Boot disk
A boot disk is a removable digital data storage medium from which a computer can load and run (boot) an operating system or utility program.[1] The computer must have a built-in program which will load and execute a program from a boot disk meeting certain standards.
While almost all modern computers can boot from a hard drive containing the operating system and other software, they would not normally be called boot disks (because they are not removable media). Fixed drive (such as
One can make one's own boot disk (typically done to prepare for when the system won't start properly).[2]
Uses
Boot disks are used for:
- Operating system installation
- Data recovery
- Data purging
- Hardware or software troubleshooting
- BIOS flashing
- Customizing an operating environment
- Software demonstration[3]
- Running a temporary operating environment, such as when using a Live USB drive.[4]
- Administrative access in case of lost password is possible with an appropriate boot disk with some operating systems
- Games (e.g. for USB flash drive).
Process
The term boot comes from the idea of lifting oneself by one's own
As an example, any computer compatible with the
Media
Bootable
Device selection
A modern PC is configured to attempt to boot from various devices in a certain order. If a computer is not booting from the device desired, such as the floppy drive, the user may have to enter the BIOS Setup function by pressing a special key when the computer is first turned on (such as Delete, F1, F2, F10 or F12), and then changing the boot order.[6] More recent BIOSes permit the interruption of the final stage of the boot process and invoke the Boot Menu by pressing a function key (usually F11 or F12). This results in a list of bootable devices being presented, from which a selection may be made.
Apple silicon Macs display the Boot Menu when the power button is pressed and held, the older Mac computers with Intel processors will display the Boot Menu if user presses the ⌥ Option or Alt while the machine is starting.[7]
Requirements
Different operating systems use different boot disk contents. All boot disks must be compatible with the computer they are designed for.
- MS-DOS/PC DOS/DR-DOS
- A valid boot sector in form of a volume boot record (VBR)
- IO.SYS or IBMBIO.COM
- MSDOS.SYS or IBMDOS.COM
- COMMAND.COM
All files must be for the same version of the operating system. Complete boot disks can be prepared in one operation by an installed operating system;[1] details vary.
- FreeDOS
- A valid boot sector on the disk
- COMMAND.COM
- KERNEL.SYS
- Linux
- A bootloader such as GRUB
- Linux kernel
- Initial ram disk (initrd)
- Windows Preinstallation Environment
- Windows Boot Manager
- BOOT.WIM
See also
- Darik's Boot and Nuke
- Data recovery
- El Torito (CD-ROM standard)
- Live CD
- Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension Services(PARTIES)
- Self-loader
References
- ^ a b By J. D. Biersdorfer (October 8, 1998). "Emergency Preparedness". The New York Times.
- ^ "How to Make a Compaq System Boot Disk". Hearst Newspapers.
- ^ "How to Survive the Worst PC Disasters". PC World. May 23, 2007. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
Download the demo and burn it to a bootable CD
- ^ "Can I recover from recovering my PC?". Computerworld.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a series of self-sustaining processes that proceed without external help: Martin, Gary. "'Pull yourself up by your bootstraps' - the meaning and origin of this phrase". Phrasefinder. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ "How to enter your PC's BIOS". PC World. October 5, 2011.
Need to change your computer's boot order or access other ..
- ^ "Mac startup key combinations".