[laddanator]

maanu, post 250 sums it up. Just have to expand your setup.exe and add it to the new IMA as described on the first page and use, cdob menu.lst from post 250

[cdob]

laddanator, on 15 January 2012 - 08:08 AM, said:

I would add the chainloader line as below
chainloader (222)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

Thanks, this is a good idea at a default image.
What about a multi boot iso image without /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN ?
What about

ls (222)BOOTFIX.BIN && chainloader (222)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN
ls (222)/I386/BOOTFIX.BIN || chainloader (222)

Quote

map --mem /images/XP_INST.IMA (fd0)
map --mem /images/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/images/winsetup.iso;floppy,vmem=find:/images/firadisk.img;\n\0

At second glance this is broken: firadisk search firadisk.img at a disk, but there is RAM loaded floppy used too.

Should be:

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/images/winsetup.iso;\n\0

Can you test this at real hardware?

Much simple menu.lst than mine.

But you have more testing hardware.
I'm used to one hard disk (read: BIOS maps target hard disk as hd1 at USB boot) and one usb drive. Any map (hd?) real experince is highly welcome.

FiraDisk StartOptions is in investigation.
Remember the name: a start option is valid at start: at firadisk driver start.
Firadisk is running after reboot already. A simple registry add won't work after driver is started.
And firadisk is marked as a boot driver: a net stop is rejected.
At a addional reboot there is a drive load order and drive intialization.
USB drivers has to be loaded, initialized, USB drive available. Next firadisk could find a file.
Unfortunately different hardware may gives different timing results. A solution may work at known hardware, but fail at other hardware.
At second glance: a driver pair firadisk/imdisk gives predictable timing. Should work at more machines.

This post has been edited by cdob: 15 January 2012 - 05:11 PM

[laddanator]

Quote

Thanks, this is a good idea at a default image.
What about a multi boot iso image without /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN ?
What about

ls (222)BOOTFIX.BIN && chainloader (222)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN
ls (222)/I386/BOOTFIX.BIN || chainloader (222)

That will work. I do my multiboot ISO a little different (don't use BOOTFIX.BIN). I hex edit my setupldr.bin to change the path of the boot folder(can only use 4 letters or number). I use the same mod setupldr.bin over and over..only has to be hexed once...I could do a whole write up on this but I will try not to go off-topic

Quote

Much simple menu.lst than mine.

But you have more testing hardware.
I'm used to one hard disk (read: BIOS maps target hard disk as hd1 at USB boot) and one usb drive. Any map (hd?) real experince is highly welcome.

Didn't mean to say your was simple as in lame but for someone who is new to this, meant its easier to understand. I use a mod BOOTWS folder with the firadisk ISO loads.

Quote

Firadisk is running after reboot already. A simple registry add won't work after driver is started.

Been testing all day and I am going to put this registry thing on the back burner (given me a headache) since the 1 boot to USB method is working with your IMA stuff, all is good...besides I still have winsetupfromusb which I hear may be getting a newer release.

Quote

Should be:

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/images/winsetup.iso;\n\0

Can you test this at real hardware?

Tried this before but didn't have any luck but that was before your IMA file with setup.cmd. Will try now.

Been testing the new XP_INST.IMA today on my Asus M4A88TD-M/USB3 with three internal HD. The BOOTWS mod has come in nicely. All three XP (Home-Pro-MCE) have installed fine. Will test on Dells tomorrow at work.

Also I use variables so that I can use one XP_INST.IMA and much easier to write ISO name on the fly. Under each menu title I have this

set XPISO=HOME.ISO
set Image=XP.IMA

set XPISO=PRO.ISO
set Image=XP.IMA

set XPISO=MCE.ISO
set Image=XP.IMA

So end result looks like this

write --offset=0 (fd0)/setup/ISOimage.ini \\XP\\ISO\\%XPISO%\n;\n;\n;
write --offset=0 (fd1)/setup/ISOimage.ini \\XP\\ISO\\%XPISO%\n;\n;\n;
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/XP/ISO/%XPISO%;floppy,vmem=find:/XP/Floppy/%Image%;\n\0

UPDATE


@cdob, just finished an install with PRO and only used this line

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/XP/ISO/%XPISO%;\n\0

so now this line is not needed

floppy,vmem=find:/images/firadisk.img;\n\0

Also I guess it would be a good idea to remove the firadisk driver and imdisk. I saw in the setup.cmd you have a line to remove Imdisk but not firadisk. Did I miss something? If not might not be a bad idea to add it to the cleanup section.

Something like this

devcon remove *\firadisk
del %WinDir%\system32\drivers\firadi*.sys

This post has been edited by laddanator: 15 January 2012 - 06:55 PM

[laddanator]

Text setup mode runs really slow on a older computer with this method as would if loaded from the actually CD. Wonder if the small ISO trick could be map to mem to say (0xFF) and after reboot to start GUI , cdob's, new setup command would run and mount the big ISO and finish install? Just to speed up text setup mode?


If the path to the big ISO has been written to the ISOimage.ini...don't see why not

This post has been edited by laddanator: 17 January 2012 - 02:53 PM

[cdob]

laddanator, on 17 January 2012 - 02:29 PM, said:

Text setup mode runs really slow on a older computer with this method

Which old hardware do you use?
Is a USB 2.0 controller available?
Does BIOS enable USB 2.0 speed at USB boot?

Loading a file to RAM may take some time.

Actually there are two textmode parts.
First: boot to user selectable target drive.
Second: Copy files to hard disk

Which part(s) refers to slow on a old computer?
Which time does it take? Name minutes and seconds.

Quote

Wonder if the small ISO trick could be map to mem

Which files are inside this ISO image?
A tiny ISO trick will fail.
If a small ISO contains first boot files to user selectable target drive, then first boot can be faster.
Following parts may work or fail.

It's possible to RAM load recovery console and install from flat file at same ISO file.
Compare recovery console part http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__890654

Quote

If the path to the big ISO has been written to the ISOimage.ini...don't see why not

There is a missing gap between tiny ISO file and ISOimage.ini.
Firadisk may map small ISO file and big ISO file.
And windows setup may boot from small ISO.
Next search files inside small ISO to copy to hard disk. However there are no files inside
How to satisfy setup?

[laddanator]

Quote

Which old hardware do you use?
Is a USB 2.0 controller available?
Does BIOS enable USB 2.0 speed at USB boot?

Old P3 with gig of ram. CD install of text mode setup doesn't go any faster (I timed it) No USB 2. USB 1.0 so of course this will be slower. I must like making more work for myself

Quote

Which files are inside this ISO image?

Haven't got that far. I will stick with what's working and leave the small ISO out of the mix for now.

Quote

Actually there are two textmode parts.
First: boot to user selectable target drive.
Second: Copy files to hard disk

Which part(s) refers to slow on a old computer?
Which time does it take? Name minutes and seconds.

About 3 min or so to run first txt setup part (same as CD on this machine) . Coping the files is faster (didn't time that part)

Quote

Next search files inside small ISO to copy to hard disk. However there are no files inside
How to satisfy setup?

Some how after the small iso being mapped to (oxff) and when text setup part1 finishes..loads files from the mapped big ISO (222). Sounds crazy but I have done crazier!

[mexus]

Can you please tell me how to use mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd.

Never mind found it on a previous page, moderator please delete this post.

This post has been edited by mexus: 26 January 2012 - 06:55 PM

[Oct]

Hi

PLEASE HELP

I have an error at the Beginning of the text base setup. I get the blue windows setup screen, I get the "Press F6 ....", then the "Press F2 ....." but then it fails with the message below, i.e the full iso is loaded into the RAM then XP text based setup starts to loads but stops before loading any of the files.

I then get the error:



Please insert the disk labelled

Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 CD

Into Drive A

Press enter when ready



Have i missed a step or something obvious ??

Is it a setting I need to modify to point to the ISO loaded into RAM ?


Please help, and thanks ...

Attached File(s)

•  xp iso to usb error.jpg (29.3K)
  Number of downloads: 36

This post has been edited by Oct: 02 February 2012 - 10:02 AM

[cdob]

v06 major redesign

One driver only - firadisk
no need to include setup.exe in floppy image
Driver firadisk is used within installation. And disabled at end of installation.

A sample menu.lst is included.

Usage examples:

1: simple case, friendly BIOS - try this first
ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

2: strange USB BIOS or hardware - adds a reboot if necessary
ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

3.map : small map RAM loaded boot files
ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd
Loads textmode boot part to RAM, about 10-20mb data. This includes recovery console.
Other files are read by windows drivers at USB 2.0 speed
Prefer at USB1.x BIOS speed

3.dd: small dd RAM loaded boot files
Uses dd to copy data.
Lower speed, a fargmented ISO image possible.

4: RAM loaded install files
ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd
Loads textmode boot and copy part to RAM
Fastest approach at USB 2.0 BIOS speed

5: RAM load ISO image
simple approach, use a existing ISO image

[laddanator]

Cool beans! Testing now

[lucidanime]

cdob, on 22 February 2012 - 03:36 PM, said:

v06 major redesign

One driver only - firadisk
no need to include setup.exe in floppy image
Driver firadisk is used within installation. And disabled at end of installation.

A sample menu.lst is included.

Usage examples:

1: simple case, friendly BIOS - try this first
ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

2: strange USB BIOS or hardware - adds a reboot if necessary
ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

3.map : small map RAM loaded boot files
ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd
Loads textmode boot part to RAM, about 10-20mb data. This includes recovery console.
Other files are read by windows drivers at USB 2.0 speed
Prefer at USB1.x BIOS speed

3.dd: small dd RAM loaded boot files
Uses dd to copy data.
Lower speed, a fargmented ISO image possible.

4: RAM loaded install files
ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd
Loads textmode boot and copy part to RAM
Fastest approach at USB 2.0 BIOS speed

5: RAM load ISO image
simple approach, use a existing ISO image

Tried out this method, I get to the textmode partition screen, I can select the device to install to, it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys, and various other files from the XP_INST.gz file. Am I doing something wrong?

[cdob]

lucidanime, on 26 April 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys

Remembers to a BIOS issue.

Which hardware do you use?
Which windows files do you use? Do you use a original or a edited version? Any parts removed? Do you use a file winnt.sif?

Try double virtual floppy disk.

title Setup Windows XP from ISO \n1: simple case, unfriendly BIOS \ntry this 2nd
set dir=/images
set myISO=%dir%/XP_RAM.ISO
echo %myISO%
set fdIMA=%dir%/XP_INST.ima
cat --length=0 %myISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %myISO%
map %myISO% (222)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd1)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd0)
map --hook > nul
#use original firadisk.inf
#cat --number=1 --locatei="firaedit.inf" --replace="firadisk.inf" (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul
#chenall's ntboot
cat --locate=###### --number=1 (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul || call :error %fdIMA% file error..
set offset=%?%
set fira.opt=cdrom,vmem=find:%myISO%;
write --offset=%offset% (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM value=Parameters,StartOptions,REG_SZ,"%fira.opt%"\r\n;
cat --skip=%offset% --locate=/ --replace=\\ (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM
dd if=(fd1) of=(fd0)
command (fd1)/grub4dos/shifthd.bat
root (222)
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

[lucidanime]

cdob, on 26 April 2012 - 03:46 PM, said:

lucidanime, on 26 April 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys

Remembers to a BIOS issue.

Which hardware do you use?
Which windows files do you use? Do you use a original or a edited version? Any parts removed? Do you use a file winnt.sif?

Try double virtual floppy disk.

title Setup Windows XP from ISO \n1: simple case, unfriendly BIOS \ntry this 2nd
set dir=/images
set myISO=%dir%/XP_RAM.ISO
echo %myISO%
set fdIMA=%dir%/XP_INST.ima
cat --length=0 %myISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %myISO%
map %myISO% (222)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd1)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd0)
map --hook > nul
#use original firadisk.inf
#cat --number=1 --locatei="firaedit.inf" --replace="firadisk.inf" (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul
#chenall's ntboot
cat --locate=###### --number=1 (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul || call :error %fdIMA% file error..
set offset=%?%
set fira.opt=cdrom,vmem=find:%myISO%;
write --offset=%offset% (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM value=Parameters,StartOptions,REG_SZ,"%fira.opt%"\r\n;
cat --skip=%offset% --locate=/ --replace=\\ (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM
dd if=(fd1) of=(fd0)
command (fd1)/grub4dos/shifthd.bat
root (222)
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

Because I used BTS's DriverPacks, I had OEMPreinstall =YES in my winnt.sif. I set that to no, and loaded the firadisk driver using F6, and it worked like a charm!! Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode, or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?

[cdob]

lucidanime, on 27 April 2012 - 02:44 AM, said:

Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode

Post #104 http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__988506

jIf ISO image is not found after first reboot, then add hivesys.inf settings from Post #58 http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__987629

Quote

or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?

Can be a BIOS issue still. Do you use a secret hardware?

[lucidanime]

cdob, on 28 April 2012 - 05:22 AM, said:

lucidanime, on 27 April 2012 - 02:44 AM, said:

Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode

Post #104 http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__988506

jIf ISO image is not found after first reboot, then add hivesys.inf settings from Post #58 http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__987629

Quote

or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?

Can be a BIOS issue still. Do you use a secret hardware?

It's not secret hardware, it's a LENOVO THINKCENTER 1578N9G. Everything worked perfectly when I pressed F6 to load firadisk, I tried integrating it, and it just gave me an error to insert Windows XP Professional SP3 disk into Drive A, so I think i'll stick with the F6 method for now

[dagonas]

Hi!

Is there a way to do a multiboot installation USB pendrive with Windows XP and Windows 7?

Does the method you have explained in this topic work fast?

Thanks in advance

This post has been edited by dagonas: 07 June 2012 - 02:55 AM

[OrcLex]

I have an error message using firadisk (XP_INST.IMA) for installation of WinXP if an internal smart card reader is connected to the PC (dell). See attached image:

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk5\DR7."

I can skip it with Cancel or Continue and get the next error messages:

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk5\DR6."
"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk2\DR4."
"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk3\DR5."

The installation continues without any new problems. When unplugging the card reader no error messages appear.

I guess one script inside the XP_INST.IMA is checking every drive found in the system for some files but the card reader drives are empty and so an error message is thrown.
Any ideas for fixing that bug?


My menu.lst contains

title Setup Windows XP 1.5 [SP3 en] Step 1
find --set-root /iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso
map --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)
map /iso/XP_INST.IMA (fd0)
#map /iso/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)
map /iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso (222)
checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd0) (hd1)
checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd1) (hd0)
#map --harddrives=1
map --hook
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso;floppy,vmem=find:/iso/XP_INST.IMA;\n\0
rootnoverify (222)
chainloader
map --status
pause Press any key twice...


title Setup Windows XP 1.5 [SP3 en] Step 2
map --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)
checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd0) (hd1)
checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd1) (hd0)
#map --harddrives=1
map --hook
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso;\n\0
rootnoverify (hd0)
chainloader +1
map --status
pause Press any key . . .

Attached File(s)

•  IMG_0625.JPG (186.14K)
  Number of downloads: 8

[OrcLex]

dagonas, on 07 June 2012 - 02:14 AM, said:

Hi!

Is there a way to do a multiboot installation USB pendrive with Windows XP and Windows 7?

Does the method you have explained in this topic work fast?

Thanks in advance

Yes, multiboot is working very well. Search for grub4dos, firadisk, windows 7 and use the image from this thread for windows xp.

[cdob]

OrcLex, on 02 August 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

I have an error message using firadisk (XP_INST.IMA) for installation of WinXP if an internal smart card reader is connected to the PC (dell).:

Which XP_INST.IMA do you use?

What about XP_INST_v06.7z and inetraget menu.lst examples?
Compare Post #269 http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__991048

[OrcLex]

It seems to be fixed in the latest version. Perfect!
Thanks!