diff --git a/scripts/create-disk.sh b/scripts/create-disk.sh
index e739a6f..dc89e50 100755
--- a/scripts/create-disk.sh
+++ b/scripts/create-disk.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
 
 # Copyright (C) 2025 Elaina Claus
 # 
@@ -15,244 +16,138 @@
 #     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #     along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-if ! [ $(id -u) = 0 ]; then
-   echo "Script must be run as root!" >&2
-   exit 1
-fi
-
 # paths to bootcode
 mbr_file=build/mbr.bin
 vbr_file=build/vbr.bin
 stage2_file=build/stage2.bin
 boottest_file=build/BOOTi686.bin
 
-
 # Disk creation options
-mount_point=/tmp/stevia_disk
-disk_tmp_file=/tmp/disk.img
-disk_file_final=./disk.img.gz
+disk_img=/tmp/disk.img
+disk_img_final=build/disk.img.gz
+part_img=/tmp/part.img
 
 # $disk_sector_size * $disk_size = total bytes, default is 256MiB
-disk_size=(524288 * 2)
+disk_sectors=(524288 * 2)
 disk_sector_size=512
+part_start=2048
+part_sectors=$((disk_sectors - part_start))
 
-if ! [ -e $disk_tmp_file ]; then
+#
+# Build sanity section
+#
+
+echo "*** Performing pre-build sanity checks ***"
+
+# Tools needed:
+#   sfdisk dosfstools (mkfs.fat), mtools (mcopy,mmd), gzip, dd, truncate, awk
+for t in mcopy mmd gzip dd truncate awk; do
+  command -v "$t" >/dev/null || { echo "Missing tool: $t" >&2; exit 1; }
+done
+
+# these are normally in the sbin paths so I've had issues detecting them with command -v
+SF=$(command -v sfdisk || echo /usr/sbin/sfdisk)
+MKFS=$(command -v mkfs.fat || echo /usr/sbin/mkfs.fat)
+
+[[ -x "$SF" ]] || { echo "sfdisk not found"; exit 1; }
+[[ -x "$MKFS" ]] || { echo "mkfs.fat not found"; exit 1; }
+
+# check that required build files exist
+for f in "$mbr_file" "$vbr_file" "$stage2_file" "$boottest_file"; do
+  [[ -f "$f" ]] || { echo "missing $f" >&2; exit 1; }
+done
+
+cat > /tmp/pt.sfdisk <<EOF
+label: dos
+unit: sectors
+sector-size: $disk_sector_size
+label-id: 0xd0k1d0k1
+
+start=$part_start, size=$((disk_sectors - part_start)), type=c, bootable
+EOF
+
+#
+# Create disk images
+#
+
+echo "[1/7] Create disk.img and part.img"
+
+if ! [ -e "$disk_img" ]; then
     # create raw disk image
-    if ! dd if=/dev/zero of=$disk_tmp_file bs=$disk_sector_size count=$disk_size; then
+    if ! truncate -s $((disk_sectors * disk_sector_size)) "$disk_img"; then
         echo "Failed creating blank disk image." >&2
         exit 1
     fi
     sync
 else
     echo "Removing old disk image..."
-    rm -rfv $disk_tmp_file
-    if ! dd if=/dev/zero of=$disk_tmp_file bs=$disk_sector_size count=$disk_size; then
+    rm -rfv "$disk_img"
+    if ! truncate -s $((disk_sectors * disk_sector_size)) "$disk_img"; then
         echo "Failed creating blank disk image." >&2
         exit 1
     fi
     sync
 fi
 
-if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "linux-gnu"* ]]; then
-        if [ -e $mbr_file ] && [ -e $vbr_file ]; then
-        # get next loop device and mount it
-        ld=$(losetup -f)
-        losetup -P -b 512 $ld $disk_tmp_file
-
-        # create a DOS disk, with 1 FAT32 partition that is bootable, part1 starts at sector 2048
-        sfdisk $ld < scripts/loop_setup.sfdisk
-
-        # get first partition, this is sloppy might need to review this...
-        firstpart=$(lsblk -ilp -o NAME $ld | tr '\n' ' ' | awk '{print $3}')
-        mkfs.fat -v -F32 -s 1 -n 'STEVIAFS' $firstpart
-
-        #
-        # MBR setup
-        #
-
-        # copy MBR while preserving partition table
-        if ! dd if=$mbr_file of=$ld bs=1 count=440; then
-            echo "Failed to write MBR to disk. (part 1)" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        # copy MBR 0xAA55
-        if ! dd if=$mbr_file of=$ld bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2; then
-            echo "Failed to write MBR to disk. (part 2)" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        #
-        # VBR Setup & backup VBR
-        # 
-
-        # copy VBR to partition 1 while preserving partition information
-        # copy jmp short entry; nop
-        if ! dd if=$vbr_file of=$firstpart bs=1 count=3; then
-            echo "Failed to write VBR to disk. (part 1)" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-        # copy bootcode
-        if ! dd if=$vbr_file of=$firstpart bs=1 seek=90 skip=90 count=420; then
-            echo "Failed to write VBR to disk. (part 2)" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-        # copy 0xAA55
-        if ! dd if=$vbr_file of=$firstpart bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2; then
-            echo "Failed to write VBR to disk. (part 3)" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        # write backup VBR
-        if ! dd if=$firstpart of=$firstpart bs=$disk_sector_size count=1 seek=6; then
-            echo "Failed to copy VBR (sector 1) to backup VBR." >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-
-        #
-        # Stage2 Setup
-        #
-
-        #stage2 to sectors 1-64
-        if ! dd if=$stage2_file of=$ld bs=$disk_sector_size seek=1; then
-            echo "Failed to write Stage2 to disk." >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        # copy boot32 boot test file to disk image
-        if ! [ -e $mount_point ]; then
-            mkdir $mount_point
-        fi
-        mount $firstpart $mount_point
-
-        # ensure mountpoint is actually a mountpoint
-        if ! mountpoint -q $mount_point; then
-            echo "Failed to mount partition at $mount_point." >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        # copy kernel to filesystem 
-        if [ -e $boottest_file ]; then
-            cp -v $boottest_file $mount_point/BOOT.BIN
-        else
-            echo "Failed to write $boottest_file to disk image" >&2
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        #
-        # Final Cleanup
-        #
-
-        # detach loop device
-        umount $mount_point
-        sync
-        sleep 1
-        losetup -d $ld
-
-        # chown to the real user to prevent issues with reading/writing the file later
-        # BUG: ${logname}:$(id $(logname -g)) doesn't work right on WSL because of runlevel hacks in WSL
-        # BUG: https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/1761
-        # as a work around I'll just reference LICENSE.md...WHICH SHOULD ALWAYS BE THERE 👀
-        chown --from=root:root --reference=LICENSE.md $disk_tmp_file
-
-    else
-        echo "unable to find MBR/VBR binaries!" >&2
+if ! [ -e "$part_img" ]; then
+    # create raw partition disk image
+    if ! truncate -s $((part_sectors * disk_sector_size)) "$part_img"; then
+        echo "Failed creating blank partition image." >&2
         exit 1
     fi
+    sync
+else
+    echo "Removing old (partition) disk image..."
+    rm -rfv "$part_img"
+    if ! truncate -s $((part_sectors * disk_sector_size)) "$part_img"; then
+        echo "Failed creating blank partition image." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sync
+fi
+
+
+if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "linux-gnu"* ]]; then
+        echo "[2/7] Write DOS partition table (single FAT32 LBA @ 2048)"
+        "$SF" --no-reread "$disk_img" < /tmp/pt.sfdisk
+
+        echo "[3/7] Make FAT32 filesystem in partition image"
+        "$MKFS" -v -F32 -s 1 -n 'STEVIAFS' "$part_img"
+
+        echo "[4/7] Patch VBR inside partition image (preserve BPB)"
+
+        # copy jmp short entry; nop
+        dd if=$vbr_file of="$part_img" bs=1 count=3 conv=notrunc
+        # copy bootcode
+        dd if=$vbr_file of="$part_img" bs=1 seek=90 skip=90 count=420 conv=notrunc
+        # copy signature (should be 0xAA55)
+        dd if=$vbr_file of="$part_img" bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2 conv=notrunc
+
+        # copy backup VBR within the created partition image
+        # Linux dosfstools will complain (read: not work) unless this is done it seems
+        # HACK: sector 6 is the **default** location of the BPB_BkBootSec, it **can** be different.
+        dd if="$part_img" of="$part_img" bs=$disk_sector_size count=1 seek=6 conv=notrunc
+
+        echo "[5/7] Copy boot payload to FAT32 filesystem using mtools as BOOT.BIN"
+        mcopy -i "$part_img" "$boottest_file" ::/BOOT.BIN
+
+        echo "[6/7] Patch MBR and install stage2 loader to disk image"
+        # patch MBR+signature while preserving partition table
+        dd if="$mbr_file" of="$disk_img" bs=1 count=440 conv=notrunc
+        dd if="$mbr_file" of="$disk_img" bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2 conv=notrunc
+
+        # copy stage2 to absolute LBA 1
+        dd if="$stage2_file" of="$disk_img" bs=$disk_sector_size seek=1 conv=notrunc
+
+        echo "[7/7] Assembling final disk image"
+
+        # place partition at it's place in the disk image
+        dd if="$part_img" of="$disk_img" bs=$disk_sector_size seek=$part_start conv=notrunc
+        gzip -9c "$disk_img" > "$disk_img_final"
+
 # requires util-linux from homebrew
 elif [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
-        sfdisk_path="/usr/local/opt/util-linux/sbin/sfdisk"
-        if [ -e $mbr_file ] && [ -e $vbr_file ]; then
-        # use hdiutil to attach our empty disk image
-        ld_path_raw=$(hdiutil attach -readwrite -imagekey diskimage-class=CRawDiskImage -nomount -blocksize 512 -noverify /tmp/disk.img)
-        ld=$(echo $ld_path_raw | sed s:/dev/::)
-        ld_path="/dev/$ld"
-
-        # create a DOS disk, with 1 FAT32 partition
-        if ! [ -e $sfdisk_path ]; then
-            echo "sfdisk utility was not found...We cannot use diskutil to make disks due to the fact that it only makes Hybrid MBR's & GPT disks...blame Apple"
-            exit 4
-        else
-            $sfdisk_path $ld_path < scripts/loop_setup.sfdisk
-        fi
-
-        # give stuff a chance to settle, macOS has problems here
-        sync
-        sleep .5
-
-        # reattch the raw image file since macOS doesn't have a partprobe...
-        # this is the only way I know to get macOS to reprobe the disk
-        hdiutil eject $ld
-        unset ld_path
-        unset ld
-        unset ld_path_raw
-
-        ld_path_raw=$(hdiutil attach -readwrite -imagekey diskimage-class=CRawDiskImage -nomount -blocksize 512 -noverify /tmp/disk.img)
-        ld=$(echo $ld_path_raw | grep "FDisk_partition_scheme" | awk '{print $1}' | sed s:/dev/::)
-        ld_path="/dev/$ld"
-
-        if ! [ -b /dev/$ld ]; then
-            echo "Unable to remount disk! exitting before I do some damage!"
-            exit 5
-        fi
-
-        # get first partition and format as FAT32
-        firstpart=$(diskutil list $ld | grep 1: | awk '{print $6}')
-        firstpart_direct="r$firstpart"
-
-        newfs_msdos -F 32 /dev/$firstpart_direct
-        sync
-        
-        # copy MBR while preserving partition table
-        dd if=$mbr_file of=$ld_path bs=1 count=440 conv=sync
-        # copy MBR 0xAA55
-        dd if=$mbr_file of=$ld_path bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2 conv=sync
-
-        # copy VBR to partition 1 while preserving partition information
-        # copy jmp short entry; nop
-        dd if=$vbr_file of=/dev/$firstpart bs=1 count=3 conv=sync
-        # copy bootcode
-        dd if=$vbr_file of=/dev/$firstpart bs=1 seek=90 skip=90 count=420 conv=sync
-        # copy 0xAA55
-        dd if=$vbr_file of=/dev/$firstpart bs=1 seek=510 skip=510 count=2 conv=sync
-
-        #stage2 to sectors 1-64
-        dd if=$stage2_file of=$ld_path bs=$disk_sector_size seek=1 conv=sync
-
-        #sync pending dd stuff
-        sync
-
-        # copy boot32 boot test file to disk image
-        if ! [ -e $mount_point ]; then
-            mkdir $mount_point
-        else
-            echo "$mount_point exists! clearing contents..."
-            rm -rfv $mount_point
-            mkdir $mount_point
-        fi
-        mount -t msdos /dev/$firstpart $mount_point
-
-        if [ -e $boottest_file ]; then
-            cp -v $boottest_file $mount_point
-        else
-            echo "unable to find boot32.bin!"
-            exit 3
-        fi
-
-        # detach loop device
-        sync
-        umount /dev/$firstpart
-        hdiutil eject $ld
-
-        # chown to the real user to prevent issues with reading/writing the file later
-        SUDOUSER=$(logname)
-        chown ${SUDOUSER}:staff disk.img
-        gzip -9kc $disk_tmp_file > $disk_file_final
-    else
-        echo "unable to find MBR/VBR binaries!"
-        exit 2
-    fi
+        echo "[WIP]"
 else
         # Unknown.
         echo "Unknown OS type! Supported build hosts systems are GNU/Linux (WSL) and macOS."
diff --git a/scripts/loop_setup.sfdisk b/scripts/loop_setup.sfdisk
deleted file mode 100755
index 286180d..0000000
--- a/scripts/loop_setup.sfdisk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-label: dos
-unit: sectors
-sector-size: 512
-
-start=        2048, type=c, bootable