WinPE with multiple startnet.cmd files?

[clivebuckwheat]

Is this possible, because I need to run different tasks, from within WinPe, after WinPE has been called from my pxe server?

[cluberti]

No, only one works. However, your .cmd can do any number of things. Perhaps if we knew more about what you were trying to do (and when), perhaps we could help.

[clivebuckwheat]

No, only one works. However, your .cmd can do any number of things. Perhaps if we knew more about what you were trying to do (and when), perhaps we could help.

In my pxe menu, the first option is to call Ghost32 which loads winpe then executes ghost32.exe from the startnet.cmd works great no issues there.

Now we have to update some dell bios' and the bios packages must be run from within a winpe environment.

Since in my startnet.cmd I am calling ghost32, to start automatically after winpe loads,this has turned into a problem because I would like to have an option from my initial pxe menu, called Bios update, and if it is selected then it loads winpe doesn't load ghost32 but does the bios update.

Hence my question about having dual startnet.cmd files, or is there a better way to accomplish this?. I'd rather not have sub menus if not absolutely necessary.

Edited July 19, 2010 by clivebuckwheat

[cluberti]

That would be pretty easy to do with a menu and an if / then check. Or, write a quick HTA front-end for it and just run that from your startnet.cmd file.

[clivebuckwheat]

That would be pretty easy to do with a menu and an if / then check. Or, write a quick HTA front-end for it and just run that from your startnet.cmd file.

Never heard of HTA front-end before what is this?.

[cluberti]

Linkie . Add HTA support to your WinPE images, and you can run quick and dirty (or pretty) HTAs in your WinPE environment.

[gadget]

Simplest form, in startnet.cmd

CLS

Echo "Select: ANd press [RETURN]

echo "1. Run Ghost"

echo "2. Flash Bios"

then create two cmd files in system 32:

1.cmd

[path]\ghost32.exe

and

2.cmd

Instert instructions to flash bios

Messy but works...

Good sample of an HTA menu is here:

Could be easilyu adapted.

Edited July 20, 2010 by gadget

[Eagle710]

What else can we do with HTAs? Does have any functionality that makes it similiar to running cmd or bat?

Another question is which is more powerful and overall better to use in WinPE Environment?

Edited July 23, 2010 by Eagle710

[Tripredacus]

Basically anything you can do with ASP and Flash you can do with HTA. HTA is basically ASP (HTML + VBScript) so possibilities are endless. You can read from WMI, access network resources and more. I have tested Flash Projector apps and they work, but I actually use AutoIT for advanced scripting and have the HTA launch those programs.

[Eagle710]

Would CMD ot BAT be the prefered method of to use in WinPE?

[gadget]

Would CMD ot BAT be the prefered method of to use in WinPE?

Either works but cmd is the preferred MS way of thinking.