How to Use a Windows 8 Install DVD to Check/Read/Copy Files on your PC Drive

Introduction

The following steps will take you to a window from which you can attempt to execute utility programs to help check on whatever can be found in your boot drive's MBR sector and following or various VBR (Volume Boot Record) and other sectors and also copy the data from those sectors to files for further analysis (either on the disk drive itself or a USB drive). Or, to simply back-up your MBR, VBR, etc. for later use. This is also a convenient way to look for any Boot Virus in your MBR (first sector on a disk drive) or VBR and following sectors when you do not have any other kind of bootable CD available.

Begin by making sure the PC will boot-up from your DVD, then proceed as these pictures show:

Pick your own language and keyboard settings, then CLICK on "Next"


CLICK on "Repair your computer"

CLICK on the "Troubleshoot" icon:


Then CLICK on "Advanced options" icon:


And finally CLICK on the "Command Prompt" icon:


Enter notepad at the Command Prompt:


When Notepad pops up, CLICK on "File" then "Open" :


At this point, if you have not yet done so, insert a USB drive that contains whatever utility program(s) you wish to try to run.
We have tested and known the HxD Disk Editor will run from and save files to a USB drive.

Change file type to: "All Files" and CLICK on "Computer" :


If no USB drive, look for programs on 'Local Disk (C:)' to run:


Here we open HxD from our USB drive
(RIGHT CLICK on a program and select "Run as administrator"):


NOTE: This will not work for all programs!
But it does for HxD, Calculator and even Process Explorer!
(What does, what doesn't? Let us know.)

Opening a Hard Disk drive in HxD:

You could close Notepad now and use only the program.

First Published: May 19, 2015 (19.05.2015)

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