Before I start XP Phase 2

[Damnation]

Before I start XP Phase 2 - using multiboot grub4dos

should these commands work properly?

map --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock/winvblock.ima.gz

map --mem /multiboot/ISOs/WINXP.X86.MAHER.ISO || map /multiboot/ISOs/WINXP.X86.MAHER.ISO (0xff)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=cdrom,vmem=find:/multiboot/ISOs/winXP.x86.maher.ISO;\n\0

chainloader (hd0)+1

or did I miss something?

P.S, I inserted USB3 drivers into the install, they work in phase1, will they work in phase2?

[jaclaz]

Before I start XP Phase 2 - using multiboot grub4dos

should these commands work properly?

Can you post WHERE exactly you got those from?

It seems to me like you are loading BOTH Winvblock and Firadisk WHY?

As a general rule (NOT necessarily applicable to this particular case), remember that on some filesystems grub4dos is CaSeSeNsItIvE and, still to be on the safe side, using "multidot" filenames is not the best idea, as a number of things that you may want to boot might not support those.

When using grub4dos "in general" but actually "always" when experimeting, if you use all small letters 8+3 names you reduce form start the number of possible issues.

jaclaz

[Damnation]

Can you post WHERE exactly you got those from?

here

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/firawiniso

and here

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/install-xp-and-win7-to-internal-hdd

in the XP7PWD.zip file

It seems to me like you are loading BOTH Winvblock and Firadisk WHY?

In case one did not work

If I must remove one which one is best?

As a general rule (NOT necessarily applicable to this particular case), remember that on some filesystems grub4dos is CaSeSeNsItIvE and, still to be on the safe side, using "multidot" filenames is not the best idea, as a number of things that you may want to boot might not support those.

When using grub4dos "in general" but actually "always" when experimeting, if you use all small letters 8+3 names you reduce form start the number of possible issues.

jaclaz

I haven't encountered anything yet that wouldn't accept a long file name

[cdob]

In case one did not work

If I must remove one which one is best?

Using both is asking for confusion.

There is no general answer. Use the one matching current used BIOS and hardware.

Do you RAM load the ISO image currently?

Then you don't need USB 3 drivers.

And read MSFN Rules again

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

Edited September 9, 2012 by cdob

[jaclaz]

Can you post WHERE exactly you got those from?

here

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/firawiniso

and here

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/install-xp-and-win7-to-internal-hdd

in the XP7PWD.zip file

At least in the first one there is NO trace of Winvblock (which is OK since the tutorial is about using firadisk).

The second, which is number 63 (the first one is #43) uses BOTH, BUT NOT "at the same time" or in the "same menu.lst entry", at least AFAICR.

It seems to me like you are loading BOTH Winvblock and Firadisk WHY?

In case one did not work

If I must remove one which one is best?

With all due respect you have some "wrong" approach.

The idea of a tutorial is that of following it "to the letter", WITHOUT introducing ANY variation of ANY kind.

Once you have suceeded with it, THEN (and only THEN) you may introduce changes.

By loading together TWO drivers that essentially do the same "job" you are actually creating a very good terrain for a driver conflict.

There is NO "better" driver between Firadisk and Winvblock, they were actually developed exchanging ideas between the respective Authors, but for mostly UNknown reason one (or the other) may work better in a given situation.

As a general rule (NOT necessarily applicable to this particular case), remember that on some filesystems grub4dos is CaSeSeNsItIvE and, still to be on the safe side, using "multidot" filenames is not the best idea, as a number of things that you may want to boot might not support those.

When using grub4dos "in general" but actually "always" when experimenting, if you use all small letters 8+3 names you reduce from start the number of possible issues.

I haven't encountered anything yet that wouldn't accept a long file name

Well, I encountered several, possibly because I have some more experience than you have

The idea of advice and particularly of the "better be safe than sorry" one is simply that, you are perfectly free to do whatever you see best fit, the only difference is - in case of issues - that you had been told.

Along the same lines, the advice is to choose one of the two mentioned tutorials (or another one) and follow the chosen tutorial to the letter BEFORE introducing "changes" or "betterings".

jaclaz

[steve6375]

#43 now uses Firadisk and ImDisk. Firadisk does not seem to work with WinPE 4/Server2012 setup for some reason, so if this fails to mount the ISO then ImDisk is used.

For XP tutorial (#30) it is probably 'purer' to use just one ramdisk driver (either FiraDisk or WinVBlock) but in my experience, just using one all the time for all systems did not work - i.e. Firadisk worked on some systems but not others, similarly WinVBlock worked on some systems but not all - hence I suggest that for your first attempt (since you don't know which ones will work) you load both drivers in the hope that at least one will be able to load the ISO (sledgehammer v. walnut)!

If for some reason there is a problem, then load just one of them and see if just using a single driver is any better.

Edited September 9, 2012 by steve6375

[jaclaz]

#43 now uses Firadisk and ImDisk. Firadisk does not seem to work with WinPE 4/Server2012 setup for some reason, so if this fails to mount the ISO then ImDisk is used.

For XP tutorial (#30) it is probably 'purer' to use just one ramdisk driver (either FiraDisk or WinVBlock) but in my experience, just using one all the time for all systems did not work - i.e. Firadisk worked on some systems but not others, similarly WinVBlock worked on some systems but not all - hence I suggest that for your first attempt (since you don't know which ones will work) you load both drivers in the hope that at least one will be able to load the ISO (sledgehammer v. walnut)!

If for some reason there is a problem, then load just one of them and see if just using a single driver is any better.

Ok, I'll make the questions, since we have the attention of the Author of the mentioned tutorials .

@Steve6375

Is the menu.lst entry that Damnation posted a "proper" one, tested by you and present in any of your turtorials or is it - as I presume - a combination of the entries of two (or more) different tutorials?

More generally, do you suggest that your tutorials should be followed and replicated as they are or it is advised to take bits and pieces here and there and assemble a new way when experimenting the first time?

jaclaz

[Damnation]

OK, I removed the firadisk as it was BSODing on my machine

but now I'm having issues with winvblock on phase1

WindowsXPP1.LST

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock/winvblock.ima.gz
map --mem /winvblock/winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)
map --mem /winvblock/winvblock.ima.gz  (fd1)
# if this loads the ISO into memory slowly - then you need to run WinContig on the ISO file on your USB drive to speed it up!
map  /multiboot/ISOs/WINXP.X86.MAHER.ISO (0xff) || map  --mem /multiboot/ISOs/WINXP.X86.MAHER.ISO (0xff)

map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
root (0xff)
#map --status
echo 
chainloader (0xff)/i386/setupldr.bin || chainloader (0xff)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN || chainloader (0xff)
echo 
clear
pause You MUST press F6 when prompted, then hit S to select WinVBlock 32, S to select FiraDisk driver, then hit S again to select your AHCI driver (e.g. Atom Netbook=WinVBlock+ICH7R/DH, DQ67 series 6=FiraDisk+Desktop,Workstation,Server Express)
pause
clear
pause Now quickly hit [Enter] twice (and then F6 if you need to install drivers) ...
clear

It's boots, I press F6, then press S, Firadisk (32 and 64 bit) and WinVBlock (32-bit only) show up, Firadisk BSODs, so I select WinVBlock,

gets to formatting stage,

Formatted my disk

Then a message pops up saying it cannot copy WinVBlk32.sys, retrying does nothing and it gets stuck

I've tried this one

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/install-xp-from-an-iso/winvblockJmicron_C600.ima.gz.gz?attredirects=0

and this

http://www.rmprepusb.com/documents/rmprepusb-beta-versions/winvblock.ima.gz?attredirects=0

Same result on both.

[Damnation]

my bad, needed to change

OemPreinstall="Yes" to "No"

which I only now just noticed, I'll try it out later tonight and let you know how it goes

[Damnation]

Successfully passed phase1

phase2 also passed but I received a Rundll32 and a GRPCON error message, but it continued on and restarted

I also got this on first restart

Dpsfnshr.exe Cannot access, you may not have permission to access

after the "welcome" screen

but it has not occurred since the first boot, and seems to get to the desktop just fine, and shutsdown

Can I assume it's been installed successfully?

[submix8c]

Did you by chance "create" a Limited User Account and use that one for AutoLogon?

Do you mean GRPCONV?

edit - Shall we link the topics?

Edited September 11, 2012 by submix8c