Hello Computing.net collegues.

If I take a blank disk and format it, then copy over the system files myself, does that make the diskette bootable? If so, what files are needed to make a floppy diskette bootable to DOS?

I am trying to format a floppy as a 1.68 MB floppy, and make it bootable. I don't want to use any special programs to do so, but I will use them if they are free. I've found programs that will format the diskette, but not make it bootable. I already know how to make a 1.44 diskette bootable using format a: /s (or something similar). Any help would be great. Thanks.

technoguy

I think some later versions of dos allowed you to just copy the system files to a disk to make it bootable. Usually you would use the SYS command. That will copy the system files to a specific place on the disk.

The dos format command doesn't do a good job of formatting 1.68. There is free or evaluation software that will do it. I use a program called grduw.exe. I use it in windows and am not sure it works in dos. Its download includes setup and registration programs but you can run the file by itself without doing the setup.

Once formatted you can transfer the system files by using the sys a: command. That will copy the OS system files on the running computer to the floppy disk.

If you want the disk to have a different OS than is running on the computer the best way is to go ahead and do the SYS A:. Then run the ATTRIB command to remove the hidden, system and read only attributes on the disk. Then just copy the system files to the disk. Since the sys command already placed the files in the correct place, the copy command will overwrite those files where they're at and the new files will be in the right place too. Then run ATTRIB again to reinstate the attributes. Post back if you need more specifics on running those commands.

sys a: doesn't work for me, I get "command not recognized by system" or something like that. My question is:
1. What makes a floppy disk bootable?
2. What files are needed on the disk so that it boots to DOS?

If I have a plain floppy disk, and I use a program to make it bootable, how does that program go about making the floppy bootable?

technoguy

A floppy disk is bootable when the system files are placed in the boot sector on the floppy. You cannot do this by copying them. Also if the floppy has files on it, some may be in the boot sector already which is why you should format a floppy before doing this.
Any working Win 9X system will have the sys file. At a command prompt you can type
sys C: A: return

If you get that error message, the path to sys may be missing. Look for it manually, it is usually in Windows\Command or Windows. Run it from there and you will have a boot floppy although it won`t do much until you copy some programs to it like format.com and edit.com

Ahh, so it copies files to the "boot sector". I see. I was running the command in Win2k and WinXP, but I can get my hands on a Win98 system and try it. Thanks much. From what I've learned here, I can format the disk at 1.68MB, and then run the Sys A: command in Windows 98 to make the disk bootable. THANK YOU.

technoguy

Well... not quite.

This:

sys C: A: return

won't do much of anything.

There IS NO sys in w2k. Nor is there any DOS.

If and when you get to DOS [and it would be a REAL good idea to say what version] you can:

sys a:
[enter]

Meanwhile you can do some reading here:

http://ata-atapi.com/hiwdos.htm

Probably more than you want to know about floppy structure.

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

Mechanix2go, that is why I said to do this from a Windows 9x machine. However, it CAN also be done in Windows XP. When you select format the disk in drive A in My Computer, there is an option to create an MS-DOS startup disk.

The easiest way to maintain boot disks in Win XP is to use WinImage to store boootdisk images on the HD. Then any time you want one just write it with that program.

Akhen: if you are at a Win 98 machine, you also want to copy the files from the Windows/Command folder. Also from the Windows folder copy Himem.sys, EMM386.EXE and smartdrv.exe. Although you will find most of these in Win XP, they are not compatible with the Win98 ones.

Keep all these files in a folder on your XP machine so you can copy any you need to your boot floppies.

Hi brander,

Yes, you can make a boot disk with XP or 9x.

And yes, It's a good idea to keep images. Floppies tend to rot in storage.

I'm not so sure about this 1.68MB floppy. But I'll stay tuned.

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

If you wish to Format Floppy Disks to 1.68 FDFormat will do:

http://www.winimage.com/othertl.htm

FYI The XP MS-DOS Boot Disk is based on WinDOS8 aka ME

Thank you all for your responses.

I found that I could use Windows 98 to do the Sys command. That worked, but not for my purposes. It was a learning experience for me to do that though. I forgot about the "create an msdos startup disk" in WinXP, but I had long figured out what I had to do before I remembered.

I learned that Winimage was the best "free" choice for doing what I wanted to do: Make a 1.68 MB Boot disk. There is a utility called Maxformat that will do this, but you have to buy it. The trail version won't do it for you. The Winimage Trail version, however, allows you to take a floppy image, any floppy image, and just simply change what type of floppy image it is. I made a 1.44 floppy image look like a 1.68 floppy image by just a few clicks of the mouse in Winimage (the 1.44 image was already bootable). I injected the extra files I wanted, then I made an Ardi image of that (Because Ardi images can be distributed freely, whereas you have to buy Winimage to do so legally).

So you can make a 1.68 Bootable floppy using free tools afterall. Thanks again for everyone's help. I think this post will undoubtedly help others.

technoguy