Multi-boot multiple XP, how to add driverpacks

[Rasengan]

Hi all, I'm making a multi-boot USB drive with the USB_Multiboot_10.cmd method, and following the multiple XP instructions here.

I'm adding XP Home Retail, Home OEM, Pro retail, Pro OEM, Pro Corp & MCE, and I just wanted to know how i can add BTS's DriverPacks to this mix. I know there a cmd in the USB_MultiBoot_10 folder then has something to do with that, but I don't quite understand how I'm supposed to use it.

I basically want to create the files for the above OS's (nLited to make some tweaks, and add .Net installers from SNMsynth) on my USB Drive, then add the OEM folder for DriverPacks, and tell each of the OS's to use it.

PS. I want to go for Attended install, I will be using this usb drive for reinstalling XP on customers PC's/laptop, so will be providing all info during setup, would love to get DriverPacks into the mix to save time looking for drivers online.

If anyone can tell me the best approach to achieve this, I'd really appreciate it

[ilko_t]

Haven't used USB_multiboot for a while, so won't guidance with it.

With WinSetupFromUSB you can do that easily:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...t&p=779970:

...What it can be used for adding to your USB stick/disk:

- multiple Windows XP/2kX sources in the same partition (up to 10). They have to be in the first partition of the disk! Existing folders ~BT and ~LS and TXTSETUP.SIF will be renamed, and SETUPLDR.BIN and SETUPDD.SYS patched against the new names. Checksum checks are also corrected. BTS OEM folders are supported and renamed accordingly...

1. Integrate BTS DP to each of your sources

2. Run WinSetupFromUSB and put each of the sources on the USB stick. To put the second source just run it again and select the new source then follow the prompts when existing setup is found.

The program will rename each of the BTS folders, amending presetup.cmd in each source with the new location, apart from the other changes.

3. If your sources use the same DP then all they should be able to share a single BTS folder to save space- leave one only and amend each presetup.cmd file with the name of the folder. Presetup.cmd is located in ~LS\I386\.

Another way around when using NTFS on the USB stick, which is preferred for speed anyway, is to use hard links, which will save space from the duplicate files in xp sources as well, not only from the duplicates in BTS folder. Use the included \files\tools\DFHL.exe for the purpose. This way you won't have to edit presetup.cmd files and play with BTS folders either.

http://www.jensscheffler.de/dfhl_en.html

Reminder- to avoid file deletions on USB stick during setup you should be using XP 32bits sources with SP2 or SP3 integrated. In all other cases some files will be deleted during Text mode phase and you would need to synchronize the source after setup.

If you need regularly to install Windows versions different than the mentioned above, you may be better of using this approach:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=121446

[Rasengan]

Haven't used USB_multiboot for a while, so won't guidance with it.

With WinSetupFromUSB you can do that easily:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...t&p=779970:

...What it can be used for adding to your USB stick/disk:

- multiple Windows XP/2kX sources in the same partition (up to 10). They have to be in the first partition of the disk! Existing folders ~BT and ~LS and TXTSETUP.SIF will be renamed, and SETUPLDR.BIN and SETUPDD.SYS patched against the new names. Checksum checks are also corrected. BTS OEM folders are supported and renamed accordingly...

1. Integrate BTS DP to each of your sources

2. Run WinSetupFromUSB and put each of the sources on the USB stick. To put the second source just run it again and select the new source then follow the prompts when existing setup is found.

The program will rename each of the BTS folders, amending presetup.cmd in each source with the new location, apart from the other changes.

3. If your sources use the same DP then all they should be able to share a single BTS folder to save space- leave one only and amend each presetup.cmd file with the name of the folder. Presetup.cmd is located in ~LS\I386\.

Another way around when using NTFS on the USB stick, which is preferred for speed anyway, is to use hard links, which will save space from the duplicate files in xp sources as well, not only from the duplicates in BTS folder. Use the included \files\tools\DFHL.exe for the purpose. This way you won't have to edit presetup.cmd files and play with BTS folders either.

http://www.jensscheffler.de/dfhl_en.html

Reminder- to avoid file deletions on USB stick during setup you should be using XP 32bits sources with SP2 or SP3 integrated. In all other cases some files will be deleted during Text mode phase and you would need to synchronize the source after setup.

If you need regularly to install Windows versions different than the mentioned above, you may be better of using this approach:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=121446

Haven't used USB_multiboot for a while, so won't guidance with it.

With WinSetupFromUSB you can do that easily:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...t&p=779970:

...What it can be used for adding to your USB stick/disk:

- multiple Windows XP/2kX sources in the same partition (up to 10). They have to be in the first partition of the disk! Existing folders ~BT and ~LS and TXTSETUP.SIF will be renamed, and SETUPLDR.BIN and SETUPDD.SYS patched against the new names. Checksum checks are also corrected. BTS OEM folders are supported and renamed accordingly...

1. Integrate BTS DP to each of your sources

2. Run WinSetupFromUSB and put each of the sources on the USB stick. To put the second source just run it again and select the new source then follow the prompts when existing setup is found.

The program will rename each of the BTS folders, amending presetup.cmd in each source with the new location, apart from the other changes.

3. If your sources use the same DP then all they should be able to share a single BTS folder to save space- leave one only and amend each presetup.cmd file with the name of the folder. Presetup.cmd is located in ~LS\I386\.

Another way around when using NTFS on the USB stick, which is preferred for speed anyway, is to use hard links, which will save space from the duplicate files in xp sources as well, not only from the duplicates in BTS folder. Use the included \files\tools\DFHL.exe for the purpose. This way you won't have to edit presetup.cmd files and play with BTS folders either.

http://www.jensscheffler.de/dfhl_en.html

Reminder- to avoid file deletions on USB stick during setup you should be using XP 32bits sources with SP2 or SP3 integrated. In all other cases some files will be deleted during Text mode phase and you would need to synchronize the source after setup.

If you need regularly to install Windows versions different than the mentioned above, you may be better of using this approach:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=121446

Hey, thanks for the reply. I actually avoided WinSetupfromUSB, cause I wanted to put the files on a particular partition (partition 2) and last time I tried your program, it couldn't do that.

Anyway, I figured it out in the end, I just integrated the driverpacks into each of my windows xp sources, then I think I set Multi_boot.ini as the ini file. XX_Content as the content folder, then I just ran through USB_Multiboot_10 6 times, it renamed the sources automatically, and since it copies the same driverpacks to the same location eahc time, it just ignored the existing files after the first copy. Anyway, it's all working perfectly now, driverpacks included

[ilko_t]

I actually avoided WinSetupfromUSB, cause I wanted to put the files on a particular partition (partition 2) and last time I tried your program, it couldn't do that

I guess there are reasons behind that :

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129454

Anyway, it's all working perfectly now

You mean Setup completes successfully when run from second partition, on USB hard disk or USB stick?

Can you share some details about how the disk or stick is partitioned, which partition is active and if you performed any additional steps?

[Rasengan]

I actually avoided WinSetupfromUSB, cause I wanted to put the files on a particular partition (partition 2) and last time I tried your program, it couldn't do that

I guess there are reasons behind that :

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129454

Anyway, it's all working perfectly now

You mean Setup completes successfully when run from second partition, on USB hard disk or USB stick?

Can you share some details about how the disk or stick is partitioned, which partition is active and if you performed any additional steps?

I actually avoided WinSetupfromUSB, cause I wanted to put the files on a particular partition (partition 2) and last time I tried your program, it couldn't do that

I guess there are reasons behind that :

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129454

Anyway, it's all working perfectly now

You mean Setup completes successfully when run from second partition, on USB hard disk or USB stick?

Can you share some details about how the disk or stick is partitioned, which partition is active and if you performed any additional steps?

I haven't fully tested, but I think it should work. You see, the first partition is a copy of Mac OS X, hacking to run on PC's, then I have XP and Vista sources in the second (active) partition, a blank one then for Windows 7, and the rest of the space for some apps and updates, etc.

Also, I'm using a hard drive rather than a pen drive, so I think I shouldn't have the same problem as your link above. I know XP can only see the first partition on USB pen drives, but the same is not true for USB HDD's I think.

I'll give it some testing now in a bit

[ilko_t]

With USB hard disks you would need a filter driver to present the disk as removable disk. Otherwise Setup will like it as a boot media and will attempt to put boot files (boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr) on it, leaving your destination hard disk without them. Drive letters also become a problem, the USB hard disk will get C:.

Further explanation about the filter driver needed:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=116766

Q14/A14 and the links within.