How to Create a BartPE Bootable CD Using PE Builder

BartPE bootable CD is an useful tool that comes with a complete Win32 environment. This can be used to rescue unbootable systems, recover files & settings and do much more. Bart’s PE Builder helps you build a BartPE bootable live Windows CD/DVD from the original Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Setup CD.

Creating the BartPE bootable CD

1. Download the latest version of PE Builder self-installing package from Bart’s site and run it. It extracts all the files to a folder (e.g. C:\pebuilder3110a) and creates a desktop shortcut to launch the PE Builder.

2. Insert your Windows XP/2003 CD into the drive.

3. Double-click the PE Builder desktop shortcut.

3. PE Builder will ask to search for windows installation files. Click Yes to have PE Builder search for the source files, or you may opt to type the path manually. You may also use a network location which contains the source files. For retail Windows XP CDs, the source path is <driveletter:>\i386.

Note that the source Windows XP CD should include Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher. If you have a pre-SP1 CD, then you must slipstream (integrate) SP1, SP2 or SP3 with it. To integrate a Service Pack, click the Source menu in PE Builder, and select Slipstream. Before that download the complete installation package of the Service Pack you wish to integrate. See How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack for Service Pack download links.

To Enable/Disable or add third-party Plugins (optional), click the Plugins button. Comprehensive list of third-party Plugins are available at BootCd.US Website.

4. After configuring the source and output paths, select the optical drive from the list of devices and then click the Build button.

CD Burn Errors

If you receive errors (e.g. CStarBurn_ScsiTransportSPTI::ExecuteCDB) when using the built-in CD burning tools StarBurn or CD-Record, then choose the Create ISO image option to write to an ISO file. You can then burn the ISO image to CD using the CD burning software that came with your system. If you don’t have one, you may download the free ISO Recorder PowerToy to write the ISO image to CD.

Starting BartPE

To start the BartPE boot environment, insert the BartPE bootable CD in the drive and start the computer. If the system does not boot from the CD, enter BIOS Setup and set CD drive as the first boot device. From the BartPE’s start menu ("Go" button), you can launch the Run Command, file manager, Command Prompt and other system tools. Also, you can launch the Registry Editor by running Regedit.exe from the System32 folder of BartPE boot CD, using the Command Prompt. (Illustration: How to edit the registry offline using BartPE boot CD.)

Copyright © 2008 Ramesh Srinivasan. All rights reserved.

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