How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE?

truthseeker · 02-20-2008, 03:46 PM

Hello,

Is there a way I can boot Vista into DOS MODE without having Windows run at all?

Thanks

**sobeit** · 02-20-2008, 03:50 PM

you can download a dos boot disk from bootdisk.com.

truthseeker · 02-20-2008, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobeit666

you can download a dos boot disk from bootdisk.com.

I dont have a floppy drive. I only have DVD drive and HDD.

Isnt there a way to boot vista into DOS by pressing some F key combo?

**sobeit** · 02-20-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truthseeker

I dont have a floppy drive. I only have DVD drive and HDD.

Isnt there a way to boot vista into DOS by pressing some F key combo?

nope, vista does not have dos. It does have a command prompt but its not dos. Just type command in the run box.

truthseeker · 02-20-2008, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobeit666

nope, vista does not have dos. It does have a command prompt but its not dos. Just type command in the run box.

That is a waste of time, as the swapfile cannot be securely erased this way as command is run from withing windows. I need to boot into DOS before windows loads.

Im using Eraser, and I need to boot Vista into DOS somehow so I can run their DOS based program callled eraserd.exe that securely wipes my swapfile.

Any suggestions how I can boot into DOS to do this?\\

P.S Using BCwipe etc which claims to wipe swapfile in windows is not a secure way to wipe it, so I need to boot to DOS somehow. NOTICE the word "boot", not running Dos from windows typing "command".

**sobeit** · 02-20-2008, 04:32 PM

you can try a win98 bootdisk. It was the last to have a version of dos. or you can use the ultimate boot cd.

truthseeker · 02-20-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobeit666

you can try a win98 bootdisk. It was the last to have a version of dos. or you can use the ultimate boot cd.

Doesnt look like ultimate boot cd allows a person to boot into DOS.

Any other ideas?

slightlines · 05-29-2008, 05:25 PM

Doesn't Eraser have an option to securely delete the contents of the swapfile upon restart?
I believe it works like chkdsk, in that it accomplishes the task while the machine is booting into Windows.
I haven't tried it on Vista yet, but it works on W2K.
...at least, Eraser 5.6 did.

**jcgriff2** · 05-29-2008, 05:43 PM

If I may ask... whay do you want to "wipe' the swap file?

Why not just turn Virtual Memory to... OFF?

This would get rid of the page file... assuming your system has enough RAM to support the programs that fire at boot-up. What about "trimming" such programs via HJT ... or even SysInternals Autoruns?

Just a thought here... may be I am missing something obvious.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

MusicMan374 · 05-29-2008, 06:15 PM

Google DOS Boot Disk ISO file. ISO is a CD image file, so it will make a cd a dos start-up disk.

**jcgriff2** · 05-29-2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truthseeker

Hello,

Is there a way I can boot Vista into DOS MODE without having Windows run at all?

Thanks

Hi again Truthseeker,

May be I just missed all here... but looking back at your opening statement a question now comes to mind...

Do you want to simply boot into DOS and nothing else? What do you mean by "boot Vista.."? Are you speaking of the x86 or x64 hardware?

I guess that I am just not clear on the original issue at this time. Apologies.

Thanks...

jcgriff2 (JC)

**sobeit** · 05-30-2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobeit

you can try a win98 bootdisk. It was the last to have a version of dos. or you can use the ultimate boot cd.

oops, somehow I missed this reply, ultimate boot disk does boot to dos.

truthseeker · 05-31-2008, 01:00 AM

I wanted to boot into DOS to do a proper file wipe of the Vista swap file called "pagefile.sys".

Eraser comes with a proper pagefile.sys program, but it needs to be run from pure DOS.

**jcgriff2** · 05-31-2008, 01:06 AM

Hi. . .

By a "file wipe" do you mean to delete it?

JC

02-20-2008, 03:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
truthseeker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 405 OS: Vista	How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? Hello, Is there a way I can boot Vista into DOS MODE without having Windows run at all? Thanks

02-20-2008, 03:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? you can download a dos boot disk from bootdisk.com. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age

02-20-2008, 04:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? you can try a win98 bootdisk. It was the last to have a version of dos. or you can use the ultimate boot cd. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age

05-29-2008, 05:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
slightlines Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1 OS: Vista Home Premium (SP1)	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? Doesn't Eraser have an option to securely delete the contents of the swapfile upon restart? I believe it works like chkdsk, in that it accomplishes the task while the machine is booting into Windows. I haven't tried it on Vista yet, but it works on W2K. ...at least, Eraser 5.6 did.

05-29-2008, 05:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
jcgriff2 Moderator, Microsoft Supp Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Great State of New Jersey - away from the gross corruption of the Riverside County, CA, SO office. SHAMEFUL ! Posts: 10,137 OS: Windows 7, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? If I may ask... whay do you want to "wipe' the swap file? Why not just turn Virtual Memory to... OFF? This would get rid of the page file... assuming your system has enough RAM to support the programs that fire at boot-up. What about "trimming" such programs via HJT ... or even SysInternals Autoruns? Just a thought here... may be I am missing something obvious. Regards. . . jcgriff2 __________________ . . . . . . . . BSOD Posting Instructions B Expecting a reply and waiting > 36 hours ? Send a PM to me containing a link to your thread Glad to be home in the Great State of New Jersey ! !

05-29-2008, 06:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
MusicMan374 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 212 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x86 My System	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? Google DOS Boot Disk ISO file. ISO is a CD image file, so it will make a cd a dos start-up disk.

05-31-2008, 01:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
truthseeker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 405 OS: Vista	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? I wanted to boot into DOS to do a proper file wipe of the Vista swap file called "pagefile.sys". Eraser comes with a proper pagefile.sys program, but it needs to be run from pure DOS.

05-31-2008, 01:06 AM	#14 (permalink)
jcgriff2 Moderator, Microsoft Supp Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Great State of New Jersey - away from the gross corruption of the Riverside County, CA, SO office. SHAMEFUL ! Posts: 10,137 OS: Windows 7, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: How can I boot Vista in DOS MODE? Hi. . . By a "file wipe" do you mean to delete it? JC __________________ . . . . . . . . BSOD Posting Instructions B Expecting a reply and waiting > 36 hours ? Send a PM to me containing a link to your thread Glad to be home in the Great State of New Jersey ! !