i have a backed up copy of windows xp with custom theme ( i am not sponsoring any piracy. ) but i dont have any blank cd's.. so i burnt the iso to a blank DVD.. do you think its safe to reboot+reformat computer with it and reinstall windows safely? i burnt at low speed to sonydvd-r
do you know if your dvd will read an error? Personally i wouldnt try (unless you have windows Xp OS CD). If you want a clean install of windows Xp do a destructive system restore then just install your custom theme afterwards...
use the free "virtualbox", that's what I use to test linux cd's, but it will work with xp/vista etc. You install the program then create a small virtual partition file about 2gb. Next virtualbox will mount this virtual partition, insert your cd in the cdrom and virtualbox will start installing that os onto the virtual partition including rebooting the virtual computer like a real computer.
You can test bootcd's etc in virtualbox, without rebooting your real computer. Very useful program for testing cd's or dvd's. And the price is great.
You already have your ISO on a dvd so it should be bootable, you shouldn't have to burn a cd. After you install virtualbox (a 20mb download). Create a virtual partition (about 3gb depending on the size of the OS you want to install in it). You would then mount this virtual drive in virtualbox make sure you have it set to recognize your dvdrom. Once you load your dvd it will start installing into the virtualbox partition. Once it is installed it will run like a regular windows installation, you will be able to check how it will look and operate it before you install it on your real computer, you can even make it fullscreen. If the dvd isn't recognize or won't load under virtualbox, then there is something wrong with your dvd (either it isn't bootable etc).
Download the one that says windows host. Your real computer will act as the host OS, any OS you install in virtualbox will be a guest. The program is fairly easy to use I was installing an OS on it in less than 30 minutes after I installed the program. I think this is the best and safest way to test your dvd, to see it will install on a computer with no problems.
