Lab 10.2: Creating a Boot Disk

One of the tools that every PC technician needs is a boot disk that will allow you to boot up the system. Doing so lets you see whether problems you are having are hardware or software related. When you have a boot disk, it is possible to remove devices until the malfunctioning device can be isolated and repaired.

Upon completion of this lab, you will be able to:

• Create a DOS boot disk

• Create a Windows 2000 boot disk

Set Up

For this lab’s first exercise, you will need a working computer running Windows 98 and the Windows 98 CD. The second exercise requires a computer running Windows 2000.

Exercises

Each operating system has its own way to create a boot disk. In this lab, you will see how to create one in Windows 98 and in Windows 2000. Windows XP uses the same procedure as Windows 2000 to create its boot disk.

Creating a DOS Boot Disk

To create a DOS boot disk,

1. Label a diskette Windows 98 boot disk.

2. Start Windows 98.

3. Use the following sequence to get to the Startup Disk tab:

   Start Settings Control Panel Add/Remove Programs Startup Disk tab

4. Insert the floppy diskette in the floppy drive and the Windows 98 CD in the CD-ROM drive.

5. Click the Create Disk button.

6. Click OK when the prompt tells you to insert a diskette.

7. Click Finish when the diskette is completed.

8. Shut down the computer and reboot using the diskette to test it.

9. After the test, remove the diskette.

Creating a Windows 2000 Boot Disk

To create a Windows 2000 boot disk,

1. Label a diskette Windows 2000 boot disk.

2. Start Windows 2000.

3. Insert the floppy diskette in the floppy drive.

4. Open My Computer and right-click the A: drive.

5. Select Format from the context-sensitive menu.

   Note

   The floppy must be formatted with the Windows 2000 Format utility in order for the diskette to be used as a boot disk.

6. Perform a Quick Format on the floppy diskette. Click Close when the format is complete.

7. From the My Computer window, open the C: drive.

8. Follow this sequence:

   Select Tools Folder Options View tab

9. To create the boot disk, you need to copy hidden system files from the C: drive to a floppy. Because these files are hidden, you need to unhide them. Under Hidden Files, select the Show Hidden Files option. Uncheck the Hide File Extension for Known File Types option and the Hide System Files option.

10. Click OK to allow the Hide System Files Option to take effect.

11. Click OK to close the Folder Options window.

12. Copy the following files to the diskette: NTLDR, BOOT.INI, and NTDETECT.COM.

    Note

    If you are using SCSI controllers for the hard drive, you need to copy the NTBOOTDD.SYS file as well.

13. Shut down the computer and reboot using the diskette to test it.