[candyman]

Hi all n00b here

I want to make a CD that will boot to PE then ask what OS you want to install (Xp Home Pro etc..) then Launch it.

I have this so far

CD DRIVE
------------\Programs\
------------\i386\
------------\XP_HOME\
------------\XP_PRO\
------------\autorun.inf
------------\bootsect.bin
------------\WIN51
------------\WIN51IP
------------\WIN51IP.SP1
------------\winboom.ini

But Just my PE size is 215 Megs
i have read the you can get it down to 100 Megs.
But How?

[Dijital]

Dude your CD/DVD sounds like a sweet idea, I'm very interested in this idea however I'd love to know how you can do it. Can you really install XP/2000 through PE??

Dijital

[candyman]

I would think so.
You can install it from Windows and from DOS...

[gosh]

My website has removenetwork.bat that slims down winpe to around ~100 megs. It's in part 3 of my unattend guide. Also in part 3 of my guide i show how to add winpe/xp on the same cd. To install win2k/xp from winpe i started a thread on that also...

One thing im considering doing is writing a step by step guide on using winpe to install windows and more.

-gosh

[eXPerience-XP]

gosh knows all

[Dijital]

gosh does know it all and I for one would be forever greatful if you did this, I need guides dumbed down to ppl doing it for me the first time so I can see how exactly step-by-step word for word something is done.

Dijital

[gosh]

My site assumes an understanding of basic unattend concepts.

It's my philosophy to force people to learn how to do something, rather than make something id*** proof. That way if anything goes wrong, the user will have a clue how to fix it, rather than being clueless and have no idea what to do. It's for this reason you will only find one batch file that does everything for you on my site, written by someone else. I force you to learn, and in the process I think i force you to share what you learn which helps others. Learning is a two way street.

-gosh

[candyman]

Allright.
The DVD is Going Well, But I have a Question.

I have the MSDN MCE 2 CD Disk Set, Is it posable to Slip stream MCE 2003 into it? and also is it posable to Modify the Setup to make it into Tablet PC because the Tablet PC files are on Disk 2.



Thanks.

[MAVERICKS CHOICE]

I have recently followed Goshs new site & guide on AIO disks & have sucessfully made the XP 6in1.
I have ventured into the inclusion of pe to this creation as his guide.
been closely following Barts pe builder project for some time & as I don't have access to the real MS PE very keen on integrating Barts latest into the AIO CD.
Whilst following your guide noticed the source files in my PE Builder to be almost as your guide. Only problem I have once selected WNPE from Diskemu it boots & starts loading WNPE.DAT, pe runs right through to the bitmap wallpaper screen & all of a sudden the machine reboots.
any pointers would be appreciated have been watching the forum closely to see if anyone else has been experiencing similar problem.


Thanks

[prathapml]

Looks like a nice thing to do:
Have a graphical boot into winPE, then click on a button which then speedily installs the windows version of your choice within 10 minutes.

I'm tracking this topic, tell me when you succeed in doing it dudes.

[gosh]

You don't need microsoft's winpe, you can make it with a 360k download. Bart's PE builder is just a pretty wizard that does the same thing.

If winpe is rebooting on you it could be drivers, or a corrupt winpe.

I've been working on diagrams for installing multiple versions of windows through windows pe, but haven't finished them yet. I'm gonna try to finish it, that way people have a guide to follow.

-gosh

[candyman]

Ok I loaded it all up in VPC.
I get the Command Prompt and type in "D:\XP_PRO\i386\winnt23.exe". The XP setup comes up with an error message that says "No system Partions Found, Setup can not continue" or something like that.

So I booted to an XP setup disk and made a partion and quick formatted it. Then the XP setup still can't find the Partion.

Any clue how to get setup to see the Partion?

[prathapml]

go go gosh!
a hip-hip-hooray for him

I'm going to be the first one to lap up such a guide.
You know, I did get bartPE and made a PE disk successfully on first try too. It was nice, and I felt good. But it doesn't match up to ERD Commander 2003, which I got recently.

[LiquidSage]

Make sure the disk is a fixed size. WinPE has flipped out and would not show a HD unless it was a fixed size, at least for me... (I have had to throw a small dummy file on via dos once or twice to get a VirtualHD to show in WinPE, when doing just a WinPE -->HD install). This issue was resolved for me by using PartitionExpert to both create a partition and format. (Much quicker as well)

Also, check VPC Bios settings. Shouldn't be anything to change,but you never know what's lurking under the hood...

You may want to use diskpart in a script and the copy I386 folder over to the partition and then run an install w/ the correct cmds to make XP install to same HD where the source files are located.

IMHO, use WinPE for recovery, OOO (Out-of-0S) modifications or remote site op's. There is not much benefit, just more complications and time spent using WinPE for installs. (WinPE and HD recognition, hardware like SATA, nics, etc..unless you make the plug in...)

[candyman]

Did all that and it Still gives me that error.
I guess you can only upgrade this way, but that kinda takes away the reson for useing PE.

[likuidkewl]

Candyman did you use diskpart to make the partition(s)? I got this error when I forgot to make them.

[candyman]

likuidkewl, on Jan 30 2004, 06:10 PM, said:

Candyman did you use diskpart to make the partition(s)?  I got this error when I forgot to make them.

I used the XP Setup CD.

[likuidkewl]

Are you on a HD or a VPC?

[LiquidSage]

Does VPC's BIOS detect the partition?
Boot a win98 floppy create a fat32 part, and put about 60 megs of junk (or I386 folder) on it. Then try a plug-in free winpe build. Your problem is not unique.
So far, I have heard about it only pertaining to VPC's. Try on a real HD. Also,make sure the disk is not set to allow any 'undo' options and is not linked to a real partition. Give WinPE 64megs ram at least. Also, check created partition is not compressed, hidden and is active.

After that, I'm out of solutions. Only one time has a VirtualHD not let me boot and see a partition to the point of giving up and that WinPE build worked fine on several XP installs via PE at work on fresh hd's.

Actually, if you have an OS on a different VirtualHD, boot that as primary and the VirtualHD that isn't working as secondary to make sure it is valid. Oh, don't choose to quick format if asked during install.

[candyman]

VPC

and it sees the Virtual Disk Fine.
It doesn't have an OS on it, I was tring to see if I could boot from the CD and install on a New Drive. Guess not.