need to create bootable data cd's

[Osage]

After spending most of the last three days reading up on how to create bootable data Cd, I have finally stumbled on IMGburn. And I can roughly follow the

instructions, but what I totally lack now is any understanding of what bootable image files to use to make the cd bootable and under which circumstance, what not to use in other circumstance, and if they are inside of IMGburn or located somewhere else. In short I lack any mental handle of why and I hope someone can explain the why methods to the madness so I can get a better mental handle on what I am doing.

 

In terms of my computer, its a standard XP Pro OS, a 2+ghz processor, 1 GB DD2 ram, a DVD RW drive, a cdrw drive, a FDD, and a sata HDD. Initially, the bootable disks will just be standard cd-r disks. ( I have also created a bootable windows floppy )

 

And I have three rough projects I want to do.

 

1. Create a bootable cd that boots into memtest86. And since memtest86 loads ahead of the OS, its not OS specific. Which leaves me puzzled on what boot files I must load to run just memtst86.

 

2. I want to flash the bios on another XP computer. I already have the right bios file itself and the flash utility saved to a directory on C, but I am again puzzled on what boot files to use.

 

3. Then I want to create some windows cd based repair disks with some needed utilities I can use if I needed to repair a computer that will not boot normally into windows. And again I am puzzled on what boot files I must add.

 

Ideally for a bootable cd dummy like me, there would be a direct make a bootable data disk option that would walk me through the steps. And then once the boot files I needed were selected, I could then add in the needed data files, and then just select burn the whole mess, and then get a correctly burned bootable cd.

 

And instead I end up with the data files I selected but the cd is a coaster because it will not boot even though the cd is selected as the first boot device in the bios.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

1. Just download the ISO image of memtest, then all you need to do is burn it in 'Write' mode.

 

2 & 3. Once you've made a bootable floppy disc, you can extract/save it and use that as your boot image - if you want to be able to access other files you put on the cd you'll need to make sure that the disc allows you to access your cd/dvd drive - i.e. you need to load the right drivers.

 

For firmware updates etc I personally think it's better to make a bootable usb pen. Then you can just copy the updated / newer files to the pen as and when you need to via explorer and normal drag+drop or copy+paste... much easier than burning discs.

 

Are you sure the firmware update doesn't come as an ISO image - which would then already be bootable?