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Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image

cdob

By cdob
in Install Windows from USB

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cdob

cdob

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The menu.lst works fine for me.
Yes, it works. This is another approach. That's two times RAM loading.

You may load part of file the first time.

You have to load whole file the second time.

This may be impossible at low RAM machines.

Then how can I locate them if I don't RAM-load them beforehand?
Fake setup does this. Setup.cmd search Inst/XP_RAM.ISO.

At most machines a USB drive is available at first reboot, ISO file is available within windows.

At some machines a USB drive is missing at first reboot, ISO file is not available within windows.

There is a fix fixboot.usb at txtsetup.oem available. This is disabled by default, enable this.

If the file is found, imdisk is used to mount the image.

Setup continue.

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HolmesSherlock

HolmesSherlock

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At most machines a USB drive is available at first reboot, ISO file is available within windows.

At some machines a USB drive is missing at first reboot, ISO file is not available within windows.

Can u plz explain this a bit? Is there any specific known reason for happening this?

There is a fix fixboot.usb at txtsetup.oem available. This is disabled by default, enable this.

If the file is found, imdisk is used to mount the image.

Setup continue.

If the file is not found, then?

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HolmesSherlock

HolmesSherlock

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@cdob

Even if I uncomment fixboot.usb, then also my problem remains the same. Instead of using the menu.lst that I posted earlier, if I use yours, then after the completion of GUI mode setup, the machine restarts & again starts the setup from the very beginning. The loop goes on. I don't even get a chance to choose to boot from HD as the "Press any key to boot from CD.." prompt is not there. My boot order in BIOS is: USB drive first & then internal SATA HD. CD drive comes later. Any suggestions so that I can use your menu.last conatining a single entry instead of mine which contains three?

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  • 2 months later...
abelvilla03

abelvilla03

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I manage to figure out the xp.iso and grubdos setup, but for some reason I can't load the Firadisk.sys files, every time that I'm about to format the hard drive, It tells me that setup cannot find firadisk.sys, I tried loading the fire driver via nlite and that still didn't work. Any tips on how to get this going would be nice, thank you.

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cdob

cdob

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for some reason I can't load the Firadisk.sys files

Which hardware, BIOS do you ue?

Compre first message, try set fd1

#(fd1) optional, required at some BIOS
map --mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)

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abelvilla03

abelvilla03

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for some reason I can't load the Firadisk.sys files

Which hardware, BIOS do you ue?

Compre first message, try set fd1

#(fd1) optional, required at some BIOS
map --mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)

Hardware

Asus Board, Model, A8V

Bios, American Megatrends

2 Gigs of ram

120gb hard drive sata

Thank you , no more Missing Fiadisk.sys but now i got SetupOrg.exe missing but I was able to figure out that error, so now I was able to install Xp via ram.. yay!!! so happy took me almost 10 hours yesterday trying to figure it out, I was bored at work, so this helped kill some time but at the end of the night I wasn't to happy but today , you made my day.

One thing I did notice was that once I fixed the setupORG.exe, i got the firadisk.sys missing again but I press the ESC to skip file and it then it asked for IMDISK files, but i just skipped them all and it let me install windows xp.

title Loading XP RAM install

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_INST.IMA (fd0)

map --mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd1)

map --mem /Inst/XP_INST.IMA (fd0)

map --mem /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO (0xFF)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

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zamarac

zamarac

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Posted (edited)

This thread seems to explain how to overcome a problem of Win XP not installing from MS ISO. That's interesting, but first I want to know why this problem exists to begin with? Can someone point to a thread that explains what are the exact issues that prevent Win XP and also Win 7 from being installed from an unmodified downloaded from MS site Win Install ISO? What exactly goes wrong, at what point and why?

Why don't start from explaining the problem first, research why exactly it occurs, and only then offer a solution? Or at least give a link that explains the beginning. :)

Edited by zamarac
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zamarac

zamarac

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Posted (edited)

Thanks. Is there a summary in any post anywhere on this forum that briefly explains what prevents WinXP from being installed from unmodified ISO (non necessarily using a USB Stick, but even from an ISO on USB HD with XP already installed, via Grub4DOS)? What happens after reboot that makes it impossible to complete install?

And a similar summary for Win7 install from ISO, which I assume has different reasons preventing finishing install after reboot?

Edited by zamarac
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jaclaz

jaclaz

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Thanks. Is there a summary in any post anywhere on this forum that briefly explains what prevents WinXP from being installed from unmodified ISO (non necessarily using a USB Stick, but even from an ISO on USB HD with XP already installed, via Grub4DOS)? What happens after reboot that makes it impossible to complete install?

And a similar summary for Win7 install from ISO, which I assume has different reasons preventing finishing install after reboot?

NO.

BUT, you may need/want to read this:

http://reboot.pro/8944/

and this ONLY seemingly unrelated thread:

http://reboot.pro/4952/

(for what you are asking XP install or a PE 1.x may be interchanged)

jaclaz

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zamarac

zamarac

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm confused. The threads you mentioned don't even talk about installing Win from ISO, even less explain what exactly happens after reboot during install that prevents it from being finalized. May be a couple of simple sentences will do?

Edited by zamarac
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jaclaz

jaclaz

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm confused. The threads you mentioned don't even talk about installing Win from ISO, even less explain what exactly happens after reboot during install that prevents it from being finalized. May be a couple of simple sentences will do?

You are right :), they don't : I thought you were asking about the need of firadisk (or other driver).

In other words they were an answer to a slightly different question.

But also the question wasn't posed correctly, the .iso is NOT modified in this method, as in:

Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image. Use a default XP ISO image.

In other words, this method is about using an UNmodified .iso, and the reason why second part of the setup will fail is that normally you won't have any driver connected to the CD-ROM device, so it won't BSOD, but you (actually SETUP) won't be able to access the .iso.

There is a link in cdob's original post (currently invalid due to the board update) about the drivers from CD method:

page__view__findpost__p__159358

The idea is to trick the install into running the fake SETUP.EXE to run SETUP.CMD before the real SETUP.EXE.

You need to read the SETUP.CMD to understand what it does (basically it checks drive lettering and mounts the .iso with IMDISK)

In other words, this method:

  1. mount the .iso with IMDISK
  2. run SETUP.EXE
  3. find files into .iso

Normal (NOT working) :

  1. run SETUP.EXE
  2. NOT find files into .iso (as .iso is not accessible/mounted)

Hope now it answers your question. :unsure:

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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zamarac

zamarac

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks, now its more clear. :)

Still unclear, why this thread is so lengthy, and what exactly these guys were trying to accomplish, if the only thing required is to substitute Setup.exe in the ISO with its fake copy, and it was already done in another thread? Is that the only thing required?

Does it work the same exact way for Win7 ISO install as for XP ISO?

You mentioned FiraDisk - is it a better choice compare to ImDisk for this app (to load an ISO to RAM before installing Win from it) - why? How and why using FiraDisk (instead or in addition to ImDisk ?) changes the install process?

Instead of modding the original installation ISO, is it possible to setup Grub4DOS menu item that will automatically mount second time and/or mod the ISO in RAM at install time after its mounted by adding the fake Setup.exe to it, or play similar role in loading the ISO to RAM again after reboot, so that a user don't have to mod the original Win ISO?

Edited by zamarac
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