How to Create Bootable DOS USB Disk in Windows 8/8.1
Gone are the days when people used to have floppy disks for installing legacy applications. You don’t really need to utilize your DVD ROM or Floppy Drive now for installing Operating Systems and updates. The problems of installing Windows from damaged floppy drives or DVDs are over now. Bootable DOS USB provides these features with great convenience. However, Windows 7, 8, 8.1 don’t offer the provision of creating bootable DOS USB by default while formatting. These operating systems only provide an option for floppy disks. You will be required to use the third party applications in order to make bootable DOS USB in Windows 8, 8.1.
Rufus will be used as a third party tool for creating DOS bootable USB in Windows 7, 8, 8.1. You will be required to copy the other needed files for the real purpose in pretty much the same fashion as BIOS update files.
Here is the complete procedure for Windows OS that has “Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk” option disabled.
You need to download Rufus from its official site. It’s a small and free tool. You don’t need to install it as it is just plug and play tool with your USB.
It automatically detects the USB. You must keep in mind that all existing data on USB will be deleted.
Rufus is accompanied with free DOS OS, so you will not be required to download your own DOS. In order to create a simple bootable USB disk in Windows 8/8.1, just select “FreeDOS” .
If you want to create bootable disk of MS-DOS, you need to select the MS-DOS version. However, you will require MS-DOS image file for that. It can be easily downloaded from here. Once you have downloaded the file, browse the ISO file while formatting the USB as follows.
Once you have formatted the disk, it can be made bootable very easily in FreeDOS OS. Now you need to copy other files (BIOS update or some other DOS based programs) to a USB drive by using Windows explorer and start using it immediately. We hope that after this tutorial, you will have the idea on how to create bootable DOS USB disk in Windows 8/8,1. Let us know in the comments whether it worked or not.
