Boot disk
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A boot disk is a removable digital data storage medium, normally read-only, that can load (boot) an operating system or utility program.
Boot disks may create and use a RAM disk for temporary file storage, to eliminate the need to write to the fixed storage media of the computer where the boot disk is used.
Boot disks are used for:
- Operating system installation.
- Data recovery.
- Hardware or software troubleshooting.
- Customizing an operating environment.
- Software demonstration.
Floppy disks and CD-ROMs are the most common forms of media used, but other media, such as tape drives, zip drives and more recently, USB flash drives can be used. What can be booted depends on whether a computer's BIOS supports booting from that device. For example, some BIOSes do not support booting from a CD-ROM and require a boot floppy to run the software from the CD-ROM.
Booting from a disk
To boot from a disk you must first enter the computers BIOS. To enter the BIOS, restart your computer and press a function key. The function key to press is dependent on the kind of computer you have. On Hewlett Packards for example, it is generally F10. Once in the BIOS, find the booting order option, and change the order so that it will boot from a disk first. Exit the BIOS and it should boot from the disk.