Windows OS and Flash Drives

  • Thread starter Thread starter Walter R.
  • Start date Start date
W

Walter R.

Regretfully, I have fallen behind in computer technology. I am running
windows XP SP2.

Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the win xp
OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP original CD
and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to store than just a
copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit boxes.)

Thanks
 
Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the win xp
OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP original CD
and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to store than just a
copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit boxes.)
Click to expand...



A CD holds 600-700MB. A thumb drive holds 1 or 2MB, maybe 4 or 8MB if
you get a really big one.

No, it isn't anywhere near big enough to hold a copy of the XP CD.

And you can not boot from one.
 
Walter R. said:
Regretfully, I have fallen behind in computer technology. I am running
windows XP SP2.

Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the win
xp OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP
original CD and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to
store than just a copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit
boxes.)

Thanks
Click to expand...

Well, yes, you can create an ISO image of the XP install CD and store it on
a USB flash drive. You can then re-create the original CD from this;
expect to need a 1-gig USB drive. Also add a text file with the CD install
key along with the image file - this is possibly the most important
information.

Some systems will allow booting from USB drives. Not all do.

Do *not* simply do a file copy. This will *not* allow you to re-create a
bootable CD. Make an ISO image of the CD. If your CD burning software
doesn't support this, and some "simplified" ones don't, you must use
something else. Test by creating a new CD and booting from it.

However, there's a catch (of course). It's not unknown for USB drives to
suddenly and completely fail (I have several such failed devices in my
desk). So, do *not* rely on one copy on one USB drive. You'll need
several, so that there is not one point of failure.

Also, the ability of a system to boot from a USB key is not universal or
consistent. If you want to install from USB, you will have to test that it
works on your system, and configure the USB drive appropriately. And
there, the catch is that the system that you try to restore to may be
different and not work the same way.

So, the most reliable approach is to create the image and store that, with
the knowledge that you can find almost any PC with CD burning software,
burn the image to CD, and have a disc that's reliably bootable on any system
in a few minutes.

HTH
-pk
 
Patrick,

A *very* good point about the reliability of flash drives. They most
certainly do die unexpectedly, and without any warning. This *needs* to be
stressed more often IMHO. Thanks for the reminder.

--
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| | > Regretfully, I have fallen behind in computer technology. I am running
| > windows XP SP2.
| >
| > Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the
win
| > xp OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP
| > original CD and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to
| > store than just a copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit
| > boxes.)
| >
| > Thanks
| > --
| > Walter
| > www.rationality.net
| > -
|
| Well, yes, you can create an ISO image of the XP install CD and store it
on
| a USB flash drive. You can then re-create the original CD from this;
| expect to need a 1-gig USB drive. Also add a text file with the CD
install
| key along with the image file - this is possibly the most important
| information.
|
| Some systems will allow booting from USB drives. Not all do.
|
| Do *not* simply do a file copy. This will *not* allow you to re-create a
| bootable CD. Make an ISO image of the CD. If your CD burning software
| doesn't support this, and some "simplified" ones don't, you must use
| something else. Test by creating a new CD and booting from it.
|
| However, there's a catch (of course). It's not unknown for USB drives to
| suddenly and completely fail (I have several such failed devices in my
| desk). So, do *not* rely on one copy on one USB drive. You'll need
| several, so that there is not one point of failure.
|
| Also, the ability of a system to boot from a USB key is not universal or
| consistent. If you want to install from USB, you will have to test that
it
| works on your system, and configure the USB drive appropriately. And
| there, the catch is that the system that you try to restore to may be
| different and not work the same way.
|
| So, the most reliable approach is to create the image and store that, with
| the knowledge that you can find almost any PC with CD burning software,
| burn the image to CD, and have a disc that's reliably bootable on any
system
| in a few minutes.
|
| HTH
| -pk
|
|
 
Patrick,

A *very* good point about the reliability of flash drives. They most
certainly do die unexpectedly, and without any warning. This *needs* to be
stressed more often IMHO. Thanks for the reminder.

--
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| | > Regretfully, I have fallen behind in computer technology. I am running
| > windows XP SP2.
| >
| > Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the
win
| > xp OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP
| > original CD and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to
| > store than just a copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit
| > boxes.)
| >
| > Thanks
| > --
| > Walter
| > www.rationality.net
| > -
|
| Well, yes, you can create an ISO image of the XP install CD and store it
on
| a USB flash drive. You can then re-create the original CD from this;
| expect to need a 1-gig USB drive. Also add a text file with the CD
install
| key along with the image file - this is possibly the most important
| information.
|
| Some systems will allow booting from USB drives. Not all do.
|
| Do *not* simply do a file copy. This will *not* allow you to re-create a
| bootable CD. Make an ISO image of the CD. If your CD burning software
| doesn't support this, and some "simplified" ones don't, you must use
| something else. Test by creating a new CD and booting from it.
|
| However, there's a catch (of course). It's not unknown for USB drives to
| suddenly and completely fail (I have several such failed devices in my
| desk). So, do *not* rely on one copy on one USB drive. You'll need
| several, so that there is not one point of failure.
|
| Also, the ability of a system to boot from a USB key is not universal or
| consistent. If you want to install from USB, you will have to test that
it
| works on your system, and configure the USB drive appropriately. And
| there, the catch is that the system that you try to restore to may be
| different and not work the same way.
|
| So, the most reliable approach is to create the image and store that, with
| the knowledge that you can find almost any PC with CD burning software,
| burn the image to CD, and have a disc that's reliably bootable on any
system
| in a few minutes.
|
| HTH
| -pk
|
|
 
Huh!!! Ken, a 2 GB thumb would hold 3 CD's worth.
Click to expand...


GB! I read it as MB. Thanks for the correction.

But now I'm lost as to what Kelly meant.


 
She was attempting to gently remind you the current size of thumb drives
are in the GB range.
 
A CD holds 600-700MB. A thumb drive holds 1 or 2MB, maybe 4 or 8MB if
you get a really big one.

No, it isn't anywhere near big enough to hold a copy of the XP CD.

And you can not boot from one.
Click to expand...
There are USB drives that will hold at least 8GB and thumb drives that
can hold at least 2GB.

Rick
 
She was attempting to gently remind you the current size of thumb drives
are in the GB range.
Click to expand...



Yes, of course! I'm all mixed up, getting my GBs and MBs confused once
again. It's not the first time I've done this, and unfortunately it
probably won't be the last.


I said below:

"A CD holds 600-700MB."


I got that part right, at least. ;-)


" A thumb drive holds 1 or 2MB, maybe 4 or 8MB if you get a really big
one."


And of course, I meant GB, not MB.


"No, it isn't anywhere near big enough to hold a copy of the XP CD."


And that's flat out wrong. Sorry, everyone for the misstatements and
the confusion. (Although most of the confusion was on my part).



 
There are USB drives that will hold at least 8GB and thumb drives that
can hold at least 2GB.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Yes I know. See the message I just sent in this thread. I got
my MBs and GBs all mixed up. Sorry.
 
I thought *I* was wrong once,...but I was mistaken!

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

|
| > Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
| > > On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:18:18 -0700, "Walter R." <[email protected]>
| > > wrote:
| > >
| > >
| > >> Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install the
win xp
| > >> OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP
original CD
| > >> and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to store than
just a
| > >> copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit boxes.)
| > >
| > >
| > >
| > > A CD holds 600-700MB. A thumb drive holds 1 or 2MB, maybe 4 or 8MB if
| > > you get a really big one.
| > >
| > > No, it isn't anywhere near big enough to hold a copy of the XP CD.
| > >
| > > And you can not boot from one.
| > >
| > There are USB drives that will hold at least 8GB and thumb drives that
| > can hold at least 2GB.
|
|
| Thanks. Yes I know. See the message I just sent in this thread. I got
| my MBs and GBs all mixed up. Sorry.
|
| --
| Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
| Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
I thought *I* was wrong once,...but I was mistaken!
Click to expand...



LOL! Fortunately none of us is right all the time, so if count myself
among the fallible, I know I'm in good company.
 
....In good company?...You got *That* right! <vbg>

Take care Ken,

--
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:23:25 -0500, "Curt Christianson"
|
| > I thought *I* was wrong once,...but I was mistaken!
|
|
|
| LOL! Fortunately none of us is right all the time, so if count myself
| among the fallible, I know I'm in good company.
|
|
|
| > | > |
| > | > Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
| > | > > On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:18:18 -0700, "Walter R."
<[email protected]>
| > | > > wrote:
| > | > >
| > | > >
| > | > >> Can these newfangled USB flash drives be used to boot and install
the
| > win xp
| > | > >> OS on a standard PC? I would like to have a backup of my Win XP
| > original CD
| > | > >> and thought that a flash drive might be more convenient to store
than
| > just a
| > | > >> copy of the CD. (CDs don't fit in small Safe Deposit boxes.)
| > | > >
| > | > >
| > | > >
| > | > > A CD holds 600-700MB. A thumb drive holds 1 or 2MB, maybe 4 or 8MB
if
| > | > > you get a really big one.
| > | > >
| > | > > No, it isn't anywhere near big enough to hold a copy of the XP CD.
| > | > >
| > | > > And you can not boot from one.
| > | > >
| > | > There are USB drives that will hold at least 8GB and thumb drives
that
| > | > can hold at least 2GB.
| > |
| > |
| > | Thanks. Yes I know. See the message I just sent in this thread. I got
| > | my MBs and GBs all mixed up. Sorry.
| > |
| > | --
| > | Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
| > | Please Reply to the Newsgroup
| >
|
| --
| Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
| Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Can't Copy a Video File from USB Flash Drive to Hard Drive 6
Backing up OS to USB?, bootting from USB 12
Dos Driver for a USB Flash ("Thumb") Drive 5
It *IS* Possible to Install XP from Dos 6
Recovery Console - Access Documents and Settings with Flash Drive 0
Does this look right to boot XP from floppy? 8
What the F**K 10
I need your help in transferring XP SP2 unto Flash USB Drive 1

Back
Top