Emergency Recovery Disk in Win XP?

1. Click on Start
2. Program Files
3. Accessories
3. Backup
4. Once backup is loaded and you see the Welcome screen, there should be 3 buttons, the last button will be Automated System Recovery Wizard. Just run it and follow the instructions, this will create your Emergency Recovery Disk for you.

Here is some instructions on how to create dual boot in XP
http://www.win.net/optimator/WinWiz/AD/Reprints/DualBoot.htm

Hope this helps

LSCitharoedus,
   Here is a way create an Automated Recovery Disk with Windows XP

Here the rescue disk is called ASR (Automated System Recovery) disk. This disk can only be created when you take a back up of your system files. For the same, go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System tools>Backup. From the Tools menu, select the ASR wizard and take a back up of the files. You can create a disk for starting up the system in MS-DOS mode by right clicking on the floppy disk icon, selecting the format option and then checking Create a Disk to start in MS_DOS only option.

While using rescue disks, remember that if your system crashes, you will also need to have the Windows installation CD for complete recovery of your OS.

if you need to play around a bit in a dos environment, why not download VMWare from www.vmware.com to make a virtual machine in which you can load your operating systems.

this provides a completely safe environment to install whatever you want...

it's available as a free 30 day trial

I'm trying bytecraft's idea right now. Backing up like 56 gigs of data...well, guess I'll be done tomorrow. I'll post back to see if I accomplish what I'm going for then. But if anyone has a better and less slow idea, please let me know!

here you go I found something better than this useless Automated System Recovery Wizard.

This software claims to work with XP
http://www.wugnet.com/shareware/spow.asp?ID=313

Sorry, I can't see any other way except for this or just using the Windows XP System Restore utilty.

XP System Restore doesn't work a whole lot if you can't get past boot loader :)

why do you need to dual boot?

Just so I can. I like the prospect of having some version of DOS on my machine when (note "when", not "if") XP fails on me.

how will you be able to read the NTFS volume(s) from DOS?
or do you have FAT32 volumes?

The ERD really isn't all the useful to begin with. The main thing you want to do is just copy your boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr files to a floppy or to some place you your disk. However the Floppy is better so you can edit the boot.ini on another machine

Next just to be safe do this

Access To All Drives And Folders policy
Control Panel >  Administrative > Local Security Policy.
Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options. Locate the "Recovery Console: Allow Floppy Copy And Access To All Drives And Folders" policy. Double-click this policy, and then set it to "Enable".

or edit the registry
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole
SetCommand (DWORD) 1 = allow floppy copy etc, 0 = restrict some file
copying

Then when you get into the Recovery Console you need to use the SET command

SET AllowAllPaths = TRUE
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Other wise you will only have access to the Windows folder and just the files in the Root. This way if you backup the the files mentioned to the hard drive rather then the floppy this will access to where you backed up those files.

Now you must also be aware that the main thing for ERD's and such is in conjuction with the Recovery Console and the RC has a limited range of commands. So don't be to hopeful that RC is going to do much for you. However keep the following in mind if nothing else.

HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449
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Now if it becomes a regitstry problem an you need a recent backup then use this free utility I developed for backing up the registry.

Scroll down to where it says Registry Backup
http://www.geocities.com/eecrazyone/crazyone.html

DOS won't do you no good if want to gain access to XP and if the XP is on NFTS.

Umm if you don't already have DOS loaded on this machine how do you plan to load it. And do you know what to in this case with XP already being on the machine. If you haven't done this then you are getting ready to leap into something that is bit tedious and a bit complicated. Do you really want to do this?

XP is on a Fat32 partition. The method I'm considering trying is to use Partition Magic to swap the partitions (XP partition is primary, the DOS partition is logical, but I can swap that), then install DOS onto the new Primary drive, switch them back, restore the NT boot files and add DOS to the Boot.ini file. Sure, it'll take years, but who cares? It's fun.

I can't remeber but doesn't DOS need a FAT16 partion rather than FAT32?

LSCitharoedus, please read this article:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-106

Another thing LSCitharoedus is PM comes with Boot Magic which may simplify the dual boot scenario.

LSCitharoedus:
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