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How to Really Create a Startup Disk
By Stephen Bucaro
Most people don't consider creating a Startup Disk until their computer fails to
start - then it's too late. A startup disk will not start Windows, but it will start
your computer in DOS. The most common reasons for a computer not starting are
corrupted files, missing files, or configuration problems. You can use a Startup Disk
to replace the files or restore the computers configuration.
If your operating system is Windows XP or Windows 2000, it isn't bootable. With these
systems, you use an Emergency Repair Disk that works with the systems built-in repair
functions. This article focuses on Windows 9x/Me systems.
When you create a Startup Disk, Windows needs to gather some important system files,
so you may be required to insert your Windows CD. To create a Startup Disk select
Start | Settings | Control Panel. Open the Add/Remove Programs utility and select the
"Startup Disk" tab. Click on the "Create Disk" button. You will be prompted to insert
a floppy disk into the drive.
Windows 95 Users
Note: If your operating system is Windows 95, you will be missing one important file
on your Startup Disk. When Windows 98 creates a Startup disk, it includes a generic IDE/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 under Windows 95.
Windows 95 users will have to locate their CD ROM driver. At the top of the C: drive,
locate a file named config.sys and open it in Notepad. A line in this file should
identify the name of your CD ROM driver. The drivers file name will end with a .sys
extension, for example NEC_IDE.SYS.
If you cannot determine the name of your real mode CD ROM driver here, you may have
to look on the floppy disk or CD ROM that came with your Drive or check your computer
manufacturers Web site.
You will also need a copy of the DOS CD ROM driver called MSCDEX.EXE. This file
should be located in your Windows\Command folder. Place a copy of both of these
files on your Startup disk.
Next, use Notepad to open the file config.sys on your startup disk and add the
following line, replacing the name of the driver file shown with the actual name of
your driver. Then save the file.
DEVICE=A:\NEC_IDE.SYS /D:MSCD001
Use Notepad to open the file autoexec.bat on your Startup disk. If the disk does not
have an autoexec.bat file, create one. In the autoexec.bat file add the line shown
below. Then save the file.
MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
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