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Boot floppy dos onto a flash drive. Bootable DOS flash drive - instructions for creating

Magic program Rufus (located at rufus.akeo.ie) will help us out in a matter of moments. So, let's download latest version and feel free to press Launch

The main program window appears. I prudently inserted a 16 GB flash drive.

If leave everything as is and don’t go into details and just click StartNow, then the program will create a bootable USB flash drive with DOS. All that remains is to copy it to it necessary files that's all. But we want to realize what will happen with our USB drive after we click this button.

In the program window you can select PartitionScheme(partition scheme) for systems BIOS or UEF I. Everything is clear with the BIOS; it is already on every computer, but UEFI is a whole small operating system that replaced the old BIOS and MBR(main boot entry). appears handsome GUI and a mouse, support booting from hard drives larger than 2 TB with a bunch of partitions using partition table GPT, and, of course, allows the computer load faster. In general, progress does not stand still!

Type file system (FileSystem) is by default FAT32(file placement table), created back in 1996, is perfect for flash drives. There is also an option to choose NTFS (file system new technology ), it is safe, supports compression, access control, and even files larger than 4 GB. And finally, exFAT (extended file placement table) eliminating the annoying limitations of its predecessor FAT32, but still more “simple” than NTFS. The choice is yours to create bootable flash drive Any of the file systems described above will do)

Cluster size (Cluster size) interesting thing. Files take up space on the disk, text files take up several kilobytes, but movies are already million. I’ll explain how it works - kilobytes are added up into clusters. If we say text file with a reserve placed in one cluster of 32 kilobytes, for the remaining space this cluster will remain unoccupied, and we have lost precious disk space. Therefore, for small files it is advisable to select an appropriate cell size - a cluster of 4 KB, but for massive files of music, movies or games you can set it to 64 KB.

Next you can select volume name (NewVolumeLabel), what our flash drive will be called. Will be enabled if checked Create an additional label and icon(Createextendedlabelandiconfiles). If you create a flash drive, for example, for Windows installations 7, it will be convenient to call it that way, so as not to accidentally format it later).

Stop, we created a bootable flash drive with DOS. But if you take a closer look at the program, unexpected prospects open up!

It's worth checking the box quick formatting (QuickFormat), many people believe that “formatting” means deleting everything, But In addition to deleting files, there is also re-creation The file system structures on the drive are the same FATs and NTFSs that we talked about above.

We create boot disk using ( Create a bootable disk using) FreeDos is an operating system, distributed free of charge, with the help of it you can update BIOS computer, fix hard drive Victoria program or check RAM (RAM) using Memtest. Actions are mainly carried out from command line

operating room DOS system Previously it was the most common and did not have a graphical shell. It consists only of a shell like a command line into which we enter commands. Because DOS technology is already outdated, few people use it, but you can still use it to solve many problems, for example, flashing . We used floppy disks to boot into DOS, but now we can use a regular flash drive.

In this article I will tell you how to create a bootable USB flash drive with DOS. If you are interested in how to create a bootable USB flash drive for any OS version, here are some links to articles.

How to create a bootable Dos USB flash drive?

There are many programs used to create bootable flash drives, but in this manual we will use Rufus program, which already has everything you need.

You can download the latest version of the utility from the official website. Now let's move on to the steps that are necessary to create a flash drive.

  1. You need to have a flash drive, having previously formatted it, do not forget to move important data to another medium before doing this;
  1. Insert the USB flash drive into your computer and launch Rufus. In point "Device" select our flash drive, usually it is detected automatically. File system select FAT32. Now select the checkbox "Create a boot disk", and in the drop-down menu select the option "FreeDOS", or "MS-DOS".
  1. Leave everything else as it was and press the button "Start". Confirm all windows that appear with the OK button.

After a short process, the flash drive with DOS will be ready and you can boot from it. When logging into a flash drive from regular Windows you may find some files that I don't recommend touching, otherwise you won't be able to boot from MS DOS. But you can throw other files there, at least when I moved them to a flash drive extraneous files, loading from a flash drive worked.

This is interesting:

If you need to perform some actions via DOS, for example, flashing BIOS firmware, then you need to throw certain files, and then, using special teams in DOS you can do all this. But I have already said more than once that this is a dangerous matter and it is better not to do anything without special knowledge.

DOS, pursuing restoration of functionality computer equipment running operating systems of the Windows family. Error detection and correction is much easier, at a low DOS level, before booting system files basic operating system. To do this, you need to make changes in the BIOS, specify specific hardware in the “boot loader” section.

The question may seem strange to most users. Why return to ancient methods and transfer DOS to a flash drive at the current level of development? information technologies? Its presence will help the owner:

  • safely reflash the BIOS;
  • fix damaged configuration files;
  • update system drivers;
  • gain access to all files.

IMPORTANT. For diagnostics, troubleshooting and equipment testing workstation boot DOS flash drive extremely useful. The proof is the sewn in mandatory, a Microsoft verification utility random access memory"MemTest86+" to identify errors.

In addition, a bootable MS DOS flash drive will help to recover any operating system that has failed due to various reasons. In most situations, she remains the only “savior” from suddenly arising troubles. History once again proves that a bootable flash drive and DOS have not lost their relevance.

Multitasking options

System administrators prefer to create bootable DOS flash drives, which eliminate conflicts on many platforms (Windows and Linux). To plug-in external media Utilities, file manager, antivirus programs, and other applications are copied.

Before making a bootable DOS flash drive, determine the set required for installation software, a wide range of tasks.

A universal bootable USB flash drive running MS DOS can work wonders when working with FAT32, NTFS, UEFI.

A flash drive running MS DOS is a must for every PC owner

Step-by-step instruction

To create an image of a bootable flash drive in DOS format, it is recommended to download the Easy2Boot (E2B) archive.

  1. Unzip to any directory on your PC.
  2. Run the file called _ISO\docs\Make_E2B_USB_Drive.cmd.
  3. To burn a Live-CD image, specify the path by selecting the disk from the list.
  4. Answer the question about the options for the proposed media formatting.

When transferring MS DOS to a flash drive, several problems arise:

  • FAT32 works well with UEFI and supports files no larger than 4 GB;
  • NTFS without UEFI has no restrictions;
  • for images up to 4 GB, you can safely create a bootable USB flash drive in FAT32.

In order for NTFS to be able to interact with UEFI under MS DOS, creating a bootable flash drive is similar to the previous description. But in the BIOS you need to select a UEFI image so that Easy2Boot changes the entry of the first boot sector on MBR disk(true provided that configuration files bootia32.efi, bootx64.efi are available).

Recommendations on how to make a bootable one for legacy Windows

The described method is suitable when you need to install MS DOS on a flash drive to work with Windows version no older than version 7. Otherwise, the risk of irretrievable data loss is inevitable.

Can't create boot card or USB stick standard means Windows, if you don’t download additional usb_and_dos.zip.

Insert the drive into the connector, then unpack the archive and click hp_usb_tool.exe.

After starting the program, specify FAT. Before creating MS DOS bootable flash drive, tick the corresponding checkbox, specify the path to extract the files.

After installation is complete, restart your computer. Enter the “BOOT” section of the BIOS, change the disk priority by moving the USB-HDD to the top line.

To restore Windows 7, 8, 10 you need modern programs, launched by a privileged user as root.

There are several ways to create an MS DOS bootable USB flash drive for popular operating systems. One of them is the reliable software Boot_USB_Sergei_Strelec_2015_v.8.0_x86.

The assembly includes Acronis Disk Director for disk partitioning and Acronis True Image for recording finished image and system backup. All utilities have intuitive clear interface. Any user can understand them.

To start a Live CD, you need to change the “boot loader” priorities.

To create or not

Flash drive is a very useful thing. The disadvantages include: the discomfort of constantly switching boot disks in the BIOS. But the user is given the right to choose life-saving utilities for multiboot media.

DOS devices are incredibly useful for system recovery after crashes when you need to get quick access to sections hard drive"killed" car. The graphical shell of a file manager, for example, Norton Commander, has been helping system specialists for many years.

The update program, together with the latest firmware, takes 1 156 258 byte. And the BIOS itself does not have the ability to self-update. The motherboard developer's website says that to update the BIOS you need to boot from a boot floppy Windows 95 or Windows 98...Jokers...

To make everything completely clear, three files from DOS (COMMAND .COM, IO.SYS, MSDOS .SYS) take up space 316 400 bytes on a floppy disk with a capacity 1 457 664 byte. It turns out that all this equipment simply cannot fit on one floppy disk! Of course, it was possible to make a DOS floppy disk with support for a CD drive... But, as it turned out, the program BIOS firmware this motherboard does not work if the driver for additional (extended memory) and HMA memory for the operating system is used MS-DOS systems, providing support additional memory(extended or expanded). So-called HIMEM.SYS. This driver is required to load CD drive drivers. I just needed to boot device More space than a 1.44 floppy disk! Having scoured the Internet, I found a wonderful utility from Hewlett-Packard to create bootable flash drives - . This was my salvation!

Archive USB_boot_Flash.zip, and unzip to any location on your disk. Go to the unzipped folder USB_boot_Flash and run the installation file for the utility to create bootable flash drives hp_usb_tool.exe.

Click Next >.

Accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next >.

In the next window, click Next >.

Take one more license agreement by pressing Yes.

At this stage, you can change the destination folder for the installed program by clicking the button Browse… or continue installation to the default folder c:\DriveKey by pressing Next >.

In the last window, complete the installation of the utility by clicking Finish.

On your desktop you will find a shortcut for installed utility HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool .

Warning: In the process of creating a bootable flash drive, all information from it will be deleted!!!

Run the utility HP Windows Format Utility for USB Drive Key or DiskOnKey using this shortcut.

Up in the field Device indicate the device on which your flash drive is located. Place a check mark opposite Create a DOS startup Disk, celebrate using DOS system files located at and indicate the path to the DOS folder in the folder where you unpacked the archive downloaded from my website USB_boot_Flash.zip(in my case this is the folder C:\USB_boot_Flash\dos). In field File System indicate FAT32, in field Volume label you can specify the label of the future bootable flash drive. We start the process of creating it by clicking Start.

In the warning window that appears that all information located on the flash drive will be destroyed, click Yes.

In the next window you will see the status of the process of creating a bootable USB flash drive.

At the end of the creation process, you will see an information window about the status of your flash drive. Finish the process with the button OK.

Returning to the previous window, close it by clicking Close.

All we have to do is copy the entire contents of the folder C:\USB_boot_Flash\USB to your flash drive. You can also copy there the programs necessary to run from DOS, in my case I copied the program for updating the BIOS and the new firmware(there is now more than enough space!)

All that remains is to go into the BIOS and in the boot method settings, select boot from our newly created USB flash drive as the first item. When you boot from it, you will see a clean DOS running file manager Volkov Commander.

Finally, for those who may need a boot floppy Windows 98 With the ability to access a CD drive, I offer a utility that creates such a floppy disk. Unpack the contents of the archive to your disk and run the file boot98se.exe, who will do all the dirty work for you. During the boot process from it, you can select boot items either with or without CD drive support drivers.

Even in modern world when users prefer beautiful graphical shells for operating systems, some need to install DOS. It is most convenient to do this task using a so-called bootable flash drive. This is the most common removable USB drive, which is used to boot the OS from it. Previously, we used disks for these purposes, but now their era has passed, and they have been replaced by small media that easily fit in a pocket.

There are several programs that allow you to record DOS. The simplest one is to download ISO image operating system and write it using or . The recording process is described in detail in the lesson on creating a bootable USB flash drive in Windows.

As for downloading the image, there is a very convenient resource where you can download the most free different versions DOS.

But there are a number of programs that are best suited for DOS. Let's talk about them.

Method 1: WinToFlash

Our website already has instructions for creating a bootable flash drive in . Therefore, if you have any problems or questions, you can find the solution in the corresponding lesson.

But with MS-DOS, the recording process will look slightly different than in other cases. So, to use WinTuFlash, do this:


Method 2: HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.8.1

But, again, as for MS-DOS, there is one important nuance, which refers exclusively to that operating system's entry. To use Rufus do the following:

Now you will have a ready-made flash drive from which you can install DOS on your computer and use it. As you can see, completing this task is quite simple and does not require much time.