Hi there,

Thank you for this nice script, it's highly appreciated
By the way, I've tried to make an install from an external usb Hard Drive, with a first 1900MB partition as required. But after I format my SSD during setup, setup complains that my external hard drive is corrupted.

Here is a picture :


Someone has this issue?

Kal

Ok I've solved the problem, that's simply because I didn't choose the right type of usb-drive in USB_MultiBoot2.cmd.

Kal

In the Menu Screen did you use Option 0) to Change the Setting in USB-Harddisk instead of USB-stick ?
Because that makes that rdummy.sys is used and this is essential for using USB-Harddisk.
rdummy.sys makes Fixed USB-Harddisk seen in XP Setup as Removable Device.
Read more about it in the Help File.

Another thing which is however not causing your problem:
I saw that your USB-Drive is having Drive Letter U:
which means that you probably have given Answer Yes for Changing migrate.inf
at the end of the Program, whereas your answer for USB-Harddisk should be No.

wimb

Yes, thank you wimb, i've just noticed it. It works like a charm now

Kal

I have another strange issue. In the menu screen, if I set the XP Source path as a virtual CDROM with ISO image mounted, then it works correctly. But if I choose a directory on my hard disk whith xp setup files, then i get a bsod before select the partition to format with this error: PROCESS1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED.

Ane idea ?

I assume this happens during Text mode of setup, and if you use as source mounted ISO it doesn't happen, right? Something like 0x0000006B on that blue screen? Could you be more detailed please.

If that's true, then are source on virtual CD and on hard drive 100% identical?
Were both installs on the same hardware?
Have you tried to redo the preparation from your hard drive?

Here is a screenshot of the bsod :

The source are exactly identical : I just make an iso of my unattended XP with RVM Integrator and mount it in a virtual CDROM. These installs were performed on a Asus eeePC. It happens with USB Hard-Disk and USB stick.

Kal

It seems that files inside $OEM$ folder are not copied to hard drive during installation, is it an issue ? I think it's normal because we can't use [Unattended] section in WINNT.SIF and so the OemPreinstall variable is not set to 'Yes'. Am i right?

Allthough the [Unattended] Section is removed, we can do still an Unattended Install.
In the [Data] Section we have unattendswitch=yes
For Unattended Install you only have to fill in your Product key in the winnt.sif file of USB_MultiBoot2 folder.

$OEM$\CMDLINES.TXT is used for making UserAccounts and Install of Registry Tweaks at T-12
I think $OEM$ Folder has nothing to do with your present problem.

Check in the [Data] section the value of MsDosInitiated="1" , must be 1 for Install from USB.
It should be 1 for Install from Harddisk, a value of 0 is used for Install from CD.
Did you use the winnt.sif file provide with USB_MultiBoot2.zip ?

wimb

Iused my winnt.sif, and adapted DATA section with the one from USB_MultiBoot2.zip. The install is still unattende, it's juste that files inside $OEM$\$1 and $OEM$\$$ are not copied to hard disk drive, simply because OemPreinstall is not set to yes. MsDosInitiated is set to 1 of course, I didn't modify it. I'm gonna try to use Unattended section in WINNT.SIF to see if it's possible.

Kal

I've tested with [Unattended] section, but it shows an error screen saying that destination disk doesn't have enough space avalaible, just before to choose partition. But, I can continue to choose the right partition and then it works, files in $OEM\$1 and $OEM\$$ are copied. Here is [DATA] and [Unattended] section :



If I removethe unattended section, i don't have the error screen anymore, but files are not copied. It's simply because OemPreinstall=Yes is not defined, I guess.

Are you experiencing the same problem?

Kal

kal, it's somehow limitation. However, there are number of ways to copy files/folders during setup using:
1. txtsetup.sif
A command or batch script in/called from
2. presetup.cmd
3. svcpack.inf
4. cmdlines.txt
5. SetupParams in winnt.sif
6. GUIRunOnce and RunOnceEX in winnt.sif

http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/ could be a good place for reference.

About the limitation- in my tests I could not prevent Setup attempts to install on USB drive, when even a single line in [unattended] is present.
If there is not required space on USB drive you are lucky- you get an error message and can change partition, but if there is- Setup installs windows on the USB drive, usually changing the bootsector, which we do not want. That's why we remove the whole [unattended] section.

From ref.chm [data]:
But even with AutoPartition = 0 or without this line, the presence of $WIN_NT$.~LS and any data in [unattended] seems to trigger Setup not to ask about destination partition. If someone finds a better way I'll be more than happy to use it.

About the 0X0000006B message- honestly I have no clues, apart from bad file during copying from hard drive. Do you amend winnt.sif in the same way when source is virtual CD and hard drive? Does the path to USB_MultiBoot2 folder contain spaces? I think Wimb fixed that already and you may need to redownload USB_MultiBoot2.cmd.

Thanks a lot for your answer ilko_t.

I'm gonna use cmdlines.txt to copy the files i need, instead of $OEM$ folder. Indead, if we add just a line in [unattended], then it tried to auto partition, even if AutoPartition=0 is defined. Maybe a bug from installer... Not important, I will skip [unattended] section and use a batch file in cmdlines.txt to copy what I need.

About the 0X0000006B message, all files are correct. No problem, I'll continue to do the ISO before.

Kal

You are welcome.

For copying files/folders a quick way is just to amend ren_fold.cmd, which is started by SetupParams, we use it to temporary rename folders on stick before end of GUI mode, preventing long wait when Setup attempts to delete them.
Simply add your commands right above these lines:

Ok, I'll do it.
It seems i've noticed, this time, a real bug in USB_MultiBoot2. Indeed, i've noticed that some files were not copied in $WIN_NT$.~LS\I386 : ren_fold.cmd, undoren.cmd and rdummy.sys.
So why these files are missing ? These files are copied in the command line :



So I've checked the output to see what was going on...



Humm, it failed on presetup.cmd which belongs to BTS DriverPacks. So all remainings files, which in my case are ren_fold.cmd/undoren.cmd/rdummy.sys, were not copied. I check the attributes of presetup.cmd file in $WIN_NT$.~LS\I386 and it's read only. Adding "/r" switch to the command line solved the problem :



Kal

Thanks for your feedback.
In my case presetup.cmd was never read only, but I changed the program so that this problem is solved.

The new version has been Uploaded today.

wimb

Nice
Thank you for your work!

Kal