How to make a copy of my Windows CD (for legal reasons)

[MSgherzi]

So my OEM shattered inside of a client's cd drive. It was an old Dell OEM that I didn't even pay for. I have a genuine XP CD from Microsoft and I'm trying to copy it and use that in case it breaks another CD again.

I took all of the files off the 1st CD and copied them then made an ISO and burnt the ISO but it didn't work because it apparently didn't make it bootable. I used CDBurnerXP which I used some time ago to make my UBCD4Win CD.

How can I successfully copy both CDs (1 and 2) and make a bootable disk out of it so I can copy my XP CD? I need some recommendations on free software, not trials like Nero or Alcohol.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[LunchBox]

The best way is to leave the files as if. Open whatever app you are using and choose "make copy of cd" if they have an option like that. If you just pull the files from a CD and then try to make it bootable you will not work because there is a file burnt into the CD that actually makes the CD bootable (hopefully this makes sense)

 

[abe]

try this http://www.imgburn.com/

 

[LunchBox]

Thanks Abe. I brain is like dead now and I could not think of any apps other than Roxio, and I did not mention that because I felt dumb bringing up that brand to another tech.

Imgburn is actually what I use to make copies, burn etc, I even use it to extract content of ISOs.

 

[frostbyte5014]

I just burn a copy of the original and file the original away. I know other techs that create an ISO of all there cd's. As long as you are not selling a copy, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I always keep a check on the condition of the center of the disk before I put it into the drive. It's just a habbit I got into years ago when the high speed cd-roms came out.

 

[abe]

So my OEM shattered inside of a client's cd drive. It was an old Dell OEM that I didn't even pay for. I have a genuine XP CD from Microsoft and I'm trying to copy it and use that in case it breaks another CD again.

I took all of the files off the 1st CD and copied them then made an ISO and burnt the ISO but it didn't work because it apparently didn't make it bootable. I used CDBurnerXP which I used some time ago to make my UBCD4Win CD.

How can I successfully copy both CDs (1 and 2) and make a bootable disk out of it so I can copy my XP CD? I need some recommendations on free software, not trials like Nero or Alcohol.

Thanks,
Matt

hi, I noticed on your other thread that you used the dell oem cd to "format" over 20 computers, do you always use the xp install cd to format??

Abe

 

[MSgherzi]

hi, I noticed on your other thread that you used the dell oem cd to "format" over 20 computers, do you always use the xp install cd to format??

Abe

Yes, I do. Why?

 

[abe]

I just never thought of using the xp install disk to format, unless I was installing windows ofcourse.

 

[MSgherzi]

I just never thought of using the xp install disk to format, unless I was installing windows ofcourse.

Well, what do you usually use? I don't understand why not. If the CD will format the drive and then install Windows all at once, why not go with that option? It makes it easier.

 

[frostbyte5014]

MSgherzi, you are totally right I think there was just a misunderstanding and abe thought you was just formatting and not both formatting and reloading.

 

[abe]

yes as I wrote if i'm installing windows i'll format using the install cd, but if I'm installing a different os , I use one of the partitioning programs, or dariks boot and nuke.

 

[MSgherzi]

yes as I wrote if i'm installing windows i'll format using the install cd, but if I'm installing a different os , I use one of the partitioning programs, or dariks boot and nuke.

I see. I actually use DBAN sometimes but rarely. Usually if I have two machines then I'll format and re-install Windows on one machine and run DBAN on another just to prep it. I use it mostly when someone wants to get rid of their HDD and wants their data wiped.

I once had a client just give me their old computer...for FREE. They just wanted the data wiped. I was stoked, to say the least.

I'm trying to burn the ISO from my Windows XP CD with ImgBurn onto a blank disk so I'll see if it works soon enough.

 

[abe]

I'm trying to burn the ISO from my Windows XP CD with ImgBurn onto a blank disk so I'll see if it works soon enough.

which iso are you trying to burn, I hope its a new one, not the one you made from taking the files you mentioned above, if it is it will not work!!!

 

[MSgherzi]

which iso are you trying to burn, I hope its a new one, not the one you made from taking the files you mentioned above, if it is it will not work!!!

lol yes it's brand new. But I'm getting some I/O errors and it is having errors reading many many different sectors on this new blank disc. Strange...

 

[LunchBox]

I'm trying to burn the ISO from my Windows XP CD with ImgBurn onto a blank disk so I'll see if it works soon enough.

From what I remember you pulled files from an install CD then made an ISO and like Abe said it wont work. If you want to make a copy of a CD use imgburn also make an ISO image of your install CD that way when ever you burn it, it will be bootable. What makes a CD bootable (I dont remember the technical stuff) is a file burned/written into the CD which is like a autoexec.bat file with a different extension like BIN or whatever.

 

[abe]

lol yes it's brand new. But I'm getting some I/O errors and it is having errors reading many many different sectors on this new blank disc. Strange...

what's having errors the drive that killed the first cd? if its that drive then it seems the drive is gone.

 

[MSgherzi]

No. I'm using my own personal laptop right now. It wouldn't go past 62% but I think it was just verifying because I re-inserted the blank disc and it shows the Windows XP setup files so it might have copied, I just need to test and see if it boots now.

 

[LunchBox]

Also, I am sure you know this already. You need to make sure that you burn the CDs you close the CD, its called CD at once (or something like that). Most good apps should by default do that if you burn an ISO but I would just double check.

 

[MSgherzi]

Just tested it and it works like a charm. Thanks!

 

[dhrandy]

ImgBurn is a great free program. I've been using it a while.