How to install Windows from USB- WinSetupFromUSB with GUI

[Ja9]

Ok, I see..

So WinPE is the only way to do this at this time.

I had a PE image running on my flash drive, and it was able to start setup of Windows 7 32-bit, but not 64-bit, but after reading a little bit of the guide I now know what to do

But, PE is a little slower than booting the files direct (but yeah, it's no other way).

And I also will loose the possibility to run the repair program for windows 7..

But I have downloaded rescue discs for 32 and 64 bit, so I can just run them as isos from grub4dos I guess..

[snoe]

Awesome GUI. I knew there had to be one. I searched and searched. I don't code but this seems like one hell of a hard task and it was done to perfection. Worked the 1st time, how refreshing. 2 Acer Aspire One's ... fixed. Thanks!

[ilko_t]

Thanks

Did you use latest beta or 0.2.3?

[cybpsych]

hi ilko_t, thx for the nice utility.

looking from the gui (latest beta), there's no option to add *both* Vista and 7 sources to the USB?

my plan is to add XP SP3, Vista SP2, and 7 (all 32-bit) into USB drive and lauch individual setup from it.

Edited January 9, 2010 by cybpsych

[cybpsych]

btw, is there a generic sequence of steps to follow?

i'm at lost where to begin

[wimb]

Tried to Install XP on second harddisk using the mapping that you proposed in

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-usb-wins...4-page-755.html

The good news is that the created boot.ini refers now correctly with rdisk(1) to Install of XP on second harddisk.

However, the problem remains that XP bootfiles are made on first harddisk

and that the BOOTMGR-type bootsector meant for booting Windows 7 is changed into NTLDR-type.

So booting for GUI-mode from second harddisk will give error NTLDR missing,

but booting from first harddisk enables to continue XP Setup due to the improved boot.ini file.

[cdob]

Tried to Install XP on second harddisk

I understand so far:

There is without mapping

hd0: Windows 7 drive

hd1: target XP drive

with BIOS mapping, active at hard disk boot. The second hard disk goes to hd0

hd0: target XP drive

hd1: Windows 7 drive

However the BIOS igores hard disk swap at USB boot.

At USB boot there is:

hd0: USB drive

hd1: Windows 7 drive

hd2: target XP drive

XP setup writes boot data to hd0. Map the target XP drive to hd0.

Try at first USB boot.

map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)

Don't insert a cat line, or delete the added line.

[wimb]

Try at first USB boot.

map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)

Don't insert a cat line, or delete the added line.

Thanks cdob and ilko, Install on second harddisk using small ISO method is working now

Using as winsetup.lst

title First part of Windows XP Professional SP3 setup from partition 0
root (hd0,0)
map --mem /WINSETUP/XPpSP3.ISO (0xff)
savedefault 2
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map --hook
root (0xff)
cat --locate=rdisk(1) --replace=rdisk(2) /I386/TXTSETUP.SIF
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

title Second part of 2000/XP/2003 setup / Boot second internal hard disk
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map --hook
rootnoverify (hd0)
chainloader (hd0)+1

The cat line is essential, without is I get:

cannot load WINSETUP\XPpSP3\biosinfo.inf - error 14

Booting only once from USB-stick selected from F8 BIOS BootMenu.

In TXT-mode partition list, the second harddisk gets drive letter C:

XP bootfiles are made on second harddisk which is booting direct for GUI-mode of XP Setup and for logon with Desktop.

BOOTMGR-type bootsector on first harddisk for Windows 7 is unchanged and working OK

Edited January 9, 2010 by wimb

[cdob]

Install on second harddisk using small ISO method is working now

That's nice.

The cat line is essential

Can you try again?

map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)

There is after map:

hd0: target drive

hd1: USB source drive

That way resembles the default USB boot with a single hard disk.

[ilko_t]

Nice, workaround is working. However, lets see if we can replicate default Windows behavior.

Your disks are in IDE mode, meaning second disk is on emulated secondary IDE channel.

Does Windows prefer the master channel ignoring BIOS boot order? It seems yes, no matter Setup is from USB or CD.

If in SATA mode, would second disk get hd1 and first hd2 in grub4dos, so boot order gets honored?

Quick draft:

winsetup.lst

color black/cyan yellow/cyan
timeout 10
default /windefault

title Back to Main Menu
configfile /menu.lst


title First part of Windows XP Professional SP2 setup from partition 0
root (hd0,0)
map --mem /WINSETUP/XPpSP2.ISO (0xff)
savedefault 2
geometry (hd9) && configfile /BOOTWS/10.lst
geometry (hd8) && configfile /BOOTWS/9.lst
geometry (hd7) && configfile /BOOTWS/8.lst
geometry (hd6) && configfile /BOOTWS/7.lst
geometry (hd5) && configfile /BOOTWS/6.lst
geometry (hd4) && configfile /BOOTWS/5.lst
geometry (hd3) && configfile /BOOTWS/4.lst
geometry (hd2) && configfile /BOOTWS/3.lst
geometry (hd1) && configfile /BOOTWS/2.lst

title Second part of 2000/XP/2003 setup / Boot first internal hard disk
savedefault
geometry (hd9) && configfile /BOOTWS/10.lst
geometry (hd8) && configfile /BOOTWS/9.lst
geometry (hd7) && configfile /BOOTWS/8.lst
geometry (hd6) && configfile /BOOTWS/7.lst
geometry (hd5) && configfile /BOOTWS/6.lst
geometry (hd4) && configfile /BOOTWS/5.lst
geometry (hd3) && configfile /BOOTWS/4.lst
geometry (hd2) && configfile /BOOTWS/3.lst
geometry (hd1) && configfile /BOOTWS/2.lst

Attached are contents of BOOTWS folder. Chenall's grub4dos version is required:

http://www.nufans.net/grub4dos/chenall/gru...-2009-12-23.rar

First test with 1 internal disk and USB card reader- setup works fine. Small glitch- in QEMU and real hardware upon displaying winsetup.lst, to go through menus up and down keys no longer work, left and right work instead

Same behavior with previous grub4dos versions- 2009-10-16 and 2009-03-31. I guess those nested menus or config files without title aren't quite proper. Boot-land.net is down, cannot get support from grub4dos developers currently. There should be a better way to put USB disk last and shift all other disks one position up.

Have to think also about cases when USB disk is fd0.

cdob, glad to see you again around

Added:

@cybpsych- you need to read the posts just above yours.

BOOTWS.zip

[jaclaz]

Boot-land.net is down, cannot get support from grub4dos developers currently. There should be a better way to put USB disk last and shift all other disks one position up.

Have to think also about cases when USB disk is fd0.

It's back on.

Just a reminder:

http://www.msfn.org/board/boot-ini-entry-a...ve-t135142.html

The "shiftdisks" idea wasn't finalized at the time:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8498

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=8498&st=16

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=8498&st=22

Maybe now that we have a "practical" use, we can have it.

jaclaz

Edited January 9, 2010 by jaclaz

[wimb]

Can you try again?

map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)

Very good, working without cat line now, OK for Install of XP on second harddisk

Install of XP on second internal harddisk using USB-boot with small ISO

title First part of XP Prof SP3 setup from USB part 0 - Install on second harddisk
root (hd0,0)
map --mem /WINSETUP/XPpSP3.ISO (0xff)
savedefault 2
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

title Second part of 2000/XP/2003 setup / Boot second internal harddisk
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map --hook
rootnoverify (hd0)
chainloader (hd0)+1

@ilko_t

test of BOOTWS is coming ....

[wimb]

Using BOOTWS folder as is on USB-stick failed for Install of XP on second harddisk (GUI-mode error NTLDR missing).

Changing 3.lst according to lines given by cdob and removing cat lines made BOOTWS folder work OK.

3.lst - OK for Install on second harddisk

map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map --hook
ls (0xff)/ && root (0xff)
ls (0xff)/ && chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN
ls (0xff)/ || rootnoverify (hd0)
ls (0xff)/ || chainloader (hd0)+1

Possibly for support of x64 XP it is needed to write

....
ls (0xff)/ && chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN || /AMD64/SETUPLDR.BIN
....

Also SP2 in winsetup.lst changed into SP3 if needed.

[ilko_t]

Using BOOTWS folder as is on USB-stick failed for Install of XP on second harddisk (GUI-mode error NTLDR missing).

Did you start GUI mode from the internal disk? Which one? Where boot files were placed? Was boot.ini correct?

My intentions for BOOTWS were to replicate default Windows behavior and get boot.ini generated correctly. What cdob posted is a workaround, in case you explicitly want to install in a particular disk, and has to be created manually. What do we do if you want to install on the first disk using the same entries? Or what entries would we create to get some universal solution?

I'd say the better solution in case one wants to get around these limitations is to disable the unneeded disk during setup, rather that changing boot order and forcibly redirecting setup.

Another way around could be a set of BOOTWS folders/entries and en entry for each of them in menu.lst, something like:

Install to first internal disk

Install to second internal disk

etc. etc.

I can't see a way to "understand" what BIOS boot order was and adjust accordingly, since both Setup and grub4dos do not take it in account.

Yet to test what happens in SATA/AHCI mode, it may produce different results. I will be testing tomorrow, just need to check if the test machine had option to switch IDE/AHCI.

Possibly for support of x64 XP it is needed to write

Setupldr.bin in x64 is in I386, txtsetup.sif is in AMD64.

Added: BTW- did you encounter the same behavior with the arrow keys while in winsetup.lst menus?

[wimb]

Did you start GUI mode from the internal disk? Which one? Where boot files were placed? Was boot.ini correct?

GUI mode started from second disk, but gives error NTLDR not found , since XP Bootfiles were made on first harddisk. Booting from first harddisk will let you continue with GUI mode, since boot.ini refers to Install partition.

My intentions for BOOTWS were to replicate default Windows behavior and get boot.ini generated correctly.

Default Windows behavior creates XP bootfiles always on first harddisk and destroy e.g. BOOTMGR-type bootsector.

The BOOTWS folder when adjusted with the mapping strategy of cdob will do better and create always XP bootfiles at the Install partition.

Changing the 3-10.lst files wll give the solution that you are looking for: correct boot.ini made on Install partition.

4.lst - for Install of XP on third harddisk

map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd3)
map (hd3) (hd0)
map --hook
ls (0xff)/ && root (0xff)
ls (0xff)/ && chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN
ls (0xff)/ || rootnoverify (hd0)
ls (0xff)/ || chainloader (hd0)+1

There is after map:

hd0: target drive

hd1: USB source drive

No need for cat lines anymore.

Added: BTW- did you encounter the same behavior with the arrow keys while in winsetup.lst menus?

Yes, strange indeed, left+right arrow key do the up/down select work. Edited January 10, 2010 by wimb