Vista, no format /s option, what to do?

[ashmedai]

How do I make a blank hard drive bootable if I'm running Vista? Some genius at MS apparently removed the /s switch from format...

Oddly, I can make a bootable USB key easily enough (HP utility + Win 98 boot disk files).

Yeah, my google-fu is weak today. But I have a lot to do (end of term in a couple weeks!) and hopefully someone knows already.

 

[houkouonchi]

I thought the whole format /s was just for a dos bootable disk anyway? Just make sure the partition is set to bootable and it should boot.

 

[ashmedai]

I thought the whole format /s was just for a dos bootable disk anyway?

Yes.

IIRC there's a bit more to it than just copying the boot files. I forget what and how though. Haven't had to do this in ages, and Vista stole my usual tool.

 

[AreEss]

Is there a "sys" utility? (No. I don't use or have a Vista system. Only a Windows 7 system.)

Typically, I would do a full format, then "sys A:" - does the same as format /s. Just without the format.

 

[ashmedai]

'sys' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

It's sounding more and more like Win 7 will actually be worth migrating to...

 

[aamsel]

The SYS command has not been available since Windows 98. There is zero reason to believe that Windows 7 will support it.