How to create a Winpe 2.0(vista) with Explorer Enabled. Options

[unknwon]

Ok..I`ve been getting alot of request on how i`ve been able to get Explorer working on the New Winpe 2.0 images.

Well i`m going to list the steps i took in order to get it working.

First the test lab.
VirtualPC
Beyond Compare
Registrar Registry Manager
Registry Crawler
Ximage
OSCDIMG
Waik 5308

1. copy both boot.wim and install.wim from the beta CD to your local hard drive, ie d:\vistape\wim\
2. make two directories to contain the WIM images. ie d:\vistape\install\ and d:\vistape\test\
3. Apply the install.wim to one directory using the ximage, ie ximage /apply d:\vistape\wim\install.wim 1 d:\vistape\install
4 . Apply the boot.wim to the other directory using ximage, ie ximage /apply d:\vistape\wim\boot.wim 1 d:\vistape\test

5. Now the fun. Copy all *.exe, *.cpl, and *.msc files from d:\vistape\install\windows\system32 to d:\vistape\test\windows\system32. overwrite any files on test.
6. Copy all *.dll files except any that Start with NLS*.dll, from d:\vistape\install\windows\system32 to d:\vistape\test\windows\system32
7. Copy d:\vistape\install\program files\internet explorer to d:\vistape\test\program files\
8. Copy the following Directories from d:\vistape\install\windows\system32 to d:\vistape\test\windows\system32. 0409, catroot, catroot2, en, en-us. Overwrite any files that already exist.
9. Copy d:\vistape\install\windows\explorer.exe d:\vistape\test\windows\
10. Copy d:\vistape\install\windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE to d:\vistape\test\windows\system32\config
11. Using Regedit, Load hive, select d:\vistape\test\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM, pick a name for the Hive. ie soft
12. Open up Registrar Registry Manager, Select the hive you just imported, ie soft. Click search, enter in d:\. Click Search. After the search is done, select all the results, Click Replace enter x:\, click ok. This will replace most of the incorrect entries.
13. now open up Registry Crawler, Again search for d:\ in the local_machine key. Sort by Registry Key, Select all Keys that are part of the Hive, ie start with soft. Click Replace type in x:\ Click ok.

14. Now the Registry hacks to allow Explorer to Run.
15. Open up Regedit. goto the hive loaded earlier. ie soft, Hkey_LOCAL_MACHINE\soft\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Don`t load\ remove all entries

Hkey_LOCAL_MACHINE\soft\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\HideDesktopIcons remove all
entries

16. unload the Hive.
17. Close Regedit.
18. Now make the CD. you need to run ximage than oscdimg.

ximage /capture /compress max /boot d:\vistape\test d:\vistape\winpe\sources\boot.wim "test"
OSCDIMG.EXE -n -bd:\vistape\winpe\boot\etfsboot.com d:\vistape\winpe d:\vistape.iso

19. Now load the ISO with VirtualPC.
20 After the Winpeshl has finished, type explorer.exe

This process has been tested with both 5308 and 5365 betas. This is still a work in process..Most things are working, except the Stupid Start Menu...

UPDATE: Seems in my haste, i listed the wrong Hive file in step 10, should be Software HIVE. Sorry all..
Also i`ve included a file list of all files i have on the cd and the locations. Hope this helps.

This post has been edited by unknwon: May 8 2006, 07:16 AM

[allen2]

What is the iso size of this winpe 2.0 with explorer ?

[unknwon]

iso size is 360Megs. there`s alot of extra stuff that can be removed..

[hades1978]

Where can we get the files/tools in your words?

Can you give us the screenshot?

[irohit]

Unknown,

Thanks for putting down the steps to get the WinPE with the Explorers (Windows and Internet) enabled.

I followed the steps and came up with the ISO size of 275 MB and not 360 as you have mentioned. Then when I booted the image that created - I get an error - mpio.sys file is missing.

Right now I am going to add this file, I have tried a similar exercise before and got to a position where after adding crcdisk.sys - the WinPE image would just start rebooting. Do we have to cppy some drivers also from the install\windows\system32\drivers folder to the \test\windows\system32 folder including the inf files?

Also, in the step for the registry - you mention copying the SYSTEM hive under install\windows\system32\config and not the SOFTWARE hive - however in the editing steps you mention editing \HKLM\Soft\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel key which resides in SOFTWARE hive.

Thanks,
Rohit

[Daemonforce]

Thank you for the lesson on Ximage. Appending the image was a step that was kicking my a** for the past 3 months or so. Should be good for rebuilding now.

[unknwon]

i`m hoping that now that i`ve posted a working how to, that more people will start working on the new Winpe.

[Nuno Brito]

I'll surely get my hands on it now..


Thanks for posting your guide.

[irohit]

@Unknown

How do I see the list of files that you mention in the post above?

Thanks,
irohit

[scp]

You can get the Start Menu working... in Classic mode.
Just load system32\config\DEFAULT as hive in regedit, i.e. named as DEFAULT_PE. Then go under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\DEFAULT_PE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer sand find
or create a binary value named "ShellState". Change it to something like this:

CODE

24,00,00,00,33,A8,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,
0D,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00

I think the only important value is the first pair in the last row, it may be 02 if existing and must be 00.

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\DEFAULT_PE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"ShellState"=hex:24,00,00,00,33,A8,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
  01,00,00,00,0D,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

[irohit]

@unknown

Followed your steps and was able to get the Windows explorer and Internet explorer to work with the observation that only the IE icon on the desktop was able to launch, the other icons do not complete with desired results.

@scp
I did the recommended change but have not been able to get the "Start" button visible in the taskbar of Windows PE


Thanks,
irohit

[scp]

I forgot something... you also have to copy folder d:\vistape\install\windows\branding to d:\vistape\test\windows\branding.

This post has been edited by scp: Jul 18 2006, 01:07 PM

[irohit]

is there a way to add a user to the WinPE image such that the %USERPROFILE% is not set to systemprofile?

@scp

Even after copying the branding folder - still does not work.
Do you have a snap shot of the WinPE image with the start button?


Thanks,
irohit

[irohit]

@unknown

Only the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop seems to be working. None of the other icons seem to complete the operation when trying to open.

Since you have quite a few of the control panel plugins working - Any clues?

Thanks,
irohit

[mickregan]

I tried all this and got a

Windows Boot Manager
"System Error - 0x0000017"
Unknown error

or something.

Have you come across this yet?

Just learned an important lesson. MS changes things in each build, so using the winpe.wim from the WAIK will not be all that compatible with say July CTP build 5472.

I know, derrr, I'm stupid but i guess it did teach me a fair bit.

- Also, if anyone is having trouble copying over the .dll's because of write protection/system errors,
- try MOVING all the .dll's from the boot.wim to another dir (called backups).
-
- Next copy the required .dll's from the install.wim to the boot.wim.
-
- Then MOVE the .dll's from the backups dir and DO NOT OVERWRITE (this is the reverse workaround).
-
- Hold shift and click "No" for effectively a "No to All" type action.
-
- This should only have added 10-15 files to you boot.wim

Continue as per instructions above.

This post has been edited by mickregan: Aug 3 2006, 06:18 PM

[irohit]

Any clues on how to open networking control panel applets? Need to add a network connection manually in WinPE

thanks,
ir

[luke.mccormick]

When I do the final ximage command to create the final source to use the OSCDIMG command to create the ISO, the ximage program creates a wim file, and im guessing this isnt' what I want because then the OSCDIMG fails...

[luke.mccormick]

bump

[unknwon]

Sorry for not posting much on this site, been busy working on a different project that has been eating all my time.

Currently reworking my instructions for enabling Explorer with Winpe 2.0..Seems that Microsoft changed some of the Registry keys on the RC2 build to prevent Explorer from running correctly. Currently it only it loads the desktop and icons ok, but you can`t than launch another explorer to browse the drives.

As soon a i correct these problems i`ll be releasing a new tool to build the pe image.

UpDATE: ok, doubled checked my instructions against a RC1 release, everything worked correctly. Use the same script against a RC2 release and i can `t get explorer to load correctly. Also tried using hte registry settings from RC1 with the files from RC2, still have the same problem, so it would seem that microsoft changed some code in the files to prevent us from running explorer with WINPE, seems i`ll have to start some file compares..

This post has been edited by unknwon: Nov 16 2006, 08:28 AM

[irohit]

@unknown

On the older builds of the OPK, do you have the list of files that are needed to get explorer enabled on WinPE 2.0?

Also was trying to get native wifi service up in WinPE 2.0 - any pointers to that?

Thanks,
Rohit