource. (and NO re-partitioning is
required) We use Ghost 7.5. And, you are right, it DOES take a while
to boot with a floppy, that is why I took our Network Boot Floppy and
created a Network Boot CD.! Roxio does this quite simply, and it is
MUCH faster, almost instantaneous.
Hope this helped.
Bobbi
 
In the extreme, you could make your harddrive a 'dual boot' system.
If you already have XP installed on the HDD, then you might need a
utility like 'Partition Magic' to create a small partition for your
DOS needs. Hm..

However, I'm curious as to exactly what you want to
accomplish. If you just want to image your current system, then,
Symantec Ghost HAS a builtin tool to make a network boot disk, allow
you to boot in a DOS mode, map a network drive and save your .gho
image file to a network resource.
Click to expand...

Assuming you have a network resource, but we are back to booting from a
floppy.
(and NO re-partitioning is
required) We use Ghost 7.5. And, you are right, it DOES take a while
to boot with a floppy, that is why I took our Network Boot Floppy and
created a Network Boot CD.! Roxio does this quite simply, and it is
MUCH faster, almost instantaneous.
Click to expand...

Well, i still think a CD takes too long, and i need to insert it
everytime.
But if its possible i'll eventually figure it out.
Hope this helped.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your time.
 
And, you are right, it DOES take a while
to boot with a floppy, that is why I took our Network Boot Floppy and
created a Network Boot CD.!
Click to expand...

Now, if one could mount a persistant ramdisk and boot of that - but i
guess you'd have to have an Amiga for that ;)
 
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