Bootable OS on CD.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

Hey all.

I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even boot
to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices are to
either remove the drive and put it in another computer (impractical if
I am working remotely and there is only one PC onsite) or install a new
copy of the OS and work from there (more practical but still not
perfect).

What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either Windows
XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot, and then
use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected either via
USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then "nuke-and-pave".

I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

bsilvey@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey all.
>
> I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
> Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even boot
> to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices are to
> either remove the drive and put it in another computer (impractical if
> I am working remotely and there is only one PC onsite) or install a
> new copy of the OS and work from there (more practical but still not
> perfect).
>
> What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either Windows
> XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot, and then
> use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected either via
> USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then "nuke-and-pave".
>
> I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
> installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
> allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?

Slightly OT, but I'd suggest you look into Acronis True Image (I personally
like it a lot better than Ghost). You can make a bootable CD that will allow
you to do a bare-metal restore from wherever you saved the image (i.e., a
file server, an external USB hard drive, whatever you like).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

http://www.nu2.nu - has network support, allows remote regedit, etc. It's a
standard part of my toolkit. You can also add your own assortment of stuff
to allow in-situ salvage rather than the hassle of a flat-line do-over (keep
in mind there are over 70M of updates post XP SP1, SP2 is over 200M and
there are patches for SP2 although not sure what the aggregate size is; but
all need be installed before leaving things in the hands of the client. And
if they're on dial-up you're going to be there a *llloooonnnngggg* time).

--
Walter Clayton
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.


<bsilvey@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110659244.225346.139700@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Hey all.
>
> I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
> Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even boot
> to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices are to
> either remove the drive and put it in another computer (impractical if
> I am working remotely and there is only one PC onsite) or install a new
> copy of the OS and work from there (more practical but still not
> perfect).
>
> What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either Windows
> XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot, and then
> use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected either via
> USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then "nuke-and-pave".
>
> I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
> installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
> allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

Take a look at this, it might be what you're
looking for. certainly I've found it very helpful:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/




bsilvey@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey all.
>
> I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
> Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even boot
> to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices are to
> either remove the drive and put it in another computer (impractical if
> I am working remotely and there is only one PC onsite) or install a new
> copy of the OS and work from there (more practical but still not
> perfect).
>
> What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either Windows
> XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot, and then
> use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected either via
> USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then "nuke-and-pave".
>
> I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
> installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
> allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

Use care with Acronis mount archive procedure. Every time you dismount an
image Acronis leaves the old generic volume as an unused hidden device. Do
it enough times and you get one heck of a removal project!

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ubuJ6y9JFHA.1528@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> bsilvey@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hey all.
> >
> > I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
> > Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even boot
> > to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices are to
> > either remove the drive and put it in another computer (impractical if
> > I am working remotely and there is only one PC onsite) or install a
> > new copy of the OS and work from there (more practical but still not
> > perfect).
> >
> > What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either Windows
> > XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot, and then
> > use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected either via
> > USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then "nuke-and-pave".
> >
> > I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
> > installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
> > allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?
>
> Slightly OT, but I'd suggest you look into Acronis True Image (I
personally
> like it a lot better than Ghost). You can make a bootable CD that will
allow
> you to do a bare-metal restore from wherever you saved the image (i.e., a
> file server, an external USB hard drive, whatever you like).
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize,microsoft.public.win2000.setup (More info?)

Bill_M wrote:
> Use care with Acronis mount archive procedure. Every time you
> dismount an image Acronis leaves the old generic volume as an unused
> hidden device. Do it enough times and you get one heck of a removal
> project!

Hmmm - thanks for the tip. I haven't run into that yet....

>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com> wrote in
> message news:ubuJ6y9JFHA.1528@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> bsilvey@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Hey all.
>>>
>>> I'm trying to build a recovery tool to simplify some work I'm doing.
>>> Basically, if a user's OS install is hashed up too badly to even
>>> boot to Safe Mode and start the Admin profile, my immediate choices
>>> are to either remove the drive and put it in another computer
>>> (impractical if I am working remotely and there is only one PC
>>> onsite) or install a new copy of the OS and work from there (more
>>> practical but still not perfect).
>>>
>>> What I would like to do is create a minimal install of either
>>> Windows XP or 2000 that I can burn to a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM and boot,
>>> and then use a removable hard drive (in an external case, connected
>>> either via USB or Firewire) to store the user's data, then
>>> "nuke-and-pave".
>>>
>>> I know how to make a bootable CD; my question is can I build an
>>> installation of XP - or Win2k, I have both - that is so small as to
>>> allow me to burn said install to a CD or DVD and go from there?
>>
>> Slightly OT, but I'd suggest you look into Acronis True Image (I
>> personally like it a lot better than Ghost). You can make a bootable
>> CD that will allow you to do a bare-metal restore from wherever you
>> saved the image (i.e., a file server, an external USB hard drive,
>> whatever you like).