Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
timeyoubootfromit,theproperdriversloadandautodetecttheopticaldrives,afterwhich
the drives are accessible. You can generate a Windows 98/Me startup disk on any system
running Windows 98 or Me. If you don't have access to a Windows 98 or Me system, you
can download an equivalent bootable floppy from
www.bootdisk.com
.
AfteryoubootfromaWindows98/Mefloppy,youseeamenuthataskswhetheryouwant
to boot with or without CD-ROM (and DVD) support. If you select yes, after the floppy
finishes loading, you should be able to read discs in the optical drive.
Using an optical drive that conforms to the ATAPI specification under Windows does not
require you to do anything. All the driver support for these drives is built into Windows
9x and later versions.
Bootable Optical Discs—El Torito
If your system BIOS is a version dated from 1998 or later, most likely it has “El Torito”
support,whichmeansitsupportsbootingfromabootableopticaldisc.TheElToritoname
comes from the Phoenix/IBM Bootable CD-ROM Format Specification, which was actu-
ally named after the El Torito restaurant located near the Phoenix Software offices where
thetwoengineerswhodevelopedthestandardatelunch.WhatElToritomeansforthePC
is the capability to boot from optical discs, which opens several possibilities, including
creating bootable rescue discs, booting from newer OS discs when installing to new sys-
tems, creating bootable diagnostics and test discs, and more.
To create a bootable optical disc, ideally you need a burning application that allows the
creation of bootable discs. Additionally, in some cases you need a bootable floppy that
contains the drivers to support your CD drive in DOS mode (sometimes called real-mode
drivers). The best source for these drivers (if needed) is a Windows 98 or Me startup
floppy, which can be generated by any Windows 98 or Me system. Windows 98/Me star-
tup disks can be used because these have the DOS-level CD-ROM support already con-
figured and installed. If you don't have access to such a system to generate the disk, you
can download one from
www.bootdisk.com
.
Tocreateabootabledisc,simplyfollowthedirectionsincludedwithyourburningapplica-
tion.ProgramssuchasNeroandRoxioMediaCreatormakethecreationofbootablediscs
relatively easy.
LightScribe and LabelFlash
There are two popular direct disc labeling systems, called LightScribe and LabelFlash.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) developed the LightScribe direct disc labeling system in 2005 as a
method for labeling CD (and later, DVD) discs without the need to print labels or use an
inkjet printer equipped to print on CD or DVD media.
