

Once you do, you can back up important data and then use other tools, either those built in to the operating system or available from a third party, to fix the problem. The goal of the Windows XP Startup Disk is simply to allow you to boot the computer and gain access to the operating system. For all major types of boot problems, you’ll need to use one or more of the Windows XP tools I mentioned in the introduction. Keep in mind that you can use the Windows XP Startup Disk to start a system that is encountering only minor problems that prevent a normal boot sequence.
#CREATE A WINDOWS XP BOOT DISK HOW TO#
I’ll show you how to create a Windows XP Startup Disk and explain each step in detail. But in many troubleshooting situations, what you really need is a simple startup disk that you can use to boot a Windows XP system.įortunately, I’ve discovered how to manually create a Windows XP startup disk that will allow you to boot a troubled Windows XP system running either the NTFS or FAT file system. Windows XP has a slew of tools, such as Last Known Good, System Restore, Recovery Console, and Automated System Recovery, which you can use to boot and fix the operating system. Unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t include the Startup Disk feature in Windows XP. Clicking this button allowed you to create a bootable Startup Disk that you could use to start a Windows 98 system in the event of a problem that prevented a normal boot sequence. The Startup Disk tab on Windows 98’s Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box featured a button labeled Create Disk. When the program is done writing to the disk, it will close on its own.Get IT Done: Create a Windows XP Startup Disk to access TFS or FAT partitions

Once a disk has been inserted with no data or you confirm that it should be overwritten, the creation process will start and look similar to the image below. If you want the disk to be overwritten, press the Yes button, otherwise press the No button and insert a different disk. If the inserted floppy contains data you will see a confirmation screen asking if you want the process to continue and erase the disk as shown below. Once a floppy has been inserted, press the OK button. For those who are unsure what a floppy disk is, it looks like this:ĥ. Insert a floppy disk into your floppy drive. Double-click on the icon to start the boot disk creation process and you will be greeted with a screen similar to the one below.Ĥ. When the file has completed downloading you will see an icon similar to the one below with a name that corresponds to the operating system you chose for the boot disk.ģ. Save the selected boot disk to your desktop when your browser prompts you where to save it to. In order to make a boot disk you will need the following:Ī blank floppy (or a used floppy that can be erased)Ģ. With that said, it is a good thing to have a boot disk pre made and ready in case there is a problem with starting Windows in the future. With today's current versions of Windows, you will need a working version of Windows to make a boot disk on your own. When situations like this occur, having a boot disk is necessary as you will be able to access files and attempt fixes that may allow you to make your computer operational again. There will be times that your computer may not boot up properly and thus you can not access files or attempt fixes that you are asked to do. What is a boot disk and why do I need one?Ī boot disk is a floppy or a CD that you can use to boot your computer into a state in which you can use it to fix a problem.
