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If you rcurrent operating system is Windows XP, I assume your Harddrives filesystem wasa formatted to NTFS. &nbsp;DOS cannot read or write NTFS partitions. &nbsp;You will need extra software to gain access to your HDD
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I think accessing NTFS from dos is way off point to creating a XP installer disc and completly unnecessary(googling NTFS from DOS will yield an answer to that one), that aside does your boot disc have drivers loading for the cdrom? &nbsp;(Remember dos needs drivers)<br />
<br />
Make sure your bootable dos disc used for creation has these(cdrom) drivers loading. <br />
<br />
A better resource then HP might be<br />
<a href="http://www.bootdisk.com/" rel="ugc">http://www.bootdisk.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
zf<br />

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Hope the following link will help you to create bootable disk with FAT and NTFS support.<br />
<a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595" rel="ugc nofollow">http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595</a><br />
rgds/Mahesh
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based on the microsoft document how would i get the boot.ini file to load command.com or i386\winnt.exe or what ever bootable application i want?<br />
is far as i could see with the boot.ini on the page, the bootable thumb drive just loads the windows OS from the HDD.<br />
(I could be wrong)
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if no body responds in the next couple of days i'm going to close the question and refund my points.
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does this help ?<br />
<a href="http://caliboricua.wordpress.com/2006/03/03/make-usb-hard-drive-bootable/" rel="ugc">http://caliboricua.wordpress.com/2006/03/03/make-usb-hard-drive-bootable/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm" rel="ugc">http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm</a>
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not really... but thanks anyway.<br />
<br />
it has info on how to make the flash drive bootable but not how to access the data on the NTFS partitions etc. <br />
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<b>Note to all:</b><br />
this is the second time bootdisk.com was mentioned. i referenced it in the initial question post because i have been all over their site. especially the NTFS area and pen drive area but have been unsuccessful in accessing other drives.<br />

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The reason you cannot see any of your drives is because DOS CANNOT READ OR WRITE TO NTFS!!!!<br />
I will try and make this as easy as possible. &nbsp;You are going to have to download, and install BartPE. &nbsp;You will have to build a BartPE disc with the said program. &nbsp;You will need to have a bootable flash drive that you have already made. &nbsp;Copy the built BartPE information to your pen drive. &nbsp;That should be it. &nbsp;Make sure that you have the A3 file management utility in the build, (it's like my computer). &nbsp;This will give you full Read/Write access to all the installed drives.. &nbsp;The reason you cannot see any of your drives is because DOS CANNOT READ OR WRITE TO NTFS!!!!<br />
<br />
PS. &nbsp;BartPE is another can of worms, &nbsp;read, read, read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I can successfully make a bootable USB thumb drive using HPs software.<br />
<a href="http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm" rel="ugc">http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm</a><br />
but when DOS loads up I cannot access any other drive.<br />
I can access the files on the thumb drive which is assigned C: or A: (depending of the machine) but no other drive can be displayed.<br />
the &quot;invalid drive specification&quot; error occurs.<br />
Im new at this stuff.<br />
What do I need to do to access the other drives when booting into DOS using the USB thumb drive? (HDD, DVD/CD etc.)<br />
<br />
NOTE: I eventually want to get an XP installer (reduced using Nlite) to run from &nbsp;the USB thumb drive<br />

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I can successfully make a bootable USB thumb drive using HPs software.
http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm
but when DOS loads up I cannot access any other drive.
I can access the files on the thumb drive which is assigned C: or A: (depending of the machine) but no other drive can be displayed.
the "invalid drive specification" error occurs.
Im new at this stuff.
What do I need to do to access the other drives when booting into DOS using the USB thumb drive? (HDD, DVD/CD etc.)

NOTE: I eventually want to get an XP installer (reduced using Nlite) to run from  the USB thumb drive


Bootable USB thumb drive problem.

The Microsoft Legacy Operating System topic includes legacy versions of Microsoft operating systems prior to Windows 2000: All versions of MS-DOS and other versions developed for specific manufacturers and Windows 3/3.1, Windows 95 and Windows 98, plus any other Windows-related versions, and Windows Mobile.

Microsoft Legacy OS

Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS) was an operating system for x86-based personal computers, and traces of it are still found in the Windows operating system. DOS is still used in some embedded systems and for certain legacy 16-bit networks.

Microsoft DOS

This topic area includes legacy versions of Windows prior to Windows 2000: Windows 3/3.1, Windows 95 and Windows 98, plus any other Windows-related versions including Windows Mobile.