How do I boot up to the msdos C:\ prompt?

[jhowells]

This is probably a simple question, but I've only recently switched from win98 to XP.

I have a freshly formatted hard drive as a slave (drive E:\) and want to use XCOPY to copy everything to the extra drive. I want to keep it as a backup in case something happens to the C:/ drive.

I'm using the commands xcopy C:\*.* /h/e/i/k in the ms-dos command function and it works great until it hits a file that is in use by XP. This tells me I have to boot up to the dos prompt so that it can copy all the hidden and system files.

Any reason why that wouldn't work if I could figure out how to boot up to the C:\ prompt?

[Ausmith1]

DOS can't read an NTFS formatted drive without extra addon software. Even then this would not be a recommended backup method.

Use something like DriveSnapShot, it will do what you want.

[Justice]

Try hitting F8 after your bios screen lists everything and before the windowsXP logo screen comes up. Choose safe mode > Command Prompt. try running the xcopy command there. You might have to set a path variable to the location of xcopy/xcopy32.

[XtremeMaC]

i think it would be better for u to use some actual programs for backing up purposes

for example acronis true image

[Dynamite]

There is a program about called 'NTFSDOS Professional' this apparently allows you to boot into an MS-DOS enviroment from a floppy and you can then edit or whatever, an NTFS drive just as if it were FAT/FAT32

Try a Google search

good luck, let us know how you get on!

If you need to access NTFS drives from MS-DOS, NTFSDOS Professional 4.0 is the solution.

NTFSDOS Professional allows you to create a boot diskette with which to boot NT systems.

The diskette contains an MS-DOS environment where you can easily mount NTFS drives

with drive letters and run DOS programs to read, write, repair or otherwise modify the drives

just as you would on FAT drives.

NTFSDOS Professional is a powerful tool to repair corrupt files or

configuration problems that prevent Windows XP/2000/NT4 systems from booting.

Key features

Provides full read/write access to NTFS volumes

Supports long file names under MS-DOS

Supports running of CHKDSK from within DOS

Works with DOS antivirus tools to safely scan and clean systems while they are offline

Provides an easy-to-use Boot Diskette Wizard with online Help

Designed for Windows XP, 2000, and NT 4.

from the ReadMe