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Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image


cdob

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v06 major redesign

One driver only - firadisk

no need to include setup.exe in floppy image

Driver firadisk is used within installation. And disabled at end of installation.

A sample menu.lst is included.

Usage examples:

1: simple case, friendly BIOS - try this first

ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

2: strange USB BIOS or hardware - adds a reboot if necessary

ISO contents read from USB disk, not loaded to RAM.

3.map : small map RAM loaded boot files

ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd

Loads textmode boot part to RAM, about 10-20mb data. This includes recovery console.

Other files are read by windows drivers at USB 2.0 speed

Prefer at USB1.x BIOS speed

3.dd: small dd RAM loaded boot files

Uses dd to copy data.

Lower speed, a fargmented ISO image possible.

4: RAM loaded install files

ISO image created by mkISO_RAMload_sort.cmd

Loads textmode boot and copy part to RAM

Fastest approach at USB 2.0 BIOS speed

5: RAM load ISO image

simple approach, use a existing ISO image

Tried out this method, I get to the textmode partition screen, I can select the device to install to, it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys, and various other files from the XP_INST.gz file. Am I doing something wrong?

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it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys

Remembers to a BIOS issue.

Which hardware do you use?

Which windows files do you use? Do you use a original or a edited version? Any parts removed? Do you use a file winnt.sif?

Try double virtual floppy disk.

title Setup Windows XP from ISO \n1: simple case, unfriendly BIOS \ntry this 2nd
set dir=/images
set myISO=%dir%/XP_RAM.ISO
echo %myISO%
set fdIMA=%dir%/XP_INST.ima
cat --length=0 %myISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %myISO%
map %myISO% (222)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd1)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd0)
map --hook > nul
#use original firadisk.inf
#cat --number=1 --locatei="firaedit.inf" --replace="firadisk.inf" (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul
#chenall's ntboot
cat --locate=###### --number=1 (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul || call :error %fdIMA% file error..
set offset=%?%
set fira.opt=cdrom,vmem=find:%myISO%;
write --offset=%offset% (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM value=Parameters,StartOptions,REG_SZ,"%fira.opt%"\r\n;
cat --skip=%offset% --locate=/ --replace=\\ (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM
dd if=(fd1) of=(fd0)
command (fd1)/grub4dos/shifthd.bat
root (222)
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

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it get's formatted, and then setup pops up an error saying it can't find firadisk.sys

Remembers to a BIOS issue.

Which hardware do you use?

Which windows files do you use? Do you use a original or a edited version? Any parts removed? Do you use a file winnt.sif?

Try double virtual floppy disk.

title Setup Windows XP from ISO \n1: simple case, unfriendly BIOS \ntry this 2nd
set dir=/images
set myISO=%dir%/XP_RAM.ISO
echo %myISO%
set fdIMA=%dir%/XP_INST.ima
cat --length=0 %myISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %myISO%
map %myISO% (222)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd1)
map --mem %fdIMA% (fd0)
map --hook > nul
#use original firadisk.inf
#cat --number=1 --locatei="firaedit.inf" --replace="firadisk.inf" (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul
#chenall's ntboot
cat --locate=###### --number=1 (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul || call :error %fdIMA% file error..
set offset=%?%
set fira.opt=cdrom,vmem=find:%myISO%;
write --offset=%offset% (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM value=Parameters,StartOptions,REG_SZ,"%fira.opt%"\r\n;
cat --skip=%offset% --locate=/ --replace=\\ (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM
dd if=(fd1) of=(fd0)
command (fd1)/grub4dos/shifthd.bat
root (222)
chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

Because I used BTS's DriverPacks, I had OEMPreinstall =YES in my winnt.sif. I set that to no, and loaded the firadisk driver using F6, and it worked like a charm!! Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode, or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?

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Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode
Post #104

jIf ISO image is not found after first reboot, then add hivesys.inf settings from Post #58

or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?
Can be a BIOS issue still. Do you use a secret hardware?
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Is there anyway to either intergrate Firadisk into textmode
Post #104

jIf ISO image is not found after first reboot, then add hivesys.inf settings from Post #58

or force the system to load it from the virtual floppy without needing to press F6?
Can be a BIOS issue still. Do you use a secret hardware?

It's not secret hardware, it's a LENOVO THINKCENTER 1578N9G. Everything worked perfectly when I pressed F6 to load firadisk, I tried integrating it, and it just gave me an error to insert Windows XP Professional SP3 disk into Drive A, so I think i'll stick with the F6 method for now

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  • 1 month later...

Hi!

Is there a way to do a multiboot installation USB pendrive with Windows XP and Windows 7?

Does the method you have explained in this topic work fast?

Thanks in advance

Edited by dagonas
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  • 1 month later...

I have an error message using firadisk (XP_INST.IMA) for installation of WinXP if an internal smart card reader is connected to the PC (dell). See attached image:

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk5\DR7."

I can skip it with Cancel or Continue and get the next error messages:

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk5\DR6."

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk2\DR4."

"There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk3\DR5."

The installation continues without any new problems. When unplugging the card reader no error messages appear.

I guess one script inside the XP_INST.IMA is checking every drive found in the system for some files but the card reader drives are empty and so an error message is thrown.

Any ideas for fixing that bug?

My menu.lst contains

title Setup Windows XP 1.5 [sP3 en] Step 1

find --set-root /iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso

map --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)

map /iso/XP_INST.IMA (fd0)

#map /iso/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)

map /iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso (222)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd0) (hd1)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd1) (hd0)

#map --harddrives=1

map --hook

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso;floppy,vmem=find:/iso/XP_INST.IMA;\n\0

rootnoverify (222)

chainloader

map --status

pause Press any key twice...

title Setup Windows XP 1.5 [sP3 en] Step 2

map --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd0) (hd1)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd1) (hd0)

#map --harddrives=1

map --hook

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/iso/WinXP-SP3-en-DVD_V1.5.iso;\n\0

rootnoverify (hd0)

chainloader +1

map --status

pause Press any key . . .

post-349888-0-84627400-1343916107_thumb.

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Hi!

Is there a way to do a multiboot installation USB pendrive with Windows XP and Windows 7?

Does the method you have explained in this topic work fast?

Thanks in advance

Yes, multiboot is working very well. Search for grub4dos, firadisk, windows 7 and use the image from this thread for windows xp.

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I have an error message using firadisk (XP_INST.IMA) for installation of WinXP if an internal smart card reader is connected to the PC (dell).:

Which XP_INST.IMA do you use?

What about XP_INST_v06.7z and inetraget menu.lst examples?

Compare Post #269

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,

i'm trying to install server 2003 from ram loaded iso....

menu.lst

title Loading XP RAM install - /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO
ls
/Inst/XP_RAM.ISO || find --set-root /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO
map
--mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd0)
#(fd1) optional, required at some BIOS
#map --mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)
map --mem /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO (0xFF)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
chainloader
(0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

but instead of xp_ram.iso (winxp image) I repalce server2003.iso image file by same name

txt mode setup goes fine...

but when gui mode starts i got message

"Please goto control panel and install and configure system components"

with only option of OK

when i press ok system restarts and stops at same message again...

please guide me where i'm wrong/?

thnx

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install server 2003 from ram loaded iso....

I haven't done this.

"Please goto control panel and install and configure system components"

Did you integrate a 2003 setup.exe to XP_INST.IMA?
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i'm using 06 version of XP_INST.IMA which dose not require setup.exe

i'm getting error in gui mode something like source is not found i think it dose not mount iso file on 2nd setup

There is a sample-menu.lst included, the 2nd example refers to "strange USB BIOS or hardware"

Try this one.

title Windows 2003#2: strange USB BIOS or hardwareset dir=/imagesset myISO=%dir%/2003.isoecho %myISO%set fdIMA=%dir%/XP_INST.gzcat --length=0 %myISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %myISO%map %myISO% (222)map --mem %fdIMA% (fd1)map --mem (md)0x6000+800 (fd0)map --hook > nuldd if=(fd1) of=(fd0) count=1#uncomment to enable fixUSBcommand (fd1)/grub4dos/fixUSB.bat %myISO%#use original firadisk.inf#cat --number=1 --locatei="firaedit.inf" --replace="firadisk.inf" (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul#chenall's ntbootcat --locate=###### --number=1 (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM > nul || call :error %fdIMA% file error..set offset=%?%set fira.opt=cdrom,vmem=find:%myISO%;write --offset=%offset% (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEM value=Parameters,StartOptions,REG_SZ,"%fira.opt%"\r\n;cat --skip=%offset% --locate=/ --replace=\\ (fd1)/TXTSETUP.OEMcommand (fd1)/grub4dos/shifthd.batroot (222)chainloader /I386/SETUPLDR.BIN || chainloader ()
Yes, use XP_INST.gz from 06 version, don't change the file.

By the way:

I'm remember Concordia still http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concordia_(Karakoram)

The most impressive place I visited so far.

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