How to make a boot disc for Windows XP

[SoupDoGG]

Hey, I'm planning on formatting my computer soon, but I don't have a boot disk. So I was wondering if someone could tell me how to make one? I don't have a floppy disc drive, so it needs to be on a cd. Anyway, its Windows XP Media Center Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 3.

Anyway thanks!

So a boot disc would include the Operating system, and all that stuff I need, AND the internet write? And I got my Office Disc I'm pretty sure, so...is that all I would need?

Thanks again!

 

[patonb]

Try this: How to Create a Bootable Windows XP Setup CD/DVD from a Pre-loaded/Preinstalled Windows System (howtohaven.com)

 

[w7pro]

And while this is somewhat different, you might find it helpful: Create a system repair disc

-- Ryan
Windows Outreach Team

 

[SoupDoGG]

Ryan, I think that's for windows 7, judging by the URL and some of the text that I read

Thanks paton

 

[KSoD]

http://www.techist.com/forums/f127/how-install-xp-without-xp-cd-156805/

directly from EricB on our site.

 

[SoupDoGG]

Mak I don't have a partition or any of those other things, and I would rather have a cd/dvd of it. And Paton, that doesn't say whether it works on windows media center 2005, i don't really want to format my computer and then find out i don't have the right OS for that can you let me know if I can still use that? That one seems simpler. I can't believe Microsoft doesn't just have a download that you can put onto a disc for back-up, I've been looking for one for a while now, but they only have media center 2002, and I don't know if it will work because of license keys and such.

 

[KSoD]

Why would Microsoft offer a download for an OS that is no longer available for purchase?

How do you not have the stuff needed? You have to have a partition. You cant install Windows without one. The space that you have, C:\Windows, is considered a partition. So you must have at least 1 partition on the system cause you have an OS installed. The i386 folder is located right within that same folder i mention.

There is no legal download of any version of Windows except Win7 right now. XP is reaching End of Life and not even Microsoft is going to support it in another year. So it is no shock that you cant find anything about this. Cause MCE is jsut XP Pro with the Media Center built in.

http://www.techist.com/forums/f127/how-make-mce-sp3-disc-186995/

You can always try this as well. Sadly there isnt going to be an easy way to accomplish what you want. Cause MCE was a very limited edition release and it is reaching end of life. So you dont have any options from Microsoft to get the media anymore. You will have to follow the guides we have or pray that your system doesnt go down.

 

[TechGurujuni]

I Think you can boot a OS on using USB write it on USB in ISO format.

 

[KSoD]

That wont work. If you write it in ISO format you would then have to have something that can read the ISO file. Unless you mean create an ISO and burn it to USB. But even then it still wont work. Not all files can be burned to USB. Windows Vista and Win7 are specifically coded to not allow install to USB devices. You have to hack the OS to be able to do it.