Win XP Pro Rescue Floppy Creation

[TheShadow]

More or less satisfied with Win XP pro but predictably the first time that it crashed, the RESTORE points procedure wasn't of any use because it wouldn't boot into Windows (safe or otherwise). Booting off the CDRom only got me to the point where it asked for a RESQ disk (floppy) and nowhere beyond. That experience ended up with an install of a second copy of Windows XP on another hard disk.

I now live in dread of losing my Win XP in a like manner yet again. However I cannot seem to find any procedure (unlike in Win2K) for creating a WIN XP Pro rescue floppy.

1. Anybody have any ideas?

2. Any other programs (that provide a good fall-back position) that isn't part of Windows XP? If so, what is it?

3. In my experience Norton Rescue was OK - but don't think that Norton System Works 2003 still supports that feature. ??

[Belgique]

I was wondering about this one myself. I've always had a rescue floppy and when Norton Zip Rescue was around and about used that. When I had my first Win XP crash and couldn't boot (except from the CDRom), the first thing I noted was the call for the rescue floppy. Of course I didn't have one and I had to reinstall everything.

What am I and the Shadow missing here? Maybe Win XP is just so reliable that there's only, up to this point, a small but growing population that's about to find the same thing.

[SLF 999]

As far as I know there is no such option in XP ie you cannot create a starup disk.

All error reocvery is done either from safe mode, rebooting from the install cd or pressing f8 when windows is starting to get to last know good config

Im happy to be corrected if anyone knows otherwise.

This may also help
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310994

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3ben-us%3b307654

[BlueEagle]

I have had a few crashes with XP Pro, had to boot up off the CD-Rom. It led me through a series of actions which, in effect, mean you agree to re-install the OS complete, in fact it just does a replace and repair job but usually wipes out your updates!!!
I now download and save to disk the huge, (172MB), Network option of the patch 1 and 2 so that I can reinstall after resurrection of the OS.

[ORAC]

HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q305595&ID=KB;EN-US;Q305595)

[Flybywyre]

Had a look at that and it seems a bit complicated (to me) especially this below. I didn't like the bits about "you may need to replace the multi(0)....etc, etc". Also "If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file", How do you know ??

If your computer boots from a SCSI hard drive, you may need to replace the multi(0) entry with scsi(0). If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device driver for the SCSI controller in use on the computer to the root of the Setup disk, and then rename it Ntbootdd.sys. Change the disk(0) number to represent the SCSI-ID of the hard drive you want to boot to. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini file, you do not need to do this

If anyone can translate the above that would be good. If I am just being thick don't worry, I'll keep trying.

FBW

[ORAC]

99% of machines use standard ATA drives. The machine boots off the master (C) drive. The boot.ini file tells the system whther you have an ATA drive or SCSI drive, which drive to go to, and which partition on that drive.

Machines with SCSI controllers can boot off any drive. SCSI(x) refers to the SCSI ID (1 to 8 ir 16 depending on the SCSI type) of the drive containing the operating system (they don't operate on the basis of primary/master).

If you had a SCSI drive, you'd know about it. You haven't, forget it. You use ATA.

Search for the file "boot.ini in the root C: directory using wordpad.

Here's mine:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timeout is how long the machine shows the information on the screen during boot-up.

The rest is standard for an ATA HDD. It's telling the machine to go to the master ATA drive with the active partition. The only thing which might change is whether you have XP home or professional.

Just copy the file from your PC to the floppy after you've formatted it and copied the system files to it.

[Flybywyre]

Thanks ORAC............
That makes far more sense to my Pea brain. I will give it a go later.
Regards
FBW

OK....that worked and my details are the same as yours.

My next problem is this.........

Just copy the file from your PC to the floppy after you've formatted it and copied the system files to it

Sorry to be a bit thick but how do I do that ?

Thanks in anticipation

FBW

[ORAC]

Creating A Boot Diskette With WinXP (http://romzombie.furchives.org/timetaxi/startup-xp.htm)

[Flybywyre]

Thanks for your help ORAC

Regards
FBW

[spannersatcx]

Not sure if you've sorted your problem but found this which may be useful XP help (http://www.infinisource.com/WindowsXP/howto-12.html)