"Andrew McLaren" <andrew@fakeaddress.com> wrote in message
news:6F5A4F92-5154-4035-9470-34E235072BB6@microsoft.com...
> "PvdG42" <pvdg@toadstool.edu> wrote...
>> "Daarrheel" <Daarrheel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote...
>>>I want to make a Boot Disk for Vista... what are the Boot files needed
>>>for
>>> this ?
>>
>> Type "create boot disk" into your Windows Explorer Help search window and
>> read the first article in the list, entitled: "Create a Boot Disk
>> (Startup Disk)". That will tell you what you need to know.
>
> That's totally correct. In Explorer, just right-click on a floppy, choose
> Format, and check the "create boot disk" checkbox. Be aware however, this
> will actually create an MS-DOS boot disk - it won't boot up Vista, as
> such.
>
> DOS Boot disks are pretty handy for flashing BIOS, etc. But you won't be
> able to access any NTFS drives, run the Vista GUI, etc.
>
> Like XP, Vista is not designed to be booted from removable media - it is
> meant to boot from a hard disk permanently installed in a machine. Given
> Microsoft's commercial desire to tightly "bond" software to a specific
> hardware device via Activation, etc, they haven't put much effort into
> supporting the boot disk scenario. The Embedded version of XP can
> certainly boot from removeable media, so there's no major technical
> impediment - just some fine-tuning. But as I say, Microsoft don't seem
> very interested in making that effort.
>
> There were a number of unofficial hacks which tried to create boot disks
> for Windows XP. None of them are supported by Microsoft (of course) and
> they would make your system totally unsupported, in the official sense.
> But some seem to work okay, like Nu2, aka Bart. They may have been updated
> for Vista - try Google.
>
> You can also boot up into Vista from the Vista installation DVD. Choose
> the "repair" option and then select "Command Prompt". You don't get the
> full GUI, but you can lauch many GUI apps (like Notepad etc) from the
> command line; plus you can see all your NTFS drives, printers and stuff.
> This is a *huge* improvement in Vista over XP.
>
> Hope it helps,
> Andrew
>
Andrew,
Actually there is a huge move forward in support for end users creating
bootable media (CD/DVD) without having to resort to hacks, pseudo unlicesed
products (e.g. Barts) or the use of Embedded operating systems.
Windows PE is now available to all users (it used to be only available to
volume licensed customers). Windows PE is the tools for building a bootable
operating system on removable media for what ever task you wish to perform.
Windows PE is part of the WAIK and there is plenty of information on
Microsoft.com about building your own PE media.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../aa905120.aspx
--
Mike Brannigan