Experiments to obtain time‐resolved, soft‐x‐ray emission from laser‐driven plasmas are succinctly described. The spectra (0.19 keV ≤h&ngr; ≤ 1.3 keV) at various times have been deconvolved and energy integrated to obtain time‐resolved yields from Au disk targets. The temporal profiles of the total thermal x‐ray output power follow the overall laser temporal shape but do not show the high‐frequency fluctuation observed in the laser pulse. The behavior of the ratio of the instantaneous x‐ray yields over the laser absorption is studied. The studies were done at the LLNL Nova laser facility. Single pulses and pulses in ‘‘picket fence’’ configuration were used to heat the gold targets.