Jump to content

How to install Windows from USB- WinSetupFromUSB with GUI


Recommended Posts

Great app and thanks! A couple of roadblocks for me:

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.

Next issue - got the full install done, but could not boot without the USB key in the laptop. After reading the help, I realized that the binifix4.cmd file did not run (I even got an error telling me so during the first desktop launch.) I looked for the file but could not find it. Finally, I went back to the install of the WinSetupFromUSB and found the file in the install.

Is this the normal process? Did I do something wrong during the setup of the USB that caused the file not to be copied over?

Any help would be appreciated... I want to create a new USB - just in case, but want it to run the first time.

Thanks,

B

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Was your XP source on a CD?

Can you copy it to a hard disk, use that as a source and report if that resolved the problem. I guess TXTSETUP.SIF editing fails when source is on a CD, because of the read-only attributes.

Thanks for the feedback.

edit: Couldn't understand this part, can you explain further?

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.
Edited by ilko_t
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was your XP source on a CD?

Can you copy it to a hard disk, use that as a source and report if that resolved the problem. I guess TXTSETUP.SIF editing fails when source is on a CD, because of the read-only attributes.

Thanks for the feedback.

edit: Couldn't understand this part, can you explain further?

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.

I should have been more clear. I got through the text setup the first time, but could not get the GUI to run on reboot. After several bad attempts, I actually paid attention when I got to the partitioning screen. Since I set up the USB for Disk 0 Parition 1, it was trying to boot from a little 30MB partition that was built into the MINI 9. I deleted that partition, reformatted and low and behold it booted the GUI no problem...

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@lieblingsbesuch- Working on that, but real life also has it's own opinion how time should be distributed, actively negotiating with it ;)

@latteslave- does that mean you succeeded when source was used from a HD?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gparted is not working well for me...it loads ..take a lot of time...lot of verbose comments..then ask for my keyboards..ask for my language and then finally finish into a terminal type shell...i thought gparted had a graphic GUI (well i am sure it has one because i have it on ubuntu)..i tried all the various options (load in mem, safe etc)

why so? any ideas? it is probably possible to use it like this too but too complicate for me...

only thing i myabe should add i also have ubuntu live in the same partition (and bartpe, and winxp install), but in a different folder off course (casper)

matteo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gparted is not working well for me...it loads ..take a lot of time...lot of verbose comments..then ask for my keyboards..ask for my language and then finally finish into a terminal type shell...i thought gparted had a graphic GUI (well i am sure it has one because i have it on ubuntu)..i tried all the various options (load in mem, safe etc)

why so? any ideas? it is probably possible to use it like this too but too complicate for me...

only thing i myabe should add i also have ubuntu live in the same partition (and bartpe, and winxp install), but in a different folder off course (casper)

matteo

What version of GParted you tried? Both 0.3.6-7 and 0.3.4-8 worked right away in my tests on 3 different computers.

For 0.3.6-7 if it doesn't start GUI try waiting a few seconds, it should auto start depending on the options you choose, [0] beginner etc.

Try "sudo startx" too.

Ubuntu most likely will be included in the next version, matter of a few weeks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dangerous indeed, can you attach your WinSetupFromUSB.log file? If not present in program directory look in BACKUPS folder, there are also backups of the MBRs and bootsectors in case you need to revert the original one.

Did you have a card reader, how did you get 12 hard disks?

Thanks for reporting :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd kinda like to add a little feature request... a tiny one, but a feature request :)

I use WinSetupFromUSB GUI to prepare "solo flight" installations on hard drives. I've found it an incredible and groundbreaking new way to get installations done FAST - by first preparing the drive (and boot sector) with Windows' Disk Manager, then use WSFU to "prepare" the drive to install. The drive boots to Windows setup, and happily installs right to itself at blazing speed. I can then delete the source files and enjoy Windows.

There's a small problem though, with bypassing the USB part. The Windows install is tweaked to run an extra "post-setup" routine of changing the boot.ini file, that, on the first boot, hangs at a window saying "do you really want me to set it to -1?" or something like that (it appears behind the welcome screen until it times out, or you Ctrl+Alt+Del it out of the way). I can press a key and it continues OK with no problems, but it's annoying none the less. Also, a second entry gets added to boot.ini, because a boot.ini file (unnecessary with the Grub4DOS loader) already existed in the root of C:.

So, the solution is simply to make an option that skips certain preparations, like the boot.ini in the root, and adding that first-login boot.ini changer. Those two changes would make WSFU even more useful for more than just USB! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you attach your WinSetupFromUSB.log file?

2008/10/04 22:12:36- Getting USB drives information
2008/10/04 22:12:36- Found USB Physical Disk: Generic MMC/SD USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE7
2008/10/04 22:12:36- Found USB Physical Disk: Generic CF USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE5
2008/10/04 22:12:36- Found USB Physical Disk: Generic MS USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE6
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Physical Disk: Generic SM USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE8
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Physical Disk: MCBOE32G 8APR USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE11
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Disk Partition: Disk #11, Partition #0
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Logical Disk: L: File system: FAT32 Bootable: -1
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Physical Disk: MXI PRIVATE USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE9
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Found USB Physical Disk: MXI READ ONLY USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE10
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Target drive selected- L:
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Drive letter of the active partition in selected disk- L:
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Total target size avialable- 31217 MB
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Checking sizes...
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Total source size- 0 MB
2008/10/04 22:12:37- Target space available- 31217 MB
2008/10/04 22:13:40- Checking sizes...
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Total source size- 533.3 MB
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Target space available- 31217 MB
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Section SetupParams was not found
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Windows source selected- G:
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Source version- Syst‚m Windows XP Professional
2008/10/04 22:13:41- Service Pack- Disk aktualizace Service Pack 3 syst‚mu Windows XP Professional
2008/10/04 22:13:41- AMD64 flag- 0
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Removing TEMP folder
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Backing up MBR of disk #1
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Backed up MBR of disk #1
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Backing up BootSector of disk #1 partition #0
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Backed up BootSector of disk #1 partition #0
2008/10/04 22:17:45- Installing grub4dos bootsector to (hd1,0)
2008/10/04 22:17:45- C:\WinSetupFromUSB\files\grub4dos\grubinst.exe (hd1,0)
2008/10/04 22:17:49- grub4dos installed

Edited by jaclaz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd kinda like to add a little feature request... a tiny one, but a feature request :)...
As I got it you are not installing from USB, right? You just use the program as replacement of WINNT32.EXE.

Is there any reason you don't want to use the latter?

winnt32.exe /noreboot /makelocalsource /syspart:X: /tempdrive:X:

You may want to use /makelocalsource:all and /unattend:winnt.sif (/unattend:unattend.txt) in case you do MCE/tablet and use answer file.

It will prepare drive X: with the installation files, boot.ini will be prepared at end of TXT part, having one entry only.

If you want to use WSFU, you may just delete boot.ini in root folder and comment out or delete in \$WIN_NT$.~BT\WINNT.SIF GuiRunOnce section

"binifix4.cmd c:"

to

;"binifix4.cmd c:"

If you want ~BT and ~LS folders to be deleted at the end of GUI part (T -1) comment out or delete in SetupParams section

UserExecute = ren_fold.cmd

to

;UserExecute = ren_fold.cmd

@devictoria

Thanks, it's fixed in the program now.

In addition grubinst.exe, which installs the grub4dos bootsector, refuses to work with hd10, hd11 etc. Reported to the authors:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5897

Will include a fixed version of it as soon as they fix it.

Thanks again for reporting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...