Creating a start up disk [Archive]

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absolute0

January 27th 04, 10:04 PM

When formatting a floppy, it gives you the option. But you
cannot use this startup floppy to look at your drive if it
is in NTFS.

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had
>one. How do I create one/ I went to ADD/REMOVE PROGRAM in
>the control panel but there is no WINDOWS SETUP OR
STARTUP
>DISK. How on earth do I find the start up, do I have to
>download any information I might need? Please help as I'm
>desperate to resolve this problem.
>.
>

Scott M.

January 27th 04, 11:25 PM

Uhm, no it doesn't. The OP wants XP boot disks. This is not a DOS bootable
disk, but XP bootable disks. There are 5 or 6 disks in total needed if
memory serves.

"absolute0" > wrote in message
...
> When formatting a floppy, it gives you the option. But you
> cannot use this startup floppy to look at your drive if it
> is in NTFS.
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had
> >one. How do I create one/ I went to ADD/REMOVE PROGRAM in
> >the control panel but there is no WINDOWS SETUP OR
> STARTUP
> >DISK. How on earth do I find the start up, do I have to
> >download any information I might need? Please help as I'm
> >desperate to resolve this problem.
> >.
> >

Dingo

January 28th 04, 12:25 AM

Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six floppies
for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP professional.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290. For
WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating six
floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo
"Scott M." > wrote in message > > >-----Original
Message-----
> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had

purplehaz

January 28th 04, 12:45 AM

Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just like the
six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
www.bootdisk.com

Dingo wrote:
> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
> download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six floppies
> for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP professional.
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290. For
> WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
> downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating six
> floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo
> "Scott M." > wrote in message > > >-----Original
> Message-----
>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had

Scott M.

January 28th 04, 03:42 AM

....And it won't server as an XP setup program either.

"purplehaz" > wrote in message
...
> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just like
the
> six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
> www.bootdisk.com
>
> Dingo wrote:
> > Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
> > download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six floppies
> > for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP professional.
> > http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290. For
> > WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
> > http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
> > downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating six
> > floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo
> > "Scott M." > wrote in message > > >-----Original
> > Message-----
> >> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had
>
>

purplehaz

January 28th 04, 03:03 PM

Not sure what you mean. What won't serve as a xp setup disk? Both the single
xp floppy boot disk and the six xp floppy boot disks allow you to
install/setup XP and setup the drive also(fdisk, etc..)

Scott M. wrote:
> ...And it won't server as an XP setup program either.
>
>
> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just
>> like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
>> www.bootdisk.com
>>
>> Dingo wrote:
>>> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
>>> download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six
>>> floppies for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP
>>> professional.
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290.
>>> For WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
>>> downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating
>>> six floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo "Scott M."
>>> > wrote in message > > >-----Original
>>> Message-----
>>>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had

Scott M.

January 28th 04, 05:23 PM

If you want to install XP using disks rather than the CD, you need the 6 XP
setup/boot disks. One disk won't/can't do it for you.

"purplehaz" > wrote in message
...
> Not sure what you mean. What won't serve as a xp setup disk? Both the
single
> xp floppy boot disk and the six xp floppy boot disks allow you to
> install/setup XP and setup the drive also(fdisk, etc..)
>
> Scott M. wrote:
> > ...And it won't server as an XP setup program either.
> >
> >
> > "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just
> >> like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
> >> www.bootdisk.com
> >>
> >> Dingo wrote:
> >>> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
> >>> download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six
> >>> floppies for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP
> >>> professional.
> >>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290.
> >>> For WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
> >>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
> >>> downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating
> >>> six floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo "Scott M."
> >>> > wrote in message > > >-----Original
> >>> Message-----
> >>>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had
>
>

purplehaz

January 28th 04, 05:42 PM

Uhhh.......... have you ever tried the single xp floppy boot disk? Of course
you haven't cause if you did you would see that it indeed does work for
installing xp. It is the ONLY xp floppy boot disk I use and have ever used.
I do format and clean installs all day long and never used the six disk set,
ever. ALWAYS used thr single boot disk. The single xp floppy boot disk that
you get from www.bootdisk.com is intended for installing xp and works
perfectly. This is not the same as making a boot disk from within xp, this
boot disk is special for installing xp. It does work and works well. Even
lets you fdisk and has smartdrive on it to speed up the coping process. I do
see that a donation is needed to download the xp boot disk maker program
now, when I got it it was free, but believe me it works just fine and makes
xp bootable floppies that are used for the sole purpose of installing XP. I
bet a search on google would find it for free. Please don't post about
things you have never tried and don't really know if they work or not, it
just confuses people.

Scott M. wrote:
> If you want to install XP using disks rather than the CD, you need
> the 6 XP setup/boot disks. One disk won't/can't do it for you.
>
>
> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Not sure what you mean. What won't serve as a xp setup disk? Both
>> the single xp floppy boot disk and the six xp floppy boot disks
>> allow you to install/setup XP and setup the drive also(fdisk, etc..)
>>
>> Scott M. wrote:
>>> ...And it won't server as an XP setup program either.
>>>
>>>
>>> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just
>>>> like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery
>>>> console. www.bootdisk.com
>>>>
>>>> Dingo wrote:
>>>>> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
>>>>> download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six
>>>>> floppies for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP
>>>>> professional.
>>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290.
>>>>> For WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
>>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
>>>>> downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating
>>>>> six floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo "Scott M."
>>>>> > wrote in message > > >-----Original
>>>>> Message-----
>>>>>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had

Scott M.

January 28th 04, 06:27 PM

You have written that you can make boot disks via the Format Disk dialog.
This (as I have pointed out) is NOT correct. You can (as it says in the
dialog) make a DOS "startup" disk (not XP "boot" disk). XP does not run on
DOS.

The files at bootdisk.com are just links to the actual MS files at
Microsoft.com, so I won't bother discussing why I would need or want to pay
$3 or do a Google search for something that is already avaliable from the
manufacturer for free.

At Microsoft.com, the file you need to download to create the disks is one
of the following: "WinXP_EN_HOM_BF.EXE", "winxpsp1_en_hom_bf.exe",
"winxpsp1_en_pro_bf.exe" or "WinXP_EN_PRO_BF.EXE" depending on what XP
version you are working with.

When you run any of these programs after download, you get a command window
that says:

"This program creates the Setup boot disks for Microsoft Windows XP.
To create these disks, you need to provide 6 blank, formatted, high-density
disks."

Now, YOU are confusing "setup" and "boot". The first disk can be used to
gain access do DOS commands as well as the CD ROM drive (so that you can
have much of the install come from the CD) this is called the "boot" disk.
It is possible to "boot" from this disk and then "setup" XP with the CD
after that point. If you use the complete set, then you will be doing
something DIFFERENT, you will be running the XP "setup" program from the
disks which, once they are done, will give control to the CD for the rest of
the installation.

I don't need to be lectured by you on what to post and what not to post.
You have spread mis-information (that you can create an XP boot disk from
the format dialog when you can actually create a DOS startup disk) . You
have also shown your lack of understanding of this topic by mixing the
meanings of "setup" and "boot" as well as pointing us to a site that wants
you to pay for MS freely available files.

It is you who would be confusing people and I would ask that you think about
that before you snap and start telling others what they should and shouldn't
post.

"purplehaz" > wrote in message
...
> Uhhh.......... have you ever tried the single xp floppy boot disk? Of
course
> you haven't cause if you did you would see that it indeed does work for
> installing xp. It is the ONLY xp floppy boot disk I use and have ever
used.
> I do format and clean installs all day long and never used the six disk
set,
> ever. ALWAYS used thr single boot disk. The single xp floppy boot disk
that
> you get from www.bootdisk.com is intended for installing xp and works
> perfectly. This is not the same as making a boot disk from within xp, this
> boot disk is special for installing xp. It does work and works well. Even
> lets you fdisk and has smartdrive on it to speed up the coping process. I
do
> see that a donation is needed to download the xp boot disk maker program
> now, when I got it it was free, but believe me it works just fine and
makes
> xp bootable floppies that are used for the sole purpose of installing XP.
I
> bet a search on google would find it for free. Please don't post about
> things you have never tried and don't really know if they work or not, it
> just confuses people.
>
> Scott M. wrote:
> > If you want to install XP using disks rather than the CD, you need
> > the 6 XP setup/boot disks. One disk won't/can't do it for you.
> >
> >
> > "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Not sure what you mean. What won't serve as a xp setup disk? Both
> >> the single xp floppy boot disk and the six xp floppy boot disks
> >> allow you to install/setup XP and setup the drive also(fdisk, etc..)
> >>
> >> Scott M. wrote:
> >>> ...And it won't server as an XP setup program either.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> >>> ...
> >>>> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just
> >>>> like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery
> >>>> console. www.bootdisk.com
> >>>>
> >>>> Dingo wrote:
> >>>>> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is the
> >>>>> download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the six
> >>>>> floppies for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for WinXP
> >>>>> professional.
> >>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290.
> >>>>> For WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
> >>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291. I
> >>>>> downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for creating
> >>>>> six floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo "Scott M."
> >>>>> > wrote in message > > >-----Original
> >>>>> Message-----
> >>>>>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had
>
>

purplehaz

January 28th 04, 09:02 PM

see below..........

Scott M. wrote:
> You have written that you can make boot disks via the Format Disk
> dialog. This (as I have pointed out) is NOT correct. You can (as it
> says in the dialog) make a DOS "startup" disk (not XP "boot" disk).
> XP does not run on DOS.

NO, I never EVER said you can make boot disks via the format disk dialog. I
don't know what your reading but I never said that. Actually I said an xp
boot disk from bootdisk.com was different from a dos disk you can make in
xp. Re-read the post before you talk about things you don't know about. So
your first statement is completely false.

>
> The files at bootdisk.com are just links to the actual MS files at
> Microsoft.com, so I won't bother discussing why I would need or want
> to pay $3 or do a Google search for something that is already
> avaliable from the manufacturer for free.

The files at bootdisk.com are not links to the MS files at microsoft.com.
Again, do not comment on things you don't know about. I have a program that
I downloaded from bootdisk.com that was written by an independant person
that creates a single xp boot disk, that is used to install xp. These are
not MS files, nor links to ms files. I have the bootdisk creation program
sitting right on this computer and I have a xp boot disk used to install xp
right beside me. Both of these came from bootdisk.com. So your second
statement is completely false. Thses are not links to ms files. As I stated,
its a program/utility that creates an xp install/boot disk.

>
> At Microsoft.com, the file you need to download to create the disks
> is one of the following: "WinXP_EN_HOM_BF.EXE",
> "winxpsp1_en_hom_bf.exe", "winxpsp1_en_pro_bf.exe" or
> "WinXP_EN_PRO_BF.EXE" depending on what XP version you are working
> with.
>
> When you run any of these programs after download, you get a command
> window that says:
>
> "This program creates the Setup boot disks for Microsoft Windows XP.
> To create these disks, you need to provide 6 blank, formatted,
> high-density disks."

Why you posted this info, I don't know, it has nothing to do with what we're
talking about.

>
> Now, YOU are confusing "setup" and "boot". The first disk can be
> used to gain access do DOS commands as well as the CD ROM drive (so
> that you can have much of the install come from the CD) this is
> called the "boot" disk. It is possible to "boot" from this disk and
> then "setup" XP with the CD after that point. If you use the
> complete set, then you will be doing something DIFFERENT, you will be
> running the XP "setup" program from the disks which, once they are
> done, will give control to the CD for the rest of the installation.

The op wanted a xp floppy "startup disk". And if you read their post it is
clear they want a floppy disk to install xp, not boot to the xp desktop or
the recovery console. You're tring to push info and telling people there
wrong, when what your taling about, no one in the thread was talking about.
The thread was how to create a floppy disk to use in installing xp. No where
did the op ask for a "boot up" disk. And BTW - I know the difference between
the two, I just do this all day long, everyday(its my business) and I knew
what the op was looking for, so I posted info to help them get what they
needed, which is a floppy disk to install xp. And by the way, a boot disk is
any floppy that can be booted to, not a floppy that boots you into the
windows desktop. A boot disk is some type of media that is bottable. What
you think a boot disk is, is actually more like and ASR disk.

>
> I don't need to be lectured by you on what to post and what not to
> post. You have spread mis-information (that you can create an XP boot
> disk from the format dialog when you can actually create a DOS
> startup disk) . You have also shown your lack of understanding of
> this topic by mixing the meanings of "setup" and "boot" as well as
> pointing us to a site that wants you to pay for MS freely available
> files.

And just to make the statement again, since you repeat it in your rant. I
NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, SAID YOU CAN MAKE AN XP BOOT DISK USING THE FORMAT
DIALOG BOX. Also again, thses are not ms files that are on bootdisk.com. So
again you are wrong.

>
> It is you who would be confusing people and I would ask that you
> think about that before you snap and start telling others what they
> should and shouldn't post.

I guess if you can't handle my responses then you shouldn't try to prove me
wrong, when I am right.

>
> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Uhhh.......... have you ever tried the single xp floppy boot disk?
>> Of course you haven't cause if you did you would see that it indeed
>> does work for installing xp. It is the ONLY xp floppy boot disk I
>> use and have ever used. I do format and clean installs all day long
>> and never used the six disk set, ever. ALWAYS used thr single boot
>> disk. The single xp floppy boot disk that you get from
>> www.bootdisk.com is intended for installing xp and works perfectly.
>> This is not the same as making a boot disk from within xp, this boot
>> disk is special for installing xp. It does work and works well. Even
>> lets you fdisk and has smartdrive on it to speed up the coping
>> process. I do see that a donation is needed to download the xp boot
>> disk maker program now, when I got it it was free, but believe me it
>> works just fine and makes xp bootable floppies that are used for the
>> sole purpose of installing XP. I bet a search on google would find
>> it for free. Please don't post about things you have never tried and
>> don't really know if they work or not, it just confuses people.
>>
>> Scott M. wrote:
>>> If you want to install XP using disks rather than the CD, you need
>>> the 6 XP setup/boot disks. One disk won't/can't do it for you.
>>>
>>>
>>> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Not sure what you mean. What won't serve as a xp setup disk? Both
>>>> the single xp floppy boot disk and the six xp floppy boot disks
>>>> allow you to install/setup XP and setup the drive also(fdisk,
>>>> etc..)
>>>>
>>>> Scott M. wrote:
>>>>> ...And it won't server as an XP setup program either.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "purplehaz" > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>> Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works
>>>>>> just like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery
>>>>>> console. www.bootdisk.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dingo wrote:
>>>>>>> Hi Scott. I just found this site in PC Tips Magazine. It is
>>>>>>> the download site for a utility from Microsoft for making the
>>>>>>> six floppies for booting WinXP Home Edition and another for
>>>>>>> WinXP professional.
>>>>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290.
>>>>>>> For WinXP Professional Edition the site is:
>>>>>>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291.
>>>>>>> I downloaded the .exe to my desktop and ran the program for
>>>>>>> creating six floppies. Worked very well. Regards. Dingo
>>>>>>> "Scott M." > wrote in message > >
>>>>>>> >-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> Hi, I want to make a start up disk as I have never had

Scott M.

January 28th 04, 10:43 PM

Your first response to the OP:

www.bootdisk.com
Get the XP boot disk.

When I go to this address and follow the first link on the page (that
indicates XP boot disks), I'm taken to another page and the ONLY links on
that page that say anyting about XP are:

Windows XP Setup Disk Sets
XP Home | XP SP1 Home | XP Pro | XP SP1 Pro

All 4 of these links point to MS web site and link to the files I indicated
in my last post. You didn't mention anything about a 3rd party utility in
this post, you only directed someone to the MS files and the MS files work
just as I have described.

The 3rd party tool you describe seems to be the LAST link in the WINDOWS AND
DOS BOOT DISKS section. Again, you did not direct anyone to this link and
if I were the OP, I would look at the first link that clearly states
"Windows XP Setup Disk Sets"

Your second reply says:

"Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just like the
six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
www.bootdisk.com"

Again, no mention of a 3rd party tool. Are we supposed to be mind readers
and know that you are not talking about the clearly marked first link that
says "Windows XP Setup Disk Sets" links that are listed 7th link? Who's
confusing who here?

My first response to you ("...And it won't server as an XP setup program
either.") was based on this information you provided thus far and is correct
if we are talking about the MS disks (you still hadn't mentioned anything
about the 3rd party disk).

Your next post (lenghty) also says nothing about this 3rd party disk, so
again, it seemed to me (and anyone else who reads it) that we are talking
about the MS disks.

You may work with this 3rd party tool every day, but it's clear you don't
write or have to communicate with others as part of your job because you
were NEVER clear until your last post as to what you were even talking
about!

You seem to want to yell and dictate about how you are right, when all the
while you've been unclear and misleading about your point.

Yes, if the OP uses the 3rd party disk you are, in fact, talking about they
can setup XP. It's too bad it took 4 posts for you to get to that minor
detail!

purplehaz

January 29th 04, 12:04 AM

Scott M. wrote:
> Your first response to the OP:
>
> www.bootdisk.com
> Get the XP boot disk.
>
> When I go to this address and follow the first link on the page (that
> indicates XP boot disks), I'm taken to another page and the ONLY
> links on that page that say anyting about XP are:
>
> Windows XP Setup Disk Sets
> XP Home | XP SP1 Home | XP Pro | XP SP1 Pro
>
> All 4 of these links point to MS web site and link to the files I
> indicated in my last post. You didn't mention anything about a 3rd
> party utility in this post, you only directed someone to the MS files
> and the MS files work just as I have described.
>
> The 3rd party tool you describe seems to be the LAST link in the
> WINDOWS AND DOS BOOT DISKS section. Again, you did not direct anyone
> to this link and if I were the OP, I would look at the first link
> that clearly states "Windows XP Setup Disk Sets"

This is where you need to go. I assumed the op is not a total idiot so I
didn't hand hold them. If you goto any website and are downloading apps or
utilities you should always read everything on the page, not just pick the
first thing that sounds good. Especially if the advice is from someone who
you know nothing about, like advice in newsgroups. The op must take
responsibility to do some of the work. Anything else is bad computing
practices. If they read the whole page and they indeed did want a floppy
disk to install xp, I think they would have figured it out.
http://www.bootdisk.com/popfiles.htm

>
> Your second reply says:
>
> "Or go here and download the single XP floppy boot disk. Works just
> like the six floppy set except it doesn't have the recovery console.
> www.bootdisk.com"
>
> Again, no mention of a 3rd party tool. Are we supposed to be mind
> readers and know that you are not talking about the clearly marked
> first link that says "Windows XP Setup Disk Sets" links that are
> listed 7th link? Who's confusing who here?

Again, the op, or any user must have some knowledge about computers or else
get off it. I think any normal intelligence person that was looking for an
xp install disk, which they might call startup or boot disk, would have
figured it out. It's not rocket science. The six year old kid next door
could figure it out. It says xp fresh install boot disk.

>
> My first response to you ("...And it won't server as an XP setup
> program either.") was based on this information you provided thus far
> and is correct if we are talking about the MS disks (you still hadn't
> mentioned anything about the 3rd party disk).
>
> Your next post (lenghty) also says nothing about this 3rd party disk,
> so again, it seemed to me (and anyone else who reads it) that we are
> talking about the MS disks.
>
> You may work with this 3rd party tool every day, but it's clear you
> don't write or have to communicate with others as part of your job
> because you were NEVER clear until your last post as to what you were
> even talking about!
>
> You seem to want to yell and dictate about how you are right, when
> all the while you've been unclear and misleading about your point.
>
> Yes, if the OP uses the 3rd party disk you are, in fact, talking
> about they can setup XP. It's too bad it took 4 posts for you to get
> to that minor detail!

Dude your making way to much of this. Let it go already. Whats the
difference is I said go here and get a boot disk or go here and download the
program to make the boot disk. I answer hundreds of posts a day for free.
This is something I charge local customers for. I don't have time to hand
hold someone looking for a bootdisk. Pointing them to the site should be
sufficient for an normal person to figure out what they need. And if they
aren't sure what to do when they get to the site they can always come back
and post a follow up question. I follow all my threads for about 3-4 days
for responses to show up. And don't give me that junk like.... well the
person may not be able to find there way back to the thread, again to that I
say, the person must have some knowledge of how the internet, email, and
newsgroups work to use these services correctly. Now we both provided good
info for boot disks, setup disks, install disks, the op can figure it out
from here or post back, lets move on here.

Scott M.

January 29th 04, 12:42 AM

> This is where you need to go. I assumed the op is not a total idiot so I
> didn't hand hold them. If you goto any website and are downloading apps or
> utilities you should always read everything on the page, not just pick the
> first thing that sounds good. Especially if the advice is from someone who
> you know nothing about, like advice in newsgroups. The op must take
> responsibility to do some of the work. Anything else is bad computing
> practices. If they read the whole page and they indeed did want a floppy
> disk to install xp, I think they would have figured it out.
> http://www.bootdisk.com/popfiles.htm

If you are going to recommend something and not give any details, then it is
fair to assume that the user will try what they find. If the FIRST thing on
the page is what they want AND it links to files at MICROSOFT, then there is
no need to read the whole page!!! LOL!! This is your way of saying "Oops, I
guess I never did say what I meant." but in a way that prevents you from
having to say you were wrong.

>
> Dude your making way to much of this. Let it go already. Whats the
> difference is I said go here and get a boot disk or go here and download
the
> program to make the boot disk. I answer hundreds of posts a day for free.
> This is something I charge local customers for. I don't have time to hand
> hold someone looking for a bootdisk. Pointing them to the site should be
> sufficient for an normal person to figure out what they need. And if they
> aren't sure what to do when they get to the site they can always come back
> and post a follow up question. I follow all my threads for about 3-4 days
> for responses to show up. And don't give me that junk like.... well the
> person may not be able to find there way back to the thread, again to that
I
> say, the person must have some knowledge of how the internet, email, and
> newsgroups work to use these services correctly. Now we both provided good
> info for boot disks, setup disks, install disks, the op can figure it out
> from here or post back, lets move on here.

When you want to yell and insult people for pointing out errors in a post,
don't expect them to just "let it go" because you say so.

What you call "hand-holding" I call "providing crucial information". Would
it have killed you to just provide the direct link or simply say, "Scroll
down past the first XP Boot Disk link you see"?

You are a rude person who would, rather than admit a simple oversight,
attack anyone who dares to point out an error or oversight in your posts. I
too make a living in IT (as I suspect most here do), so please enough with
how selfless you are answering posts here. We all give of our time to
answer posts. If you don't have the time to do it accurately, then maybe
you shouldn't do it at all. I hope you give your paying customers more
attention to detail than you do here.

symar

April 23rd 04, 08:56 PM