How can I make a bootable DVD?

mac0sX said:

Well, I just want to create a back up for my windows 7 installer. Ok, therefore, what i need is the .iso file of an installer when i am going to create a bootable dvd. Is this method applicable when creating a bootable dvd for operating system?

I'm confused as to what you have in hand.

If you have a Microsoft OS installation DVD, it's copyable.

If you wish to save a copy of a DVD to a hard drive, perhaps the best way is to use a utility to save an .iso of it. The .iso is an image of the DVD, preserving all of its contents in a single file.

If you have a pre-installed version of Win7, the PC manufacturer probably included a utility to make system restore disks. In my opinion, that's much less useful than having a Microsoft installation DVD, but it's better than nothing.

Windows 7 includes drive imaging software. You could back up your current installation with that. (You'd need a separate partiton on the hard drive, another internal hard drive, or an external drive.)

It may be possible to reconstitute an install disk from a running Windows 7 installation, but I can't recall reading of anyone having done that.

I know exactly what he's talking about. I used to do the same with Windows XP. I had my Windows XP disc backed up as folder not an ISO. I soon realized I was not burning bootable copies. I used to use Nero to burn by Disc. Nero had an option to burn a bootable disc, but you had to also have a boot file downloaded for it as well. I'm guessing there is not simple way to do this with the built in utility with Windows 7. You'll have to use one of the applications previously mentioned.

Yes. There is a tutorial pretty much identical on this site.

Thanks for posting. :)

And no, you can't make an iso like that.

The tools are not natively included in windows.

Plenty of free 3rd party ones will copy a dvd to the HD as an iso image, then burn it.

I just want to make sure I am understanding you correctly SIW2, are you saying that it can't be done because Windows doesn't have the tools?
or that you can't use ISO software to create ISO's from bootable USBs...?

ie. Are you saying that ISO image creation software only works on bootable CD/DVDs only?
and won't work copying from a Bootable USB? you have my curiosity now, I have to look into that... (thanks)

mjf said:

@Sigma6
The sequence of commands to make a USB bootable is standard practice. I'm not sure what your step 6 is attempting to achieve. Certainly your step 7 is correct for a system repair dvd. You end up with a bootable system repair bootable USB.
More generally this can be an easier way to add ISOs to a USB flash drive.
YUMI - Multiboot USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
I personally still use Grub4Dos.

Step 6 makes the stick bootable I believe, I then copied Win7 files onto it and it worked fine.
I have just started playing around with 'boot' software, want to look at GrubforDOS, thanks for the heads up. What would you suggest for a Master Boot software for a dual boot Windows system. I heard there is a Grub solution for that as well. Is this the same software? (thanks)

bootsect writes the partition boot code , it can be nt52 or nt60 code.

Step 6 not needed if you formatted the partition from diskpart.

The favored automated methods for writing Win7 installer to stick are:

Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool which is fussy and may only work with an official Win7 ISO.
UltraISO Software To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive is about all I use any longer since the others can all fail but this one never does.
Universal USB Installer is Linux-based but also highly preferred. I once linked this exclusively until it caused problems with a stick of mine.