MS-DOS Startup Disk

When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it doesn't
contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out, saying
"COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."

Anybody else get that error?

John

Hi John--

What is your source for making the dos start up disk? Is it actually ***for
Vista? If it was designed for another OS it may not work in Vista and Vista
uses the Windows imaging format based on Win PE.

I've seen it written widely that you can't run the Vista install from dos.
I see comments like this all the time: This is from MSFT and titled

Using Windows PE for Installation
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../aa905120.aspx

"Using Windows PE for Installation
Microsoft has designed Windows PE to replace MS-DOS as the pre-installation
environment. Windows PE is built from Windows Vista components, providing a
robust, flexible, and familiar environment. In fact, Windows PE can run many
Windows Vista applications, detect and enable most modern hardware, and
communicate across Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Windows PE typically
consumes less than 100 MB of disk space and can run entirely from Random
Access Memory (RAM), enabling you to insert a second CD that contains
drivers or software. These features enable Windows PE to run on computers
that do not currently have a formatted hard disk or installed operating
system. However, Windows PE is not a full-featured operating system like
Windows Vista."

Or this from:
http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx

"Unfortunately, you cannot run the Vista install from DOS. If that were the
case, you would simply have to share a folder (or drive) on your technician
computer containing the Vista install, map a drive to it from the target
computer, and run setup.exe. Instead, invoking Vista's setup.exe will give
you an error message that it cannot run from DOS.

Running Windows PE 2.0
The solution is to boot your target computer into Windows PE 2.0, which is
the Vista equivalent of a DOS boot disk (with MUCH more capabilities). You
cannot download Windows PE 2.0 (that I know of), so you need to create your
own PE image using the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). Download
the image at that link, rename the .img file to .iso, and either mount it
using VirtualCD, some other ISO disk mounter, or burn it to a CD. Once you
can read the disk image, run the setup to install WAIK on your technician
computer.

Unfortunately, one of the steps to create a version of Windows PE 2.0 that
can be booted from the network must be performed on a computer already
running Windows Vista (or PE 2.0). If you have access to such a machine, you
can skip ahead to "Creating a Windows PE 2.0 PXE Installation". Otherwise,
use the following steps to get a minimalist Windows PE 2.0 up and running:"

Good luck,

CH







CH

"John" <> wrote in message
news: et...
> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it doesn't
> contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out, saying
> "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>
> Anybody else get that error?
>
> John
>

You can download boot disks from http://www.bootdisk.com/
--------------------
I'd love to, but I'm trying to be less popular.



"John" <> wrote in message
news: et...
> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it doesn't
> contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out, saying
> "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>
> Anybody else get that error?
>
> John
>

Chad, Why don't you read the users comments properly.
He just wants to make a bootable floppy via the vista format command, who
said he was going to install vista with it etc..... geeez

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi John--
>
> What is your source for making the dos start up disk? Is it actually
> ***for Vista? If it was designed for another OS it may not work in Vista
> and Vista uses the Windows imaging format based on Win PE.
>
> I've seen it written widely that you can't run the Vista install from dos.
> I see comments like this all the time: This is from MSFT and titled
>
> Using Windows PE for Installation
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../aa905120.aspx
>
> "Using Windows PE for Installation
> Microsoft has designed Windows PE to replace MS-DOS as the
> pre-installation environment. Windows PE is built from Windows Vista
> components, providing a robust, flexible, and familiar environment. In
> fact, Windows PE can run many Windows Vista applications, detect and
> enable most modern hardware, and communicate across Internet Protocol (IP)
> networks. Windows PE typically consumes less than 100 MB of disk space and
> can run entirely from Random Access Memory (RAM), enabling you to insert a
> second CD that contains drivers or software. These features enable Windows
> PE to run on computers that do not currently have a formatted hard disk or
> installed operating system. However, Windows PE is not a full-featured
> operating system like Windows Vista."
>
> Or this from:
> http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx
>
> "Unfortunately, you cannot run the Vista install from DOS. If that were
> the case, you would simply have to share a folder (or drive) on your
> technician computer containing the Vista install, map a drive to it from
> the target computer, and run setup.exe. Instead, invoking Vista's
> setup.exe will give you an error message that it cannot run from DOS.
>
> Running Windows PE 2.0
> The solution is to boot your target computer into Windows PE 2.0, which is
> the Vista equivalent of a DOS boot disk (with MUCH more capabilities). You
> cannot download Windows PE 2.0 (that I know of), so you need to create
> your own PE image using the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).
> Download the image at that link, rename the .img file to .iso, and either
> mount it using VirtualCD, some other ISO disk mounter, or burn it to a CD.
> Once you can read the disk image, run the setup to install WAIK on your
> technician computer.
>
> Unfortunately, one of the steps to create a version of Windows PE 2.0 that
> can be booted from the network must be performed on a computer already
> running Windows Vista (or PE 2.0). If you have access to such a machine,
> you can skip ahead to "Creating a Windows PE 2.0 PXE Installation".
> Otherwise, use the following steps to get a minimalist Windows PE 2.0 up
> and running:"
>
> Good luck,
>
> CH
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> CH
>
> "John" <> wrote in message
> news: et...
>> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
>> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it
>> doesn't contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out,
>> saying "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>>
>> Anybody else get that error?
>>
>> John
>>
>

I did read it properly. LOL and I think I demonstrated why he's having
trouble doing what he's doing. The Vista DVD is bootable. I'd still like to
know the source that he's using to make the bootable floppy for Vista. I
know all the Boot Disc sites and have been linking them for years on these
groups, but I don't think they are going to help him make a "bootable floppy
for Vista."

There are hundereds of sites where people have tried.

CH

"DX" <dx@> wrote in message news:ezgDyD%...
> Chad, Why don't you read the users comments properly.
> He just wants to make a bootable floppy via the vista format command, who
> said he was going to install vista with it etc..... geeez
>
> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hi John--
>>
>> What is your source for making the dos start up disk? Is it actually
>> ***for Vista? If it was designed for another OS it may not work in Vista
>> and Vista uses the Windows imaging format based on Win PE.
>>
>> I've seen it written widely that you can't run the Vista install from
>> dos. I see comments like this all the time: This is from MSFT and titled
>>
>> Using Windows PE for Installation
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../aa905120.aspx
>>
>> "Using Windows PE for Installation
>> Microsoft has designed Windows PE to replace MS-DOS as the
>> pre-installation environment. Windows PE is built from Windows Vista
>> components, providing a robust, flexible, and familiar environment. In
>> fact, Windows PE can run many Windows Vista applications, detect and
>> enable most modern hardware, and communicate across Internet Protocol
>> (IP) networks. Windows PE typically consumes less than 100 MB of disk
>> space and can run entirely from Random Access Memory (RAM), enabling you
>> to insert a second CD that contains drivers or software. These features
>> enable Windows PE to run on computers that do not currently have a
>> formatted hard disk or installed operating system. However, Windows PE is
>> not a full-featured operating system like Windows Vista."
>>
>> Or this from:
>> http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx
>>
>> "Unfortunately, you cannot run the Vista install from DOS. If that were
>> the case, you would simply have to share a folder (or drive) on your
>> technician computer containing the Vista install, map a drive to it from
>> the target computer, and run setup.exe. Instead, invoking Vista's
>> setup.exe will give you an error message that it cannot run from DOS.
>>
>> Running Windows PE 2.0
>> The solution is to boot your target computer into Windows PE 2.0, which
>> is the Vista equivalent of a DOS boot disk (with MUCH more capabilities).
>> You cannot download Windows PE 2.0 (that I know of), so you need to
>> create your own PE image using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
>> (WAIK). Download the image at that link, rename the .img file to .iso,
>> and either mount it using VirtualCD, some other ISO disk mounter, or burn
>> it to a CD. Once you can read the disk image, run the setup to install
>> WAIK on your technician computer.
>>
>> Unfortunately, one of the steps to create a version of Windows PE 2.0
>> that can be booted from the network must be performed on a computer
>> already running Windows Vista (or PE 2.0). If you have access to such a
>> machine, you can skip ahead to "Creating a Windows PE 2.0 PXE
>> Installation". Otherwise, use the following steps to get a minimalist
>> Windows PE 2.0 up and running:"
>>
>> Good luck,
>>
>> CH
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> CH
>>
>> "John" <> wrote in message
>> news: et...
>>> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
>>> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it
>>> doesn't contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out,
>>> saying "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>>>
>>> Anybody else get that error?
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>
>
>

A bootable floppy for what prey tell? LOL

CH

"DX" <dx@> wrote in message news:ezgDyD%...
> Chad, Why don't you read the users comments properly.
> He just wants to make a bootable floppy via the vista format command, who
> said he was going to install vista with it etc..... geeez
>
> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hi John--
>>
>> What is your source for making the dos start up disk? Is it actually
>> ***for Vista? If it was designed for another OS it may not work in Vista
>> and Vista uses the Windows imaging format based on Win PE.
>>
>> I've seen it written widely that you can't run the Vista install from
>> dos. I see comments like this all the time: This is from MSFT and titled
>>
>> Using Windows PE for Installation
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../aa905120.aspx
>>
>> "Using Windows PE for Installation
>> Microsoft has designed Windows PE to replace MS-DOS as the
>> pre-installation environment. Windows PE is built from Windows Vista
>> components, providing a robust, flexible, and familiar environment. In
>> fact, Windows PE can run many Windows Vista applications, detect and
>> enable most modern hardware, and communicate across Internet Protocol
>> (IP) networks. Windows PE typically consumes less than 100 MB of disk
>> space and can run entirely from Random Access Memory (RAM), enabling you
>> to insert a second CD that contains drivers or software. These features
>> enable Windows PE to run on computers that do not currently have a
>> formatted hard disk or installed operating system. However, Windows PE is
>> not a full-featured operating system like Windows Vista."
>>
>> Or this from:
>> http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx
>>
>> "Unfortunately, you cannot run the Vista install from DOS. If that were
>> the case, you would simply have to share a folder (or drive) on your
>> technician computer containing the Vista install, map a drive to it from
>> the target computer, and run setup.exe. Instead, invoking Vista's
>> setup.exe will give you an error message that it cannot run from DOS.
>>
>> Running Windows PE 2.0
>> The solution is to boot your target computer into Windows PE 2.0, which
>> is the Vista equivalent of a DOS boot disk (with MUCH more capabilities).
>> You cannot download Windows PE 2.0 (that I know of), so you need to
>> create your own PE image using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
>> (WAIK). Download the image at that link, rename the .img file to .iso,
>> and either mount it using VirtualCD, some other ISO disk mounter, or burn
>> it to a CD. Once you can read the disk image, run the setup to install
>> WAIK on your technician computer.
>>
>> Unfortunately, one of the steps to create a version of Windows PE 2.0
>> that can be booted from the network must be performed on a computer
>> already running Windows Vista (or PE 2.0). If you have access to such a
>> machine, you can skip ahead to "Creating a Windows PE 2.0 PXE
>> Installation". Otherwise, use the following steps to get a minimalist
>> Windows PE 2.0 up and running:"
>>
>> Good luck,
>>
>> CH
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> CH
>>
>> "John" <> wrote in message
>> news: et...
>>> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
>>> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it
>>> doesn't contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out,
>>> saying "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>>>
>>> Anybody else get that error?
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>
>
>

Hi, John

Are you sure?

I just now used Start | Computer, right-click on Drive A:, click Format...
and be sure to check the box to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk". I think
that's exactly what you did. It formatted the floppy. Then I clicked Start
| Computer | Drive A: to see that floppy in Windows Explorer. And I saw
what you saw: 10 files, but NO Command.com.

But then I opened a Command Prompt as Administrator and typed Dir A: - and
there it is! 93,040 bytes, dated 4/10/2004 at 5:54 PM. This shows 13
files, including autoexec.bat and config.sys.

Then I typed Dir A:\ /s /a and saw 15 files, with io.sys and msdos.sys also
appearing.

I don't know why Explorer doesn't show all the files, even when I
right-click Windows Explorer and Run as Administrator. But good ol' Dir
/s/a gets everything! I haven't tried to boot to this floppy, but I think
that it would; I've done it before. But it won't read Drive C:, of course,
unless it is formatted FATx.

As it says in my Sig, I'm running Vista Ultimate x64. Which version are you
using?

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

"John" <> wrote in message
news: et...
> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it doesn't
> contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out, saying
> "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>
> Anybody else get that error?
>
> John

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:...
> The solution is to boot your target computer into Windows PE 2.0, which is
> the Vista equivalent of a DOS boot disk (with MUCH more capabilities).

I would not say that you analogy is very good. It's pretty easy to get real
WinPE 2.0 on the internet if you look. I found it on one of those
Rapidshare sites from a link I found on Google.

ss.

"John" <> wrote in message
news: et...
> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it doesn't
> contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out, saying
> "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."


The machine I built for Vista has no floppy drive, so I have never noticed
this. Just use an older machine for anything to do with floppies.

What do you need this bootable floppy for? The only possible reason I can
think of is to flash the BIOS of your graphics card or something like that.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:u1O2AY$...
> "John" <> wrote in message
> news: et...
>> When you right-click on Floppy Drive and click on format, there is the
>> option to "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." When you create it, it
>> doesn't contain a COMMAND.COM and when you boot to it, it errs out,
>> saying "COMMAND.COM is missing or corrupt."
>
>
> The machine I built for Vista has no floppy drive, so I have never noticed
> this. Just use an older machine for anything to do with floppies.
>
> What do you need this bootable floppy for? The only possible reason I can
> think of is to flash the BIOS of your graphics card or something like
> that.
>
> ss.
>

You're right! It is to boot to flash my BIOS.

John