can't make the '3 file boot disk'

[James Hanley]

I put the 3 files: ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini onto a floppy.
I set the bios to look at the floppy. I booted, but it doesn't
recognise it as a boot disk, it says "disk error" as if it's any old
disk, not a boot disk.

Attributes are A SHR for ntdetect.com and ntldr
boot.ini is A SH

Those are the same attributes that those files have on my hard drive.


I think I obeyed
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305595
which is an explanation of how to make this 3 file boot disk thing,
but I can't get it to work.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I put the 3 files: ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini onto a floppy.
I set the bios to look at the floppy. I booted, but it doesn't
recognise it as a boot disk, it says "disk error" as if it's any old
disk, not a boot disk.

Attributes are A SHR for ntdetect.com and ntldr
boot.ini is A SH

Those are the same attributes that those files have on my hard drive.

I think you will need first to format the floppy taking the 'MSDOS
Startup disk option. You wilt not then need the files actually put on
but that will write the needed basic boot code in the first sector

 

[CZ]

I put the 3 files: ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini onto a floppy.
I set the bios to look at the floppy. I booted, but it doesn't
recognize it as a boot disk, it says "disk error" as if it's any old
disk, not a boot disk.

Attributes are A SHR for ntdetect.com and ntldr
boot.ini is A SH

Those are the same attributes that those files have on my hard drive.

Alex wrote:
I think you will need first to format the floppy taking the 'MSDOS
Startup disk option. You wilt not then need the files actually put on
but that will write the needed basic boot code in the first sector


James/Alex:
You have to format the floppy from within Win XP (you cannot use the "'MSDOS
Startup disk option").
Then copy the ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini files onto the floppy.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q305595

 

[Alex Nichol]

James/Alex:
You have to format the floppy from within Win XP (you cannot use the "'MSDOS
Startup disk option").
Then copy the ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini files onto the floppy.

That is one of the options when you format a floppy in XP's My Computer
(r-click the icon, Format)