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ChrisBaksa

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Posts posted by ChrisBaksa

  1. Exactly what he said. The "Loading Ramdisk" is the tftp download of the iso image. PE starts to load immediatly after that. Thats when you press the F6.

    FYI... There is a hotfix from MS (which is just a new Startrom.com) to fix an issue with AMD based systems (especially IBM Blades) where the image downloads but bluescreeens upon loading or throws an error about setup on a black background. It's a timing issue on the new hardware.

    Chris

  2. I have managed to get all my Images down to 2. one for Windows 2003 Standard and one for Windows 2003 Enterprise. It does take a bit of fancy scripting but I found by creating sub routines in my scripts and using "Generic" idetifiers... I can simply specify up front if I will be doing Unattend or Sysprep build. This cuts down on the redundant code and cause less toroubleshooting headach.

    ex....

    If lcase(BuildMode) = "image" then

    Genfile = TempDrive & "\SYSprep.inf"

    else

    Genfile = TempDrive & "\Unattend.txt"

    end if

    This way all my code simply says "GENFILE"

    Then create a sub routine for IMAGE and one for Unattend.

    Call the proper sub for the type of build you are doing. Everyting else is common.

    If you are looking for MBR maniplulation tools... Get MBRWiz by Roger Layton. http://www.geocities.com/mbrwizard/

    Roger is a good friend and his tool kicks! It's avaliable in 32 and 64 Bit.

    Personally... I stay away from WMI. Especially under PE. I have found in the past that some hardware returns totally different values, incorrect values or no value at all. I support over 45 server models right now across 4 different manufactureres. It tends to get hairy.

    Take a look at Acronis Tru Image V9 (just released). They have the concept of a "secure Zone" which is a hidden partition. Similar to what you want to do. You can actually boot from it and load your OS while it restores your real partition in the background.

    Chris

  3. Why are you converting?

    Why not simply format NTFS to begin with?

    Or... leave it at FAT32 and let windows setup convert it for you.

    Add this to your Unattend.txt

    [unattended]

    FileSystem=ConvertNTFS

  4. Has anyone attempted to use Ximage under PE 2005? Or does it require PE 2.0?

    I have not yet used Ximage. Digging for information.

    I'm trying to find a common ground for Image deployments. I need a single tool to run in 32 and 64 bit versons of PE.

    Chris

  5. It's more of a problem with the way Windows treats Disk volumes. As it was decrbibed to me... You have to "kicks" the os into discovering the disks. Sorta like inserting a Cd and the OS never tells you that you did.

    I got around this by using a disk manipulation tool sthat we wrote that asks the OS for the Active drive aprtition and actually writes the Master boot recored to a backup file on teh temp Drive (Z). Once I did that Any volume that I created was immediatly found by the OS.

    I deal in HP, Dell, IBM and VMware.... Works like a charm.

    Chris

  6. You must sysprep the origional OS and then make an image of it.

    Then deploy the image to your host.

    Mount the disk with the deployed image and copy your drivers to the file system. Modify you new Sysprep file to reflect the driver locations.

    Then reseal.

    The next re-boot will allow the drivers to be found.

    Chris

  7. It has been my experience that you have some files that you carried over form your 32 bit build.

    Start fresh. Carry nothing over. Re-compile the optional components and then dlaod all new drivers incorporating them one at a time. Once I did that... my issies went away.

    At current... The only problem that I have found with 64bit PE is a problem with the VB runtimes. MS states that you can use the 32 bit Visual Basic Runtimes in the 64 bit PE. But I have found that just by copying the Files into the system 32 dir... it breaks the Broadcomm Network Driver.

    Chris

  8. Yes it is.

    You need to mount the registry and apply a the ramdriv.reg file to the setupreg.hiv prior to compiling the image. It's called a reg slam.

    here is how...

    :LoadRegistry

    reg.exe load HKLM\NewSys %1\system32\setupreg.hiv

    :RegistrySlam

    RegEdit.exe /s "%~dp0\ramdrv.reg"

    :UNLoadRegistry

    reg.exe unload HKLM\NewSys

    Chris

  9. In most cases... Z: is the writeable Ram Disk. since the PE ISO is read only... Most people create a Z: drive for temp write space. It is not there by default. It must be added to your build.

    Chris

  10. Do you physically have to migrate settings? or just move users data? There is no sense in migrating setings if all you need is the data (docs and stuff).

    Chris

  11. "Sysprepped images need hardware which is similar"

    Turge,

    Quck note on that. This statement is incorrect. A sysprepped image can be deployed to any peice of hardware as long as you provide the drivers that are required and re-seal the image after the sysprep.inf has be properly configured.

    I have one image that can be deployed to one of 32 server models I support across 4 different hardware vendors.

    Chris

  12. From the Docs...

    Adding WMI Support to Windows PE

    You can add support for Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to Windows PE. By using the /WMI option with the mkimg command, you can build a Windows PE image that contains the WMI classes and providers installed by the Wbemoc.inf. With these classes and providers, you can create automated diagnostic procedures to use in the deployment of Windows to new hardware.

    To use Windows Script Host (WSH) scripts with WMI scripting interfaces, add WSH support to your Windows PE image by running the BuildOptionalComponents.vbs script with the /WSH option. For details, see Adding Scripting Support to Windows PE.

    For information about using WMI, search http://msdn.microsoft.com for WMI.

    To add WMI support to Windows PE

    Use the mkimg command with the /wmi option to create your Windows PE image. For example:

    Mkimg.cmd source_directory winpe_image [image_name] [/WMI]

  13. I got it working !

    In the unattend.txt I simply added this, like ChrisBaksa said. Thanks mate !

    This ""IDE CD-ROM (ATAPI 1.2)/PCI IDE Controller" = "RETAIL"" so it will still work with inbox controllers.

    No problem...

    Yes... Because you are specifying controllers you must specify any that you are using.

    IDE is a default.

    Chris

  14. Bottom line. No arguing here.

    If you use Barts PE Builder DO NOT expect support from Microsoft. That is the MAJOR difference.

    Barts has it's advantages. Fairly Simple, Plug Ins, Nice Gui for compiling. WINPE is totally different. I wrote the Builder that I use. My PE Disks are engineered for a specific resonan and are tighly controlled and versioned. You cant get that level of control from Barts.

    Large Corporations (as I work for) pay substantial $$$ for premier support. That support covers PE with all it's Hotfixes that most individuals even know about.

    I personally have spoken to some MS developers on the WINPE team and they shrug at the shear mention of Barts.

    Chris

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