How to Manually Start WinXP GUI

[jmsallo]

I have been hunting and hunting and I am at a loss.

I have created a USB with a boot menu to install WixXP Pro, Run XP Pro or go to a DOS prompt.

The DOS prompt and the installer work fine.

I have done the TextPart of the WinXP install. It has finished and rebooted.

What do I need to run/do to start the GUI on reboot?

I would like to add it to the boot list as default

I have the &Win_NT$ directories and have slipstreamed the updates from RyanVM and DriverPacks

So again, on reboot, how the the GUI load?

Thanks in advance!!!!

[ilko_t]

How did you prepare the USB disk?

Which boot loader are you using?

Did you use winnt.exe in DOS to prepare ~BT and ~LS folders on the internal disk?

Did you try simply to boot from the internal disk for the second part, the GUI mode? What was the result?

[jmsallo]

I used WinUSB Maker http://www.joshcellsoftwares.com/2012/06/WinUSBMaker.html

Apparently that uses GRLDR

So WinXP is installed from a DOS prompt after SMARTDRV is loaded

But the GUI does not start on reboot

[jaclaz]

http://www.joshcellsoftwares.com/2012/06/WinUSBMaker.html

Without any OS File-Mod - Your OS is clean transloaded to USB device.

USB OS Transload compatible with Windows XP / Vista / Server / 7 / 8.

Low memory and CPU usage for an fast OS Transload.

Metro-UI Based compatible with Windows XP.

Compatile with all Microsoft OS with .NET Framework v4.0.

Backup and Restore is compatible only with the same device.

MSDOS and GRLDR (Grub4DOS) compatible transload.

Memory protections and code defuse improved.

Wow!

@jimsallo

With all due respect , but why don't you ask the Author of the tool you used?

Do you have a grub4dos menu.lst on that stick?

If yes post it's contents, as well as contents of BOOT.INI (if any).

jaclaz

[jmsallo]

The answer was not helpful.

I think the author misunderstood me.

From: Josh Cell Software's . <support@joshcellsoftwares.com>

Sent: Friday, September 21, 2012 9:06 PM

Subject: RE: Josh Cell Software's.

Maybe I'm not doing it right

Copies and boots ok

Install just keeps reinstalling DOS part

Reboots deletes temp files and goes again

Please advise

You need to disable the boot from the USB device on 2rd part because the setup files is untouched from CD to USB.

--

Best Regards;

Josh Cell Software's.

What I want is to be able to choose on the USB

Install XP, Boot to DOS or RUN WINXP for things like password recovery, etc.

So I started the install and I have the 2 $WIN_NT$ directories but the GUI does not load on reboot

[jaclaz]

You are asking here for help about a program that we don't use normally, so, unless you provide information, we cannot help you.

Now that you have posted the reply from the Author of theat utility, it seems like it does NOT provide that feature you asked for at all, this:

You need to disable the boot from the USB device on 2rd part because the setup files is untouched from CD to USB.

more or less means that you boot first time from the USB stick, and then, to complete the install, you start from the hard disk, removing the USB stick.

ANOTHER utility (which incidentally is developed and supported here by ilko_t) WinsetupFromUSBwithGUI does provide a grub4dos menu for Windows install from USB, to which you can manually add other boot items:

BUT, while it does not need the .Net Framework 4.0 to run, I doubt it does clean compatible OS transload, nor it defuses code (but it does have provisions for Memory protection )

From what I can get by your report you have the "normal":

1. $WIN_NT$.~BT
   
2. $WIN_NT$ .~LS
   

install directories on the USB stick, these somehow get transferred to the hard disk, and then you (as the Author told you) have to boot directly from the hard disk for the second part of the installation).

Since the homepage of that utility mentions grub4dos, and you talked about having a menu, I asked you two questions (menu.lst is the file normally useb by grub4dos for it's menu, whilst BOOT.INI is the file normally used by NTLDR for it's menu):

Do you have a grub4dos menu.lst on that stick?

If yes post it's contents, as well as contents of BOOT.INI (if any).

Unless you answer it, I have no way to help you.

What I want is to be able to choose on the USB

Install XP, Boot to DOS or RUN WINXP for things like password recovery, etc.

Good .

This is another question.

JFYI a "universal" XP installed on USB is a rather difficult thing to make and you may prefer a XP based PE, such as UBCD4WIN, or any BartPE or Winbuilder project LiveXP.

In case:

http://reboot.pro/9830/

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?&showforum=30

http://reboot.pro/index.php?showtopic=4111

If you go on the rmprepusb site:

http://www.rmprepusb.com/

you should be able to find tutorials on how to make multiboot USB sticks

jaclaz

[jmsallo]

Here is the BOOT.INI

[boot Loader]

Timeout=5

Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT

[Operating Systems]

C:\ = "Previous Operating System on C:"

C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT = "Windows XP Installation/Upgrade"

Due to GRLDR replacing NTLDR (which I guess is backed up as $LDR$ 255KB)

choice 1 runs AUTOEXEC.BAT which runs SMARTDRV and then WINNT

Choice 2 is the regular WinXP installer

Hitting CTRL-C breaks the batch file giving a working DOS prompt

I can easily edit AUTOEXEC.BAT to give me that choice and run a CD-ROM loader from Win98SE, etc.

There is no MENU.LST

While I do see the utility you mention, I really don't want to undo this effort

If I want that, I will create the ISO image and run from a 320GB USB external as described

Obviously ilko_t knows how to get the GUI to start after reboot

Everything must be there, somewhere, in either $WIN_NT$.~BT or $WIN_NT$ .~LS to start the GUI

[jaclaz]

It is possible that grldr has a modified embedded menu.lst.

You can check this by opening that file with any hex editor and xhck near the end (and compare with the corresponding "original" grldr).

From what you post it is likely that the grub4dos MBR is installed to that stick.

grldr (renamed as NTLDR) is then "hardcoded" to chainload NTLDR (renamed as $LDR$) bypassing the bootsector.

From the BOOT.INI you posted:

Choice #1 is NTDR chainloading the actual partition bootsector (evidently a DOS or FreeDos one, that then boots a DOS and executes AUTOEXEC:BAT).

Choice#2 is NTLDR chainloading a copy of the bootsector which likely invokes SETUPLDR.BIN

Since from what you post these are the only choices you have, it means that NTLDR/BOOT.INI are used (besides as bootloader) as bootmanager.

What you are seemingly missing is that the tool you used/are using uses a (very old) approach, described here:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16713

and one of the others that originated the search for "better methods", see:

page__view__findpost__p__563654

(methods #1 and #4 respectively)

From that thread originated the search for alternative methods:

because of the inconvenience of the already known ones.

But anyway, and basically, any install is made of two parts, a part in which the needed files are copied to the destination hard disk (Text Mode) and a GUI part which is run booting from the destination hard disk, the tool you used has not a provision to automate the boot device shift and thus after having completed the text mode part you need to reboot AND remove the USB stick, other apps have a menu.lst that allow to leave the USB stick connected and "exchange" disk order (thus booting anyway for the GUI part from the destinatin disk).

So you can study the .lst that these other apps use and adapt it to your setup (and "correct" the booting sequence that IMHO makes little sense and needs the renaming of files - which is never a good idea).

jaclaz

Edited September 26, 2012 by jaclaz