iso files

I have noticed some people are using bartPE with the TI plugin. I don’t really understand what ISO files are. My question is once you have created an iso file on your HDD and then burn it to a CD does it break back down to the individual files?

I created an ISO file of my XP Pro install disk, but had to stop there as I don’t have burning software that will create a bootable CD. I am considering buying Nero that I understand will create bootable CD/DVD.

Becky

 

Also I use a laptop that doesnt have a floppy drive. Is this a problem?

 

Hello Becky,

As a beginner with BartPE, I recommend you visit http://www.reatogo.de. This is by far the easiest way to get started. You will get easy to follow instructions on what you will need and how to create the disk.

Good luck,
mustang

 

Essentially, yes, the ISO will expand on the CD and produce a useable CD. Usually you need burning software to do this. I don't understand why you would want to have an ISO of your XpP install disk, since the purpose of an ISO is to have the individual files in one compact form which will eventually be expanded when burned on the CD. i.e., you already have the XP install disk in a useable form.

Nero does have the feature to create a bootable CD.

Bart PE by itself is a bootable CD that lets you access NTFS systems that for some reason will not boot up, so you can backup the files just in case you have to reformat the unbootable system.

I haven't found the need to use a Bart PE with the TI plugin. Both the BartPE cd and the TI rescue CD do their respective jobs reasonably well on their own.

 

Actually, I want to make a bootable backup of my original XP Pro SP1a CD in case anything ever happened to the original. The trick was to find a method that does not require a floppy drive. My Dell laptop doesn’t have one.

The only thing I found was bartPE slipstreaming SP2. I really don’t care if I have a slipstream or not. I have a copy of SP2 on CD. Anyway, I started following the directions on slipstreaming and ended up with an iso file.

I am now wondering if I can create a bootable CD using Nero, then copy all the programs from the original CD.

Becky

 

To make a copy of your XP cd just copy it with any copy software. It is not copy protected

 

The output of the slipstreamed file should be a normal XP Pro CD with the SP2 files included there is nothing to add.

Also, you do not need Nero to burn the ISO...do a google for free iso cd burning software...there are many.

Here is one link I found.

http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/dvdcdburning.shtml

 

As suggested by Robbin, if you simply burn a copy of your Xp using the "copy disk" method of any burning software the result will be bootable just like the original.

 

And Nero will burn ISO files, it calls them NRB files (yes there is a difference, but in burning to CD Nero is happy with either).


Colin

 

since when does backing up a CD require a floppy drive The XP CD is bootable. You don't need any fancy software when copying it.

You are really overthinking this. If all you want is a backup of a CD, just use Nero to do a straight CD to CD copy. Forget about ISO files, True Image, Bart PE, etc--ALL UNNECESSARY.

If this were a math problem this is how the conversation would go:

You: I'm trying to add 2+2. I'm thinking of setting X = 2 and Y = 10 and using the law of cosines to calculate C squared using the pythagorean theorem. Will this work?

Everyone reading your question is asking the same question...what the hell??

Do you understand? You have a very simple problem and you are trying to solve it using completely unnecessary and unrelated tools.

An ISO file is needed if you want to copy a compressed image of a CD to your hard drive to burn later or have it available on a network file server for others to use to burn exact, bootable copies when needed.

 

I find .iso files very useful when used with a the little publised free tool from MS called VCdControlTool.exe. This allows you to "attach" the iso image to a substitute drive, eg Z: Thus drive Z: looks to the system like a CD-ROM but its actualy accessing the iso image on your hard drive. Thus you can see each file inside the image file. This is very useful if you want to build a library on your hard of all your installation CD's. So if your using BartPE you can connect to WinXP SP2 iso with needing to find your orginal CD. Also if you loose or damage your orginal CD you can burn another from iso image.

 

Nice tip. Thanks.

 

Thanks guys for your help. I just did the “copy disk to disk” and now I have a spare install XP Pro CD. It really is simple if you know how to do it. Peter, I am sorry you got upset with my question. I don’t know much about burning disks except for backups of files and images. The thread has been useful as I now know a lot more about .iso files.

My problem got complicated because I thought there had to be special considerations to make the install disk bootable. When I did a search I ended up with BartPE. That’s when things got out of hand.

Becky

 

who is upset? I was just pointing out you were far over-analyzing the problem and trying to use unnecessary tools to solve a simple problem.

Now you know about Bart PE as well. Sometimes it's good to have problems because we learn the answers to five other questions while trying to solve our original problem.

 

...but to save time, if XP was slipstreamed with SP2, and then the resulting ISO is burned, you have an XP Pro SP2 CD.

 

Again thank all for your kind help.

I found the missing piece of burning .iso files that was confusing me. It takes a special burring process to translate an .iso file to a CD/DVD; converting the .iso file back to the separate files/directories.

I have learned a lot reading the posts here.

Becky