How to make a USB Stick bootable for XP Options

[Dietmar]

Hi all,

I want to describe how to make nearly every USB Stick bootable for XP.

Set in Bios all USB entries as "enabled".
If possible, set boot from USB harddrive as first boot device.

Remember what you changed in Bios on a paper, because
after a few minutes you have forgotten, what you have changed!!!

Use Hexeditor Winhex, open the physikal USB Stick drive and write FF (not 00)
to the whole USB Stick. ALL is gone then from USB Stick!

After a few minutes look on that stick with Winhex, whether ALL FF are written.

Then use the HP format utility with FAT32 as normal. ( NOT Quick Format)

Now, this tool writes only the first 512 Bytes to MBR of the USB Stick.
You can control this with Winhex.

Look with Winhex on that physiclal USB Drive, whether in bootsektor schablone Bios drive is 80 (Hex) (key for harddisks).
If not, you receive later on booting the message "Wrong boot medium"!

After that, copy ONLY three files from XP SP1 to that USB Stick:

ntdetect.com,
ntldr
boot.ini

Change the content of boot.ini on the USB Stick (and store it there) to

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional1"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional2"


Disable then any SATA entries in Bios. Remember the changes in Bios!
The USB Stick is connected and boots after a few seconds to

Microsoft Windows XP Professional1
Microsoft Windows XP Professional2

Voila, NOW the Stick is ready for USB boot with XP SP1.

DONT overwrite the ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini, when you copy the files and folders from XP SP1 to that USB stick!!!

Many Bioses are searching ONLY in the lowest memory of the USB Stick after them.

And if you delete them, they are copied late too high!!!
The bootprocess will stopp then very early with a blinking Cursor.


Nice to hear from you all

Dietmar

PS: All of my USB STICKS are able to boot XP SP1 after that procedure!!