Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image. Use a default XP ISO image.
Addional files are at a F6 virtual floppy.

After years of search a new driver is developed:
FiraDisk: File/RAM Disk driver for Windows.
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8804
The driver is at early development.

The driver does mount a grub4dos RAM drive.
That's awsome and can be used at a lot of conditions.

Use grub4dos to load a virtual floppy and XP installation image to RAM first.
The virtual floppy is used at F6 stage.
32 bit FiraDisk drivers are loaded by default.You don't have to press F6.
You may press F6 to get selection choice.


There is a fake setup.exe used after first reboot.
The idea is used from drivers from CD
The integrated version is changed: this fake setup.exe launch a batch setup.cmd.
There are includeded the source code, a hidden window processed setup.exe.
And a visible window debug version setup_dbg.exe. To use this version rename this to setup.exe.

The fake setup calls the original, renamed setup: setupORG.exe
The original version is not includede. Therefore edit the floppy image and add the file:
Expand setup.ex_ from your windows version
copy the file to \setup\I386\setupORG.exe or \setup\AMD64\setupORG.exe

BTS DriverPacks method 2 are supported. http://driverpacks.net/
This use a fake setup and setupORG.exe too.
If you use a DriverPacks version, copy this setupORG.exe to floppy image.

You may add a file \WINNT.SIF too.

Used files at USB:
\Inst\XP_INST.IMA
\Inst\XP_RAM.ISO

A basic XP_INST.IMA is attached. Add setuporg.exe as described.
XP_RAM.ISO is a default XP ISO image. This file is loaded to RAM.

grub4dos menu.lstAssumptions:
hd0 : booted USB device
hd1 : windows target device
Tested at virtual machine. Has to be tested at real hardware:
several hard disks, several USB drives, internal multi card reader

As wimb indicated, comment this if you read and install to the same hard disk.

XP installation from CD and remapped drive order:
Files are not deleted from installation media.
Setup creates a valid boot.ini. No need to fix boot.ini.
Boot once from USB.

Setup may assign letter c: to another device.
C: is not available for new installed windows.
Setup.cmd deletes MountedDevices.
At reboot windows assign letters again: c:\windows

txtsetup.oem copy a flag file fixDrive.USB to activate this behaviour
If you don't need this behaviour, comment the lines

Setup.cmd uses ImDisk to mount the ISO file.
http://www.ltr-data.se/opencode.html#ImDisk

The name \Inst\XP_RAM.ISO is the internal default.
The name can be configured:
The floppy image contains a file \setup\ISOimage.ini. Edit this file.

Next the file $winnt$.inf is adjusted.
Windows setup continues and use the mounted ISO file.

Install from USB to USB is possible too.
This part based on Dietmar's tutorials. http://www.winusb.de
Read \USB32\to_usb.txt for details.
At windows setup press F6 and load firadisk and all usb drivers.


In addition there is optional approach to lower RAM usage, e.g. use a 600mb image at 512mb RAM.
Integrated mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd creates a sorted ISO image:
boot and textmode files are in front of media.
Mkisofs.exe, dd.exe and gsar.exe are used to the create the ISO image.
http://cdrecord.berlios.de/private/cdrecord.html
http://www.student.tugraz.at/thomas.plank/
dd.exe http://www.chrysocome.net/dd
gsar.exe http://home.online.no/~tjaberg

Given a sorted ISO image, OEM at end of ISO image.
Use grub4dos map to load first part to RAM only.
Integrate all \I386 and \AMD64 files.
IsoBuster Free does list LBA (Logical Block Address) of files. http://www.isobuster.com/license-models.php
The LBA show the file location. Calculate N: LBA of file and add file length
Use this number to load image to RAM.

Example: load the first 234567 sectors to RAM.
Remember one CD sector holds 2048 byte dataXP_RAM.ISO has to be continuous, defrag a splitted file.



v02:
firadisk updated: map to (fd0) only. F6 does work
64 bit prepared, unfortunately BSOD 0x7b at 64 bit firadisk
added flag file fixDrive.USB
added config file ISOimage.ini
under construction: install from USB to USB

v03:
added: install from USB to USB
added: added sorted files
added: multiboot ISO image, sub directory

v04:
ISOimage.ini is enabled by default
enhanced: sorted files, experimental RAMboot.lst created

That's awesome cdob, thanks

A few notes:
Direct editing of $winnt$.inf in 64 bit versions would not work:
http://blogs.sepago.de/nicholas/2008/03/13...on-windows-x64/

Maybe start another batch just for editing $winnt$.inf?
or with path whereever editinf.cmd lands when used from txtsetup.oem.
Samo approach is used in WinSetupFromUSB to start binifix5.cmd, which edits $winnt$.inf.

Another idea- could ImDisk be avoided and use boot.ini options to mount Firadisk emulated drive?
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ost&p=77090
Is Firadisk added as a service with start 0 by Setup when used during text mode this way?
There was a way if I recall correctly to include default options to boot.ini via txtsetup.sif or winnt.sif. Maybe txtsetup.oem could be used, or winnt.sif in the floppy image
This way editing of $winnt$.inf may not be needed, if Firadisk creates the same device as if mounted by grub4dos.

Well, maybe I should have mentioned, first release is 32 bit only.
There are 32 bit drivers and a 32 bit fake setup.exe included so far.

The included fake setup source code does compile at 64 bit mingw environment.
Use a 64 bit fake setup.exe to edit a 64 bit $winnt$.inf.

I like to solve F6 loading first, then create a 64 bit version.


Some patience please. Been there already and failed so far.
ImDisk is arround since some years, works pretty stable.

Yes, firadisk is set to start=0. It seems to be possible, to use boot.ini in future. Or firadisk support registry in future.
Anyway you have to set ISO image location XP_RAM.ISO. This maybe difficult to set a unique location within txtsetup.oem (current approach should work at multi DVD too).


Added:
F6 does work with new firadisk 0.0.1.12.

Very interesting development cdob

Thanks for sharing XP_INST.IMA

Very good!

May I ask why the need to map XP_INST.IMA:

twice?

It is somehow needed to "fill" both A:\ and B:\ drive letters?

jaclaz

A addional hint: firadisk F6 floppy image does work at a PE too.


Twice was the work arround without full floppy firadisk support.
Compare http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&...st&p=881138

This is not necessary anymore at firadisk 0.0.1.12.
Once is sufficient now

Successful tested for Install of XP-SP3 on real hardware (including internal multi-cardreader)

Did not use USB-stick.
AFTER format of Harddisk install partition, I installed grub4dos as boot option in boot.ini menu using BOOT_IMG.exe
Then copied folder Inst with XP_INST.IMA and XP_RAM.ISO to Harddisk.
Made entry in menu.lst without the mapping for USB-stick



After Reboot Select Loading XP RAM install from grub4dos menu
Loading of XP_RAM.ISO in only 10 seconds in firadisk RAMDISK (instead of loading in 25 minutes from USB-stick)
TXT-mode FileCopy in only 1 minute
GUI-mode has an extra immediate Reboot.
Total XP Install time 15 minutes

Then tried to do the same with XP-SP3 Slipstreamed with UpdatePack and 5 DriverPacks.
After first Reboot for GUI-mode the DriverPacks were extracted successfully.
After second Reboot for GUI-mode has problem of SetupORG.exe NOT found.
Has to look into more detail what is causing the problem ....

What happens with boot.ini on internal hard disk in that case?

Internal Harddisk partition for Install of XP was first formatted (e.g. from PE environment)
Then BOOT_IMG.exe was used to make internal Harddisk bootable with grub4dos entry in newly created boot.ini menu.
After Reboot Select Loading XP RAM install from grub4dos menu as given above.
There is no USB-stick used in my approach.

There is no boot.ini problem. (booting is all the time from the same Harddisk partition used for Install of XP)

boot.ini before Install of XP


boot.ini AFTER Install of XP

Files are read from RAM, hence the fast file copy.
The extra reboot is by intention, USB support is added. Maybe selectable in future.

DriverPacks are not supported yet. This is not a default XP ISO image.
Yes, there are parts for testing included. This part is not documented.
Technically it's insane to load this 7z files to RAM.
Including mass storage and chipset packs may make sense.
Contrary it's insane to include all driverpacks to ISO image. A huge data is loaded to RAM, without usage.
Haven't made a decision so far.

Including the 5 small DriverPacks (C CP L M and W) is quite useful and the extra load of 36 MB of the OEM folder does not take too much time or space.

For Sound and Graphics DriverPacks the load is rather heavy and I decided then to provide the specific required drivers in $OEM$\$1\Drivers folder.
DriverForge is used automatic at T-9 to install these drivers by using UserExecute command in [SetupParams] section of winnt.sif file.

In this way the extra load remains limited and all drivers are installed during XP Setup.

In the case of using DriverPacks, what is causing then the Error of setupORG.exe is missing ?
Is it may be a name conflict by using twice the same mechanism of fake setup of Pyron ?

It would be nice if the problem can be solved.

How I would like it if people wouldn't speak using codes ....

C=Chipset
CP=CPU
L=LAN
M=Mass Storage
W=Wlan

jaclaz

SOLVED the problem of missing file setupORG.exe in case of XP Source slipstreamed with DriverPacks.

The file setup.ex_ used to edit the floppy image must be taken from the original XP setup source,
since slipstreaming with DriverPacks makes a new setup.ex_ which when used will cause the reported problem of missing setupORG.exe



Install of XP including DriverPacks did run now very well

NOW after second Reboot for GUI-mode the DriverPacks are extracted as it should be

Loading of XP_RAM.ISO in only 10 seconds from internal Harddisk into firadisk RAMDISK is preferred,
instead of loading the RAMDISK in 25 minutes from USB-stick.
In this way one can Install XP from USB without booting from USB.

setupORG.exe from XP Source slipstreamed with DriverPacks is a renamed ORIGINAL setup.exe:
new name setupORG.exe

This approach and naming goes back to Pyron http://www.msfn.org/board/solved-drivers-cd-t12566.html

Acutally I assumed, you copied setupORG.exe from XP Source slipstreamed with DriverPacks to the floppy image.
And wondered about the error report.


Added: Idea for full BTS support:

Given a sorted ISO image, OEM at end of ISO image.
Use grub4dos map to load first part to RAM only.
Does grub4dos support loading half a file?

Added 2:
Example: load the first 234567 sectors to RAM.
Remember one CD sector holds 2048 byte data

Added 3:
Just to confirm. Yes, the idea does work.
You may add several hundred megabyte data with BTS driverpacks method 2 to end of ISO image.
And you may RAM load first part of ISO image only. Driverpacks addon won't require more RAM usage.
Windows installation does work.

This didn't work that great, when the first stage installer was done and it rebooted for the second stage, there was a cmd window "setup -newsetup" and a box saying "Error starting the MSI file". After you click OK it reboots and same happends again. I tried both without the stick in the USB and with the stick in the USB and same thing.

So heres what I did:

Installed the grub4dos to a USB drive with fat32 FS

Added the "Loading XP RAM install" item to the menu.lst

Deleted file "I386/setup.ex_" from the "XP_RAM.ISO"

Copied "XP_RAM.ISO" to the USB Stick at "Inst/XP_RAM.ISO"

Copied the file "SUPPORT/TOOLS/SETUP.EXE" from inside "XP_RAM.ISO" to "setup/setuporg.exe" inside "XP_INST.IMA"
(there also was a SETUP.exe at the root of the XP_RAM.ISO but it wouldn't fit the floppy image so I guess its the other one?)
(what is this WINNT.SIF that you "may add", where is it, where you add it?)

Copied "XP_INST.IMA" to the USB Stick at "Inst/XP_INST.IMA"

Booted to the stick with my Eee PC 901 and selected the XP RAM Install

First stage install went just fine without any errors.

The computer reboots to second stage installer, the second stage installer reboots itself right away

After it comes back it spits out the error I described at the top

Don't delete anything.

Setuporg.exe which has to be placed in XP_INST.IMA \setup\ :

1) In case BTS driver packs were used, or any other method using "fake setup" at start of GUI- just use I386\setupORG.exe, which should be the original MS setup.exe.
2) Original media/unmodified setup.exe- extract it from I386 (7zip or default MS expand.exe) and rename it to setuporg.exe.

Don't worry about winnt.sif for now, that's optional.

Haha, oh dumb me. I thought when the instructions said to "extract the setup.ex_" that you had to take it away (delete) from the installation image =D I didn't know the setup.ex_ was the setup.exe in a compressed form =)

Well I shall try it again tomorrow, ill post the results =)

Worked perfectly on Asus EeePC 901 with a Windows XP Pro SP3 image

Thread Pinned (Sticky).

jaclaz

this is beautiful approach for the legacy systems , to load specific sectors of the iso . just couple of questions ( i ll try the above tomorrow hopefully ) ,

1. HOW the iso image can be sorted to have OEM folder at the end of the iso , the current structure of my iso is

/$OEM$ (15,415,570 bytes )
/I386 (97,704,075 bytes )
/OEM (21,293,545 bytes )
/WIN51
/WIN51IP
/WIN51IP.SP2

i guess OEM is already the end , so it ll be fine if i ll load specific sectors first ? actually the above image is 133 MB only . it is very stripped down image which im using for testing this ram thing only coz i have slow system . since im weak in math , so i dont know how much i should specify to load in place of
map --mem (0xFE)+234567 (0xFF)

2. lets suppose we have 3 xp images to be installed from usb using firadisk method . is it possible to have OEM (BTS packs) at root of usb drive , so that all 3 xp images can use them ?
i mean it SEEMS possible with a batch command which can copy them at the time of need to the target partition but then i guess we ll have to use C:\ only for installing purposes . or am i just dreaming ?

Could somebody help me figure out what is my problem. I did all above mentioned steps:
1. installed grub4dos on USB pendrive
2.Edited menu.lst


3. Copied Inst folder with XP_INST.IMA and XP_RAM.ISO to USB pen drive
4. Then booted from pendrive in Virtual Box, chosen XP in menu and here is strange, just shows me that window, freezes, nothing happens, waited 15 minutes same. Also i have tested booting from this pendrive in real environment, no changes, freezes.

You can use mkisofs -sort sort.txt
Cdob's boot-the-loop is an alternative to mapping counted sectors, if you can write the sizes into the cd at build time:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...amp;#entry24379

@demontager

1) How large is the ISO file?
2) How much RAM you had in the real and the virtual machine?
3) Not related, but did you put original setup.exe as setuporg.exe in \setup\I386\ in XP_INST.IMA? Mount the image, use ImDisk for example, put setup.exe renamed to setuporg.exe in \setup\I386\ if using 32bit Windows and unmount the virtual disk. Make sure you are not monting it as read-only.

ilko_t :
1. XP_RAM.ISO size is 714MB

2.I set for VB use 1 GB of ram, because when less of 256 it reports-"cannot fit image to ram", and real machine has 4 Gb of ram.

3.Oops, I didn't make these steps. is it mandatory to put original setup.exe to \setup\I386\ in XP_INST.IMA?

1) You may have to wait longer for 700MB ISO, perhaps the real hardware was using USB 1.1 at boot. Alternatively try Plop:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8605

For loading in VirtualBox- same applies, no idea if PLOP could help.

3) Yes, critical for the GUI mode, which you have not reached yet.

I tested XP_INST_v02 (which I understand includes firadisk 0.0.1.12) for installing XP SP3 integrated with BTS massstorage driverpack on VirtualBox mapping only once:



The setup fails in the textmode itself complaining that it could not copy the firadisk files.

However mapping twice with



installation is successful!

I have confirmed this with wimb's approach given in Post #7 in VirtualBox. I am yet to test this in a real system.

Is the necessity of double mapping limited to VirtualBox only?
Can redundant mapping cause problems in real hardware?

I'm using mkisofs -sort and investigate some ocassions currently.
Sorry no further hint so far.


IsoBuster Free does list LBA (Logical Block Address) of files. http://www.isobuster.com/license-models.php
The LBA show the file location.
Calculate N: LBA of file and add file length
Use this number to load image to RAM.

No need for deaming, should work already.


The ISO image is loaded at BIOS speed. This maybe solw despite USB2.0 hardware.
A 700 mb imgae is loaded in about a minute at USB2.0 speed. Setup does work.

Try the PLOP Boot Manager. This allows USB2.0 speed at some 1.1 speed BIOS.

@TigerWhite
Thanks for report.
Which BIOS settings do you use?
Does your VirtualBox use a floppy drive? Does exist a floppy controller?

I've no Idea. Should work without errors.

After putting real setup.exe all works, but speed of loading to RAM about 7 minutes(tested on real hardware) and about 10 mins in Virtual Box.
So I tried to use Plop, creates /boot folder on USB pendrive and put there plpbt.img. Then edited menu.lst:

When Plop graphical screen started I chosen USB, but also available: hda partition1, hdb partition1, cdrom,floppy( also below setup, about, shutdown in grey colour), then it shows installing IHCI driver and back me to grub4dos menu. Then I've chosen

And after 30 sec received error

i pressed and it back to grub4dos menu again. What is the reason, wrong disk? If I not use Plop, setup starts, but as I mentioned need wait ~7 minutes.

Little bug in TXTSETUP.OEM (XP_INST.IMA)

Need to correct section:

VirtualBox system settings :

Though I have not mounted any floppy, a floppy controller exists in the vm.

Thanks for the reminder. That way menu.lst dosn't have to contain sector numbers.
Not integrated yet. Need some time to settle current features, maybe next year.

@demontager
Don't use addional mapping. Try
In addition you may configure PLoP plpbt.bin http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html#plpcfgbt

@kDn
Thanks for VMSCSI report, fixed.

@TigerWhite
Sorry no further idea, don't use I VirtualBox. fd0 and fd1 seems a good work arround.

I tried this and didn't have much luck. I don't use boot.ini, so I just added those lines to my existing menu.lst. My ISO is slightly tweaked with nLite, with the XUpdatePack-SP3, a few individual drivers and some program addons.

The first line "ls || find" didn't seem to work and I had to manually enter root (hd0,0) for the rest of it to be able to find the files.

After mapping XP_RAM.ISO I got:
Autodetect number of heads failed: Use default value 255
Autodetect sectors per track failed: Use default value 63
but perhaps that doesn't matter.

After
map --hook
chainloader (0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN
I got
Error 19: Cannot mount selected partition

and that was the end of that!

Which menu.lst sections does work at existing menu.lst? Do you use find already?
Which boot configuration do you use?
Do you boot from USB? Do you boot from internal hard disk?
How do you start grub4dos?
Which directory and files did you add?
Which hardware: motherboard and BIOS do you use?

Which grub4dos do you use? Try a current version http://nufans.net/grub4dos/
How do you build the ISO image?

In addition: /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN is case sensitive. Does exist a file \I386\SETUPLDR.BIN ?

Hi

Which menu.lst sections does work at existing menu.lst? Do you use find already?
Which boot configuration do you use?
Do you boot from USB? Do you boot from internal hard disk?
How do you start grub4dos?

I have grub installed on my HD MBR and the menu.lst on (hd0,0), which is normally just used to allow me to dual-boot between two different XPs.
I don't normally use find and just boot from internal HD.

Which directory and files did you add?

I expanded setup.exe from my nLited I386 folder to setupORG.exe and put that in the IMA. Then I made a folder Inst on my (hd0,0) and put the IMA and ISO in there.

Which hardware: motherboard and BIOS do you use?

Motherboard is Gigabyte GA-8I848PM. BIOS F5

How do you build the ISO image?

With nLite.

In addition: /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN is case sensitive. Does exist a file \I386\SETUPLDR.BIN ?

Yes

I'll try a newer grub4dos and see if that helps. Shows v0.9.7 at the moment

You seem to be using GNU GRUB, which is NOT the needed Grub4DOS. Install and use the latter:
http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/Grub4dos.htm

OK. I replaced grldr with 0.4.4 dated 20-06-09 and it does work better now, although the XP setup only shows "Setup is checking your hardware config" at the top of the screen before going to a blank screen and giving up.

Actually, trying to install from CD/DVD doesn't work any better but I put that down to a dodgy drive/IDE port. The only way I've got to work so far is from a USB stick using USB_MultiBoot_10 (using the same files as I burnt to DVD and used to make XP_RAM.iso).

Boot different XP ISO images from one USB stick or hard disk.

Edit txtsetup.oem, uncomment the line

There are two approaches:

One add different XP ISO files but one floppy image

Example:
/Inst/XP_PRO.ISO and /Inst/XP_HOME.ISO


Or use a multi boot ISO Image, that's one ISO file, one floppy image
To create a ISO Image compare Multi-Boot CD/DVDs http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=82




Yes, grub4dos support ISO files, ancient grub dosn't do this.

Setup require stable hardware, this includes the ports.
A i848 support SATA ports too. Can you disable broken port at BIOS?

I've got one SATA HD and one IDE DVD drive.

After extensive testing I've found the following:

XP setup (whether on CD, HD or USB) get's stuck at the "Setup is detecting your hardware configuration" unless I disable my SATA HD. If I disable it, it works fine (but of course then I've got nothing to install XP on!)

My USB keyboard doesn't work in XP setup or in grub4dos 0.4.4 booted from USB stick. It does work in grub4dos 0.4.4 booted from HD. USB Keyboard support is enabled in BIOS. I tried all 4 ports on the backplate. Also, booting grub4dos from USB stick requires me to send a break at the grub4dos menu by pressing the power button momentarily, as it won't even respond to the PS/2 keyboard otherwise. This is not necessary when booting grub4dos from HD.

So basically, my motherboard sucks!

XP_RAM.ISO still won't work from SATA HD even with the IDE DVD drive disabled. It does work from USB stick with SATA HD disabled (but takes too long to load even a cut-down 170MB SP2). The only XP setup that's worked with the SATA drive enabled is the USB_Multiboot_10 created one on the USB stick, so I'm wondering what's different about this that allows it to work.

Need to correct some lines to more right work:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&...st&p=881387

need to read:


In XP_INSTF.IMA\SETUP\ISOimage.ini change strings:

to

becouse menu entry like

give something like:

and wrong work setup.cmd script...

I'm having trouble getting a multiboot iso to work.

I have created a multiboot ISO with XPPC and XOHO. which represent XP Pro Corp with DriverPacks and XP Home OEM without DriverPacks.

Neither of them seem to be working.

I get to the point where it mounts the ISO which seems like it is successful because it takes about a minute to do it.

but then the computer just restarts and never goes into txtmode setup.

Here is what I have done:
I placed the floppy image on the USB stick: \Inst\XP_INST.IMA
I placed my ISO here on the USB Stick: \Inst\XP_RAM.iso

I uncommented this in the txtsetup.oem inside of \Inst\XP_INST.IMA:
dll = setup, ISOimage.ini

Here is my menu.lst:


And here is my XP_RAM.lst:


The ISO itself is only 680 MB.



Any ideas?

Edit:
Further info... I created the multiboot structure using Windows XP PowerPacker. Which isn't much different in how it creates a multiboot disk then unattended.msfn.org

Another bugfix needed in file mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd :

Bold - line to insert


change to:

or remove, becouse that line not useful and provide wrong sorting like that:

This indicates: setupdlr.bin dosn't find ntdetect.com.


Which bootloader do you use by default? Can you try grub4dos?
Do you hexedit setupldr.bin? i386 --> XPPC

I wonder, does some configurations require root (0xFF) ?
Try

Try the CD image bootloader too

@kDn
Thanks for ISOimage.ini corrections. Yes, change this settings.

Correct or false sorting is confusing.
The sort file is one part only. The builded ISO image is importand.

Mentioned function :mk_sort_list_static is not used anymore. This is a reference from last year.
I'll check .//BOOTFONT.BIN again, as far as I remember // is replaced by / internally.

cdob

I see that, but I say about :mk_sort_list_dynamic function. With original script generated file sort.txt like that:

files WIN51, WIN51IP, WIN51IP.SP3 sorted correct becouse have line ./WIN* 9978, but BOOTFONT.BIN not correct and have too hight LBA in ISO. Check this, please.
FYI: I using mkisofs 2.01.01a65 (i686-pc-cygwin) Copyright © 1993-1997 Eric Youngdale © 1997-2009 Jцrg Schilling.

It works when I create a cd/dvd. If I remember correctly powerpacker uses bcdw for the boot menu. It references SETUPLDR.BIN files to launch each os.

The only main difference with powerpacker and the normal method is powerpacker has no need for the XPPC.BIN files on the root of the disk. It launches directly from the setupldr.bin files. Just like grub4dos is. So I can't figure out what may be going wrong. I tried my old SP2 disk and it works fine. But whenever I try a powerpack disk it doesn't.

Could someone else verify if they have the same prob with powerpacker? If it is a bug in powerpacker then I can fix it.

You joking right?

BCDW fixes hardcoded paths in setupldr.bin on-the-fly.

You need to hexedit SETUPLDR.BIN yourself, unless you use \i386 (CD/ISO) or /minint (HD).


jaclaz

I think, there is no SETUPLDR.BIN in folder XPPC
The XPPC.BIN file is a renamed SETUPLDR.BIN located in XPPC folder.
So I think it should be

Thanks for the reminder. Sorry, haven't used bootfont.bin in years myself.
I'm using codepage 850 and won't detect a big difference.

It's a real pleasure do find another 'mkisofs -sort' user.

Attached is a updated version:
status is changed from experimental to very experimental

There is a new function call :patch_sort_iso despide unresolved unresolved grub4dos questions http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9306
A fake file RAMBOOT.ISO should be patched to a RAM load ISO image.
Third party applications gsar.exe and dd.exe are used.

@Siginet
BCDW is a fine bootloader, because setupldr.bin is loaded to RAM, patched in RAM and executed.
Grub4dos dosn't support this. Patch setupldr.bin before.
I'm using:

I'm pretty sure powerpacker does patch the files. It's been a long time since I have coded powerpacker. But I remember I had to patch setupldr.bin files. PowerPacker actually uses multiple setupldr.bin files in its boot directories. And it patches them so that each one can use a different winnt.sif file. So basically a setupldr.bin file renamed to xppc.bin could use a winnt.sif file named wxppc.sif and another setupldr.bin file would be named xopc.bin and use wxopc.sif and so on.

You guys may be right though. It could be possible that in the later versions of powerpacker I did not need to patch the setupldr.bin files. But I am almost positive it does. Guess I gotta look into the code.

Edit:
OK... I have confirmed that PowerPacker does not need to patch the Windows XP x86 setupldr.bin file. But it does patch 2003 SP1 setupldr.bin files. But I could not find any information on how to patch Windows XP SP3 setupldr.bin files. So is there a place to patch these files? When I use my XP SP2 setupldr.bin file it does work. But is there a file hack available for SP3 setupldr.bin files? As far as I can find the XP setupldr.bin files only need to have i386 changed to another 4 characters plus winnt.sif changed if you wish to use other answer files. I can just use my SP2 setupldr.bin files for now... but I would like to use SP3 setupldr.bin files. Are you guys using SP3 setupldr.bin files in your tests? If so... I'd like to compair my setupldr.bin files with someone's who is working.

Thanks!

VERY good.
Next one may be called PRE-ALPHA or PLANNING.....


Wouldn't it be easier to check inside the chainloaded loader with a hex editor?

jaclaz

I did... but my setupldr.bin file is from sp3 which is much different then the one from sp2.

I allready know that i386 is to be changed. Which is also done in powerpacker. What I mean is... is there an area that needs to be specifically patched like is done to 2003 SP1 files. At 0x2060 "74 03"needs to be changed to "EB 1A" on 2k3 sp1 setupldr.bin files. But on my xp sp3 setupldr.bin file it does not need to be patch like this in any way and it works just fine on a cd/dvd. But for some reason does not work using the iso ram boot method used in here. So I have narrowed down it is not an error with powerpacker per say... but if there is a patch for xp sp3 setupldr.bin files that is needed differently then the way I do it in powerpacker I am curious to know it.