How to Create a Bootable DOS CD or DVD Disc
This article will explain how to create a bootable DOS optical disc. The basic steps to creating the disc are as follows:
- Create a bootable DOS floppy diskette.
- Create an image of the floppy diskette, using IMGFLPYD.
- Create an ISO image from the floppy diskette image, using MKBISO.
- Create the bootable DOS optical disc, using BURNCDCC.
How you will need to proceed depends on what type of DOS environment you wish to use.
- To use MS-DOS, you will need to begin with a bootable DOS floppy diskette. Please use these links for more information:
How to Create a Windows 95/98/Me Startup Disk
How to Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk From Windows XP
- To use FreeDOS, you may either begin with a bootable FreeDOS floppy diskette, or simply download a pre-made bootable FreeDOS ISO image from the FreeDOS Home Page. Using the pre-made ISO image will allow you to skip Steps 1, 2, and 3 shown above.
At this point, you should have either a bootable DOS floppy diskette or a FreeDOS ISO image file. If you have the ISO file, skip to Step 3 below.
- Download the free utility IMGFLPYD, and use it to create an image of your bootable DOS floppy diskette. Here is a sample command line:
imgflpyd a: c:\dosimage.img
Where a: refers to your floppy drive and c:\dosimage.img represents the path and file name where the floppy disk image will be saved. (Whatever path and file name you happen to use, remember what it is--you will need it for later steps.)
- Download the free utility MKBISO, and use it to create an ISO image file from the floppy image file you created in Step 1 above. Here is a sample command line:
mkbiso c:\dosimage.iso c:\dosimage.img
Where c:\dosimage.iso represents the path and file name where the ISO image will be saved and c:\dosimage.img represents the floppy disk image you created in Step 1 above.
- Download the free utility BURNCDCC, and use it to burn the ISO image to your optical disc (whether that ISO image is one you created in Step 2 above, or a pre-made FreeDOS ISO image). Here are the basic steps to create the bootable disc using BURNCDCC:
- Run BURNCDCC, and in the File Image text box, provide the path to the ISO file you created in Step 2 above (which in our example would be c:\dosimage.iso).
- Select the appropriate optical drive from the Device drop-down list, after inserting a disc into that drive.
- Select the Read verify option for added assurance that the disc is written correctly.
- Press the Start button and wait for the disc to be created.
- Run BURNCDCC, and in the File Image text box, provide the path to the ISO file you created in Step 2 above (which in our example would be c:\dosimage.iso).