load install.wim from external source

[AnimaliX]

Hi.

we are currently handling with the following situation

i have two HDDs ... "C" with OS and "D" with work data and installing Windows 7 from USB flash

knows someone if it is possible put install.wim on drive "D" and from USB flash load only boot loader?

...set path to install.wim in Autounattend.xml or something

install from HDD is fastest way than usb flash stick

sorry my english

Edited March 23, 2012 by AnimaliX

[Tripredacus]

Sure, use InstallFrom.

[AnimaliX]

yes yes i try before but everytime i get this:

and part of my Autounattend.xml:

            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallFrom>
                        <MetaData wcm:action="add">
                            <Key>/image/index</Key>
                            <Value>1</Value>
                        </MetaData>
                        <Path>D:\install.wim</Path>
                    </InstallFrom>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>

tested on virtualbox (emulated ide dvdrom) and primary PC (USB flash)

Edited March 24, 2012 by AnimaliX

[Tripredacus]

You'll need to find out what drive letter the CD drive has. You can hard code a drive letter into your code like that ONLY when you can be relatively certain that it will be correct every time.

You can get a cmd at that screen with Shift+F10. Then you can find out what your CD drive is, and what is D: and/or if a D:\install.wim actually exists.

[AnimaliX]

yes you have right! i used wrong drive letter ... under windows installer is drive "D" -> "C"

<Path>C:\install.wim</Path>

thanx

Edited March 26, 2012 by AnimaliX

[daremo]

Or you can use imagex /apply and place the contents of install.wim onto c: drive.

Place imagex and other necessary files and install.wim on D-drive, then use imagex /apply to extract and write the contents of install.wim onto C-drive.

Then, you can use BCDBOOT command-

Bcdboot.exe <source> [/l <locale> ] [/s <volume-letter> ] [/v]

<source> is windows source folder

/l <locale> is locale (such as en-us)

/s <volume-letter> is the target drive

/v is verbose mode

So you should issue-

bcdboot C:\windows\ /l en-us /s C: /v

to create a bcdstore on C drive (based on windows source files extracted from install.wim onto c-drive). Make sure c drive is the active partition, and boot the system, and it should start windows setup.

Edited April 2, 2012 by daremo