How to Create a Bootable Disk for Windows XP in 5 Easy Steps

A boot disk provides an alternate means of loading or "booting" your computer's operating system. It can be created in any form of removable media, such as a floppy disk, CD ROM or even USB. Aside from installing the operating system, boot disks can also be used for data purging or recovery, software or hardware troubleshooting, for customizing your operating environment, to help run big applications such as games, etc.

A significant advantage of having a boot disk is the fact that the operating system can be booted up from an alternate location besides the hard drive. You should have a bootable disk for your computer for emergencies.

Fortunately for Windows XP users, the Windows XP CD also serves as a bootable disk. It automatically loads all the correct drivers necessary to begin a new installation of the XP Setup.

The Windows XP CD can also be used to diagnose and resolve many boot problems that may occur. Microsoft is trying the eradicate the use of floppy disk drives, anyway, so the only way to obtain a bootable disk for Windows XP is through the Microsoft download center. This is to enable you to run Setup on a PC that does'nt allow for the use of a bootable CD-ROM.

This tutorial will walk you through step by step on what you need to do to create a bootable disk for Windows XP for a floppy boot install:

Step #1
To create a bootable floppy disk for Windows XP, you will need six blank, formatted high-density disks. Make sure they are virus-free.
To format the floppy discs in Windows XP:
Start >>My Computer >> right click on the floppy drive icon >> Format.

Step #2
With your disks ready, you need to download the data image from Microsoft's download center. You will then copy the image to your floppy disks.

Step #3
When you open the downloaded image, you will need to specify the destination of you floppy drive, which is typically the A drive.

Step #4
Once you have selected the destination, insert the first floppy disk. You will then press any key to start extracting the boot files onto the floppy disks.
Swap the floppy disks only when prompted to do so because if the copying process is interrupted, you will have to start over.

Step #5
*Label each disk according to the sequence in which you inserted them.

Once the boot files are extracted, your boot disks are created and ready for use!

Re-start your Computer With the Boot Disks
To use your new bootable disks to boot Windows XP from a floppy disk, you will need to configure the BIOS settings so that the computer boots from the floppy disk drive.
*Next, you will insert the first boot disk into the floppy disk drive and re-start your computer.
*When the computer boots from the floppy disk drive with the Windows XP boot files, Windows Setup will begin.
*Swap out floppy disks as you are prompted to do so and continue all the way through the Windows XP setup process. You can then log on to Windows XP.

And you are done!

Useful Links
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx
www.bootdisk.com/
support.microsoft.com/kb/310994
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_disk