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Windows PE I could use some help, please


STZ128

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Hmmm...

I was hoping to use the romed NIC to implement PXE booting.
As jaclaz said (re InRAM) a lot gets taken. However, the In-RAM PE1.x (using WinBuilder) can boot and run in 512mb RAM, which is why you've been suggested to go that route. You can create a PE1.x (any way you like), include the NIC drivers (all for each target machine), and use a script (or set-of) to apply to the Target the WIM from a fixed Server Folder (one WIM per unique machine?). Prep the images with 1.x (there is/was an OPK Extender GUI Tool to help), Capture a/the WIM(s), and PXE-apply it/them.

 

Of course I could be totally missing the boat (I'm late to a lot of meetings that way) and am sure I'll be corrected if way off base.

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Submix8c

Jaclaz

Wimb

 

Thank you for all your comments, they are very much appreciated!

 

Currently I have:

 

PXE server running on my XP workstation (I do not miss burning CD after CD!)

I have PE3.0 and PE3.1 running on my target machine, but still not enough free ram to allow the app to run.

I have successfully taken my boot.wim from 144Mb down to 70 Mb.

I am still confused my both versions leave me with <32Mb of free virtual x drive?

 

I am wondering if BCD is allocating too much ram for the virtual drive?

I tried to use Visual BCD to check the BCD on my PE3 image, but it does not run.  I moved it to my Win 8 machine, it runs

but only like to look at the Win 8 boot.wim.

 

Perhaps I can trim out the unused drivers next.

After that I will take another look at the PE1.0/1.1 OS.

 

I appreciate all of your comments!

 

Steve

 

 

PS:

Yes, Submix8c, your last post is exactly what I am trying to do in the long run....eventually.

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I am wondering if BCD is allocating too much ram for the virtual drive?

I tried to use Visual BCD to check the BCD on my PE3 image, but it does not run.  I moved it to my Win 8 machine, it runs

but only like to look at the Win 8 boot.wim.

If you are booting off PXE, the boot entries files are kept on the server. For example, if you were using WDS on Server 2008 or newer, you can change the BCD on the server to change settings relating to the WinPE.

See if setting scratch-space on image helps. See here:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799261%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

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Tripredacus,

Thank for my latest hint!  This link provides just the information I have been searching for desperately.

I suspect the one of the ram disks are adjusting their size to leave ~30Mb of remaining memory .... killing my app!

I will check it out immediately!  Thank you very much.:D

Steve

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hello!

I have finally gotten back to my project after several computer crashes!

I have my winpe 3.1 back online again.

Current status:

I can now burn an ISO file, Make an hard disk boot able image.  So things are better now.

However now:

I would like to employ a ramdisk at run time.  My idea is, after booting, install the ramdisk to hold my running application.

After the boot, I install the imdisk setup.  It installs perfectly ( and appears to function.)  I shutdown the the pe (wpeutil shutdown) and then attempt to reboot.

Rebooting seems to remove the ramdisk that was installed.  The registry does not show the effects of loading the imdisk setup.  The only results maintained are the

new files on the hard drive.  Apparently the active drivers are not maintained, nor the registry saved.

Help needed here:

The files that are required for imdisk are:  imdisk.inf imdisk.sys imdisk.cpl (control appalet), imdisk.exe, imdsksvc.exe (service task) and awealloc.sys

What I think I have to do is, duplicate the operation on the installer to activate the ramdisk.

Anyone have ideas how to do this?

Thanks in adv!

Steve

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Jaclaz,

Right after posting the message, I discovered that website. 

Yes it is excellant reference.  Thanks for referring it to me...

Yesterday and this morning I was working on implementing it.

I hate to type, so I clipped the two reg files and put them into reg files.  And import them with reg.exe.

reg load   HKLM\_WinPE_SYSTEM   %PEDIR%\mount\windows\system32\config\system
reg load   HKLM\_WinPE_software %PEDIR%\mount\windows\system32\config\software
reg import                      %PEDIR%\mount\windows\system32\config\imdisk.system
reg import                      %PEDIR%\mount\windows\system32\config\imdisk.software

reg unload HKLM\_WinPE_SYSTEM
reg unload HKLM\_WinPE_SOFTWARE

(Superficial change, but minimizes chance of error!)

It works beautifully!

Yes, just a plain WinPE3.1.  No desktop app, just a command window.

Now on to other fish to fry! :D

Thanks again for your help,

steve

Edited by STZ128
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Steve, if you want something that while still minimal/simple has something more than CLI only, have a look at Quick PE:

http://reboot.pro/files/file/340-quickpe/

and (JFYI), loading a Registry hive is a bit "old fashioned", there are ways to edit the Offline Registry:
http://reboot.pro/topic/11312-offline-registry/

which may be integrated/scripted in a batch based builder as the above.

jaclaz
 

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Thanks Jaclaz,

I am more familiar with using .reg files.  The ramdisk is built in the image phase of construction.

I am now having a problem utilizing Proxy server.

Tripredacus has suggested I create a new topic.

Thanks for your help on getting the PE setup!

steve

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