Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image

[submix8c]

As was stated, the F6 is unnecessary as the boot to ISO will automatically "read" the IMA file (simulated floppy) during Setup (from the ISO).

And inside the the IMA is TXTSETUP.OEM, which loads the drivers (both of them) PriorTo/During TextMode! If you GOOGLE on the Filename MS is the first website to pop up - the info is there. Why are you bothering us to repeat MS?

Dude, have you even bothered to look inside? Use it, don't use it... your option.

No "Cave Man Explanation" is available since a "Cave Man" needs to understand HOW fire is made BEFORE trying to MAKE fire! Best to obtain Prerequisite Knowledge (other Topics, even at MS website) before accusing "Author" of leaving info out (intentionally, I might add, since info is available elsewhere). This is an "extension" of other Topics addressing a specific solution, not an "All-Encompassing" Topic.

..am I missing the boat? reference is here. honestly haven't tried this out yet, but my other statements stand. (err, cdob posted same thing as I edited this)

Edited January 26, 2011 by submix8c

[cdob]

explain in simple words the sequence how his method actually works.

Simple words require understanding. Understanding require basic knowldege.

First post explains used solution. May be you call this a summary.

From first post, second line

Addional files are at a F6 virtual floppy.

This implies you have to know F6 floppy disks.

This exist since about 15 years. I consider a F6 floppy basic knowledge as for a windows installation.

Back then some manufacturer delivered a real driver floppy.

If you don't know a F6 floppy, you won't understand internal details. Learn TxtSetup.oem File Format

New: setupldr.bin read a virtual floppy too. Did you learn this so far?

FiraDisk is loaded at txtsetup.oem. Read txtsetup.oem to learn the details.

And more files are copied from txtsetup.oem. If you like the details, read txtsetup.oem.

A fake setup.exe is injected. Windows install launch this at first reboot.

Setup.cmd is launched. Setup.cmd installs ImDisk.

[steve6375]

Hi everyone, need some help please? I had this working when I first saw it a few months back but lost my stuff and tyring to recreate it. not sure what is going on but I keep getting stop error bsod of 7b

here is my info:

title Loading XP RAM install - /Images/XP_RAM.ISO

ls /Images/XP_RAM.ISO || find --set-root /Images/XP_RAM.ISO

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

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

map /Images/XP_RAM.ISO (0xFF)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

i modified the isoimage.ini to correct the paths

i am trying a vmware image using vmware workstation latest. 1gig ram , 40gig hd, etc

I updated fira driver to latest(.24)

i tested the iso by installing with it only so i know the iso is not the problem.. there is a mix in the floppy/iso combo some how causing the bsod

i took the setup._ from the i386 folder of xp sp 3 disk. and expanded it

copied to setup/i386 folder in floppy image file.

can anyone help me please?

thanks

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

[steve6375]

I use this method - see http://sites.google.com/site/rmprepusb/tutorials/install-xp-from-an-iso

You can use either WinVBlock or Firadisk (both are included in my F6 floppy image). If using FiraDisk you must use map --mem at both stages. If using WinVBlock the first stage can directly map to the XP ISO.

[jaclaz]

I use this method - see http://sites.google.com/site/rmprepusb/tutorials/install-xp-from-an-iso

Which is fundamentally this one:

with a nice spin-off/addition detailing the use of a multiple-driver F6 floppy for adding the AHCI drivers

The "making of" is here:

http://reboot.pro/13912/

jaclaz

Edited February 24, 2011 by jaclaz

[oinkoink08]

Successful tested for Install of XP-SP3 on real hardware (including internal multi-cardreader)

Did not use USB-stick.

AFTER format of Harddisk install partition, I installed grub4dos as boot option in boot.ini menu using BOOT_IMG.exe

Then copied folder Inst with XP_INST.IMA and XP_RAM.ISO to Harddisk.

Made entry in menu.lst without the mapping for USB-stick

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)
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

After Reboot Select Loading XP RAM install from grub4dos menu

Loading of XP_RAM.ISO in only 10 seconds in firadisk RAMDISK (instead of loading in 25 minutes from USB-stick)

TXT-mode FileCopy in only 1 minute

GUI-mode has an extra immediate Reboot.

Total XP Install time 15 minutes

Then tried to do the same with XP-SP3 Slipstreamed with UpdatePack and 5 DriverPacks.

After first Reboot for GUI-mode the DriverPacks were extracted successfully.

After second Reboot for GUI-mode has problem of SetupORG.exe NOT found.

Has to look into more detail what is causing the problem ....

i have bootimage.exe but i dont have any idea how to use it.. and continue from this step.. i have all the neccessary file likes

XP_INST.ima

XP_RAM.iso

all in my bootusb. this so how do I install grub4dos as boot option in boot.ini menu using BOOT_IMG.exe??

edit: i wanted those two files in my C-drive.. so on the next reboot i wont have to plug my usb coz the rebooting will be handle in hd

Edited February 26, 2011 by oinkoink08

[jonas]

Hey people,

I'm quite new to the concept of booting ISO-files from USB-memory, and so far I've done it successfully with some linux distros, however, now I want to boot WinXP install from USB.

This far I did not have too much luck of a having a successfull complete installation. It have taken me many tries to get this far.

In the latest attempt I got as far as to see where the XP-install should start, after rebooting the first time after the TextMode completes.

However, during the file process I get some errors saying:

Cannot copy firadisk.sys

Cannot copy firadisk.ini

Cannot copy firadisk.inf

Cannot copy setup.exe

Cannot copy setuporg.exe

Cannot copy setup.cmd

Cannot copy imdisk.sys

Cannot copy imdisk.exe

Cannot copy imdisk.cpl

Cannot copy fixDrive.USB

Cannot copy ISOimage.ini

I can skip through those files by hitting escape, but then again, the full installation won't work. I get some nasty error message (not BSOD) where the installation begins (after formatting and rebooting). Then the computer is stuck in a reboot loop.

I do this on actuall hardware right now since virtualbox does not want to mount and boot my USB memory.

The steps I took to create is the following:

1. Install Grub4Dos on the USB memory.

2. Copy the file .\I386\setup.ex_ from windows original CD

3. Expand setup.ex_ setuporg.exe

4 Download the attached floppy image from the first post (http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=27752)

5. Copy setuporg.exe into the floppy image:> .\setup\I386\ and then saves the edited floppy image.

6. Copy XP_INST.IMA + XP_RAM.ISO to my USB Memory:> .\Inst\

7. Edited menu.lst on my memory to add:

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)

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

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

Any help on this would be very nice. I've read the thread back and forth at least two or three times by this time, and I can't get it into my head what makes the failure.

Thanks for an awesome sollution!

//Jonas

[cdob]

@jonas

Wlhich hardware do yo use?

Seems to be a strange BIOS. Try map fd1 too.

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

[mos1900]

hey jonas

use this 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)

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

[hk11]

Cdob's boot-the-loop is an alternative to mapping counted sectors, if you can write the sizes into the cd at build time:

Thanks for the reminder. That way menu.lst dosn't have to contain sector numbers.

Not integrated yet. Need some time to settle current features, maybe next year.

@demontager

Don't use addional mapping. Try

title Load PLoP boot manager - USB
find --set-root /boot/plpbt.bin
kernel /boot/plpbt.bin

In addition you may configure PLoP plpbt.bin http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html#plpcfgbt

plpcfgbt stm=hidden cnt=on cntval=1 dbt=usb plpbt.bin

@kDn

Thanks for VMSCSI report, fixed.

@TigerWhite

Sorry no further idea, don't use I VirtualBox. fd0 and fd1 seems a good work arround.

My mainboard is giga p35 ds4

I also have this problem

without loading the plpbt.bin , the mainboard only load the iso at usb 1.1

however, with loading the plpbt.bin, it loads at usb2.0 speed

but it hangs after loading the iso

p.s. without loading the plpbt.bin, the iso can be loaded successfully

here is part of my menu.lst

title Setup Windows XP(Without plpbt.bin)

ls /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO || find --set-root /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO

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

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

title Setup Windows XP(With plpbt.bin)

ls /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO || find --set-root /Inst/XP_RAM.ISO

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

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

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

map (hd0) (hd2)

map (hd2) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (0xFF)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN

[ikel]

hey guys,

I am trying to make this work for me. I followed steps from first post, but somehow, after first reboot, i got error looking for asms file. and the iso file seems not mounted. please see attached picture.

can someone please help ?

many thanks

[cdob]

after first reboot, i got error looking for asms file. and the iso file seems not mounted

Which hardware do you use? Motherboard, BIOS, USB port at motherboard, USB drive

Try edit floppy image, txtsetup.oem and enable fixBoot.USB

[ikel]

thanks a lot, it worked, but it rebooted twice before setup starts going. is that normal??

Edited September 5, 2011 by ikel

[cdob]

but it rebooted twice before setup starts going.

Yes, that's part of fixBoot.USB.

is that normal??

No, it's not normal at good hardware. That's required at USB boot unfriendly BIOS only

[ikel]

got it, it works now, just FYI i'm using DELL LATITUDE D620

thanks a lot for the help !! :thumbup