Software to Boot Computer With No Operating System

Booting can mean starting a computer or starting the operating system.

"Booting" a computer means turning it on and letting it start up. "Booting" also refers to loading the operating system onto a computer. If a computer has no operating system, you can boot using software on an external device.

Function

Boot your computer to any bootable software CD by making the CD drive the first device in the boot order. Change the boot order in your computer's BIOS settings screen. You can boot to operating system installation software or to utility software.

Windows

Boot to a Windows installation CD if you're reinstalling the operating system or installing it for the first time. Bootable Windows CDs also contain tools that can repair the operating system and format drives.

Utility Software

Some very small operating systems can run from a CD, a flash drive or even a floppy disk. Boot into these operating systems to run troubleshooting tools or Unix-based applications. You can also burn some types of utility software to CD, then boot to the CD to run the program.

Resources

• BootDisk: Software