[Escorpiom]

A huge thanks for the quick implementation!
Dont worry, I do not need most GUI options at this moment. This is my flow:

1. Prepare disk
2. Choose OS
3. Choose OS version (Ultimate for example)
4. Choose Install partition
5. Apply Image
6. Postrun command executed (.cmd file)

From that moment I reboot the system and the rest of the whole process should be unattended, both for XP and Win7 including program install from ROE.
Goal is to deploy several OS with the help of only one utility, and to make it as simple and fool proof as possible.
Sometimes however I forget stupid things, for example to set the primary partition active, causing no boot and that makes me loose time.
Your program is a bit more automated so that's one thing I like, later I hope to move the disk preparation also inside WinNTSetup.

The reason I did the WIM for XP is because a lot of computers I work with still run XP and won't be upgraded to 7 anytime soon.
Please allow me to test this method, if anything comes up I'll give feedback.

Cheers.

This post has been edited by Escorpiom: 28 June 2012 - 05:18 AM

[JFX]

Escorpiom, on 27 June 2012 - 10:04 PM, said:

... later I hope to move the disk preparation also inside WinNTSetup.

The v2.3 versions have disk management (or if not available diskpart) link in system menu (ALT + SPACE)

Escorpiom, on 27 June 2012 - 10:04 PM, said:

The reason I did the WIM for XP is because a lot of computers I work with still run XP and won't be upgraded to 7 anytime soon.
Please allow me to test this method, if anything comes up I'll give feedback.

Can't really remember how to create fully hardware independent Windows XP sysprep images.
But yes, this is indeed a great and fast way to install WinXP.

Currently WinNTSetup is more or less a frozen project for the next months, but maybe I add full support for this way of installation.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:17 AM

[testplayer]

I was trying to use v2.3 beta 3 to install windows 8 RP on a VHDX file, and it said that installation on vhd is only available for windows 7 ultimate and enterprise. Could you please fix this problem? I know it is simply an imageX /apply bla bla bla, but I like GUI not command line. Thanks!!

[JFX]

Hi testplayer,

sorry I can not make an update until weekend, but you can enable/disable that check with right-click on "VHD >>>" button.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:17 AM

[testplayer]

JFX, on 11 July 2012 - 08:11 AM, said:

Hi testplayer,

sorry I can not make an update until weekend, but you can enable/disable that check with right-click on "VHD >>>" button.

That's cool!! Thanks a lot!

[Mr001]

JFX, on 01 April 2012 - 05:29 AM, said:

Mr001, on 29 March 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

how to use that software...

1. select your windows distribution
2. choose a installation partition
3. push the setup button

hmm, maybe not my biggest talent to explain things...

Could you make a list of questions that arise while using the tool? So i can address every thing that is not so clear.

I am trying to install xp please guide me through im confused..

"1st option is about location of windows installation files" (i guess the xp iso file or xp setup drive)
2nd option: "select location of boot drive (what does that mean i can't understand, sorry)
3rd Select location of the installationdrive (can't get it what does it mean)

Please explain in very simple words im very noob :-(
see attachments plz

Attached File(s)

•  wint help.JPG (144.23K)
  Number of downloads: 18

[JFX]

Mr001, on 20 July 2012 - 06:07 AM, said:

I am trying to install xp please guide me through im confused..

"1st option is about location of windows installation files" (i guess the xp iso file or xp setup drive)
2nd option: "select location of boot drive (what does that mean i can't understand, sorry)
3rd Select location of the installationdrive (can't get it what does it mean)

1. Yes the drive letter of your xp setup drive. A real CD/DVD or a mounted iso image

2. A Primary partition (dark blue) on "Disk 0" with "(System)" in Status register

3. Can be any partition, even the one you selected under 2.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:17 AM

[Mr001]

JFX, on 20 July 2012 - 07:27 AM, said:

Mr001, on 20 July 2012 - 06:07 AM, said:

I am trying to install xp please guide me through im confused..

"1st option is about location of windows installation files" (i guess the xp iso file or xp setup drive)
2nd option: "select location of boot drive (what does that mean i can't understand, sorry)
3rd Select location of the installationdrive (can't get it what does it mean)

1. Yes the drive letter of your xp setup drive. A real CD/DVD or a mounted iso image

2. A Primary partition (dark blue) on "Disk 0" with "(System)" in Status register



3. Can be any partition, even the one you selected under 2.

Thank you for your reply Brother,
ok does it mean that i can't install XP into existing installed drive?

[JFX]

Mr001, on 20 July 2012 - 06:05 PM, said:

ok does it mean that i can't install XP into existing installed drive?

Yes, if a drive already has a windows installation inside, it's better to format it.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:17 AM

[Mr001]

JFX, on 21 July 2012 - 01:01 AM, said:

Mr001, on 20 July 2012 - 06:05 PM, said:

ok does it mean that i can't install XP into existing installed drive?

Yes, if a drive already has a windows installation inside, it's better to format it.

I got blue screen error during installation i n Dell pc

[JFX]

Mr001, on 01 August 2012 - 05:59 PM, said:

I got blue screen error during installation i n Dell pc

Hmm, a bit more information would help

Which windows version you trying to install?
What number was displayed on the BSoD?
At which state of the installation the BSoD occured?

I can only assume the dell pc is running in AHCI mode and your windows CD doesn't have the required SATA driver.

You could try to disable AHCI inside the BIOS or you will need to integrate the driver.

WinNTSetup can integrate SATA driver for all windows version, if you select a folder containing the right driver in unpacked form.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:17 AM

[JFX]

Update: Version 2.3 Beta 4

- Windows 8 Professional edition recognized for nativeVHDBoot
- file patching 5x faster
- UxTheme generic patcher for Windows 8
- System Reserved partition now hidden in new installation
- *caution "hidden feature" language.ini extended

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:18 AM

[Atari800XL]

JFX, on 06 August 2012 - 01:52 AM, said:

Update: Version 2.3 Beta 4

- System Reversed partition now hidden in new installation

Thanks for the new version! Gave me an oppotunity to thank you once again for this great tool!!! I tested the previous version with the new W8RTM (x86, enterprise), works great!
(But what is a "System Reversed Partition?" , did you put it in upside-down? )

Thank you!!

This post has been edited by Atari800XL: 06 August 2012 - 06:32 AM

[JFX]

Atari800XL, on 06 August 2012 - 06:30 AM, said:

(But what is a "System Reversed Partition?" , did you put it in upside-down? )

ha ha, yeah this happens quite often lately

Good to hear that the RTM works fine. Windows 8 should be fully supported now.

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:18 AM

[Mr001]

JFX, on 02 August 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

Mr001, on 01 August 2012 - 05:59 PM, said:

I got blue screen error during installation i n Dell pc

Hmm, a bit more information would help

Which windows version you trying to install?
What number was displayed on the BSoD?
At which state of the installation the BSoD occured?

I can only assume the dell pc is running in AHCI mode and your windows CD doesn't have the required SATA driver.

You could try to disable AHCI inside the BIOS or you will need to integrate the driver.

WinNTSetup can integrate SATA driver for all windows version, if you select a folder containing the right driver in unpacked form.

I am trying to install xp sp3.
The number that displayed on BSod was 0x0000006b
The BSod error occured after booting the XP and just before the windows installation starts (before pressing F8)
also plz tell me how to select a folder for drivers for WINntsetup...
Thanks for ur reply

[JFX]

Thanks for the infos. It really seams to be a sata driver issue.

To integrate a driver just check the "Add Driver" checkbox and select the folder in the showing up dialog.


But if you don't have / know the exact driver needed you can use Driverpacks Base to integrate the drivers.

1. Download DPs_BASE_1006.exe and DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1206.7z http://driverpacks.net/downloads
2. Run DPs_BASE_1006.exe and select C:\DPsBase for extracting
3. Copy DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1206.7z to C:\DPsBase\DriverPacks

4. Run Winntsetup and select "Run DriverPacks BASE (x86 only)" checkbox
5. Push the setup button and wait for winntsetup to copy the files
6. You will be asked to select DPs_BASE.exe, browse to C:\DPsBase and select that file.

7. DriverPacks BASE will launch, select Settings --> DriverPacks in the treeview
8. Select the Driverpacks Massstorage checkbox and hit Slipstream button
9. The driver integration will take a few minutes, wait and hit okay in the success message that show up in the end

This post has been edited by JFX: 08 August 2012 - 03:03 AM

[Doodoo]

JFX, on 08 August 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

To integrate a driver just check the "Add Driver" checkbox and select the folder in the showing up dialog.
But if you don't have / know the exact driver needed you can use Driverpacks Base to integrate the drivers.

Is it possible to do both ? E.g. to integrate the WinVBlock driver with the "Add Driver" checkbox, and also to integrate Driverpacks ?

I know it might be a big ask, but would it be possible for WinNTSetup to automatically integrate WinVBlock / FiraDisk without any user intervention (other than tick a checkbox !), so that install to IMG / VHD is easily achieved for all OSes, including those that don't natively support booting from a virtual disk (XP, etc...)?

On the same line, would it be possible to support VHD creation (Ctrl + Shift + V) when running on XP ? It may be not be as straightforward as on W7, but in the worst case it's always possible to create an IMG first (e.g. with Hddimage) and then to convert to VHD (e.g. with VHD Tool). I'm sure there is a billion ways to achieve the same result.

Basically what I'm asking is whether it would be possible to offer the very same possibilities for XP as for W7, thanks to a few tweaks and workarounds ?

[Mr001]

JFX, on 08 August 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

Thanks for the infos. It really seams to be a sata driver issue.

To integrate a driver just check the "Add Driver" checkbox and select the folder in the showing up dialog.


But if you don't have / know the exact driver needed you can use Driverpacks Base to integrate the drivers.

1. Download DPs_BASE_1006.exe and DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1206.7z http://driverpacks.net/downloads
2. Run DPs_BASE_1006.exe and select C:\DPsBase for extracting
3. Copy DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1206.7z to C:\DPsBase\DriverPacks

4. Run Winntsetup and select "Run DriverPacks BASE (x86 only)" checkbox
5. Push the setup button and wait for winntsetup to copy the files
6. You will be asked to select DPs_BASE.exe, browse to C:\DPsBase and select that file.

7. DriverPacks BASE will launch, select Settings --> DriverPacks in the treeview
8. Select the Driverpacks Massstorage checkbox and hit Slipstream button
9. The driver integration will take a few minutes, wait and hit okay in the success message that show up in the end

I did as u directed but didn't work for me same error

[JFX]

Doodoo, on 10 August 2012 - 02:58 AM, said:

Is it possible to do both ? E.g. to integrate the WinVBlock driver with the "Add Driver" checkbox, and also to integrate Driverpacks ?

Should be possible, if WinVBlock has a correct inf file accepted by the msstmake tool.

Adding VHD options for Windows older than 7, would be way to much work. Properly can't even be done fully automated.
Sorry I don't have any plans to add support for alternative VHD drivers as WinVBlock, Firadisk or Vboot.


@Mr001

Hmm, that's strange
Have you tried to disable AHCI in the bios?
If this also not works, i'm out of ideas

This post has been edited by JFX: 09 March 2013 - 10:18 AM

[Doodoo]

JFX, on 13 August 2012 - 04:47 AM, said:

Should be possible, if WinVBlock has a correct inf file accepted by the msstmake tool.

There is certainly one INF file around, that is used by most people in a Virtual floppy, to install this driver during TXT-mode setup (F6). Are we talking about the same thing ?

JFX, on 13 August 2012 - 04:47 AM, said:

Adding VHD options for Windows older than 7, would be way to much work. Properly can't even be done fully automated.

Fair enough, I appreciate it might be a big job for little benefit :-)
However for now, I'm having problems with "the manual way". Please could you advise what might be going on ?

So here is what I do. Within XP, I create a virtual HDD image, say XP.IMG (could be VHD as it's nearly the same thing). Mount it as a virtual drive with ImDisk.
Then I configure WinNTSetup to use the virtual drive as a target disk, and to inject the WinVBlock driver ("Add Driver" checkbox). So far so good.

Next, first reboot. Said XP.IMG is now mounted as virtual HDD by Grub4Dos. Chainload NTLDR on the physical HDD to start setup.
TXT-mode setup goes well....till the phase "Windows is Starting". At this point it greets me with something like "the setup temporary files cannot be found and cannot continue".

Any clue what the problem might be ?