How to create a DOS bootable USB key

 

Your computer will need to support booting from a USB key for this procedure to work

Download a copy of the "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool". A copy can be found here. Download usbkeyboot.zip

Also download a copy of the windows system files. A copy can be found here. Download win98boot.zip

Insert your USB key into the USB port on your computer

Start the "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool"

Ensure that the device selected is your USB key

Select a File system of "FAT32"

Select "Create a DOS startup disk"

Then select "using DOS system files located at:" and click on the box with three dots on it

A "Browse for Folder" window will open, select the folder that contains the windows system files you downloaded previously and click "OK"

Finally click "Start" and then to the warning message click "Yes"

Your USB key will now be formatted and the DOS system files copied to it

Once finished you should have three files on the USB key, COMMAND.COM, IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS and your key will bootable

Copy any other files that you may need, there are a number of utilities in the win98boot.zip file you downloaded that you can copy onto the USB key, also you may want to copy firmware upgrade files onto the key if you are planning to upgrade the firmware on adapters i.e. Emulex HBA controllers.