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WinNTSetup v5.3.4


JFX

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50 minutes ago, JFX said:

Fragmentation does not matter with SSD and recommending something that writes multiple GB on a flash disk would be wrong.

Fragmentatition does not matter with SSD, but fragmentation can matter for booting when VHD file itself is fragmented ....

UEFI RAMOS requires Fixed VHD.

Edited by wimb
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  • JFX changed the title to WinNTSetup v4.2.5 / 4.5.0 Beta 2

Thank you for the new version 4.5.0 Beta 2

In general one can say that WinNTSetup 4.5.0 Beta 2 in normal use is working OK now :)

However in some cases VHD Create fails to assign drive letter to the new Fixed type VHD.

WinNTSetup_VHD_Error_2021-01-09_112248.jpg.f94450b77b3a41fc4e7b306612b74d34.jpg

Also I tried to use the New Created Fixed VHD's for booting in UEFI mode from RAMDISK using UEFI Grub2 Or UEFI Grub4dos and using signed SVBus driver.

It turns out that the Fixed VHD's created and Applied with WinNTSetup are not compatible with UEFI RAMOS booting, probably since VHD internal EFI folder is missing ...
For UEFI booting from RAMDISK the most compatible VHD is Fixed VHD with MBR 2 Partitions (Active FAT32 100 MB  + NTFS) containing VHD internal Boot and EFI folder ONLY on FAT32.
Fixed VHD with MBR 1 Partition NTFS can be used but must contain UnCompressed Boot and EFI folder for booting with MBR Grub4dos and UEFI Grub2 / UEFI Grub4dos. 

The WinNTSetup Created VHD has 4096 hidden sectors instead of 128 hidden sectors in case of VHD created with diskpart,
The WinNTSetup Created VHD is compatible with VHD_WIMBOOT and after Apply in VHD_WIMBOOT then the VHD can be used for UEFI RAMOS booting.

 

Edited by wimb
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You could try the fixed VHD with GPT layout for your UEFI RAMOS.
Indeed, with the new VHD function the "system default" for alignment currently don't work and uses biggest value of 4096 hidden sectors.

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On 1/10/2021 at 8:35 PM, JFX said:

You could try the fixed VHD with GPT layout for your UEFI RAMOS.
 

Yes, indeed Fixed VHD with GPT layout as made with WinNTSetup works OK for all cases of UEFI RAMOS :thumbup

Booting of UEFI RAMOS tested with UEFI Grub2 or latest UEFI Grub4dos from internal SSD or from USB SSD.
In this case there is no VHD internal EFI folder and this is working OK.  GPT - UEFI type VHD has hidden FAT32 partition that contains EFI folder.
VHD with GPT layout is not suitable for booting with MBR Grub4dos from RAMDISK using SVBus driver.

Do you have a solution for the error that in some cases VHD Create fails to assign drive letter to the new Fixed type VHD ?

 

Edited by wimb
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4 hours ago, wimb said:

Do you have a solution for the error that in some cases VHD Create fails to assign drive letter to the new Fixed type VHD ?

It's properly the timeout I set. It's currently waiting only 500 ms for the newly created volumes be recognized by the OS.
I really should do something about error 0x0 message. :dubbio:

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  • JFX changed the title to WinNTSetup v4.2.5 / 4.5.0 Beta 3

WinNTSetup 4.5.0 Beta 3

- fixed VHD Creation system default partition alignment
- increased VHD creation volume arival timeout
- set errorcode in case hitting volume arival timeout
- fixed instant VHD creation cylinder bug
- new default VHD creation type MBR - BIOS/UEFI
- added VHD command line options /gpt and /mbr

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Did already some tests with VHD new type MBR - BIOS/UEFI and Mini 10x64 UsedSize 2.1 GB as UEFI RAMOS

- Fixed VHD booting OK with UEFI Grub2 and with UEFI Grub4dos
- Dynamic VHD booting fails for UEFI Grub2 (loading into RAM stops at 82%) and booting is OK for UEFI Grub4dos

Your program is so powerful that Microsoft Defender decides to remove it immediately when VHD Create finishes. :) (Trojan etc ...)

Until now no problem with 0x0 error ...

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On 1/11/2021 at 7:23 PM, wimb said:

Did already some tests with VHD new type MBR - BIOS/UEFI and Mini 10x64 UsedSize 2.1 GB as UEFI RAMOS

- Fixed VHD booting OK with UEFI Grub2 and with UEFI Grub4dos
- Dynamic VHD booting fails for UEFI Grub2 (loading into RAM stops at 82%) and booting is OK for UEFI Grub4dos

Your program is so powerful that Microsoft Defender decides to remove it immediately when VHD Create finishes. :) (Trojan etc ...)

Until now no problem with 0x0 error ...

Continued testing version 4.5.0 Beta 3 for booting Mini 10x64 in VHD as UEFI RAMOS

MBR - BIOS Fixed and Dynamic VHD fail with UEFI Grub2 and UEFI Grub4dos as expected since VHD internal EFI folder is missing
GPT - UEFI Fixed VHD booting OK with UEFI Grub2 and UEFI Grub4dos
GPT- UEFI Dynamic VHD fail with UEFI Grub2, but booting OK with UEFI Grub4dos

WinNTSetup GPT UEFI VHD's don't have internal EFI folder, but can boot UEFI RAMOS :rolleyes: 
VHD_WIMBOOT GPT 1 Partition VHD have internal EFI folder which is required to boot UEFI RAMOS
How come this difference ?  GPT - UEFI type VHD has hidden FAT32 partition that contains EFI folder.
The main difference is the number of Hidden Sectors which is 2048 in case of WinNTSetup created VHD and 128 in case of VHD_WIMBOOT VHD created with diskpart.
(wrong conclusion strikethrough)

WinNTSetup New type MBR - BIOS / UEFI  Fixed VHD are quite interesting for MBR and UEFI RAMOS as having 2 Partitions  layout given by MBR (NTFS + Hidden Active FAT32)
Problem is that this type of VHD does NOT boot in MBR BIOS mode probably since FAT32 has partition type EF which should be 0C to be compatible with MBR booting
Changing partition type to 0C is not enough, this VHD still does NOT boot in MBR BIOS mode with Grub4dos from RAMDISK.

EDIT:  Added Grub4dos from RAMDISK in:  VHD still does NOT boot in MBR BIOS mode with Grub4dos from RAMDISK
Sure this VHD with MBR - BIOS / UEFI type is booting in MBR BIOS mode from Windows Boot Manager Menu

EDIT2: The MBR - BIOS / UEFI type VHD is bootable with Grub4dos from RAMDISK when the menu.lst entry takes account that file bootmgr is on second partition.
So this boot problem can be solved easily 

VHD_WIMBOOT Fixed 2 Partition VHD has layout MBR ( Active FAT32 + NTFS) that can be used for booting with MBR Grub4dos and UEFI Grub4dos and UEFI Grub2 from RAMDISK

In case drive Y: is used already then Create VHD fails to assign drive letter to the created VHD
May be this can be improved by using other drive letter in case of conflict.
In any case WinNTSetup 4.5.0 Beta 3 is very good program to create various types of VHD that can be used for UEFI RAMOS :thumbup

WinNTSetup_Error_2021-01-12_104332.jpg.d03169ad70d3bf0f7e8a0675d91c9a68.jpg

 

Edited by wimb
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1 hour ago, wimb said:

WinNTSetup GPT UEFI VHD's don't have internal EFI folder, but can boot UEFI RAMOS :rolleyes: 
VHD_WIMBOOT GPT 1 Partition VHD have internal EFI folder which is required to boot UEFI RAMOS
How come this difference ?
The main difference is the number of Hidden Sectors which is 2048 in case of WinNTSetup created VHD and 128 in case of VHD_WIMBOOT VHD created with diskpart.

They have an EFI folder on the second partition.
Hidden Sectors should be equal to diskpart now. Both use the offsets from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vds\Alignment

1 hour ago, wimb said:

WinNTSetup New type MBR - BIOS / UEFI  Fixed VHD are quite interesting for MBR and UEFI RAMOS as having 2 Partitions  layout given by MBR (NTFS + Hidden Active FAT32)
Problem is that this type of VHD does NOT boot in MBR BIOS mode probably since FAT32 has partition type EF which should be 0C to be compatible with MBR booting
Changing partition type to 0C is not enough, this VHD still does NOT boot in MBR BIOS mode 

I guess this is a Grub problem, they booting attach to VMWare in BIOS and UEFI mode.

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On 1/12/2021 at 1:36 PM, JFX said:

They have an EFI folder on the second partition.
Hidden Sectors should be equal to diskpart now. Both use the offsets from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vds\Alignment

I guess this is a Grub problem, they booting attach to VMWare in BIOS and UEFI mode.

You are right, indeed the GPT - UEFI type VHD has 2 partitions with hidden FAT32. My remark was wrong and is removed by strikethrough.

Indeed the MBR - BIOS / UEFI type is booting in MBR BIOS mode from Windows Boot Manager as FILEDISK.
My remark was not clear, but I meant to say that this type of VHD does not boot with MBR Grub4dos from RAMDISK.
The MBR - BIOS / UEFI type VHD is bootable with Grub4dos from RAMDISK when the menu.lst entry takes into account that file bootmgr is on second partition.
It is my fault and this boot problem can be solved easily :)

Edited by wimb
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  • JFX changed the title to WinNTSetup v4.2.5 / 4.5.0 RC1
On 1/16/2021 at 3:42 PM, JFX said:

WinNTSetup 4.5.0 RC1

- ini option BootMountExclude supports Vendor name
- fixed VHD drive letter assignment
- fixed Windows 7/8 compatiblity

Until now no problems found :thumbup

Tested with Fixed 2 partition VHD type MBR - BIOS / UEFI with Mini 7/8/10 x64 UsedSize 2 GB for booting with UEFI Grub4dos or UEFI Grub2 from RAMDISK.

Menu entries for Mini 7/8/10 x64 in VHD as UEFI RAMOS

\EFI\grub\menu.lst

title Boot  /2MU_10.vhd - UEFI Grub4dos  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /2MU_10.vhd
map --mem --top /2MU_10.vhd (hd)
chainloader (hd-1)

title Boot  /2MU_7.vhd - UEFI Grub4dos  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /2MU_7.vhd
map --mem --top /2MU_7.vhd (hd)
chainloader (hd-1)

title Boot  /2MU_8.vhd - UEFI Grub4dos  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /2MU_8.vhd
map --mem --top /2MU_8.vhd (hd)
chainloader (hd-1)

 

\grub\grub.cfg

menuentry "Boot /2MU_10.vhd - UEFI Grub2  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB" {
  search --file --set=vhd_drive --no-floppy /2MU_10.vhd
  map --mem --rt ($vhd_drive)/2MU_10.vhd
  boot
}

menuentry "Boot /2MU_7.vhd - UEFI Grub2  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB" {
  search --file --set=vhd_drive --no-floppy /2MU_7.vhd
  map --mem --rt ($vhd_drive)/2MU_7.vhd
  boot
}

menuentry "Boot /2MU_8.vhd - UEFI Grub2  SVBus  RAMDISK  - 3 GB" {
  search --file --set=vhd_drive --no-floppy /2MU_8.vhd
  map --mem --rt ($vhd_drive)/2MU_8.vhd
  boot
}

 

Edited by wimb
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  • 2 weeks later...

WinNTSetup 4.5.0 RC2

- new ini option "RemoveBootMountsOnExit"
- rewrote all file and registry recursion functions to use iteration
- command line VHD creation uses expandable by default
- command line VHD ignores disk size for expandable type
- fixed iso mount does not select install.swm

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