Creating a Windows Vista Bootable DVD

[maccy]

Hi there, newbie here

I'd like to create a backup of my copy of x64 Vista Ultimate, however I'd like to make the DVD bootable.

Have tried extracting a boot image and using Nero and CDBurnerXP which have both failed in making a bootable DVD. Could someone please give me some walk through instructions on this as I'm going through DVDs like anything at the moment!

[x956210x]

you can use vlite to not only create a bootable dvd, but you can also remove components if needed.

[Andromeda43]

Hmmmmm!

I do it all the time....and with a most illogical program.

The program I use to make a compressed copy of Vista Ult. and put it on a bootable DVD,

is none other than Ghost 2003, run from a boot-floppy. (Use Ghost's HIGH Compression Option)

It will also span multiple DVD's till the backup is complete.

(doing a very thorough cleanup on your HD before doing the backup saves lots of space in the backup image file)

You MUST use the floppy disk, because that's what Ghost 2003 was written to use,

when making a bootable CD or DVD.

Ghost will run from other media, like a CD or even a Flash Drive, but it won't make the DVD bootable,

unless it's run from an A: drive.

Even on new computers or laptops with NO floppy disk drive, that's really NO problem,

because, You can use a USB Floppy Drive with total success. I've done it often.

What OS you're backing up makes NO Difference to Ghost 2003. It backs up NTFS

partitions just as easily as the older FAT-32 partitions.

So, my Ghost 2003 boot floppy backs up everything from DOS to Vista Ult, with no problems.

Interested? PM me for details on how to make your own Ghost 2003 boot disk.

Cheers mates!

Andromeda43 B)

[jrf2027]

When you say you'd like to make a backup of your copy of Vista, are you referring to a backup of a currently bootable installation DVD? If so, just use "copy disc" in any disc burning program and the resulting disc should be bootable.

If you have the installation files but they aren't bootable, go the vLite route. I've done this following the instructions found here.

If you want to create a bootable backup of your OS as currently installed, check out Terabyte Unlimited's Image for Windows. It allows you to burn bootable restore DVD's or CD's. If you're backing up a full Ultimate installation, be prepared to use at least two DVD's.

Edited March 4, 2008 by jrf2027