Backup & restore Bootable Diskettes?

Are there any downloadable utilities which will copy bootable diskettes to a hard drive and later create new diskettes? Preferably free utilities. I am broke right now.

Aside from Windows startup diskettes, several of my applications create bootable rescue diskettes. I would like to backup all my bootable diskettes to a CD.

I also intend to create a Cd which archives all the DOS & Win3.x software I have. It seems a shame to just trash all those diskettes.

BTW: Considering the lack of modern programming tools, some of the old DOS software was incredible.

The better DOS software requires obsolete (but pretty good) ISA Graphics Controllers. I have not had a Motherboard with an ISA slot for a few years now. Many excellent applications will not run using more than 16 colors on a modern system. I suspect that most DOS software will not run at all on soon to be built systems.

I might buy or build a system with an ISA-Slot motherboard and play with some of the old DOS software. Has anybody been doing this? I think such motherboards are still available.

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Originally posted by Guv
Are there any downloadable utilities which will copy bootable diskettes to a hard drive and later create new diskettes? Preferably free utilities. I am broke right now.

Aside from Windows startup diskettes, several of my applications create bootable rescue diskettes. I would like to backup all my bootable diskettes to a CD.

I also intend to create a Cd which archives all the DOS & Win3.x software I have. It seems a shame to just trash all those diskettes.

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Hello Guv,
You need undisker to make your bootable images http://www.undisker.com/ . You could try VMWare for emulation of legacy PC hardware - I find that you can set it up to emulate a good range of 386+ environments.

A lot of the old DOS software is freely downloadable from the web as abandonware too.

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BTW: Considering the lack of modern programming tools, some of the old DOS software was incredible.

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The wonderful thing about 8-bit and DOS micros compared with time sharing minicomputers and mainframes (and Windows) was that because they were not multitasking you got an excellent real-time response that. Now one is back to sharing the CPU (this time typically with some 'housekeeping' software) - even on an Athlon 2100 with a GB of RAM you can be sitting there tapping your fingers while the computer files it nails or somesuch thing. Ahh those were the days ;)

As for legacy machines and software - yes I keep legacy software and hardware in running condition back to the 286s and DOS 3.3. I'd send you a 386 (I've got a few here) but I think the mailing across the Atlantic would be a bit prohibative.

Kzin: Thanx for the info.

BTW: I am pretty sure that old ISA Motherboards and CPU chips are still available here in the colonies.

Most (probably all) versions of DOS will run on a modern system. I run DOS 6.22 on my multi-OS system, but the better graphics software cannot display more than 16 colors using modern graphic control cards. My Motherboard only has PCI & AGP slots, no ISA slots.

I am going to look for a transition motherboard with half ISA & half PCI slots. I used to have one that used a Pentium I or II CPU chip. Sorry I gave it away. I am sure that I can find some good DOS graphic control cards. I have a couple of 8 GB 7200 Hard disk which probably provide enough space for every DOS application ever written. It is incredible how small some of those programs were when you consider what they could do.

BTW: With all the memory and hard disk space available on a modern PC, it is a shame that each modern application does not install by merely copying everything into a directory dedicated to that application. I easily have enough disk space for several hundred redundant dll files. I hate haing so little knowledge of which files belong to what applications.

I've got a P-II mobo with 2 ISA and 3 PCI slots, with a P2-233MMX on board. The only problem is that you're going to have to use a USB keyboard if you want to use it, as we messed up the keyboard frame ground...

I'll bet you can find an oldie like this on eBay, if you want a bit more performance you can find some Celeron "A" mobos probably...

Motherboard:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...&category=3743

CPU:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...category=16181

Memory:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...&category=3690

I hope you find what you're looking for ;)

Oh, and Guv: I agree totally with the redundant DLLs thing. In the best world, each directory would have a symlink to the needed DLL in the system folder :)