Images: Use BartPE to replace your DOS boot disk

When Erik Eckel asked TechRepublic members what tools he needed in his troubleshooting and repair toolbox, several IT professionals recommended he carry a BartPE boot CD. Powered by PE Builder, a BartPE CD creates a preboot environment that simplifies troubleshooting and rescuing failed Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 systems. \r\nIn this The Right Tool for the Job? post, Erik shows you how to use BartPE.

To create a BartPE CD, download the self-installing program (pebuilder3110a.exe) and execute the program. The file is only 3.15MB.

The PE Builder Setup Wizard will start. Complete the wizard to install PE Builder on your system.

Once you specify the location where PE Builder should be installed, and the menu folder location, the program will install itself on your system.

Once installed, click the PE icon the Setup Wizard created, then specify the location of the original Windows CD files and instruct PE Builder where it should create the ISO image file.

When PE Builder has created the ISO image file, burn it to a CD-ROM. You can have PE Builder burn the CD for you, or you can use your preferred CD burning software to create the image CD yourself.

Place the BartPE CD in a test machine and fire it up. Upon booting, the system will begin loading BartPE.

The BartPE splash screen will appear. That’s a good sign that the preboot environment is about to appear.

When BartPE is installed, you can choose to configure network settings from within the BartPE interface.

Once up and running, BartPE provide powerful troubleshooting tools, including use of the command line, on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 systems.