Why create a custom boot disk yourself when you can download one quickly and
hassle free from a Web site? Many Web sites offer downloadable programs for
creating custom boot disks, but of course, some are better than others in terms
of their content and page layout. A quick look at some of the most popular of
these sites will help you decide where you can find the best one-stop shop for
your boot disk needs.The contenders
This evaluation is far from comprehensive, but these sites were the most mentioned by TechRepublic members as their favorite sources of boot disk files and utilities. If you know of other good sites that offer boot disks for download, let us know about them, and weÂ’ll include them in the next round-up.
I examined the offerings at the following Web sites (in no particular order):
MyBootDisks.com
In spite of its name, MyBootDisks.com actually offers a great deal more than just boot disk files. You can download a variety of tools, including partitioning utilities, memory management utilities, diagnostics, and BIOS tools. And MyBootDisks.com offers a wealth of boot disk files: everything from standard Windows and DOS boot disks to network boot disks. You can also download antivirus boot disks.
HereÂ’s the caveat: For the standard OS boot disk downloads, MyBootDisks.com actually links to MicrosoftÂ’s Web site. Only the custom boot disk files actually come directly from MyBootDisks.com. While linking to Microsoft may seem like a cop out, at least MyBootDisks.com provides a single starting point for finding boot disk files.
WhatÂ’s really annoying, though, are the pop-ups asking you for money to help support the site. If you donÂ’t mind pop-ups (or if you use pop-up blocking software), MyBootDisks.com is a good place to look for boot disks and other utilities. One enhancement that I think would make the site more useful is full descriptions of all the files listed so users know what theyÂ’re getting.
BootDisk.com
Not to be confused with MyBootDisks.com, BootDisk.com also offers links to a wide array of boot disks, utilities, and other files. In addition to covering MicrosoftÂ’s products, BootDisk.com includes files for Linux. Like MyBootDisks.com, BootDisk.com sends users to MicrosoftÂ’s site for the standard Windows disks, but links to other sites for custom boot disks and utilities. ItÂ’s a simple site that is free of pop-ups.
Startdisk
Startdisk boasts what it calls the Ultimate Boot Disk, which is designed specifically for Windows. The Ultimate Boot Disk can help Windows users recover from crashes and repair problems that prevent the OS from booting. According to Startdisk, the Ultimate Boot Disk can help you perform the following tasks:
- Restore system files
- Identify hardware
- Extract Windows CD files
- Troubleshoot startup errors
- Clone drives or partitions
- Streamline the registry
In addition, Startdisk says the Ultimate Boot Disk speeds up Windows installs and includes an optional virus scanner.
The Startdisk Web site includes information about making a WinXP boot disk, partitioning drives and flashing the BIOS, and tips on which files you need to back up. Overall, this site has useful information and a boot disk file that may be worth the download.
Play video
» Ultimate virtualization blade
Thank you so much! MyBootDisks.com is an amazing site!! Highly recommended for its ease of use and organizational design. MyBootDisks.com is must bookmark for all!
Posted by Bob Ug on Friday, February 21 2003 09:28 AM