WINXP/Nero 5.5/bootable CD. Anyone?

tom p.

tom p.

Active member
Ugh, I need to create a bootable CD to run a memory diagnostic test tool from DOS. I bought a memory stick on eBay and things aren't well. I don't believe the memory stick is defective. I am told this memtest86 program may be able to detect a tiny issue which causes big problems.



Nero is supposed to be able to create bootable CDs. My laptop does not have a floppy disc drive. Here are the instructions from Nero:



Bootable CDs may be created only under Windows 95/98or NT.



1. First step is to create a new bootable ISO compilation. This can be done by clicking the menu command „File" -> „New..."

.

2. On the left side of the dialog please choose the icon „CD-ROM (Boot)".

3. At this point you can see the property page „Boot". The upper part of this page is used to select the kind of model you have as input for the bootable CD. You can choose whether you want to use a logical drive or an image file as model for your bootable CD.



Note: If the desired input device does not appear in the list of possible model drives then the reason is probably the size limitation for bootable CDs. The logical drive's size may not exceed the capacity of a CD; that means 640MB.



Note: Please consider that you need to have administrator rights to be able to create bootable CDs using Windows NT 4.0. This behaviour is by Microsoft's operating system design and was chosen to prevent hackers from accessing other user's (possibly secret) files. But to create bootable CDs all sectors of a logical drive must be accessible. And the only user who's got the permission to read all sectors using Windows NT is the supervisor.



4. The lower part of the boot property page contains detailed settings for bootable CDs. These settings normally are dimmed indicating that Nero will check and set all the expert options automatically for you. If you choose to use an image file as model for the creation of a bootable CD, then Nero can't automatically choose those settings for you. In this case, or if you choose to define these settings manually, you can do so. Of course you're responsible for the resulting CD. If the settings are incorrect you will get an incorrect bootable CD...



5. You can now click on New. The ISO compilation window opens.

6. If the File Browser has not yet been opened, you can do that now by entering the VIEW>New File Browser command or by clicking on the File Browser icon.

7. Click on the desired data files in the File Browser with the mouse and then drag them into the compilation window.



Note: you can burn a bootable CD without data on it. In that case, you don't have to compile files.



8. Now open the Write CD dialog. The easiest way to do this is to click on the Write CD icon in the toolbar. You will then go to the Write CD dialog box, which will undoubtedly look familiar to you:

9. It is the same box which you saw for the creation of a new compilation, only now the Burn property sheet is shown on the top.



You will see several boxes, of which some have already been selected. All of the preferences may now be examined and changed if necessary.



10. Confirm by clicking on Write.





]
Click to expand...



I can't get beyond Step 3 where it discusses the image (.IMA) file that it's looking for. I found a couple of files of "boot.ima" files via Google and was able to burn them. I can get the machine to recognize the CD but just get a warning message that says something like "operating system not found". It's hard for me to believe that a single file (4KB size) is adequate to get the machine running.



This is clearly a case of "I don't know what I don't know" :(



My machine also has Windows and DOS based versions of PC Doctor 2.0. I can go into the DOS utility but it has many RAM memory tests and I'm not sure which to select nor do I understand what will happen should the program detect a bit of bad memory.







Any suggestions?





Thanks
 
Screen shot from DOS PC Doctor:



screen.JPG






My machine will have ~1.3GB of RAM with this new memory stick.



I ran all the tests that were available in the first column (where it says BASE 636kB). I then proceeded to the tests in the second column and let it complete the first two tests. I then started the third test (Medium Pattern) and it was going to take forever to complete. I think it took two hours to complete only 10%. I'd estimate the computer was going to be tied up for a long time testing at that level :nixweiss
 
Have you tried this method. I've done it quite alot and it works.



You need to make sure the Bios in the system your working on is set to boot from CD before Hard Drives



MorBiD
 
Thanks, morbid. Yeah, I did see that technique. The ISO program I'm using is supposed to have all the system files I need to boot the machine assuming NERO creates a bootable CD. A friend created the CD for me yesterday and is mailing it out. I have to admit I've got hours into this nonsense and have nothing to show for it. NERO documentation hasn't been terribly helpful. :down
 
tom p.,



Do I understand correctly that you have an .iso file already that contains the system files, and just need to burn it? If so, here's how:



I don't have a copy of Nero on my work PC to find the right menu, but there's a selection in one of the menus called "Burn Image...". It will pop open a dialog box asking for a *.nrg file. Click the "Files of type:" dropdown and select *.iso instead. IIRC, older versions of Nero don't have an entry in the dropdown for *.iso . . . if that's the case, select "All files" in the "Files of type:" dropdown. Now use the dialog box to navigate to and select your ISO file. After that, just follow the menus Nero gives you (don't change any options when you're given the chance, just click "OK" to continue).



Here's a web page that sums it up, but it looks like an older version of Nero. The concept is the same, but the menus may not be in quite the same spot, or have quite the same options: How to burn a ISO Image using NERO



BTW, if the ISO image is of a bootable disk, the disk that Nero creates using "Burn Image..." will also be bootable, if I'm not mistaken. You don't have to take any extra steps in Nero; it's the ISO image that contains all the boot info.



HTH,

Tort



P.S./Edit: I just looked at your original post again, and I may have just answered a question you didn't ask. Are you trying to build a new ISO compilation yourself, or do you have an ISO image that someone gave you that you need to burn?
 
TortoiseAWD said:
tom p.,



Do I understand correctly that you have an .iso file already that contains the system files, and just need to burn it?



Yeah, they tell me the ISO file (memtest86.org) already contains system files. That's the part I didn't understand. the file size is so small.





If so, here's how:



I don't have a copy of Nero on my work PC to find the right menu, but there's a selection in one of the menus called "Burn Image...". It will pop open a dialog box asking for a *.nrg file. Click the "Files of type:" dropdown and select *.iso instead. IIRC, older versions of Nero don't have an entry in the dropdown for *.iso . . . if that's the case, select "All files" in the "Files of type:" dropdown. Now use the dialog box to navigate to and select your ISO file. After that, just follow the menus Nero gives you (don't change any options when you're given the chance, just click "OK" to continue).





OK, this may be the missing link explaining why I couldn't create the disk. I'll have to check at home this evening...I know I've seen these options to create an image but never understood why I needed to do that :nervous: :)



Here's a web page that sums it up, but it looks like an older version of Nero. The concept is the same, but the menus may not be in quite the same spot, or have quite the same options: How to burn a ISO Image using NERO



BTW, if the ISO image is of a bootable disk, the disk that Nero creates using "Burn Image..." will also be bootable, if I'm not mistaken. You don't have to take any extra steps in Nero; it's the ISO image that contains all the boot info.



HTH,

Tort



P.S./Edit: I just looked at your original post again, and I may have just answered a question you didn't ask. Are you trying to build a new ISO compilation yourself, or do you have an ISO image that someone gave you that you need to burn?
Click to expand...



I am just trying to burn a bootable CD, not create a compilation myself. Thanks, Tort!!
 
firegate said:
Memtest86 - Memory Diagnostic Page



They have bootable ISO images available on their site. Just download, burn and enjoy ;).
Click to expand...



firegate, I can assure you I've tried it and have many coasters to prove it ;) :p





I'll focus on Tort's technique. That's not at all what I attempted earlier. I did download the .ISO file and attempted to create a bootable CD....seemed simple but it didn't work. It (NERO) keeps asking me for an image (.IMA) file before I can proceed. I "think" Tort's suggestion is to use NERO to create a .IMA file from the .ISO file...at least that's what I took away from the comments above. :think: I'll try again tonight.



Thanks.
 
tom p.



If what you have is an .iso file, ignore all the stuff in Nero about creating a bootable CD. An .iso file is a complete image of a disk (boot sectors and all). As I understand it, if the .iso was taken from a bootable disk, then the disk you burn from that .iso will also be bootable.



The Nero instructions you posted are for creating a bootable CD from scratch. If I understand your situation, you already have an image of a bootable CD (the .iso file), and you just need to get it burned. If that's the case, then the "Burn Image" method I described should work.



If I think of it when I get home tonight, I'll try to burn a .iso file to CD, and take step-by-step screenshots for you. No promises, but I'll give it a go if I have time.



Tort
 
TortoiseAWD said:
tom p.



If what you have is an .iso file, ignore all the stuff in Nero about creating a bootable CD. An .iso file is a complete image of a disk (boot sectors and all). As I understand it, if the .iso was taken from a bootable disk, then the disk you burn from that .iso will also be bootable.



This was my first attempt and seemed logical. It didn't work. One thing the guys are warning me about is it's intended to create a bootable floppy which I don't have. People seemed apprehensive about creating a bootable CD from it.



The Nero instructions you posted are for creating a bootable CD from scratch. If I understand your situation, you already have an image of a bootable CD (the .iso file), and you just need to get it burned. If that's the case, then the "Burn Image" method I described should work.



I'm definitely going to try this tonight.



If I think of it when I get home tonight, I'll try to burn a .iso file to CD, and take step-by-step screenshots for you. No promises, but I'll give it a go if I have time.



Tort
Click to expand...





Tort, while I appreciate the effort, don't go crazy with it. Somebody else burned it for me and is mailing it out. I just have to wait for it to arrive.



Out of curiosity, have you burned a bootable CD previously?
 
tom p.,



Honestly, no, I haven't burned a bootable ISO before, so the whole "bootable" part is untested on my end. I have, though, burned .iso files to CD/DVD quite a few times with success. Also, I did a little reading (Google is my friend), and confirmed that if you have an ISO image that was created from a bootable CD, then CDs burned using that ISO will also be bootable. The boot information is preserved if you use the "Burn Image..." technique I described.



Here are a few screenshots from Nero 6.6. I'm pretty sure 5.5 has the same capability, but the "Burn Image..." entry may be in a different menu in 5.5.



Here's the "Burn Image..." entry in the Recorder menu:



nero1.gif








Navigate to your .iso file. If *.iso isn't one of the offered file types, try using "All files" and select the file:



nero2.gif








This dialog then pops up. I'm pretty sure you need to finalize a bootable CD, so make sure that box is checked:



nero3.gif






That's it. Click "Burn", and follow the prompts. Again, those screenshots are from Nero 6.6; 5.5 may be a little different.



Good luck,

Tort
 
SUCCESS !! I did it and am quite pleased. :D Thanks for the guidance, guys.



I guess the trick (with NERO) is to NOT use the bootable CD option. I ended up following that link posted above by Tort. So, I did BURN IMAGE>selected the .ISO file>hit BURN and that's it. The disc works perfectly and boots in an instant.



Clarification of jargon: Can y'all give me the Reader's Digest version of the differences between Burn, Write and Rip :nixweiss I'm not certain I understand the subtle differences between these terms.





Thanks.
 
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