I am new here, and although I am not a novice when it comes to PC's, this is a totally new area for me (i.e. boot cd creation), and hope those with much experience will not be perturbed by my inquiry here...

Specifically, I had been running Norton Save and Restore version 1.0 on an old Dell Dimension system, and when it bit the dust, I tried to install it on a new Dell Vostro 220S running XP Pro SP3...no surprise, the boot disc they provide does not include all the drivers, and unlike their 2.0, there is no way to create a custom boot cd including the two missing drivers.

So, having known of the existence of Drive Image XML, I thought I'd give it a try...but even having reviewed their YouTube videos, not everything is clear.

Thus, I hope someone can bear with me and provide some up front hints as far as using the BartPE boot cd creator on a Dell system...

I have all the recommended plug ins from the Drive Image XML page on the hard drive, and also have the Dell patch on the hard drive, not yet installed, though figuring I would need it since their OEM Windows XP disc is supplemented by other discs containing the drivers...

So, if anyone can tell me anything else I should do before running the pebuilder.exe program, aside from probably turning off Zone Alarm first, thanks so much in advance.

Peter

Everyone has his ideas on how to do things.

My personal approach is to create from the OEM disc a "standard one".

See this:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=19109
this:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16381
and links within them.

Please note that DriveimageXML only backs up partitions (or Volumes) so something else is needed to save the MBR, see here:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22673
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22563

Since you are at your first build, you may want to try before the UBCD4WIN project, that is already pre-configured and includes, besides DriveimageXML also Selfimage, a better solution, as I see it:
UBCD4WIN, version 3.50 just released:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/
http://www.ubcd4win.com/contents.htm


jaclaz

Thanks so much for taking time to send such a comprehensive set of alternative options...

Looks as if, for whatever the reason, Dell systems are black sheep when it comes to these things...

One specific remaining question, regardless of which software I use to create the boot disc...does that software harvest drivers off the system, such that the Dell discs containing the drivers (separate from the OEM Windows XP Pro install disc) are irrelevant?

Despite the voluminous faq's and other web sites, I guess some questions are so basic that no one addresses them...

I look forward to hopefully being successful at this...

Again, thanks ever so much for your assistance.

Peter

No, you need some other app.

Not really my field, but this one should work :
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=20555
http://www.freewaregeeks.com/?page=detail&...amp;category=82

jaclaz

Before adding all the machine's drivers you should boot the CD and see what drivers you need to add. Usually you need to add drivers for your NIC. You will need to add drivers for your hd if it's a SATA drive. And you may need to add drivers for your monitor. So see what works and what doesn't, then add the drivers.

Hello,

here is a tip google ghost32.exe

to learn more about Vista PE2 which has default networking & drivers and HDD drivers
read this: or google WAIK
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...t=0#entry155830

Ben