Booting with windows xp CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paddy
  • Start date Start date
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Paddy

Hi.
I have made a backup copy of my windows xp CD. Now I have misplaced my
original cd that came with the computer. I want to know if I can use the
backup CD to boot up the computer whenever windows becomes unstable and
destroyed by hackers?




From the one and only
Paddy
 
Paddy said:
Hi.
I have made a backup copy of my windows xp CD. Now I have misplaced my
original cd that came with the computer. I want to know if I can use the
backup CD to boot up the computer whenever windows becomes unstable and
destroyed by hackers?




From the one and only
Paddy
Click to expand...

Yes, assuming it's an install CD and not a "recovery" disk. That's why
you made a backup, yes? And don't you think it would be easier to lock
your front door than to leave it wide open and wait for burglars and
vandals?
 
In
Paddy said:
I have made a backup copy of my windows xp CD. Now I have
misplaced my
original cd that came with the computer. I want to know if I
can use
the backup CD to boot up the computer
Click to expand...


No, you can't use the backup CD to boot the computer, but you can
use it to reinstall Windows whenever you want to. That's the
purpose of making such a backup.

whenever windows becomes
unstable and destroyed by hackers?
Click to expand...


If Windows becomes unstable and destroyed, don't blame it on
hackers, blame it on yourself for not taking the proper
precautions and not using the many forms of protection available
to you. Most of us don't have such problems.
 
It really depends how you created the copy. If you did a Disk->Disk copy
with a copy program then the copy should be an exact duplicate or your
original including the boot files. It should behave just like the original.
Windows CDs are not copy protected so a simple Disk Copy can be accomplished
with nearly any third party copying program. However if you copied the
contents of the original to another CD using XP's built in burning software
then the disk will not be bootable.

You can test it easily by simply starting your computer with the CD in the
drive. You should see a message that says "press any key to boot CD....."
and have 5 seconds to press a key. If doing so boots the CD (providing your
BIOS is set to boot the CD-Rom) then you will likely be good to go.

In some cases a bad burn occurs and the disk is a dud. But most often copies
are as good as the original.
 
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