[xpman]

I am successfully using a merged install.wim containing the x86 and x64 editions of Windows 7. The unattended installation also runs though as intended.

However, when I also add the Server 2008 R2 to the image, setup fails during the WindowsPE pass with one of two errors:

"A requird CD/DVD drive driver is missing ..."
"Windows cannot open the required file E:\Soures\install.wim. ... Error code: 0x8007000D" (I only got this lately after changing my sort order a bit)

My mkisofs settings are as follows (I also tried -udf):

-iso-level 3 -r -allow-multidot -no-iso-translate -relaxed-filenames -allow-leading-dots -N -l -d -D -joliet-long -graft-points -no-emul-boot -b loader.bin -sort iso.sort

My sort file is as follows (probably not self-explanatory, but I'll add it just to be sure):

z:/deploy/root.cdsh/boot.catalog 10000
z:/deploy/root.cdsh/loader.bin 9990
z:/deploy/root.cdsh/cdsh 9980
z:/deploy/root.win5x/win51* 9970
z:/deploy/root.win5x/win52* 9970
z:/deploy/root.win5x/*.htm 9970
z:/deploy/root.win5x/wxp? 9960
z:/deploy/root.win5x/wxp? 9960
z:/deploy/root.win5x/w03? 9960
z:/deploy/root.win5x/*.xml 9950
z:/deploy/root.win5x/bootfont.bin 8000
z:/deploy/root.win5x/wxpcorp??sp3/I386/* 1100
z:/deploy/root.win61/boot 9960
z:/deploy/root.win61/bootmgr 9960
z:/deploy/root.win61/*.xml 9950
z:/deploy/root.win61/setup.exe 9950
z:/deploy/root.win61/autorun.inf 9950
z:/deploy/root.win61/sources/* 9950
z:/deploy/root.win61/sources/setup.exe 9955
z:/deploy/root.win61/sources/boot.wim 9955
z:/deploy/root.win61/sources/install.wim 9000
z:/deploy/root.win61/sources/W*.xml 9951
z:/deploy/root.apps/apps -8000

(cdsh is my boot-loader, win5x and win61 the XP and 7/Server 2008 R2 roots; I basically merge all the different OS root directories into my multi-boot iso.)

There is no immediate problem creating the iso file with the listed settings, despite the fact that install.wim now is larger than 4gb.

All postings regarding iso-creation did not help me - I can create the iso.
All postings regarding search order I tried to take into account - the files are sorted properly as far as I can see.

My understanding from other threads is that if the iso/sorting problems are solved, really large install.wim files should be usable. So where did I make a mistake?

This post has been edited by xpman: 18 April 2010 - 07:08 AM

[cdob]

Windows setup does behave strange:

Given a 4.4gb install.wim file:

File system UDF only:
Windows setup.exe does read install.wim.
Installation does complete.

File system ISO9660 only:
Shift F10 command console does dir a 4.4gb d:\sources\install.wim file.
ImageX does successfully read install.wim. And can extract files: imagex.exe /apply d:\sources\install.wim 9 C: /verify
However Windows setup.exe does NOT read install.wim: "A requird CD/DVD drive driver is missing ..."

Bridge file system ISO9660 and UDF:
Shift F10 command console does dir a 4.4gb install.wim file.
Windows setup.exe does not read install.wim

Conclusion:
Windows setup.exe does prefer ISO9660 before UDF, but dosn't read a big ISO9660 file.

Finally:
I've no solution to a multiboot Windows XP with a big Windows Vista/7 install.wim file.

[xpman]

First of all, thank you (once again) for your great help!

cdob, on 19 April 2010 - 03:26 PM, said:

Conclusion:
Windows setup.exe does prefer ISO9660 before UDF, but dosn't read a big ISO9660 file.

This is an interesting conclusion, thanks.

Quote

Finally:
I've no solution to a multiboot Windows XP with a big Windows Vista/7 install.wim file.

I was afraid this might be the case; this means that I will check out splitting the wim file or simply having multiple small wim files and pass their names to setup.exe, i.e.

imagex.exe /split Install.wim Install.SWM 4096 /check

or

setup.exe /installfrom: install.w08.wim

The latter might actually be less work since there is no need to merge the install.wim files.

By the way: did you use mkisofs for these tests? I am using the most current version you recently pointed me to (2.01.01a75), and using

-allow-multidot -no-iso-translate -relaxed-filenames -allow-leading-dots -U -udf -N -l -d -D -graft-points -no-emul-boot -b loader.bin -sort iso.sort

I only get

Value too large for defined data type.

Same even when just using "-udf".

When using

-r -udf -iso-level 3 -graft-points -no-emul-boot -b loader.bin -sort iso.sort

, creating the iso works - but then I have an iso part again.

This post has been edited by xpman: 21 April 2010 - 03:14 PM

[cdob]

xpman, on 21 April 2010 - 02:15 PM, said:

setup.exe /installfrom: install.w08.wim

The latter might actually be less work since there is no need to merge the install.wim files.

That's a nice idea.

Quote

By the way: did you use mkisofs for these tests?

I used mkisfos and oscdimg.
Oscdimg -u2 create UDF file system only and add big files.
Oscdimg dosn't support big ISO9660 files. Maybe hence the missing setup support.
And mkisofs -iso-level 3 at big ISO9660 files. Big files are possible within ISO9660:1988.

[xpman]

cdob, on 22 April 2010 - 04:36 AM, said:

xpman, on 21 April 2010 - 02:15 PM, said:

setup.exe /installfrom: install.w08.wim

The latter might actually be less work since there is no need to merge the install.wim files.

That's a nice idea.

Thanks, I haven't gotten around to trying it, though.

What I did try is splitting the install.wim, and that worked almost perfectly.

imagex.exe /split Install.wim Install.SWM 4096 /check

The only issue is that I think the copying progress is measured only on the first file: After a suspiciously short period of time, I had 100% there for quite a while (I actually thought the method did not work properly); then, after waiting the usual amount it takes setup to copy the files, the expansion started. Not a real problem, but something that could throw off a user of the DVD who doesn't know about the details.

I still think I will give the first method a try, too, since I do not need to modify the install.wim files (just copy the clg files); I also hope this could be nicely combined with the selection of an answer file from WindowsPE (at least I have not found another way to make one DVD for multiple computers like it's possible for XP).

Quote

Quote

By the way: did you use mkisofs for these tests?

I used mkisfos and oscdimg.
Oscdimg -u2 create UDF file system only and add big files.
Oscdimg dosn't support big ISO9660 files. Maybe hence the missing setup support.
And mkisofs -iso-level 3 at big ISO9660 files. Big files are possible within ISO9660:1988.

Thanks, so if I understand you right:
- You can make udf-only with mkisofs, but then you do not get large file support (which I thought udf always has).
- To get large file support with udf and mkisofs, you need to add iso with at least level 3.

[cdob]

xpman, on 21 April 2010 - 02:15 PM, said:

did you use mkisofs for these tests?

Try a current version again http://www.student.t...t/thomas.plank/

ISO9660 Level 3 and UDF

mkisofs.exe -iso-level 3 -N -D -d -relaxed-filenames -allow-multidot -udf -hide boot.catalog -hide-udf boot.catalog -no-emul-boot -b boot/etfsboot.com -o G:\Win7BIG.iso \W7x64

Setup finds a file install.wim greater 4gb, installation does finish.


Or add UEFI boot at Windows 7 SP1 x64 files

mkisofs.exe -iso-level 3 -N -D -d -relaxed-filenames -allow-multidot -udf -hide boot.catalog -hide-udf boot.catalog -no-emul-boot -b boot/etfsboot.com -eltorito-alt-boot -eltorito-platform efi -b efi/microsoft/boot/efisys.bin -no-emul-boot -o G:\Win7BIG.iso \W7x64

In adddition you may add rock ridge, if another apllication requires this.