How to Create a Bootable Disk With Nero 7 Essentials (16 Steps)

By Terry Parker

It's easy to create a bootable image file with the right tools.
i floppy disk image by Randy McKown from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

Nero 7 Essentials is a CD and DVD burning utility that provides options for burning music, video and data to disks. Though the process is not obvious, you can also create a bootable disk for Windows 7 and Vista using the burning utility. Both Windows 7 and Vista operating system installation disks contain a “.com” file that will enable you to create a bootable DVD with just a blank disk and the burning application.

Step 1

Copy the file named “etfsboot.com” from the installation source disk into a folder on the hard drive. The “etfsboot.com” file is the bootable image that is provided with both the Windows 7 and Vista operating system installation disks. Copy any additional files you may need to include on the bootable disk into the folder.

Step 2

Click Start and then click the “Nero 7 Essentials” program. A context menu opens.

Step 3

Click the “Data” option and then click “Data DVD.”

Step 4

Click the “DVD Rom (Boot)” option in the left panel.

Step 5

Click the tab labeled “Boot.”

Step 6

Click the radio button next to the “Image File” option.

Step 7

Click the “Browse” button. A file selector opens. Navigate to and click on the “etfsboot.com” file.

Step 8

Check the check box next to “Enable Expert Settings” in the “Advanced” section.

Step 9

Click the “Kind of Emulation” drop-down box and select “No Emulation.”

Step 10

Type “8“ in the “Number of Loaded Sectors” input box.

Step 11

Click the “ISO” tab and then click the “File Name Length (ISO)” option. Select the “Max. of 31 chars (Level 2)” option.

Step 12

Click the “Label” tab and type the desired label for the bootable disk.

Step 13

Click the “Burn” tab and check the check box next to “Finalize Disk (No Further Writing Possible)” option.

Step 14

Insert the blank DVD into the CD/DVD burner.

Step 15

Drag any additional files in the folder to the bootable DVD in Nero. Drop the files into the compilation.

Step 16

Click the “Burn” button. The bootable disk is created.

×