QUOTE (zetan @ Aug 28 2009, 09:13 AM)
That's what I'm looking for but I don't understand the third sentence: "Booting in 40 sec with pe21.iso loaded by GRUB4DOS from HD into RAMDISK X:".
You miss some history.
.
Basically the "Install XP from USB" that started it all:
http://www.msfn.org/board/install-xp-usb-f157.htmland that was, as the name implies, initially aimed at XP only, was more or less originated by this:
http://www.msfn.org/board/installing-unatt...ive-t81788.htmlhttp://www.msfn.org/board/installing-unatt...788-page-6.htmlQUOTE
To this you add that there are at least 4 possible ways to install XP:
1) from a booted 16-bit environment through WINNT.EXE
2) from a booted 32-bit environment through WINNT32.EXE
3) from a \I386 or \minint folder by invoking SETUPLDR.BIN (which is what the normal install CD does)
4) from an "expanded" pre-install bootfolder $WIN_NT$.~BT like in the flyakite multiboot DVD tutorial
to which you can add:
5) from an .iso using Windows Server 2003 Sp1 or greater SETUPLDR.BIN and RAMDISK.SY_ a method that needing a HUGE amount of RAM for a RAMDISK, requires most probably at least 1Gb of Ram installed
Of the 5 "hinted" methods, #1 was already documented/possible (with a few limitations) #2 was as well known/reknown, and all efforts went in #3 and #4, here:
http://www.msfn.org/board/boot-install-usb-key-t61384.htmlThe #5 was set aside, and it has been found a solution for it only very recently, thanks to
cdob:
http://www.msfn.org/board/install-xp-lite-...pid-876839.htmlOnce found a possible solution for XP, which actually resulted in something somewhat midway between #3 and #4,
wimb "went back" to #2 (which, though reknown, was not easily replicable by people not familiar with BartPE or Winbuilder - please read familiar with PE 1.x) and provided an easy way (using the LiveXP project of Winbuilder) to implement it.
Later the problem of Vista (and Windows 7 which is very similar in this respect to Vista) was put on the table.
After finding a solution conceptually similar to the already seen #3/#4 above, something correspondent to #2 above was devised: boot a PE (2.x or 3.x this time) and from it install Vista/7.
The given thread:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5306Explains in detail how to use a PE 2.x to achieve that.
You need to follow the given links and get familiar with the WAIK and Winbuilder to be able to create either a PE 2.x:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7053or a VistaPE:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=51or a PE 3.x:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=91Explanation of numbers:
Microsoft released initially
WinPE versions 1.2 (XP based)
then WinPE 1.5 and 1.6 (XP or Server 2003 based)
since originally the use of WinPE was reserved to an "elite", Bart Lagerwej developed PEbuilder, an app to create a PE from XP or Server 2003 sources.
Later Nuno Brito wrote
batcher openbuilder Winbuilder a more "generic" engine capable to replicate the needed functions, and a number of projects based on XP and Server 2003 files were developed.
Everything built taking as Source XP or 2003 files is "generally speaking" a PE 1.x.
Together with Vista, Microsoft released a ne version of WinPE, PE 2.x ??, a Pre-installation Environment similar to the above but based on Vista/Server 2008 files.
Projects were made for winbuilder to replicate this environment.
Everything built taking Vista or Server 2008 files is "generally speaking" a PE 2.x.
With the advent of Windows 7, Microsoft released a new version of WinPE, PE 3.x ??, a Pre-installation Environment based on Windows 7 files.
Projects were made for Winbuilder to make use of the latter.
Everything built taking Windows 7 files is "generally speaking" a PE 3.x.
You will need some time to get familiar with the building of a PE, being it a 1.x, a 2.x or a 3.x.
jaclaz