kkrull

I tried this with my limited sysprep knowledge and built and installer that wouldn't finish. I originally thought that it was because of the install BCD entry (mentioned below) but I can think of at least one other issue. I will try it again. Yes but the default BCD entry is for c:\windows, so that has to be changed too.

It would cut this project short if Vista got into other system folders. I am surprised it would restrict its damage to the same drive letter though, so I would think it would mess up multiple partition booting as well. I will try that again. I have multiple working windows installs and the other installs can see my Vista hives. Unfortunately, when I try to edit those hives I have run into trouble getting a search and replace utility to work on them. I can't do them all by hand. On a related note, have you ever used the WAIK or BDD? I would think that if you modify the WIM entry and %systemroot% references in the Vista install, you would be almost there. Maybe there is a default BCD entry on the install that could be modified so the install would boot to the right place the first time.

I've already done it. I am looking for a way to make it easier. I am not sure how this would happen. Windows doesn't write over non-system folders and the BCD still points to them. I'm not really the passive aggressive type and I sleep pretty heavy. This is good information, but I still need the underlying registry, not the virtual registry. Looks like not a lot is known about the way Vista registry changes were implemented http://www.ignitebyte.net/khojitech/archives/41. Any more ideas?

Anyone know how to change the protected registry entries within Vista? I need to change the systemroot references to configure multiboot on a single partition. If you don't realize what I am talking about, try to change the %systemroot% registry type settings from c:\windows... to something else inside Vista. Even with UAP/UAC disabled the changes don't stick. My attempts with local registry editors (with administrative privileges) and remote registry editors have been unsuccessful. Yes, I realize this is not intended. No, I can't use multiple partitions. I use an Macbook Pro (EFI notebook) and need the other three partitions for EFI, MacOS and Linux. The trick to this is to install any XP version first. Then install another XP copy from windows so that you can change the system path in the advanced options (c:\newpath). Too bad vista doesn't allow for changing it as easily. Now you have a good (non c:\windows) install but you need to move the c:\program files and c:\documents and settings. Boot into a PE environment like Bart's PE and copy the c:\program files and c:\documents and settings to another place. You can put them in c:\program files\XP32\ or c:\newpath\program files\ . Do the same for documents and settings. Then boot into c:\newpath and modify the registry entries to match the new location. Use a search and replace registry utility. (If you are really clever you can create these folders in the right place from an install script). You can do this as many times, for as many XP32 or XP64 installs as you like. After the first you don't need to boot into PE, because each previous directory will work. Just boot into another working environment, copy the documents and settings, and copy program files and then reboot into the most recent install and rename the registry settings from within the new install. You will want to change the boot.ini names so you can keep track of which is which. Unfortunately Vista has no advanced setting to install in a location other than c:\windows. There are no variables to change the default path or system root when performing an automated setup or script. And if you were to try to change the registry settings for the systemroot from c:\windows, they revert right back. Supposedly you can change the windows image from Vista. My first attempts to do this with Microsoft's deployment tools did not result in an installable build, possibly because the registry entries are not correct or because the BCD did not point to the right directory to start. If you only want one version of Vista, you could live with putting it in the c:\windows directory and your previously installed XP instances will still work. You just need to reference them from the new BCD as legacy. But if you want both Vista x64 and Vista x32 directories in the partition, or if you need multiple versions of one, or if you can't use c:\windows as your default systemroot directory, you need another solution. Ideas?