How to create bootable media

To enable creating physical media, the machine must have a CD/DVD recording drive or allow a flash drive to be attached. To enable PXE or WDS/RIS configuration, the machine must have a network connection. Bootable Media Builder can also create an ISO image of a bootable disk to burn it later on a blank disk. 

  Linux-based bootable media

Start the Bootable Media Builder either from the management console, by selecting Tools > Create Bootable Media or, as a separate component.

Select the way volumes and network resources will be handled—called the media style:

  • A media with Linux-style volume handling displays the volumes as, for example, hda1 and sdb2. It tries to reconstruct MD devices and logical (LVM) volumes before starting a recovery.
  • A media with Windows-style volume handling displays the volumes as, for example, C: and D:. It provides access to dynamic (LDM) volumes.

The wizard will guide you through the necessary operations. Please refer to Linux-based bootable media for details. 

  PE-based bootable media

Acronis Plug-in for WinPE can be added to WinPE distributions based on any of the following kernels:

  • Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 (PE 1.5)
  • Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (PE 1.6)
  • Windows Vista (PE 2.0)
  • Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 (PE 2.1)
  • Windows 7 (PE 3.0)

If you already have media with PE1.x distribution, unpack the media ISO to a local folder and start the Bootable Media Builder either from the management console, by selecting Tools > Create Bootable Media or, as a separate component. The wizard will guide you through the necessary operations. Please refer to Adding the Acronis Plug-in to WinPE 1.x for details.

To be able to create or modify PE 2.x or 3.0 images, install Bootable Media Builder on a machine where Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) is installed. The further operations are described in the Adding the Acronis Plug-in to WinPE 2.x or 3.0 section.

If you do not have a machine with WAIK, prepare as follows:

  1. Download and install Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).

    Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows Vista (PE 2.0):

    http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C7D4BC6D-15F3-4284-9123-679830D629F2&displaylang=en

    Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 (PE 2.1):

    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en

    Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 (PE 3.0):

    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=696DD665-9F76-4177-A811-39C26D3B3B34&displaylang=en

    You can find system requirements for installation by following the above links.

  2. [optional] Burn the WAIK to DVD or copy to a flash drive.
  3. Install the Microsoft .NET Framework v.2.0 from this kit (NETFXx86 or NETFXx64, depending on your hardware.)
  4. Install Microsoft Core XML (MSXML) 5.0 or 6.0 Parser from this kit.
  5. Install Windows AIK from this kit.
  6. Install Bootable Media Builder on the same machine.

It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the help documentation supplied with Windows AIK. To access the documentation, select Microsoft Windows AIK -> Documentation from the start menu. 

  Using Bart PE

You can create a Bart PE image with Acronis Plug-in using the Bart PE Builder. Please refer to Building Bart PE with Acronis Plug-in from Windows distribution for details.

How to create bootable media