A real dumb question

[Perd Hapley]

I have located an XP Pro install disk, and need to make a copy of it.  Is it even possible to put it on my hard drive temporarily, and then burn it on to a new disk? 

[mtnbkr]

You can't merely copy the contents to your HD, you won't get the "bootable bits" that make it, well, bootable.

Your CD burning software should have the capability to do a disk to disk copy or at least create an ISO image file that you can use to duplicate the CD again and again.

FWIW, whenever I build a new system, I always copy the i386 directory from the CD to the HD.  That's where all the "stuff" is kept and what you'll need should you want to add or remove Windows components.  Keeps me from having to find the install disk.  You can also run a reinstall from that directory on your HD, but you wouldn't want to perform a full install that includes formatting the HD. :o

Chris

[Perd Hapley]

Thank you.  I figured it was a dumb question.  I have had very bad luck with burning CDs, so I usually just try to avoid them and avoid thinking about them.

[Strings]

Thank you.  I figured it was a dumb question.  I have had very bad luck with burning CDs, so I usually just try to avoid them and avoid thinking about them

Fixed that for ya...

[Perd Hapley]

And it works!

[Mabs2]

Thank you.  I figured it was a dumb question.  I have had very bad luck with burning CDs, so I usually just try to avoid them and avoid thinking about them. im fistful and im dum! derp derp

Fixed it better.

[lee n. field]

Get a copy of infrarecorder.  Use it to make an iso image of the cd.  Later, when you want to make a new copy, use infrarecorder to burn the iso to a blank cd.

[Perd Hapley]

derp derp!  did it derp!  Worked Good!  Derp!

Now I can install XP on one of those used Dell computers with an XP Pro sticker.


Sadly, this happy occasion is marred by CNYCacher's failure to respond with his usual one-word answer to all computer problems.   

But cheer up friend!  I'm gonna have four computers pretty soon, I think.  I'll put Ubuntu on one or two of them.  Looking forward to it.   

[Strings]

Ubuntu.

That work for you?

[seeker_two]

Ubuntu.

Geschuntheit.....

[CNYCacher]

derp derp!  did it derp!  Worked Good!  Derp!

Now I can install XP on one of those used Dell computers with an XP Pro sticker.

Aww, crap, I'm too late!

[Perd Hapley]

Nah.  I can dual-boot it, right? 

[AZAndy]

Fistful, you'll find the Ubuntu installation to be pretty easy. Dual-boot is no problem, Ubuntu uses the "Grub" bootloader to present you with an OS-selection screen at boot time. Until a couple of days ago, I had Ubuntu, Vista, and 7 all on the same machine!

The new Ubuntu release came out on the 23rd, by the way, and it's an improvement. Works great on netbooks, has (unlike previous versions) drivers for the oddball wireless chips, like Atheros.

I'd be glad to help if you run into any trouble.

A.

[Perd Hapley]

Thanks, Andy.  I actually tried to run it (8.10) from a live CD just last night.  But I guess I ran into my same weakness with CD-burning, as it wouldn't boot.   :rolleyes:  Before you ask, I did sumcheck the download; I presume something went wrong with putting it on the CD-R.  So, I tossed the disk.   

I'm going to set all that aside right now.  My more pressing problem is that this computer somehow doesn't recognize its CD drive anymore.     But I shouldn't even mess with that until after finals are over.  I'll be sure and ask for help then.  Thanks again. 

[Phyphor]

Wait, why can't you just get a free Ubuntu disk?  Or did they stop doing that?

(EDIT: You can still request one, you just have to wait a few days...  Just google Ubuntu Request CD, and you can get a real one free)

[Perd Hapley]

Thanks, I forgot about that. 

Oops!  Looks like I'll do it later.  They say they're swamped right now, with the new release and all.


I've been wondering if Windows will eventually just go to some system like that.  That is, they could release some new version of Windows, Windows Ultimate (as in "last").  Then they would just put out an update every year, like Ubuntu does.  You would use your original COA key for each update, and they could even charge a little bit for each yearly update. 

Or would that not be as lucrative?  :)