How,Really,Create,Startup,Disk computer How to Really Create a Startup Disk

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Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website,offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as longas no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and theresource box below is included. ----------------------------------------------------------How to Really Create a Startup DiskBy Stephen BucaroMost people don't consider creating a Startup Disk untiltheir computer fails to start - then it's too late. Astartup disk will not start Windows, but it will startyour computer in DOS. The most common reasons for acomputer not starting are corrupted files, missing files,or configuration problems. You can use a Startup Disk toreplace the files or restore the computers configuration.If your operating system is Windows XP or Windows 2000, itisn't bootable. With these systems, you use an EmergencyRepair Disk that works with the systems built-in repairfunctions. This article focuses on Windows 9x/Me systems.When you create a Startup Disk, Windows needs to gathersome important system files, so you may be required toinsert your Windows CD. To create a Startup Disk selectStart | Settings | Control Panel. Open the Add/RemovePrograms utility and select the "Startup Disk" tab.Click on the "Create Disk" button. You will be promptedto insert a floppy disk into the drive. =>Windows 95 UsersNote: If your operating system is Windows 95, you will bemissing one important file on your Startup Disk. WhenWindows 98 creates a Startup disk, it includes a genericIDE/ATAPI CD ROM driver on the disk. Windows 95 does not.On the Startup disk you will need a DOS "real-mode" driver,not the virtual device driver used while running underWindows 95.Windows 95 users will have to locate their CD ROM driver.At the top of the C: drive, locate a file named config.sysand open it in Notepad. A line in this file should identifythe name of your CD ROM driver. The drivers file name willend with a .sys extension, for example NEC_IDE.SYS.If you cannot determine the name of your real mode CD ROMdriver here, you may have to look on the floppy disk or CDROM that came with your Drive or check your computermanufacturers Web site.You will also need a copy of the DOS CD ROM driver calledMSCDEX.EXE. This file should be located in yourWindowsCommand folder. Place a copy of both of thesefiles on your Startup disk.Next, use Notepad to open the file config.sys on yourstartup disk and add the following line, replacing thename of the driver file shown with the actual name of yourdriver. Then save the file.DEVICE=A:NEC_IDE.SYS /D:MSCD001Use Notepad to open the file autoexec.bat on your Startupdisk. If the disk does not have an autoexec.bat file,create one. In the autoexec.bat file add the line shownbelow. Then save the file.MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001Now when you boot from the startup disk, your real-mode CDROM driver will automatically be installed, allowing youto read the CD in DOS.=> Copy These Special Files to Your Startup DiskOn all Windows 9x/Me systems you should copy the importantconfiguration files system.dat and user.dat from yourWindows folder to your startup disk. First make sure yoursystem is configured to show hidden files: In WindowsExplorer View menu select the View tab and check the ShowAll Files radio button.The file system.dat is a database for your computer'shardware. The file user.dat is a database for usersettings. These two files combine to form the elusiveWindows Registry.The configuration files config.sys, autoexec.bat (directlyunder C:), win.ini and system.ini (in the Windows folder)are legacy files for compatiblility with Windows 3.1. Theyare not required for Windows 95 and higher, but if youfind them on your computer it may be because you arerunning some older 16 bit software. If you find any ofthem on your computer, place a copy on your startup floppydisk. => Test Your Startup DiskWhen you have completed your Startup Disk, you should testit. To do that, restart your computer with the floppy diskin the drive. After your computer starts, you should endup with the A: prompt on the screen. If it doesn't work,check the boot order configuration in your computers BIOSsetup. Make sure that the floppy drive is the first bootdevice. Windows 98 displays a menu allowing you to select to startwith or without CD support. It then creates a RAM driveand assigns it the first avalable drive letter. Therefore,the drive designation of your CD ROM drive may be different.The same files available on a Windows 95 startup disk arethen expanded to the RAM drive. Place any CD ROM disc in your CD ROM drive and type in D:(or whatever letter is assigned to your CD drive). Youshould get the D: prompt. If you get the D: prompt, typein DIR. You should get a list of the contents of the CD inthe drive.If your Startup disk worked okay, you now have thecapability to start the computer from the floppy drive inDOS mode. You may not totally understand how to use thefiles on your Startup Disk to restore your computer, buta technician who helps restore your computer will be gladyou saved them.----------------------------------------------------------Resource Box:Copyright(C)2002 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintainyour computer and use it more effectively to design a Website and make money on the Web visithttp://bucarotechelp.comTo subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blankemail to bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com---------------------------------------------------------- Article Tags: Really Create, Startup Disk