How to Make a Dual Boot CD

Turning a blank CD into a dual boot disc avoids losing an original installation disc.

Dual booting is an advanced process that involves running two operating systems from a single hard drive, allowing the user to start the computer in either one. Because Windows generally allows cross-platform compatibility for older software, few users use this option to boot two versions of Windows; rather, they use configurations such Windows and MS-DOS, or Windows and Linux. Because a dual boot computer relies on data stored on the hard drive, it cannot be run from a CD alone. However, creating a CD to assist with future dual boot setups is a simple process, giving you the flexibility to enable or disable dual boot at will. A dual boot CD is nothing more than a copy of your original Windows installation disc, set aside for the sole purpose of dual booting.

Things You'll Need

• Windows Installation CD
• Blank CD-R

Instructions

1. Insert your Windows installation CD into your computer's CD drive.

2. Double-click the CD in your PC's "My Computer" window and copy its contents to a folder on your hard drive.

3. Eject the CD and insert a blank CD-R.

4. Drag all the files copied onto your hard drive from the original CD to the blank disc icon in "My Computer."

5. Click the blank CD icon in "My Computer" and select "Write these files to CD" from the "File" menu.

6. Confirm the writing by clicking "OK," and wait for the process to complete.

7. Eject the CD when the process is finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that without a unique key code, Windows will not allow dual boot setups. So not only is copying a friend's installation CD illegal, but it won't work anyway.

References

• Microsoft Support: How to Create a Dual Boot Setup