One way to make a USB key bootable.

I'm not sure that this is the best or easiest way, but it works pretty well
and fast for me: (this assumes a WinXP system with an internal floppy
drive.). **


1) While at desktop, plug the new key into the USB port, give it a few
moments to be recognized - and it should be.

2) Go over to www.bootdisk.com and download the files to create a Win95
bootdisk containing sys.com. (some Win98 disks might work also.)

3) Format the floppy disk and then run the bootdisk.com Win95 file, which
creates the bootable floppy.

4) Reboot the system into BIOS. Disable/turn "off" all hard disks and
CD/optical drives, leaving only the floppy drive enabled.

5) Leaving the bootable floppy in the drive, escape BIOS and the system
should boot to the newly-created diskette

6) Run FDISK from the diskette and select "view partition data". You should
see only a FAT16 C:\ drive that matches the capacity of your USB key

7) Format the key if you like, but is probably unnecessary. Then sys C: (the
key) from the A: prompt.

8) Now done, eject the floppy and reboot the system to the USB key to
verify.

9) Reboot and return to BIOS, default all settings to detect all hard disks
and opticals. Remove USB key. Done.


(Sorry if already posted........)


Stew


**Additionally, I'd be interested to know if this would work with a USB
floppy drive plugged while in Windows before reboot. Can a USB external
floppy *and* USB key both appear simultaneously on the (F12) boot menu? I
don't have an external floppy drive to test.......

Seems overly complicated to me when you can go to Dells website and get a
prog to do it if its a Dell USB key or if you go to HP's Website theirs does
any usb key google for HP USB disk storage format tool V2.0.6
"S.Lewis" <> wrote in message
news:UENzf.10328$.. .
>
> I'm not sure that this is the best or easiest way, but it works pretty
> well and fast for me: (this assumes a WinXP system with an internal floppy
> drive.). **
>
>
> 1) While at desktop, plug the new key into the USB port, give it a few
> moments to be recognized - and it should be.
>
> 2) Go over to www.bootdisk.com and download the files to create a Win95
> bootdisk containing sys.com. (some Win98 disks might work also.)
>
> 3) Format the floppy disk and then run the bootdisk.com Win95 file, which
> creates the bootable floppy.
>
> 4) Reboot the system into BIOS. Disable/turn "off" all hard disks and
> CD/optical drives, leaving only the floppy drive enabled.
>
> 5) Leaving the bootable floppy in the drive, escape BIOS and the system
> should boot to the newly-created diskette
>
> 6) Run FDISK from the diskette and select "view partition data". You
> should see only a FAT16 C:\ drive that matches the capacity of your USB
> key
>
> 7) Format the key if you like, but is probably unnecessary. Then sys C:
> (the key) from the A: prompt.
>
> 8) Now done, eject the floppy and reboot the system to the USB key to
> verify.
>
> 9) Reboot and return to BIOS, default all settings to detect all hard
> disks and opticals. Remove USB key. Done.
>
>
> (Sorry if already posted........)
>
>
> Stew
>
>
> **Additionally, I'd be interested to know if this would work with a USB
> floppy drive plugged while in Windows before reboot. Can a USB external
> floppy *and* USB key both appear simultaneously on the (F12) boot menu? I
> don't have an external floppy drive to test.......
>
>
>
>
>
>

here here

The HP utility is free, painless, simple, quick and does what it says
on the tin.

here here

The HP utility is free, painless, simple, quick and does what it says
on the tin.

"Fixer" <> wrote in message
newsuRzf.1052$...
> Seems overly complicated to me when you can go to Dells website and get a
> prog to do it if its a Dell USB key or if you go to HP's Website theirs
> does any usb key google for HP USB disk storage format tool V2.0.6


It ain't and it ain't. But thanks for the pointers on Dell and HP
keys...........

Not pretending to re-invent the wheel here, merely bend a couple of spokes.


Stew

"Alex Flaherty" <> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> here here
>
> The HP utility is free, painless, simple, quick and does what it says
> on the tin.
>


Guys, the subject line says "one way", not "THE way" not "THE ONLY WAY", or
even "THE BEST WAY".

Nothing wrong with utilities if they apply and you have'em.


Stew

> I'd be interested to know if this would work with a USB floppy
> drive plugged while in Windows before reboot. Can a USB
> external floppy *and* USB key both appear simultaneously
> on the (F12) boot menu?

Yes, that works (presuming, of course, that your bios is recent enough to
support booting from either device). For example, I just tested a
floppy-less Dimension 4600 I happen to have on the workbench at the moment,
and with both a usb floppy and a usb flash drive plugged in at boot time the
F12 menu adds both "diskette drive" and "usb device" to the bios boot menu.

FTR, it doesn't matter what you do in Windows, all that matters is that the
particular usb device is plugged in before you start booting so the bios
will see it during POST. The devices the bios sees during POST are what get
listed on the F12 menu.

Perhaps you're just erring on the side of caution, but it's not quite as
complicated as all that. Your steps 1, 4, 6, and 9 aren't really necessary.
If you already have a boot floppy or CD (yes, you can even boot from CD to
do this), steps 2-3 aren't necessary, either. I recommend using a Win98 DOS
disk instead of Win95. Win98 DOS will recognize FAT32 file systems, so it's
more useful than a Win95 boot disk.

Basically, once you have a boot disk, all you need to do is plug in the
flash drive, reboot from the boot disk (press F12 if necessary), "sys c:",
and you're done.

This works because most systems nowadays have no visible FAT/FAT32 volumes
on the disk. If you do, then the flash drive won't be C:, so either turn
off the drives (via the bios steps you outlined) or else just look at what
drive letter the flash drive gets and adjust accordingly ("sys d:", or "sys
e:", or whatever). Like you said, it's fast, simple, and I know what I'm
getting. I don't care to use the Dell or HP utility because I don't want to
wonder if they're sneaking in something proprietary or non-standard.