Thinkpads Forum

I know that I am a late bloomer, but tonight I "burnt" my first CD.

I had a need to create a generic DOS bootable CD for my GF's laptop. I would like to run a DOS version of Norton's Partition Magic 8.0. (I know that there exists better ways to partition her HD, but NPM is what I am most comfortable with).

I downloaded Magic ISO 5.5, where I learned that a person can create a bootable image file (*.bif) from either a bootable 1.44 diskette or a bootable software install CD. In my case, I created a file named WinXPInstallCD.bif using my IBM T30's Product Recovery CD.

Then, I created an ISO file containing Norton's Partition Magic and attached my newly created bootable image file (i.e. WinXPInstallCD.bif). Lastly, I "burnt" my first CD.

It worked fairly well. I learned that the recovery CD creates a RAM drive on "drive c:". NPM worked well, except that I wasn't able to use my mouse (i.e Thinkpad's glide pad). I guess that I can run DOS version of Mouse.com before running NPM to solve that problem.

My question is...

I don't wish to spend a lot of time learning how to "burn" a bootable CD. I would rather spend my time learning how to create a bootable USB Flash Memory Stick.

http://forums.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.p ... t=boot+usb

Is there anything that I can learn about making bootable CDs (e.g. *.inf or boot.catalog files) that will transfer over to making a bootable USB Flash Memory Stick?

You might try Googling Pendrivelinux.com. You will find a variety of articles about creating bootable usb pendrives. You should also consult the Wikipedia article on "Torito images'. Essentially the original "spitball session' leading to bootable CD's took place in an El
Torito Restaurant and was blocked out on a napkin. . . .

Ubuntu has the ability to make a bootable USB drive. System > Administration > USB Startup Disk Creator, tell it what ISO to use and POW... Bootable USB drive. I used it just a little earlier today.

Forgive me if this is old news, but if you are making a DOS bootable disc because her machine is OLD...they don't have to be very old before you find out that the BIOS will not allow a boot from a USB port. You might want to confirm that her machine can indeed boot form USB, before you try doing this.

I'd just boot her machine into DOS, and using the original DOS discs, copy all of DOS to the USB stick and run the SYS command on it. IIRC that's all we needed to do to make a bootable disc under DOS, it should work regardless of the media.

Not sure if the info in this reply will be of news to anyone, but I created my first DOS bootable CD.

Step One.
Using my Toshiba 3200 Desktop with Windows 98SE, I created a DOS (version W98SE) startup 1.44MB floppy diskette.
A. Windows Explorer/Format/Make DOS Bootable Floppy Diskette

Step Two.
The W98SE startup diskette creates a RAMDrive with extracted DOS Cabinet files. Since I wanted a simple startup which simply loaded DOS drivers for Mouse and DVD/CD Drive, I editted config.sys and autoexec.bat. Also, I saved most commonly used DOS programs in a folder called "W98SEPrograms". Also, I saved an old version of Partition Magic into another folder.

Step Three.
Using my Thinkpad T30 Laptop with Windows XP Pro, I created a DOS (version WXP) startup 1.44MB floppy diskette. (I placed a 1.44MB Drive in my UltraBay.)
A. Windows Explorer/Format/Make DOS Bootable Floppy Diskette

Step Four.
The WXPPro startup diskette has an empty config.sys and is missing autoexec.bat files. So, I copied the config.sys and autoexec.bat files from my W98SE startup diskette. On my next attempt, I plan to copy DOS programs from c:\windows\command and c:\windows\system in a folder called "WXPPrograms". Also, I saved an old version of Partition Magic as before.

Step Five.
Now I have a Bootable Floppy Diskette to be used later to create a Bootable Image File (*.BIF).

Step Six.
Download and Install, Magic ISO 5.5

Step Seven.
Create a non-bootable *.ISO file, where...
1. One folder contains config.sys and autoexec.bat files. Magic ISO 5.5 does not require this folder. I created it just to have viewable source code to review *BIF file.
2. Another folder contains my favorite DOS OS Programs.
3. Another folder contains my favorite DOS Utilities.
4. Another folder contains an old DOS version of Partition Magic.

Step Eight.
Create a *.BIF file from bootable floppy diskette (See Step Four).

Step Nine.
Make a bootable *.ISO file, using...
1. *.ISO file from Step Seven.
2. *.BIF file from Step Eight.

Step Ten.
Burn Blank CD, using *.ISO file from Step Nine.

Step Eleven.
The config.sys that I editted utilizes the newer DOS Menu command, such that the first screen that appears looks like... Note that NO "GOTO" statements were used. A system variable called %config% will be used in IF/GOTO statements in autoexec.bat
rem =======================================================
[menu]
menuitem=IBMT30, Start IBM Thinkpad T30 Laptop.
menuitem=DELLD620, Start Dell Latitude D620 Laptop.
menuitem=TOSH3200, Start Toshiba 3200 Desktop.
menuitem=DESKNOCD, Start Generic Desktop without CD.
menuitem=LAPTNOCD, Start Generic Laptop without CD.
menudefault=IBM01,90
menucolor=7,0
rem =======================================================
[IBMT30]
...
[DELLD620]
...
[TOSH3200]
...
[DESKNOCD]
...
[LAPTNOCD]

As you can see, I have very unque machine specific config.sys and autoexec.bat files. The bootable CD disc with the *.BIF file functions exactly like the bootable floppy diskette with config.sys and autoexec.bat files. There are no config.sys, autoexec.bat, command.com, io.sys and msdos.sys files on the bootable disc. The config.txt and autoexec.txt files are strictly viewable source files.

Are *.BIF files a feature of Magic ISO or are they commonly used by other *.ISO editting programs?