How to Create a Bootable Windows XP CD With Nero

Having a boot CD around can be immensely useful in a jam. If your Windows system crashes outright, you can still access your files by using the boot CD. This boot CD will load a fully working version of Windows entirely from a disc, allowing you to recover and back up your files from an otherwise broken system.

Instructions

1. Download and extract the latest Bart PE builder. This program is capable of taking the files from a standard Windows install CD and creating a working Windows boot disc.

2. Insert your Windows XP CD, ensuring that you have a legal license to use it. For legal reasons you cannot create a boot CD with a license of Windows you are using on another computer.

3. Open the folder extracted in Step 1 and run the program PE Builder, or "pebuilder.exe". After asking your to agree with the license agreement the program will begin searching for the Windows installation files, which it will find on the CD you just inserted.

4. Tell the program to create an ISO file. In the main PE Builder dialog, select the "Burn to ISO" and pick where you want the ISO file to be created. An ISO is a file you can easily burn to disc using Nero.

5. Burn the ISO file to disc with Nero. Remove your Windows CD form the tray and insert your blank CD. Open Nero, then click "File" followed by "Burn Image." Browse to your ISO file then click "OK." Click "OK" for the next window too, and Nero will begin burning your ISO to CD.

Tips & Warnings

• If you'd rather not create a Windows boot CD from scratch, consider downloading a fully-made Ubuntu ISO. You'll only need to follow Step 6 to have a fully working boot CD.

• It is illegal to create a boot CD with a version of Windows you currently have installed on a computer. Purchase a separate version to do so.

References

• Using Bart PEbuilder
• Burning and ISO with Nero

Resources

• Download Bart BEbuilder
• Download Ubuntu ISO