Boot Disk – Guide for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10

December 4, 2021

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Here we can see “Boot Disk – Guide for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10.”

What exactly is a boot disc?

A boot disc (also known as a starting disc) is a recovery media (CD, DVD, or floppy disc for previous Windows versions) that you can reinstall Windows if it has been damaged or corrupted.

The term “boot disc” was most commonly associated with Windows XP (and previous versions) and Windows Vista in certain situations. The phrase “boot disc” is usually replaced with the term “recovery disc” (sometimes known as a “repair disc” or “restore disc”) in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

NeoSmart Technologies gives comprehensive guidance on generating recovery media for all major PC manufacturers, including recovery software and a recovery disc for all Windows versions (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10).

If you have a computer from one of the manufacturers listed below, you should also read their guide. Most PC manufacturers include a recovery sector on their machines with Windows installed that you can utilize to restore or repair your computer. Only a recovery disc (CD, DVD, etc.) or the recovery partition was available on some earlier models.

Dell, Acer, Asus, Gateway, Toshiba, HP, and Lenovo are among the manufacturers with recovery media guidelines.

A boot disc, often known as a startup disc, is not the same as an installation disc! A boot disc cannot install Windows, and use your original Windows installation disc to install Windows.

You can make a disc in the following formats:

For Windows XP, use a CD or a diskette (floppy disc).
For Windows Vista, you’ll need a CD or DVD.
For Windows 7, you’ll need a CD or DVD.
For Windows 8, use a CD, DVD, or USB drive.
USB for Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.

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Download boot disk

Suppose you can’t boot into Windows or don’t have access to the recovery partition to make a system recovery disc. In that case, you can repair and restore your computer with our recovery and repair disc Easy Recovery Essentials.

Windows 10, Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2012 are all compatible with Easy Recovery Essentials.

Easy Recovery Essentials has the following features:

Find and resolve boot issues automatically.
Even if you can’t get into Windows, it works.
Get rid of virus infections.
Restore your computer’s functionality.
Your vital data can be accessed and backed up.
IT professionals’ advanced tools

Easy Recovery Essentials comes as an ISO file written to a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive.

You can do the following with Easy Recovery Essentials:

Automated Repair finds and fixes faults automatically.
With the built-in antivirus, you can protect your computer from infestations.
Restore your computer’s functionality.
Your most crucial data can be accessed and backed up (like documents, pictures, music, videos and so on)

Easy Recovery Essentials is not capable of installing or reinstalling Windows.

Users using Windows XP

Easy Recovery Essentials can be used as a boot disc (or recovery disc) to repair computers running Windows XP, including the following Windows XP editions with Service Packs installed:

Microsoft Windows XP SP 1 (Service Pack 1)
Microsoft Windows XP SP 2 (Service Pack 2)
Microsoft Windows XP SP 3 (Service Pack 3)

It’s compatible with both Windows XP Home and Professional editions:

Microsoft Windows XP Home
Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Users using Windows Vista

Easy Recovery Essentials is compatible with both the x86 and x64 versions of Windows Vista. It works with all versions of Windows Vista, including 32-bit and 64-bit versions:

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows Vista Starter (32-bit edition)Note: Windows Vista Starter doesn’t have a 64-bit edition.

It’s compatible with the following Windows Vista Service Packs:

Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Users of Windows 7

Easy Recovery Essentials is compatible with Windows 7, and it supports both x86 and x64 platforms. It also works with the entire list of Windows 7 editions, including 32-bit and 64-bit versions:

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32-bit edition)

Note: Windows 7 Starter is only available in the 32-bit edition.

It’s compatible with Windows 7 Service Pack 1:

Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Users using Windows 8 or 8.1

To repair or restore your computer, use Easy Recovery Essentials as a boot or startup disc (formerly known as recovery media) for PCs running Windows 8/8.1.

It works with both x86 and x64 systems, as well as all Microsoft Windows 8 editions (8 and 8.1), both 32-bit and 64-bit:

Microsoft Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit editions)
Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit editions)

Users of Windows 10

For computers with Windows 10 installed, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials as a boot or startup disc (now known as recovery media) to repair or restore your computer.

Make a Windows XP boot disc.

The original Windows XP installation CD can be used as a boot or startup disc to restore your machine using Recovery Console (Command Prompt).

If you already have the installation CD, use these instructions to boot into Windows XP’s Recovery Console and Command Prompt:

Restart your computer after inserting the CD into the drive.
When requested to boot from the CD, press any key.
At the “Welcome to Setup” screen, press R to launch Recovery Console.
Enter the administrator’s password.
Now you should be able to use Command Prompt.
The commands below may assist you in repairing your computer:

bootcfg /rebuild

chkdsk /r /f

fixboot

After each command, press Enter.

If your computer has a floppy disc drive, you can construct a bootable diskette to boot into MS-DOS if you don’t have the CD. To make this diskette, you must be able to boot into Windows XP.

Follow these steps to make a boot diskette for Windows XP:

Place a diskette in the floppy disc drive of your computer.
Right-click on A:\ which is normally the drive letter for the diskette in My Computer.
Select Format.
Select “Create an MS-DOS starting disc” from the drop-down menu.
Click Start

When you’ve finished making the diskette, follow these steps to utilize it when you need it:

Ensure that the disc is set to write-protect mode.
Place the disc in the floppy disc drive.
Start your computer again.
As you boot the system from the diskette, follow the directions on the screen.

You can also follow these instructions to produce a set of setup/boot DVDs that will allow you to avoid the necessity for a bootable CD-ROM (and then continue a reinstallation of Windows XP):

Download the setup application for the version of Windows XP you have:

2. The files must be extracted.

3. Type the drive in which your floppy discs are located – for example, A: – when you get this message, press Enter:

This program creates the Setup boot disks for Windows XP. To create these disks, you must to provide 6 blank, formatted, high-density disks.

Please specify the floppy drive to copy the images to:

4. When you get this message, put the first blank disc in the floppy drive:

Insert one of these disks into drive drive letter. This disk will become the Windows XP Setup Boot Disk.

Press any key when you are ready.

5. Carry on with the procedure until all six discs have been made.

6. Boot from the first diskette you made. Make sure you have the installation CD handy in case you need to reinstall something.

Make a Windows Vista boot disc.

You can use the Windows Vista installation DVD to recover or restore your machine if you already have it.

If not, follow the Create the disc section instructions to discover how to do so.

If you don’t have the installation CD and cannot boot into Windows, go to Download boot disc and use Easy Recovery Essentials Automated Repair feature to automatically correct boot issues.

If you have the Windows Vista installation disc, use these steps to repair your computer:

Place the disc in the drive.
Start your computer again.
To launch Windows from the disc, press any key. If you don’t see the “Press any key” prompt, check your BIOS settings since you’ll need to boot from the DVD first.
Select your preferred language.
Next, click Next. Your computer should be repaired.

If you don’t have the installation CD but have the recovery options already on your machine, you can proceed as follows:

Your computer should be restarted. First, disconnect all CDs, DVDs, and USB flash drives from your computer.
As your computer starts up, press and hold the F8 key. Before the Windows Vista logo displays on your screen, you must press this key.
Select Repair your computer from the Advanced Boot Options screen.
Hit Enter
Choose a layout for your keyboard.
Next should be selected.
Use an administrator account to log in (or any account that has administrative rights to the system)
Select OK.

If you want to make a boot disc, start with the Prerequisites section and then move on to the Create the disc section.

Prerequisites

Before you make the boot or startup disc, make sure you know what version of Windows Vista you have. If you have any Service Packs installed, the recdisc.exe file from the System32 folder must be from a Windows Vista system that does not have any Service Packs (SP).

Follow these procedures to confirm this:

Navigate to the Control Panel.
Select System.
Select System type from the drop-down menu.
Determine whether you’re using a “32-bit” or “64-bit” version of Windows Vista.
Check if you have Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 installed, or if you don’t have any, under the Windows edition section above.

You must change the recdisc.exe file if you have Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Only if it’s specified in the Windows edition area, above the “System type” section, does your Windows Vista have SP1 or SP2 installed.

If you have a Service Pack installed, you must first change the recdisc.exe file before moving on to the Create the disc section:

Copy the recdisc.exe file from a Windows Vista system that does not have the Service Pack installed. Your present recdisc.exe will be substituted for this file.
Save this file to your computer’s desktop.
Right-click the file and select Properties.
Select the General tab.
Unblock is selected. If the Unblock option does not appear in the General tab, skip this step.
Select OK.
Go to C:\Windows\System32\ (from My Computer > C:\ > Windows > System32)
From this folder, locate the recdisc.exe file.
Check that you have permission to make changes to this file. Select this file with the right-click menu > Properties
Rename your original recdisc.exe file to recdisc.exe.backup or something similar to create a backup.
Copy the recdisc.exe file from the copied location (Right-click > Copy).
To overwrite your current recdisc.exe file, paste it into the System32 folder.
If you haven’t already done so, confirm that you want to overwrite the original file (click Copy and Replace, when prompted)

After you’ve accomplished these steps, you can continue to the next stage. To make a boot/startup disc for Windows Vista, follow the steps below.

Making a bootable disc

Before proceeding with these instructions, please read the Prerequisites section above.

These methods will allow you to construct a Windows Vista boot or startup disc (recovery media) that you can utilize in an emergency.

In the search field at the top of the screen, type recdisc.exe.
When the search results display, select the first item on the list.
In the disc tray, place a blank DVD. You may do this with CDs or DVDs.
Choose a disc drive from the “Drive:” drop-down menu.
Create a disc by clicking the Create button. If the system displays a notice concerning the installation disc after you click Create disc, – Insert the Windows installation disc – you’ll need the original installation disc because your version of Windows Vista is missing the files you’ll need to continue.
Allow the recdisc.exe utility software to complete the task.
At the “Using the system repair disc” prompt, click Close.
Select OK.

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Make a Windows 7 boot disc.

If you have the original Windows 7 installation DVD, you can use it as the boot disc to fix your machine.

If you need to repair your computer and don’t have the installation discs, take these procedures to go into your computer’s System Recovery Options:

Place the installation disc in the drive (DVD or USB flash drive)
Start your computer again.
When prompted, press any key to boot from the disc.
Select your preferred language.
Next, click Next. Your computer should be repaired.

If you don’t have the installation DVD but have the system recovery options pre-installed on your computer, follow these steps:

Disconnect your computer from all CDs, DVDs, and USB flash devices.
Start the computer again.
As your computer boots, press and hold the F8 key. Before the Windows 7 logo shows, you must press and hold the F8 key.
At the Advanced Boot Options screen, choose to Repair your computer.
Choose a keyboard layout.
Next should be selected.

Following these instructions will allow you to make a boot CD for Windows 7:

Start Windows 7 and log in as an administrator or any other user with administrative privileges.
In the disc tray, place a blank DVD.
In the Search field at the top of the screen, type recdisc.exe.
Select the first item in the list, recdisc.exe. It should usually be the first item in the search results.
If the “Create a system repair disc” screen does not appear, proceed to the next step:
1. Navigate to the Control Panel.
2. Go to the Backup and Restore section.
3. Make a system repair disc by clicking Create a system repair disc.
Choose the drive that contains the blank DVD.
Create a disc by clicking the Create button.
Click Close when the procedure is completed.
Select OK.

Create a bootable Windows 8/8.1/10 disc.

You can refresh, reset, or restore your PC with Windows 8 or 8.1. The following are the outcomes of these three actions:

Your files will not be affected by refreshing. Any programs you installed in Windows 8/8.1 will be reinstalled, and a copy of these applications will be created on your desktop. Even so, make a backup of your data before refreshing.
Resetting your computer will wipe all of your files and any settings or configurations you have made.
If System Restore is available and enabled, Restore will restore your machine to a previous point in time.

When you install new applications or do Windows updates, Windows 8/8.1 creates restore points by default. If you haven’t deactivated System Restore, this application should be able to restore your machine.

Refresh

How to update your computer’s Windows 8 or 8.1:

Startup your PC.
Go to the Settings menu.
Change your PC’s settings.
Click the Update and Recover button.
Select Recover.
Locate the section Refresh your PC without harming your files.
At this area, click the Get started button.
Follow the on-screen instructions.

Reset

How to reinstall Windows 8 or 8.1:

Startup your PC.
Go to the Settings menu.
Change your PC’s settings.
Select Update and Recovery from the menu bar.
Select Recovery.
Click the Get started option in the Remove everything and reinstall Windows section.
Follow the on-screen instructions.

Create a CD/DVD from the disc.

If you have Windows 8, but not 8.1, you can construct a boot disc (also known as recovery media) using CDs or DVDs:

Start Windows 8 and create an administrator account.
Remove any USB flash drives from the system.
Place a blank CD or DVD in the drive. It’s recommended that you utilize DVDs rather than CDs because you’ll need a lot of CDs if you go with the CD option.
To access the Charm Bar, press the Windows and R keys together. Alternatively, you can use the Run command.
Recdisc is a type of disc.
If you don’t see the “Create a system repair” screen, try these instructions instead:
Activate the Control Panel
Return to Recuperation
Create a recovery drive by clicking the Create a recovery drive button.
Next, click Next. At the “Connect a USB flash drive” screen, build one with a CD or DVD instead of creating a system repair disc with a USB flash drive.
Choose a CD/DVD drive from the drop-down menu.
Click Create disc
Wait for the utility software to complete its task.
When the process is finished, remove the CDs or DVDs from the disc tray at the “Using the system repair disc” screen.

As a USB drive, create a boot disc.

These instructions are for Windows 8.1 users who can only make boot/startup discs using USB flash drives. You’ll need a blank USB device with a minimum capacity of 256 MB.

Follow these procedures to make the disc:

Startup Windows 8.1.
To open the Charm Bar, press Windows + R.
Type RecoveryDrive.exe into the search box.
Select Make a backup drive.
If the Recovery Drive utility does not display, proceed as follows:
1. Navigate to the Control Panel.
2. Go to Recovery
3. Click Make a backup drive.
Next should be selected.
At the Create a recovery drive screen, click Next.
Choose a USB drive from the drop-down menu.
Next, click Next. Create
Wait for the software to complete its task.
Finish by clicking the Finish button.

Conclusion

I hope this information was helpful. If you have anything to add, please do so in the comments.

User Questions:

1. What is the purpose of a Windows boot disc?

A bootable application on an optical disc (CD, DVD) or USB drive takes control of the machine. Typically, computers are set up to look for the operating system on a CD or DVD first, then on the hard disc or SSD.

2. Is it possible to restart a computer without a disc?

Try pressing F8 at launch and selecting Safe Mode from the list of startup options by pressing the Up Arrow Key > then pressing Enter. Once there, try a System Restore to select a Restore Point prior to your problem.

3. How can I restart my laptop if I don’t have a disc?

If the Start Menu isn’t accessible for some reason, try pressing “Delete” while holding down the “Ctrl” and “Alt” keys on your keyboard. A menu will appear, giving the option to “Restart” your computer.

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4. Easy way to make a “live” bootable Windows XP or 7 flash or USB drive?

Easy way to make a "live" bootable Windows XP or 7 flash or USB drive? from sysadmin

5. HOW TO INSTALL WINDOWS XP FROM A USB???

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