How do I make a Windows XP boot disk?

Is there a boot CD with anti-virus software on? (Perhaps download signatures, scan, etc.)

I'm a tad sceptical of regular AV software as I've seen too many virus descriptions which mess about with AV files.

Thanks.

Leo,

I've faced this problem of how to run system restore when Windows won't boot (and won't boot into Safe Mode either). The thing that has saved me from hard-disk death at least three times now is Charlie White's excellent 2002 article, "Windows XP Crashed? Here's Help." which can be found at http://webcast.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658.
It requires nothing but the use of a Windows boot floppy or CD to get you to the C:\ command prompt, and then the use of your fingers on the computer's keyboard to type in a series of DOS commands. Within an hour or so, providing your disk wasn't _physically_ trashed, you'll be booting into Windows normally.

Frank D

I tried the link in Frank D's comment and the link doesn't work. I planned to print it out for future reference, just in case the link wouldn't work in the future. Apparently, it's already too late.
I'm storing your article for future reference. I was in this condition recently and it was neither fun, nor obvious, as to how to resolve it. I couldn't boot up in Safe Mode. Fortunately, I had taken your advice and had an image and incremental images for the preceeding month. Thanks!

Dear Leo- My preferred remedy is to have two separate physical hard drives, or at least separate partitions, one for the programs and a separate one for the data files. I even have a third partition to where I ghosted the operating system with its various applications.
I love you letters
Keep writing and warm regards
ezra

I found that BartPE won't work on certain OEM disks. (like my Optima laptop), which annoys me because I then had to get a pirate copy to do what should have been legal.

just type into your google search bar,
"charlie white windows xp crashed"
There are quite a few there, the first one I opened had a CORRECTED version. It was the site mentioned above.
I guess the idea would be to download and print a copy for the big day.

The excellent article that Frank D refers to still exists. It's just that his hyperlink includes the period at the end of the sentence. The correct link is
http://webcast.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658

Well worth reading.

I have a HP computer and it is very easy to make a boot cd and recovery disks,as there is a program to do it in a hp.

Sorry about that pesky "." at the end of the link I posted above!

I have something to add that may help: Where Charlie White's article talks about putting the XP CD in the drive, it skirts the issue of what to do if you don't have an XP CD. Here's the tip: You can skip all use of an XP CD if you have a _copy of your Drive C:_ on a second hard drive in your PC (I know, this is not too common a practice, but it's a good one!). It doesn't have to be bootable, just a copy. Having this on your PC will enable you to boot into Windows (of course not your regular Windows, but the copy) by first changing your first boot drive (in the PC's BIOS) to the drive containing the copy, and then using Windows Explorer to do all the copying and pasting of files instead of having to type the commands in manually.

Note: If you follow my revision, then there's a small addendum to make to Charlie's procedure: Where he says "Now type Exit and watch your computer restart into Windows XP again," after typing Exit you must reset your C: drive as the first boot drive before allowing the reboot to take place. (Otherwise, you'll be looking at the copy again.)

Hope this helps!

Frank D

Leo,

I tried to boot from the Ubuntu CD, but my laptop will still not boot. Any suggestions?

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