You could install an operating system using a memory stick and a free program from microsoft called windows 7 usb installation tool (will work for any iso file). Or you can run the OS inside another OS. For example you could run Ubuntu inside Windows 7. using a program called virtual box, which is also free.
The installation CD of the new OS should be bootable. Boot the computer with the disc in, and choose to install the OS. It should give you an option to clean install, and format.
Download an ISO of the Mac OS CD, and then burn that ISO with Nero to the CD. It will be an exact copy of that disc. If the ISO was copied from a bootable CD then the copy you burn will be bootable.
The most common bootable device around is the hard drive. That is if its formatted.So lets say you have a clean hard drive with nothing on it. Well get to your nearest computer and format it and install a new OS on the hard drive.You dont have to buy expensive ones since there are many free OS like Ubuntu or Fedora etc etc.all you have to do is format a CD to install the OS image and install it in your hard drive.Also a CD and a DVD disc can be bootable even a portable USB all you have to do is format them so they can be able to boot.
What are you trying to accomplish with it? Do you want a bootable CD to run an instance of XP as in an operating system? or do you want to re-install XP? Bart PE is a CD you can use to give you a very light version of an XP OS but it's only to fix or test programs with in an evironment. Its really a tool to help repair a pre existing installation. (you need a real product key to create a custom Bart PE CD) If you want to re-install the XP OS on a hard drive, legitimate XP CD's are already bootable.
you need a bootable OS nstallation CD.
You can such programs as PowerIso, UltraIso and if you want to create Os bootable CD you can use nLite for (2000, XP) and vLite for (Vista) OSes.
An OS CD is a disc that contains the Operating System and from which you can install a fresh copy of the OS onto your computer. A modern OS is likely to come on a DVD rather than a CD.
insert CD and follow the instructions
Windows 7 and Windows XP are operating systems. You cannot format operating systems. But you can format your hard disk or hard drive. You can use Windows XP bootable CD to format HDD, but you will have to use Windows 7 Bootable Installation disk to install OS on your formatted drive.
If your OS is located at C: drive then you will have to use a bootable floppy or CD. After booting from floppy or CD,you can go to command prompt and them type format C: And if your OS is not located at C then you can do that while running windows xp.
Re-install OS using the Install CD bundled with the laptop.
It sounds like you're asking how to boot a Vista PC into MS-DOS. You'll need to create a bootable MS-DOS CD. If you search on the Internet for "bootable MS-DOS CD", then you'll find instructions on how to do that.