Windows 10: creating bootable xp usb

Hi guys,

I wanted to create a bootable xp usb stick that I could keep on me because I work with a couple of, lets say careless, people who are constantly getting their computer into mischief. So I've got an Ubuntu install stick but I know my way around windows more so I've installed XP onto my stick but it won't boot from it? I just get a blue screen to say that the boot failed. From a little bit of research it would appear that XP doesn't play too well with the new way of doing BIOS (Uefi I believe). I just need the install so that I can run hardware diagnostics for hard drives etc.

Is there any way to get this to work or am I better off trying to make a bootable version of 7?

Thanks in advance for your help

Tom

:)

 

Using XP to create Windows 10 install media

Here's my question. Lets say I have an seriously infected Windows 10 PC that is activated, but no install media for it. I also have an old XP computer that is fine. I need to create a bootable USB with the XP PC. Is there anything wrong with using XP
to create it? It won't be installed on the XP computer. I'm just wondering if I have to purchase a license to download the ISO to the XP computer.

 

how to create bootable usb

Thank you very much.....this will certainly provide me appropriate thought process to go from here. Thanks a ton. There is wealth of information in your reply which I need to grasp before I can make any further request on your valuable time.

thank you very much.

 

You'd be better off using PE.

You could make a Windows to go USB (in which case 8 or 10 would be easier than 7) but PE is preferable (especially from a licensing point of view). See here for instructions TechNet Wiki

You can make a PE yourself using this project The Oven to add useful things like taskbar, GUI etc or there is a prebuilt one here you can start with which contains most applications you'd want Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

 

Hi mate, thanks for this. I have not had anything to do with PE so I will do a bit of research now.

Thanks for the info

Tom

 

You are welcome. Try the rescue disk in the link above (will boot on BIOS and UEFI PC) first - it sounds like what you may want and you can always add extra programs if you need to.

 

The biggest advantage to PE over a full Windows install is the installation of drivers. PE has a small collection of widely compatible hardware drivers to just make the OS work, although possibly not at optimal performance. The full Windows install will contain a large number of more specific drivers and each time it is booted on a new hardware configuration will go through the lengthy process of setting up the best drivers it can find for that hardware configuration.

 

So I've burned that ISO to a memory stick using Rufus but I'm still getting a failure (blue screen that just says boot failed). What is the minimum space capacity required for installing windows PE?

Tom

 

You need enough RAM to copy the whole ISO into plus 500mb or so for scratch space. 3GB RAM works - I'm not sure if 2GB would be enough but I've not tried it.

For systems with less RAM you'd need a smaller (less comprehensive) PE environment.

You don't need Rufus (I always get confused by the options tbh) - just format the drive FAT32 and mark it active like this and it will boot on BIOS or UEFI. Code: PS C:\Windows\system32> diskpart Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.15063.0 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. On computer: MACBOOK DISKPART> list disk Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt -------- ------------- ------- ------- --- --- Disk 0 Online 113 GB 6144 MB * Disk 1 Online 1927 MB 960 KB DISKPART> select disk 1 Disk 1 is now the selected disk. DISKPART> clean DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk. DISKPART> create partition primary DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition. DISKPART> format fs=fat32 quick 100 percent completed DiskPart successfully formatted the volume. DISKPART> active DiskPart marked the current partition as active. DISKPART> exit Leaving DiskPart... PS C:\Windows\system32>[/quote] Then mount the ISO (double click on it) and copy the contents onto your flash drive.

 

Sorted! Thanks guys, great piece of kit that!