Microsoft Windows XP Setup boot disks

Microsoft Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run the Setup program on computers that cannot use a bootable CD-ROM.

If your computer does support booting from a CD-ROM, or if network-based installation is available, Microsoft recommends that you use those installations methods instead.

Future products will no longer support installation by using the Setup boot disks. Installation of future Microsoft operating systems will require the ability to start from the CD-ROM drive or by using PXE boot from the network. For more information about how to use PXE boot, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/ads/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/ADS/en-us/nbs_boot_policy_overview.asp

There are six Windows XP Setup boot floppy disks. You must have the files and the drivers that these disks contain to access the CD-ROM drive and to start the Setup process.

Create the Setup disks
When you download the Setup disks, the download contains only one large program file. When you run the downloaded file, it extracts the files. You receive the following prompt:
This program creates the Setup boot disks for Microsoft Windows XP. To create these disks, you need to provide 6 blank, formatted, high-density disks.

Please specify the floppy drive to copy the images to:
Type the drive letter for the floppy disk drive (this is typically drive A). After you type the floppy disk drive letter, you receive the following prompt:
Insert one of these disks into drive drive letter:. This disk will become the Windows XP Setup Boot Disk.

Press any key when you are ready.
When you press a key, the downloaded file starts to extract and copy the files. Continue to insert the blank disks as you are prompted to do so until all six disks are created. If the process is interrupted, you must run the downloaded program file again to create all six disks.

Make sure to label each disk appropriately with the number that is specified by the program. You must use the disks in the correct order during the Setup process.

Use the Setup disks
After you create all six disks, insert the first disk in the floppy disk drive, and then restart the computer. The computer must be configured to boot from the floppy disk drive. You may have to modify the BIOS settings on your computer to do this.

The Setup process starts. Insert the other floppy disks as you are prompted to do so. You must use the Windows XP CD-ROM to finish the Setup process.

Download the Setup disk program file
Windows XP original release
For information about the Setup boot disk versions that are available for download, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=E8FE6868-6E4F-471C-B455-BD5AFEE126D8

Microsoft Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=55820EDB-5039-4955-BCB7-4FED408EA73F
Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Note Windows XP CD-ROMs that include SP1 have the text "Includes Service Pack 1" on the CD-ROM.

For information about the Setup boot disk versions that are available for download, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

Windows XP Home Edition SP1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=FBE5E4FC-695F-43E5-AF05-719F45C382A4

Windows XP Professional SP1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=83F53BE9-28FA-40E8-8EC2-631504EF5E26
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

For information about the Setup boot disk versions that are available for download, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

Windows XP Home Edition SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=15491F07-99F7-4A2D-983D-81C2137FF464&displaylang=en

Windows XP Professional SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=535D248D-5E10-49B5-B80C-0A0205368124&displaylang=en
 

PXE boot instructions overviewPXE boot instructions, which are defined within a job or job template, can direct controlled devices to boot using a virtual floppy disk, to boot and run the Deployment Agent, or to boot and run the operating system image installed on the hard disk. Controlled devices are defined by their device record in the Controller database.

The PXE boot process
After a device completes the power-on self test (POST)
power-on self test (POST)
A set of routines stored in read-only memory (ROM) that tests various system components such as RAM, the disk drives, and the keyboard, to see if they are properly connected and operating. If problems are found, these routines alert the user with a series of beeps or a message, often accompanied by a diagnostic numeric value. If the POST is successful, it passes control to the bootstrap loader.and begins the Pre-Boot eXecution Environment (PXE) boot process, the device sends a DHCPDISCOVER message that is received by both the DHCP server and the ADS PXE service. The DHCP server offers the device an IP address, and the ADS PXE service either ignores or responds to the device using cached boot responses from the Controller.

If the ADS PXE service responds to the device, it sends the device a DHCPOFFER message with the IP address of the ADS PXE service so that the device can request the Startnbs network boot program from the TFTPD service. On the device, Startnbs requests boot instructions from the ADS PXE service, which relays the request to the Controller. The Controller sends the PXE boot instructions to the ADS PXE service, which relays them to the device, only if the Controller can match the device's SMBIOS GUID or MAC address to an existing device record, or if the Controller is configured to add a new device record if the device is not listed in the Controller database. For more information about the configuring the Controller, see Controller service properties.

The Controller service retrieves the PXE boot instructions, in the form of /pxe/boot commands, from the appropriate job or job template and sends them to the ADS PXE service, which relays the boot instructions to the device. The /pxe/boot commands instruct the device to boot using a virtual floppy disk, to boot and run the Deployment Agent, or to boot and run the operating system that is installed on the hard disk. If a connection to the Controller cannot be established, the ADS PXE service responds to the device using cached boot instructions. For more information about the commands, see /pxe/boot-vf, /pxe/boot-da, and /pxe/boot-hd. For more information about jobs and job templates, see Jobs and job templates.

The following diagrams illustrate the interaction between the device, the DHCP server, and the ADS services when booting to a virtual floppy disk, to the Deployment Agent, or to the device's hard disk during the PXE boot process.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windowsserv/2003/all/ads/en-us/default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/windowsserv/2003/all/ads/en-us/nbs_boot_policy_overview.asp