I would like to make a custom boot disc that is very simple to the user. All it would do is restore an image from 6 DVDs to a hard drive. The only options I would like the user to see is: 1) format drive 2) restore drive 3) exit I would like to create this menu and all sub menus that I see fit. I have seen UBCD but it is too complicated for the people I know. I would like to use Driveimage XML and have it read the discs one at a time to restore the drive. Any suggestions?
posted by CodeMonkey on Nov 30, 2009 - 8 answers

Help me build my perfect netbook! [more inside]
posted by lemonfridge on Nov 26, 2009 - 15 answers

Help me install Windows XP with a (non-bootable) installation CD! [more inside]
posted by sah on Apr 13, 2009 - 7 answers

How can I install Windows 7 (via Boot Camp or rEFIt) from an ISO? I think the Superdrive on my Macbook Pro (10.5.6) is on its last legs, because it ejects almost anything I put in it. (Meaning blank DVDs, and the DVD I burned of the ISO on my Windows XP desktop with ImgBurn). It's not extremely old (I got it refurbished on Christmas 2007), but still old enough to be out of warranty (at least I would think so). What I have available: 1tb My Book Firewire External Hard Drive 4gb 1st gen iPod Nano, that isn't even formatted as an iPod right now, so it's basically just a 4gb USB flash drive. I know I can boot from it if it's set up right, because I've been using it with this [more inside]
posted by N2O1138 on Mar 17, 2009 - 6 answers

My computer is having a hardware issue when booting... I think. [more inside]
posted by logicpunk on Mar 4, 2009 - 14 answers

I have an Intel iMac, and have partitioned off a Boot Camp drive that contains Windows XP. Is there any way to restart the computer into Windows without having to hold down the Alt key? [more inside]
posted by zardoz on Dec 31, 2008 - 12 answers

My fantastically unstable IBM T42 (which is on it's 3rd, soon to be 4th, life) died a little while ago, no longer booting into Ubuntu. However, it loves to boot into Windows. How do I nuke both? [more inside]
posted by tmcw on Jul 11, 2008 - 8 answers

After receiving mixed advice three months ago, I bought an HP Pavilion Elite m9150f running Vista Home Premium. Except for being a little slow to boot into Windows, I've been happy with Vista ... until last night, when Vista Service Pack 1 installed "successfully". I dutifully rebooted and now it won't boot into Windows at all. I've tried system restore from two restore points. Neither works, although I do get a helpful message stating that "a recent upgrade" may be causing problems. The computer can boot into Fedora 8, so it's not hosed, but I've run through my limited bag of Windows tricks. Any suggestions?
posted by lukemeister on Mar 20, 2008 - 15 answers

Oh crap! While attempting to clear, reformat, and merge my ubuntu partition with my primary NTFS Windows partition, I somehow managed to give the GRUB boot-loader brain damage. Now I can't boot in to either partition need to fix this before my girlfriend comes home and sees that I've rendered her computer useless. [more inside]
posted by willie11 on Feb 27, 2008 - 6 answers

Can't boot PC, getting "FDC Failure". [more inside]
posted by signal on Nov 14, 2007 - 8 answers

Why does Windows eat my internet connection? [more inside]
posted by judge.mentok.the.mindtaker on Nov 9, 2007 - 8 answers

Why will neither my computer nor VMware boot the Windows XP SP2 installation CD I got from my university? [more inside]
posted by goingonit on Oct 4, 2007 - 9 answers

I tried to install Vista but the install failed. Now when my PC boots I have to jump through some hoops to get it working. Help! [more inside]
posted by lemonfridge on Sep 17, 2007 - 3 answers

About an hour ago, I told Windows Vista to hibernate. Now, when I try to boot, I get a "Windows failed to start" error. Apparently, winload.exe is either missing or corrupt. According to the error, I need to use my installation disc to fix this. Unfortunately, I won't have access to a Vista install disc until next week. Is there *any* other way to fix this, or am I just screwed?
posted by punishinglemur on May 10, 2007 - 6 answers

Ubuntu ate my WinXP via Grub: help me induce vomiting? [more inside]
posted by onshi on May 9, 2007 - 16 answers

I'm trying to find a "lost" tweak that automatically used XP's "lock workstation" feature on boot. [more inside]
posted by Ekim Neems on Dec 22, 2006 - 9 answers

I've messed up my boot loader. I have a (working, legal) XP installation, but it won't boot, and I don't have any Windows installation media. How can I fix it? Linux, Windows and general stupidity feature in the creation of the problem, and getting the computer ready to give away in time for Christmas is the aim. [more inside]
posted by handee on Dec 11, 2006 - 9 answers

How do I configure a 2.5" 60 gig usb external drive to boot Windows XP on a PC as well as be able to boot Mac OS X 10.4 on an Intel MacBook?
posted by h2 on Oct 10, 2006 - 4 answers

Stuck at Windows Logo during boot up. Run out of ideas... [more inside]
posted by aznhalf on Sep 20, 2006 - 9 answers

How can I return my Windows XP computer to its original speed after goofing up the Prefetch folder? [more inside]
posted by jordanian2 on Sep 18, 2006 - 14 answers

Help me make my choice from one of the three options below: 1) Fix Windows so that it boots without messing up my Ubuntu. 2) Remove Windows completely. I don't need it anyways. 3) Shrink Windows to the bare minimum and reclaim the space with Ubuntu. [more inside]
posted by furtive on Aug 28, 2006 - 7 answers

Can I dual boot from an XP drive that came from older (dead) computer? [more inside]
posted by DZ-015 on Jul 10, 2006 - 3 answers

Why does my Windows XP installation not only boot when I turn Bootlog mode on? [more inside]
posted by Jimbob on Jun 28, 2006 - 4 answers

Boot Camp for new MacBook Pro - will it work with Windows 2000 pro, or only XP? [more inside]
posted by lonefrontranger on Apr 7, 2006 - 20 answers

Given that: 1. I'm a Mac type; 2. I have and want to try out an Ubuntu linux live CD on my home's extra Dell desktop; 3. I don't want to try and figure out the syntax for the startup settings file... [more inside]
posted by docgonzo on Nov 24, 2005 - 9 answers

I got virused (a wininit.exe problem) on my computer about ten days ago, and after I thought I had cleaned it, it seems to have zapped me with a sleeper program and now I can't boot to windows, even in Safe Mode. Help! [more inside]
posted by zaelic on Nov 10, 2005 - 23 answers

My master harddrive has gone tits-up, how can I boot from the slave? [more inside]
posted by orthogonality on Jun 18, 2005 - 14 answers

My WinXP system won't boot. Knoppix comes up fine, and complains that it can't read the partition table. I've got The Ultimate Boot CD; does anyone have a methodology for making things right, or at least recovering whatever I can from the hard drive?
posted by Daddio on Jan 14, 2005 - 6 answers

I have 100GB and 160GB hard drives in my XP computer. I tried using Norton Ghost to move the 100GB info to my latter drive, and it worked but with serious partition errors (windows not booting). I then moved a large amount of data to my 160, the 100 not really having changed. Everything in windows functions, but when I use Partition Magic 8 I get the following error: "Disk 1 appears to have partitions created using a different drive geometry (255h 63s original, 240h 63 current) You should back up...." etcetera. More inside. [more inside]
posted by Keyser Soze on Mar 7, 2004 - 2 answers