How do I add BootSDI.img to my USB stick?

[Siginet]

I can't figure out how I add my BootSDI.img file to the boot options on my USB stick.

I want to have a regular LiveXP option and a BootSDI option on the usb stick. I allready have the regular LiveXP option on the USB Stick.

Thanks

Chris

[ilko_t]

What bootloader is currently on the stick?

To have both I guess you should use two setupldr.bin files and winnt.sif renamed to winnt.sdi for example. One of setupldr.bin's (from server 2003 SP1 which you should already have used when making BootSDI) hex edited to use winnt.sdi, fix checksum check after hex editing. Copy ntdetect.com to root.

winnt.sdi:

[SetupData]
BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"
BootPath = "\i386\System32\"
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /minint /rdpath=BootSDI.img"

Beware, small/capital letters do matter, BootSDI.img <> BOOTSDI.IMG.

Alternatively- do you have LiveXP_RAM.iso already created? Use grub4dos ISO emulation to load it:

title Start LiveXP_RAM ISO
map --mem /LiveXP_RAM.iso (hd32)
map --hook
root (hd32)
chainloader (hd32)

Load normal LiveXP

title Start LiveXP 
chainloader /setupldr.bin

Start grub4dos either via an entry in boot.ini:

c:\grldr="Start Grub4Dos"

or install Grub4Dos MBR or bootsector on the USB stick, using grubinst_GUI:

http://nufans.net/grub4dos/grubutil/grubin...-2008-01-01.zip

Latest grub4dos/grldr file:

http://nufans.net/grub4dos/

[wimb]

I can't figure out how I add my BootSDI.img file to the boot options on my USB stick.

I want to have a regular LiveXP option and a BootSDI option on the usb stick. I allready have the regular LiveXP option on the USB Stick.

Combining options is not always easy.

For BootSDI.img it is preferred that the USB-stick has NTFS FileSystem

most easily obtained by using HP Format Tool in Make_USB.exe GUI.

When booting from USB, loading of BootSDI.img in RAMDISK is launched

by RMLD1 file Selected via NTLDR and boot.ini Menu using RMLD1.bs BootSector File.

RMLD1 is a renamed SETUPLDR.BIN of w2k3 sp1 and

patched for using ramx1.sif instead of winnt.sif file with the required SetupData.

In ramx1.sif it is essential that /rdpath=BootSDI.img follows the DOS 8.3 FileName convention

since otherwise for FAT and FAT32 we will get Error code 14 for Image file could not be loaded,

because the Image file was NOT found on the USB-stick.

Your existing USB-stick with LiveXP will have most likely FAT FileSystem

as it was made with PeToUSB.

The ntldr file is not the real NTLDR, but is SETUPLDR.BIN of w2k3 SP1 and

renamed as ntldr. That file cannot be used to get boot.ini Menu.

The problems can be overcome.

• Run Make_USB.exe
  
• Use HP Format Tool and Select NTFS FileSystem to Format USB-stick
  
• Select PeToUSB and Uncheck Enable Disk Format, Select Target\LiveXP folder and Check Enable FileCopy
  
• After PeToUSB has Finished, Rename ntldr in PELDR (the program takes care of that)
  
• Now still in Make_USB.exe GUI Select LiveXP BootSDI.img File
  
• Select Win XP Setup Source and Uncheck the Copy Checkbox
  
• Use GO to make your USB-stick
  

Manually Add in menu.lst file an Entry for launching LiveXP from USB

with GRUB4DOS Menu and by using PELDR

menu.lst

title Boot LiveXP from USB
chainloader (hd0,0)/PELDR

The advantage of booting with LiveXP BootSDI.img file is that everything is loaded in RAMDISK,

so you are FREE to remove your USB-stick or when loaded from harddisk you are

FREE to format the boot partition of your internal harddisk.

However, for Install of XP from USB it is advisable to boot with LiveXP BootSDI.img

file directly from your internal harddisk, since then it takes only 30 seconds

instead of 4 minutes when booting with LiveXP BootSDI.img from USB-stick.

You can use BOOT_IMG.exe to Install LiveXP BootSDI.img in boot.ini Menu

on your harddisk. That is the best approach.

Edited January 24, 2009 by wimb