Making bootable CD's

[John G. Heim]

You mean to boot from the CD, right?

I'm about as sure as I can be that there is no sure way.  I've studied this 
problem quite a bit. It's not entirely hopeless. But I think you're mostly 
SOL. What I mostly do is memorize the keystrokes needed to change the boot 
sequence. But it's really hard and doesn't work most of the time. Plus, you 
have to have sighted assistance the first time you change it in order to 
learn the keystrokes  in the first place.

Other options:

1. There is a device called a PC Weasel that replaces the video card in 
your computer and outputs via a serial port instead of a VGA port. You can 
then set up a serial console on another machine and get the boot screens 
including, in rare cases these days, the BIOS set up screens. I have one of 
these things and have occasionally been surprised to find it works with 
some newer machines.  In fact, these are usually more advanced machines 
intended as servers. Apparently, the idea is that they're more likely to 
boot if the BIOS setup sscreen doesn't require graphics. However, the 
device costs around$300 and seldom works for getting into the BIOS.

2. Some PCs have a BIOS setup option to output to the serial ports. This is 
so that the BIOS can be configured via a dumb terminal. Again, this is only 
on advanced machines intended to be used as servers. But with this option, 
you can set up a terminal emulator on a machine with speech. Of course, the 
problem is that the option may not be enabled by default so you have to get 
into the BIOS to configure it.

3. There are open source products that supposedly allow you to alter the 
boot sector on your HD to give you a hotkey to boot from the CD. I haven't 
had the guts to try any of them yet.   It would be slick if they worked 
though.  If you're interested in trying this, I would suggest google.



If you get option 3 figured out, you should let the rest of us know.





At 04:55 PM 10/23/2005, you wrote:
>Hi, anyone know of a way with out sited help to get a system to default
>to cd hard drive no floppy.  Slightly off topic here I know but I would
>really like to know of a way.
>
>jim grimsby
>msn: jim.grimsby at att.net
>email:  jimgrims at pacbell.net
>skype: jim.grimsby
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca
>[mailto:speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca] On Behalf Of doc
>Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 2:42 PM
>To: Rejean Proulx; Speakup is a screen review system for Linux.
>Subject: Re: Making bootable CD's
>
>
>THE SIMPLEST WAY IS TO TAKE A BOOTABLE FLOPPY AND BURN ITS INFORMATION
>ONTO A DISK. Many burner programs have a feature that walks you through
>making a bootable cd.
>   I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it robert Doc
>Wright http://www.wrightplaceinc.net msn godfearer15 at hotmail.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Rejean Proulx" <rejp at gta.igs.net>
>To: "Speakup" <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
>Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 7:13 AM
>Subject: Making bootable CD's
>
>
> > Hello Speakup,
> >
> > My latest kernel was too big for a diskette. Does anyone have
> > instructions for creating a bootable cd for dummies? I found some of
> > my old diskettes but they won't boot anymore. I haven't had much luck
> > at keeping diskettes and having them work after a couple of years when
>
> > you need them.
> >
> >                                  When I get my machine running again,
> >                                  I am determined to do it. I don't
> >                                  want to get caught like this again. I
> >                                  have a CD writer in my server, so it
> >                                  is just a matter of getting it set up
> >                                  and learning how to create a bootable
> >                                  cd.
> >
> >                                     --
> > Best regards,
> >  Rejean                          mailto:rejp at gta.igs.net
> > Skype id: rproulx
> > msn: rejean at interfree.ca
> >
> >
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>
>
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--
John G. Heim
jheim at math.wisc.edu
3-4189