Install 2003 x64 from USB

[paraffin]

Hello

Can anyone point me in the direction of a single guide that explains how to get 2003 x64 to install off a USB stick?

I have tried winsetupfromusb but it would not boot, obviously I had no guide for this and am probably doing something wrong..

I have also tried the many XP tutorials but none of them guarentee and end result and when tried fail...

I can confirm that my PC boots from USB as I have done it using a Windows 7 USB installation disk which was sooooo simple to do..

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

[jaclaz]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a single guide that explains how to get 2003 x64 to install off a USB stick?

I have tried winsetupfromusb but it would not boot, obviously I had no guide for this and am probably doing something wrong..

You should read the readme.txt file.

You can follow any of the "normal" guides around:

http://myeeeguides.wordpress.com/2008/11/1...sb-flash-drive/

http://ccollomb.free.fr/blog/?p=59

the procedure should not be different.

x64 is supported as well:

http://www.msfn.org/board/winxp-pro-sp3-an...em-t128659.html

But even if there are still some quirks (the x64 version of both XP and 2003 is far less common than the 32 bit so we have less reports) it should boot allright, problems may eventually come later.

jaclaz

[paraffin]

Wow its works.... kinda, I used the winsetuptousb guide

I got the USB stick to boot and 2003 x64 installed in 18 minutes (slow usb and old machine), hoping it will be faster with my new Voyager GT and some nice new servers...

However I have 2 problems which I would like your input on

1.) When the machine finish installing the password I set in my nLite build did not work... I have been using the nLite build for ages so I didnt just forget it. Anyone know a reason for this?

2.) Do files really get removed off the USB stick after the install? Do I need to keep syncing the USB drive to the OS files?

[ilko_t]

1) No idea of the top of my head.

2)Yes, for this method of install from USB, for installs of any Windows versions but XP SP2 and SP3.

[paraffin]

Below is my winnt.sif file

It very strange because some of the answer file is used i.e. a usual unattended install but its asks me to accept the license agreement (F8).

The password is still not being used anyone else with any ideas?

UPDATE....

I have managed to get this to logon now by using a blank password rather than setting it which is fine.

However I use WPI and this is getting removed from the USB stick so WPI fails to be called. Any workarounds to this?

; Generated by nLite 1.4.9.1

[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
Autopartition="0"
MsDosInitiated="1"
UnattendedInstall="Yes"
floppyless="1"


[Display]
Xresolution=1024
Yresolution=768
BitsPerPel=32

[GuiUnattended]
EncryptedAdminPassword="No"
AutoLogon="Yes"
AutoLogonCount=1
AdminPassword="Agre550!"
TimeZone=085
OEMSkipRegional=1
OemSkipWelcome=1

[LicenseFilePrintData]
AutoMode=PerSeat

[Components]
Iis_common=On
Iis_inetmgr=On
ComPlusNetwork=On
Iis_www=On
Iis_asp=On

[UserData]
ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"
ComputerName=AMSCHANGE
FullName="AMS"
OrgName="AMS"

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale="0809"
UserLocale="0809"
UserLocale_DefaultUser="0809"
InputLocale="0809:00000809"
InputLocale_DefaultUser="0809:00000809"

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents="Yes"

[WindowsFirewall]
Profiles=WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
Mode=0

[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup="WORKGROUP"

[GuiRunOnce]
"%SystemRoot%\System32\nLite.cmd"

Edited October 12, 2009 by paraffin

[ilko_t]

It very strange because some of the answer file is used i.e. a usual unattended install but its asks me to accept the license agreement (F8).

You most likely have UNATTENDED section in your original winnt.sif file. If it's present EULA ate Text mode is not displayed.

WinSetupFromUSB removes that section just for the Text mode stage and merges is back at start of GUI mode in \windows\system32\$winnt$.inf.

The reason for that is that if the section is present, even empty, Setup will attempt to install Windows on the USB stick without asking user, and will succeed if the is enough space on it.

If EULA bothers you put EulaCompleted="1" in DATA section.

As for the password- try without quotes ", also look at setup log files in Windows directory for any other clues.

However I use WPI and this is getting removed from the USB stick so WPI fails to be called.

How is WPI launched? Where are its files placed and at what stage they are deleted? What exactly is deleted?

[paraffin]

I can deal with the EULA but the password would be nice to resolve... I will try without the quotes..

I was being an id*** regarding WPI and I though WinSetupfromUSB would copy all the files from the source disk but I was wrong lol and now I have resolved it.

One more question though.

Because I am using 2003 x64 files are removed from the USB stick over 5000 by the looks of it. To replace these files can I just copy and paste them if I have made a back up?

The reason I ask is because it takes a long time for the files to extract and copy again.

Is this something you are looking to improve in the future?

Cheers

[ilko_t]

Where is exactly WPI folder at your CD? I can include that location to be copied if present...

As for the deleted files- during Text mode USB is write-protected by an registry entry merged from migrate.inf. This works for XP SP2 and 3 only.

Default behavior of Setup when msdosinitiated=1 is to delete files as they are copied, mostly the compressed ones. During GUI ~BT and ~LS folders are deleted at T-1. This is taken care of at start of GUI by changing msdosinitiated=0 in $winnt$.inf in system32 folder, which is winnt.sif replica used during GUI.

So in short- this is limitation with this method of install. Until a way to protect files from deletion, or trick Setup not to delete them comes up, there is no much to be improved.

Alternative ways of installing, which do not have this limitation:

http://www.msfn.org/board/2-t137714.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/2-t121446.html

[paraffin]

Thanks for all your help guys I have a working bootable USB stick or 4 for installing x64 2003...

I found out what the password issue was and had to use ophcrack to tell me the password but somehow an exclamation mark at the end of my password was missing so the original password was Agre550! but what I ended up with is Agre550

Again thanks for your help now 2003 installs in 18 minutes and thats to my test machine which is a bit rubbish... I hope it works on the HP BL460c's that I will be using them to build....

[ilko_t]

Glad you got all solved

[jaclaz]

Thanks for all your help guys I have a working bootable USB stick or 4 for installing x64 2003...

I found out what the password issue was and had to use ophcrack to tell me the password but somehow an exclamation mark at the end of my password was missing so the original password was Agre550! but what I ended up with is Agre550

Again thanks for your help now 2003 installs in 18 minutes and thats to my test machine which is a bit rubbish... I hope it works on the HP BL460c's that I will be using them to build....

A very secure password , expecially now that has been published and viewed by at least some 250 people (and increasing).....

Most probably the "!" is parsed like a special character by something (just like "%" would).

Happy everithing is fine now.

jaclaz

[paraffin]

All they have to do is try that password on the 100 million computers in the world, behind hardware and software firewalls ....

GL to anyone that tries...

[ilko_t]

...Is this something you are looking to improve in the future?...

Nearly done:

http://www.msfn.org/board/alternative-loca...p;view=findpost

Just has to test a bit a code the changes.

[paraffin]

Thanks alot, if you want me to do any testing let me know..

[paraffin]

Did you manage to implement the changes on this or did it come to nothing in the end