How to create a Basic Windows bootable CD

Here is a simple method of getting the core part of Windows and important applications on one bootable Live CD.

You probably needed at least once a basic bootable Windows disk to troubleshoot your system.

Bart Preinstalled Environment offers this opportunity, with a complete set of general drivers and networking support.

To use it, you will need to download the latest version of BartPE Builder from http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/#download. It's freeware so don't worry.

Install it and then start the BartPE Builder Program. This will open the window you see bellow:

You must select the path to a Windows installation kit (a licensed CD of Microsoft Windows). From my experience, it is best to use Windows XP Professional for this kind of work.

On the second field, you can include any programs that you'd like to be in the resulting bootable image (programs, documents, etc).

Be aware that BartPE doesn't support complex registry functions, so don't try to put preinstalled applications like MS Office, games or anything that uses registry or system DLLs. It is best to keep it simple, with standalone applications for troubleshooting.

Next you have to select the Media Output. It is best to create one image file, and to keep it to your harddrive for future needs. Another advantage would be that you can always put files in the ISO archive (by using applications like MagicISO for example). Dont' worry about the size of it, it's between 100-300MB depending on your options, so it will fit on a CD with no problems.

Click build, wait it to complete and you are done.

Now burn the image to a CD and boot it; this should do the trick. If everything was ok, you should get a basic Windows operating system looking like this:

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written by JOE LOURENCO , December 20, 2007

These tutorials are great for Desktop Support Engineering. Now, is it possible to add one regarding multi machine deployments, and automation. I mean the build, how to, .msi files and deploy them via SMS, Group Policy, and Landesk. Specially via Landesk; and which application is the best for packaging .msi files. And Imaging, where is the main drivers file when a clean machine boots up to Ghost and selects an Image? Is there a book to cover this?

written by Rogrog , May 08, 2008

software of bootable for computer is allowable of any kind to reformat

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