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Create boot media

Boot media let you start any computer with O&O BlueCon, even when its Windows no longer starts. You create them on a working PC with the media creator.

Prerequisites:

  • O&O BlueCon is installed and licensed (Install and activate).
  • Internet access, so that the current Windows recovery environment and the downloaded programs can be fetched.
  • For a USB drive: a drive whose contents you no longer need.

Choose the target medium​

Target mediumUse
Removable driveBoot USB drive for computers with BIOS or UEFI firmware. The recommended choice.
ISO imageFile for burning a CD or DVD with a burning program, or for starting a virtual machine.
WIM imageWindows image file of the recovery environment, for your own boot infrastructure.

Create the boot media​

  1. Start O&O BlueCon.
  2. Click Create a bootable medium to use the application.
  3. If the license window appears, enter the license and click Apply.
  4. In Select the target medium, choose the Target medium.
    • A USB hard disk or SSD is listed only when you select Show all drives.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. For an ISO or WIM image: choose the folder and file name, then click Save. For a USB drive: check the disk named in the confirmation, then click Erase disk.

The progress view shows the five phases Preparations, Integrate packages, Integrate drivers, Write settings and Create media. The first time, downloading the recovery environment takes longer; later builds reuse it.

The whole disk is erased

When you write to a USB drive, the whole disk is erased, including all its partitions – not only the drive letter shown.

Result​

The media creator reports Successfully created!. A USB drive has the volume label OOBC and starts on computers with BIOS and with UEFI firmware.

If it reports Failed to create!, see Troubleshooting.

What the boot media contain​

  • The O&O BlueCon recovery environment and the programs of your license
  • All drivers of the PC that creates the media, so that the boot media also work on similar hardware
  • German if the media creator shows German, otherwise English

To leave out drivers or optional programs, use the expert mode, see Choose drivers and programs.

Keep the media up to date

Boot media are not updated automatically. Create them again after installing a new O&O BlueCon version, and when you need drivers for new hardware.

Next steps​