Creating the Boot Disk

• An MS-DOS boot disk is designed to allow a computer user to boot from a diskette rather than the hard drive when problems make it impossible to boot the normal way. A boot disk must be created before it can be used and the instructions will vary depending upon the operating system that is being used. The way the MS-DOS boot disk actually works is mainly by creating what is known as a RAM (Random Access Memory) disk that temporary stores information necessary for the process of booting the computer. Clink on the link below located in the resource section for complete instructions.
  
  

Inserting the Boot Disk

• The boot disk should be placed into the computer in write-protect mode just in case the problem with the computer is related to a virus. Failure to place the disk into write-protect mode can lead the virus being copied to the boot disk. The disk also needs to be inserted into the exterior drive prior to turning the computer on. As the computer comes on, it reads from the disk first and will focus solely on accessing the files necessary to get the computer working again, while also making an attempt to fix the problems that caused the computer to break down in the first place.
  
  

Removal of the Boot Disk

• The boot disk is an invaluable creation for when the computer won't boot from the hard drive, but it is important to remember that the computer will continually reboot from the disk as long it remains inside the drive. It can be easy to forget to remove the boot disk, and the next time a reboot takes place, it will look as though the computer is having yet another problem. A boot disk can be made using a traditional floppy disk or a USB travel drive.