Create an emergency boot CD

After referring to the article " When Windows XP or 2000 does not start ", I knew how to create an emergency boot floppy. However, in case the computer does not have a floppy drive, how should it be resolved?

An emergency boot CD (like the floppy disk shown in the above article) is capable of helping Windows work if the boot sector on the hard disk or Windows boot file has problems. This solution requires you to use the WinImage utility ($ 30, download a 30-day trial version at find.pcworld.com/49364).

After installing WinImage, open the Windows Explorer utility and check the Tool.Folder OptionsView.Show option for hidden files and folders. Next, uncheck the option Hide protected operating system files (Recommended), then click Yes, and then Apply. Leave the Folder Options dialog box open (because you will return later) and launch the WinImage utility. Next, choose File.New.144MB and click OK. Then continue to select Image.Boot sector properties, press the WinNT / 2K / XP button and finally OK.

At this point, select Image.Inject and move to your C: disk. Press and hold the Ctrl key and select the files boot.ini, NTDETECT.COM and ntldr (you may not be able to see the extensions of the files above, Figure 1). Next, click Open and then Yes. Select File, Save and name the file boot files. In the "Save as type" drop-down menu, select the Image file item (* .IMA) and click Save.

When you have completed the steps above, close the WinImage utility and return to the open Folder Options dialog box. Now, check the Hide ptotected operating system files (Recommended) option as well as Do not show hidden files and folders (if necessary) and finally click OK.

Finally, the job you need to do is create a bootable CD using an image file of a boot floppy by writing this boot file.ima to a CD.

Back up device drivers

Is there any way to back up all computer drivers on a CD?

The problem of backing up and updating once-installed device drivers is quite detailed in the article "Windows Rejuvenation" (ID: A0503_103). Two utilities Drivercopy, ID: 46290) and Driverback (, ID: 49366) can backup existing device drivers effectively.

Driverback executable file has the ability to copy the device's device drivers to a folder named "driverback" located in the My Documents folder. Then, copy the contents of this folder to a CD.

To reinstall the device drivers, you can use Device Manager or Add Hardware in Control Panel to open the Hardware Update Wizard. If the wizard does not automatically find the drivers on the CD, you need to indicate the CD reader when requested.

Protect files and folders

Copy pictures of the boot floppy to the emergency boot CD using the Winimage utility

The most effective method for password protection of important files and folders?

The Encryted File System (EFS) feature in Windows 2000 and Windows XP Pro enables files or folders to be accessed only when the user logs on to the computer using the same account used to encrypt the folder (or file believe) before. However, because EFS is tightly integrated with the NTFS file system, it only needs a simple error (such as forgetting the system access account, reinstalling the operating system or after using the Windows System Restore feature). can also help other "impartial" users look at your data or worse, you yourself cannot access your encrypted data.For more information about the EFS feature, please Re-refer to the "Security with EPS in Windows XP" series on June and July 2005 issues (ID: A0506_156 and A0507_142).

Besides, another way to secure files and folders is to use data encryption utility. Typically, the free utility Cryptainer LE (, ID: 47758) is capable of creating virtual disks with a maximum capacity of 25MB and encrypting data with Blowfish algorithm. Alternatively, you can choose the Cryptainer PE version ($ 45, find.pcworld.com/49372) that supports creating virtual disks to 25GB and using safer AES encryption algorithms.

Transparent text on the screen

I accidentally set up some settings in Windows and as a result all the names of the icons on the screen appear in a color block, not on the background of the screen. How can I reset screen mode like before?

Many people like to display the background color under the icon names while others want to hide them. To change this setting in Windows XP, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties, Advanced. In the Performance dialog box, click Settings and then check or uncheck the Use drop shadows for icon labels option on the desktop. Next, click Apply to see if you like the results. If you agree, press OK twice to finish.

No other version of Windows gives you this option. If you are using a different version of Windows and do not like the colored blocks below the icons' names, use Transparent (www.pcworld.com.vn, ID: 48076), a free utility that will help the screen's background color. The picture becomes transparent.

Bui Xuan Toai
PC World USA 12/2005