Boot to DOS (Windows 2000/XP)

[CableDude]

How in the world do I do this? I've searched around and it seems like the only thing I can come up with is make the four floppy disks (in the case of 2000 don't know about XP yet)


Is there an easier way of doing this in both OS's?


:)

[Mark]

i don't think xp has dos in it, use the command prompt ?

[ub3r_n00b]

F8 on bootup me thinks.. not toooo sure


-Preet

[64bit]

a dos boot disk? XP has the ability to make one but 2k doesn't . or a bootdisk off http://bootdisk.com

[Sid]

2k boot disks can be made from the cd. It requires 4 floppies. XP on the other hand did not include the tool to create the boot floppies(yup its 6 disks for XP). You can d/led the tool from MS. Be careful to get the right version as the home and the pro use different files.

XP pro file name is

winxpsp1_en_pro_bf.exe


and home is

winxpsp1_en_hom_bf.exe

[The Dude]

XP can make a dos floppy with just system files to boot to an A:\ prompt. Should be a good floppy to flash bios from. If your drive is formatted in NTFS you won't be able to see it using a dos floppy. The 4 and 6 floppy disk sets are for installing the OS not really meant for booting to dos, I could be wrong on this but that's the way I see it. You can get almost any bootdisk you want at Bootdisk.com (http://www.bootdisk.com/) or even here Svrops.com (http://www.svrops.com/svrops/dwnlddisk.htm) . If you really need to poke around in dos you could use the recovery console. I have it installed with my OS and it shows up as a boot option if I hit F8 during the boot-up.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Are you looking for a boot disk? Or looking to boot to a command prompt?

NT 4, 2K, and XP don't have DOS, but they have a virtual DOS command prompt you can work from, and choose to boot to by hitting F-8 during bootup, just like in Win9X.

Or for a boot disk, you don't have to go through all the trouble of making those 4 disk sets, those are for installing XP. You can simply make a single bootable disk, by copying over 3x files: Ntldr, NTdetect.com and Boot.ini.

[Norm]

Winternals makes a nice little app you can add to your plain jane boot floppy, and read/write ntfs partitions

NTFSDOS (http://www.winternals.com/products/repairandrecovery/)

And if you have a couple hundred bucks you want to spend, that ERD Commander is ONE SUPER APP (on the same link, check it out)
It makes a boot cd that boots to an independant XP like desktop (good in 2K or XP) network support, regedit, windows explorer and all in a GUI. Excellent software!!!

[CableDude]

Hi guys,

I'm just looking to boot to a command prompt so I can run ghost.

I should have stated that in my first post. :(


I think I just rushed in here and asked the question. Should have done a little more thinking about what I wanted to say.

Sorry guys. :( Thanks for the responses, However. :)

You guys rock. :)

[CableDude]

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
Are you looking for a boot disk? Or looking to boot to a command prompt?

NT 4, 2K, and XP don't have DOS, but they have a virtual DOS command prompt you can work from, and choose to boot to by hitting F-8 during bootup, just like in Win9X.



Yeah Yosc, I didn't know what the exact term was. :(

The whole NT/2000/XP thing is still new to me. Have not had to work with it until recently.


:o

[YeOldeStonecat]

Originally posted by Norm

And if you have a couple hundred bucks you want to spend, that ERD Commander is ONE SUPER APP (on the same link, check it out)
It makes a boot cd that boots to an independant XP like desktop (good in 2K or XP) network support, regedit, windows explorer and all in a GUI. Excellent software!!!

This months PCMag, or PCWorld...err...forget which one, just read it on the ferry this morning. Anyways, had an article on that ERD Commander, praising how potent it was.(and expensive).

[Norm]

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
This months PCMag, or PCWorld...err...forget which one, just read it on the ferry this morning. Anyways, had an article on that ERD Commander, praising how potent it was.(and expensive). YOSC, if I were you, and had your big bucks :D, I'd buy that app. I tried the 2000 version and it was excellent with NTFSDOS included, among all the other winternals software.

I can only image the 2003 version is even better.

In your line of work, the $200 bucks is well worth it.

[jmatt]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;305595
HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

[YeOldeStonecat]

Originally posted by Norm

In your line of work, the $200 bucks is well worth it.

"My Bucks?" LOL....if I needed it for a clients computer....believe me, the client would get the bill.

[Norm]

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
"My Bucks?" LOL....if I needed it for a clients computer....believe me, the client would get the bill.
After further consideration I have come to the conclusion having that app in your arsenal would only cause a tech to lose money, as it would cut down the time onsite. The older MS methods of repair take longer :)

Good to have for personal use though (Mr MoneyBags :p )


P.S. Send me a copy will ya :D