Boot Disk

How do I create a boot disk for WindowsXP so that when the machine boots it
will load USB drivers? I need to be able to see my external USB connected
hard drive in the event I must do a restore to the operating system
following "a future" hard drive failure . When I use the option to format a
floopy disk as an MS Startup Disk, it does boot the PC with the A\: line
showing, but I can't change directories to one of the CD ROM drives or the
external drives. If I type Dir, I get a list of the files on the A:\, but
no other standard DOS commands will function.

I am not very savvy in this area, but I think I am missing "drivers"? I
need a boot disk that will boot the PC, let me start a recovery progam on a
CD Rom Drive and load drivers make the USB drive visible.

Can this be done? How? Thanks so much.
--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.

Greg Maxey wrote:
How do I create a boot disk for WindowsXP so that when the machine boots it
will load USB drivers? I need to be able to see my external USB connected
hard drive in the event I must do a restore to the operating system
following "a future" hard drive failure . When I use the option to format a
floopy disk as an MS Startup Disk, it does boot the PC with the A\: line
showing, but I can't change directories to one of the CD ROM drives or the
external drives. If I type Dir, I get a list of the files on the A:\, but
no other standard DOS commands will function.

I am not very savvy in this area, but I think I am missing "drivers"? I
need a boot disk that will boot the PC, let me start a recovery progam on a
CD Rom Drive and load drivers make the USB drive visible.

Can this be done? How? Thanks so much.


Contact the manufacturer of your PC's motherboard (or USB controller,
if it's a separate expansion card) to see if they provide USB drivers
for MS-DOS. Then follow that manufacturer's instructions for
configuring the boot diskette to install those drivers.

Odds are, they don't provide any. And if they don't, you can't access
USB devices from DOS, beyond whatever legacy USB support (normally just
keyboard and mouse) the motherboard provides natively.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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both at once. - RAH

Greg Maxey wrote:

How do I create a boot disk for WindowsXP so that when the machine boots it
will load USB drivers? I need to be able to see my external USB connected
hard drive in the event I must do a restore to the operating system
following "a future" hard drive failure . When I use the option to format a
floopy disk as an MS Startup Disk, it does boot the PC with the A\: line
showing, but I can't change directories to one of the CD ROM drives or the
external drives. If I type Dir, I get a list of the files on the A:\, but
no other standard DOS commands will function.

I am not very savvy in this area, but I think I am missing "drivers"? I
need a boot disk that will boot the PC, let me start a recovery progam on a
CD Rom Drive and load drivers make the USB drive visible.

Can this be done? How? Thanks so much.

Check in the BIOS to enable legacy USB support.

--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User

Greg Maxey wrote:

How do I create a boot disk for WindowsXP so that when the machine boots
it will load USB drivers? I need to be able to see my external USB
connected hard drive in the event I must do a restore to the operating
system following "a future" hard drive failure . When I use the option
to format a floopy disk as an MS Startup Disk, it does boot the PC with
the A\: line showing, but I can't change directories to one of the CD ROM
drives or the external drives. If I type Dir, I get a list of the files
on the A:\, but no other standard DOS commands will function.

I am not very savvy in this area, but I think I am missing "drivers"? I
need a boot disk that will boot the PC, let me start a recovery progam on
a CD Rom Drive and load drivers make the USB drive visible.

Can this be done? How? Thanks so much.


"Rock" wrote in message
...
Check in the BIOS to enable legacy USB support.

--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User


Greg:
There is no way that I'm aware of to create a DOS-based boot disk that will
detect a connected USB external hard drive. I'm at a loss to understand
Rock's suggestion re this issue.

Your reference to "drivers" as they relate to a USB device in this context
has no relevance.

I assume from the description of your objective that you have, or want to
have, a USB external hard drive containing a "clone" of your internal HD so
that in the event of a failure of that latter HD you could use the USBEHD to
restore your system. Is that it?

If so, the only way that I'm aware of to use the EHD in that fashion would
be to "clone" the contents of that device back to a functional HD. This
could be done through a disk imaging program such as Norton Ghost or Acronis
True Image.

I should add that a poster to this NG stated that he used a program called
DUSE in conjunction with a DOS bootup floppy disk that *could* access a
USBEHD. I, however, was unable to achieve any success with that program. You
can do a Google search on it if you're interested.
Anna

Anna,

I assume from the description of your objective that you have, or want to
have, a USB external hard drive containing a "clone" of your internal HD
so that in the event of a failure of that latter HD you could use the
USBEHD to restore your system. Is that it?

That's it, and I have had have had no luck with anything that I tried.

Thanks for the suggestions.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.


Anna wrote:

There is no way that I'm aware of to create a DOS-based boot disk
that will detect a connected USB external hard drive. I'm at a loss
to understand Rock's suggestion re this issue.

Your reference to "drivers" as they relate to a USB device in this
context has no relevance.


If so, the only way that I'm aware of to use the EHD in that fashion
would be to "clone" the contents of that device back to a
functional HD. This could be done through a disk imaging program such
as Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image.

I should add that a poster to this NG stated that he used a program
called DUSE in conjunction with a DOS bootup floppy disk that *could*
access a USBEHD. I, however, was unable to achieve any success with
that program. You can do a Google search on it if you're interested.
Anna

Anna wrote:

There is no way that I'm aware of to create a DOS-based boot disk
that will detect a connected USB external hard drive. I'm at a loss
to understand Rock's suggestion re this issue.

Your reference to "drivers" as they relate to a USB device in this
context has no relevance.

If so, the only way that I'm aware of to use the EHD in that fashion
would be to "clone" the contents of that device back to a
functional HD. This could be done through a disk imaging program such
as Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image.

I should add that a poster to this NG stated that he used a program
called DUSE in conjunction with a DOS bootup floppy disk that *could*
access a USBEHD. I, however, was unable to achieve any success with
that program. You can do a Google search on it if you're interested.

I assume from the description of your objective that you have, or want to
have, a USB external hard drive containing a "clone" of your internal HD
so that in the event of a failure of that latter HD you could use the
USBEHD to restore your system. Is that it?
Anna


"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Anna,

That's it, and I have had have had no luck with anything that I tried.

Thanks for the suggestions.


Greg:
What exactly have you tried? Are you referring to this or that disk imaging
program such as the ones I previously mentioned? And if so, what were the
problems?

In my own case, I usually use Symantec's Norton Ghost 2003 program to
*directly* clone the contents of one HD to another HD (internal or
external). In doing so I prefer to use an easily-created Ghost bootable
floppy disk (or on occasion, a Ghost bootable CD) to carry out the cloning
operation. I find the simplicity, not to say portability aspect, of using
such media more to my liking than using the Windows GUI with that program,
which, of course one may use. And, for our purposes, i.e., *directly*
cloning the contents of one HD to another HD, we prefer using the Ghost 2003
program rather than the "successor" Ghost 9 & 10 programs.

We also use, from time to time, the Acronis True Image program for the
identical purpose as described above. In this case we also prefer to use a
bootable ATI CD to carry out the cloning operation rather than using the
Windows GUI. Again, a personal preference. (The ATI program does not have
the capability of creating a bootable floppy disk like the Ghost program).

In any event, using one or another of those previously mentioned programs
should suit your purposes. Using either program (and there are other fine
disk imaging programs available as well), the disk cloning operation is
relatively simple & straightforward and should present few, if any,
problems. For many, if not most PC users, it's an ideal backup system.

Not too long ago, in response to a request I received from a local computer
club, I prepared step-by-step instructions for using the Ghost 2003 program
(using the bootable floppy disk as noted above) and the Acronis True Image
(version 8) program (using the ATI bootable CD) to carry out the direct
cloning of HDs as indicated above. If you, or anyone else, is interested in
perusing one or the other, or both, of this material, so indicate and I'll
be glad to post it.
Anna

Anna,

Sorry for the confusion. I haven't tried commerial software (this time)
like you advise.

I did try Norton 2003 last year and gave up in frustration (still have it).
While I was able to create the bootable disk and make and image, I could
never get my mouse to work and I had a nightmare of a time getting the "PC
DOS" to move past a blinking cursor when the PC booted.

I am a complete idiot with DOS and since the only time I would expect to use
it is in an emergency I want to stay away from it if possible. I read a
little about Ghost 10 last night and that might be the solution I need. What
I didn't want to do was spend another $70.00. Well I suppose the economic
engine must turn.

Thanks for your help.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.

http://www.bootdisk.com/usb.htm

Many people use a bootable image software installation CD for recovery of
same. But, requires you use their imaging recovery program or its tools for
access in that environment.

XP offers nothing in regards to your specific requirements for such boot
media creation.

.............
Jonny
"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
How do I create a boot disk for WindowsXP so that when the machine boots
it will load USB drivers? I need to be able to see my external USB
connected hard drive in the event I must do a restore to the operating
system following "a future" hard drive failure . When I use the option to
format a floopy disk as an MS Startup Disk, it does boot the PC with the
A\: line showing, but I can't change directories to one of the CD ROM
drives or the external drives. If I type Dir, I get a list of the files
on the A:\, but no other standard DOS commands will function.

I am not very savvy in this area, but I think I am missing "drivers"? I
need a boot disk that will boot the PC, let me start a recovery progam on
a CD Rom Drive and load drivers make the USB drive visible.

Can this be done? How? Thanks so much.
--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.

"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Anna,

Sorry for the confusion. I haven't tried commerial software (this time)
like you advise.

I did try Norton 2003 last year and gave up in frustration (still have
it). While I was able to create the bootable disk and make and image, I
could never get my mouse to work and I had a nightmare of a time getting
the "PC DOS" to move past a blinking cursor when the PC booted.

I am a complete idiot with DOS and since the only time I would expect to
use it is in an emergency I want to stay away from it if possible. I read
a little about Ghost 10 last night and that might be the solution I need.
What I didn't want to do was spend another $70.00. Well I suppose the
economic engine must turn.

Thanks for your help.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.


Greg:
Since you have Symantec's Norton Ghost 2003, here are step-by-step
instructions for creating a Ghost 2003 bootable floppy disk and then using
that floppy disk to clone the contents of your working HD to another
internal or external HD...

(You needn't be unduly concerned with using this DOS-based media with the
Ghost 2003 program. There are no complicated or exotic DOS commands that you
need to invoke. The entire process is simple, straightforward, and quite
effective)

But before I get to the actual step-by-step instructions, I want to make the
following points so that you (and others who might be interested in a disk
imaging program) understand how *we* use this program to achieve our desired
objective which is to *directly* clone the contents of one HD to another
HD...

1. We use the Ghost 2003 program for one purpose, and only one purpose. And
that is to *directly* clone the contents of one hard drive to another hard
drive. We are not interested in "incremental or scheduled backups", nor are
we interested in creating "disk images" on removable media, e.g., DVDs. Our
sole interest & objective is to create & maintain a near-failsafe backup
system for restoration purposes.

2. It is *vital*, repeat *vital*, that you work with the latest version of
the Ghost 2003 program. That's the Ghost 2003.793 build. Should you have an
earlier version, you can use Symantec's LiveUpdate feature available in the
Ghost program to download & automatically install that latest update.

3. We prefer to work with the Ghost 2003 program rather than its successor
Ghost 9 & Ghost 10 programs. For our purposes, we find the 2003 version more
straightforward in design, simpler to use, faster in carrying out its
function than the newer versions. And, I might add, just as effective for
the purposes indicated. Again, I emphasize that we use the program solely
for the *direct* cloning of the contents of one HD to another HD.

4. In using the Ghost 2003 program, our preference is to work with the Ghost
2003 bootable floppy disk (or on occasion the Ghost 2003 bootable CD). We
find that media simpler to use in comparison with the Windows GUI and we
enjoy the portability aspects of that media.

5. We are aware, of course, that there are other fine disk imaging products
on the market, e.g,, Acronis True Image, and I do not mean to suggest that
the Ghost program is superior to them. If practical, a user should try as
many out as he or she can, and make their own decision as to what works best
for them.

So, here are step-by-step instructions for using the Ghost 2003 program
(using a Ghost 2003 bootable floppy disk or bootable CD) to directly clone
the contents of one HD to another HD...

Creating the bootable Ghost floppy disk:
1. Install the Ghost 2003 program on your computer. Make sure you're using
the latest "build" - Ghost 2003.793. If not, use Ghost's LiveUpdate feature
to automatically download the latest version.
2. Insert a blank floppy disk (it need not be formatted) and access your
Ghost program.
3. Click on Ghost Utilities.
4. Click on Norton Ghost Boot Wizard.
5. Select Standard Ghost Boot Disk. A dialog box will appear.
a. Select the USB 2.0 Support option (assuming you have that
capability).
b. Select the Assign DOS drive letters option and click Next.
6. Select the Use PC-DOS option.
7. Complete the process following the screen prompts.
8. Remove floppy and label accordingly.

That's it. Now you have a Ghost bootable floppy disk which you can use to
undertake your cloning operations now and in the future. Now when you want
to clone the contents of one HD to another HD you simply insert the Ghost
bootable floppy disk in your floppy drive and boot up with both drives
connected.

After creating the Ghost bootable floppy disk, you can create a Ghost
bootable CD from it using the Roxio or Nero CD burning programs, or most
other CD burning programs that allow you to create a bootable CD.
Unfortunately I know of no way to *directly* create this bootable CD from
the Ghost program (as you can do, for example, in the Acronis True Image
program).

Here's how to perform the cloning operation...
1. With both drives connected, boot up with the Ghost bootable floppy (or
Ghost bootable CD). You'll get an initial screen that displays "License
agreement warning". Right-arrow (or tab) over to the "Continue without
marking drives" button and press Enter.
2. The "About Norton Ghost" screen appears. Click OK.
3. Right-arrow twice over to the "To Disk" button and press Enter.
4. The next screen will list both your drives - the Drive 1 (source disk)
and Drive 2 (destination disk). MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN Drive 1 IS INDEED
YOUR SOURCE DISK, I.E., THE DISK YOU'RE CLONING *FROM*!
Drive 1 will be highlighted. Press Enter.
5. The next screen will have Drive 2 (destination disk) highlighted. AGAIN,
ENSURE THAT Drive 2 IS YOUR DESTINATION DISK, I.E., THE DISK YOU'RE CLONING
*TO*! Press Enter.
6. The next screen is the "Destination Drive Details" window, and reflects
your ultimate destination disk, i.e., your current Drive 2. Press your Tab
key to highlight the OK button and press Enter.
7. The "Proceed with disk clone?" dialog box will open. Left-arrow over to
the Yes button and press Enter.
8. The cloning process will begin. The data transfer speed will vary
depending upon the speed of your processor and the HDs involved. On a medium
to high-powered system you should get transfer speeds ranging from 800
MB/min to 1.5 GB/min should you be cloning internal drives. It will be
considerably slower if you're cloning to a USB external HD.
9. After you get the "Clone Completed Successfully" message, left-arrow over
to the Continue button and press Enter.
10. Down-arrow to Quit and press Enter.
11. Click Yes at the "Are you sure you want to quit?" message.
12. Remove the Ghost floppy and shut down the computer.
13. Disconnect your source disk and boot up with the cloned drive.
Presumably it should boot up without a problem and in about 40 to 50 seconds
following arriving at your Desktop, XP's "System Settings Change" window
will (usually) appear, informing you that new hardware has been found and
asks "Do you want to restart your computer now?" Click Yes.
14. BTW, the reboot of the newly-cloned drive usually takes a longer time
than usual, so one must be patient. On rare occasions the system will fail
to reboot - the system will hang before reaching the Windows XP Welcome
screen. It's a rare occurrence, but you may experience it from time-to-time.
If that does occur, simply use the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys to reboot.

Assuming you've cloned the contents of your working drive to your second
internal drive, that second drive will be bootable (after disconnecting your
primary one, of course) as indicated above. You also have the option of
cloning your working drive to a USB external hard drive. In that case the
USB EHD is *not* bootable, but you could clone the contents back to your
internal drive for restoration purposes should the need arise.

Just one other point I wish to emphasize with respect to the cloning
operation involving internal drives. Immediately following the cloning
operation and the shutdown of your machine, disconnect your source drive and
boot ONLY to the newly-cloned drive (as indicated in step 13. above). DO NOT
BOOT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CLONING OPERATION WITH BOTH DRIVES CONNECTED.
Doing so is likely to cause future boot problems with the cloned drive.
Obviously there is no problem in this area should a USBEHD be involved in
the cloning process since that device is not bootable in an XP environment.

I trust the above will be of use to you and others who might be thinking
about using the Ghost 2003 program for a routine backup system.
Anna

Anna,

Herein lies the problem.

1. With both drives connected, boot up with the Ghost bootable floppy (or
Ghost bootable CD). You'll get an initial screen that displays "License
agreement warning". Right-arrow (or tab) over to the "Continue without
marking drives" button and press Enter.

During this iteration, despite everything that I have tried, I can not get
the PC to boot (completely) with the floopy. I create it exactly as you
advise. When I put it in my machine and boot, I get a Starting PC DOS ...

Some statement about Iomega, etc, etc,

then a blinking cursor. That's it! It never movers on to the A:\ prompt so
I can type in Ghost.exe.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.

"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Anna,

Herein lies the problem.

1. With both drives connected, boot up with the Ghost bootable floppy (or
Ghost bootable CD). You'll get an initial screen that displays "License
agreement warning". Right-arrow (or tab) over to the "Continue without
marking drives" button and press Enter.

During this iteration, despite everything that I have tried, I can not get
the PC to boot (completely) with the floopy. I create it exactly as you
advise. When I put it in my machine and boot, I get a Starting PC DOS ...

Some statement about Iomega, etc, etc,

then a blinking cursor. That's it! It never movers on to the A:\ prompt
so I can type in Ghost.exe.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.


Greg:
First of all, when you use the Ghost 2003 bootable floppy disk (or Ghost
bootable CD), you DO NOT OR SHOULD NOT get to an "... A:\ prompt so I can
type in Ghost.exe". The system should boot *directly* to the opening Ghost
screen. There is *no* command to enter. Obviously something is amiss with
your created floppy disk. All I can suggest is to *precisely* follow my
instructions re creating a Ghost bootable floppy disk. And you *are* using
the Ghost 2003 program with the latest 793 build to create your bootable
floppy disk, right?
Anna

Anna,

I have abandoned the Ghost2003 route and succeeded with Ghost 9.0. It is
not that I favor one over the other, it is just that 9.0 was the first
version that I could get to work.

The reason for earlier problems with 9.0 was missing driver for SATA AHCI
controller. Up and running now. Thanks for your sticktoitiveness and I am
sure that your contritution here will be helpful to other.

Cheers.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.