I created a custom WINPE 2005 iso using Windows XP PRO SP2 and am trying to boot it into RAM using RIS. After the message "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration . . ." the screen goes black and everything stops.

I used the directions in the WINPE 2005 help file under the section:

To create a bootable Windows PE RAM disk image on a RIS server

and here is my winnts.sif file on the RIS server:

[setupData]

BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"

BootPath = "\%MACHINETYPE%\System32\"

OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /minint /rdexportascd /rdpath=%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\winpex86.iso"

Architecture = "%MACHINETYPE%"

[RemoteInstall]

Repartition = no

[OSChooser]

Description = "WinPE 2005 RAM"

Help = "longer description"

LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"

ImageType = WINPE

Version = "5.2 (0)"

But it just goes black and no workie. Any ideas. The iso works great if I boot it off of the CDROM.

Thanks,

RAMDisk boot ONLY works if Server 2003 SP1 is your source. There is no way to use Windows XP (any version).

RAMDisk boot ONLY works if Server 2003 SP1 is your source. There is no way to use Windows XP (any version).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I disagree. MiniPE by DigiWiz (http://www.atgig.com/DigiWiz/miniPE.htm) which is based on XPSP1 works wonderfully with one condition.

In order to have DNS and such working you need to start "factory.exe -winpe" from the real winpe or from the deploy.cab in your xp cd instead of using bartpe.exe.

However it boots from RIS just fine without that factory.exe stuff and is able to map drives using netbios or tcpip just fine.

The solution I believe you are looking for is that you need to copy the inf files from \i386\inf and the driver files from \i386\system32\drivers\ to \i386. This is documented in microsoft's WinPE documentation somewhere.

Edited July 19, 200521 yr by mjc

I rebuilt with Server 2003 SP1 and it is working now. Thanks. My bad!

I'm trying to run BartPE from RIS but i can't get it to work.

I've created the PE iso with PEBuilder 3.13 after I've slipstreamed the SP1 into the original 2003 Server disk with the same tool.

I've stored the file in:

E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\German\BartPE\i386\templates\bartpe.iso

Then I ve copied

\i386\STARTROM.CO_

-> E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\German\BartPE\i386\templates\STARTROM.COM

\i386\SETUPLDR.EX_

-> E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\German\BartPE\i386\templates\NTLDR

\i386\NTDETECT.COM

-> E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\German\BartPE\i386\templates\NTDETECT.COM

in the same directory i've created winnt.sif

[SetupData]
BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"
BootPath = "\%MACHINETYPE%\System32\"
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /minint /rdexportascd /rdpath=%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\bartpe.iso"
Architecture = "%MACHINETYPE%"

[RemoteInstall]
Repartition = no

[OSChooser]
Description = "BartPE RAM"
Help = ""
LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType = FLAT
Version = "5.2 (0)"

When im running BartPE from the Bootmenu on the client a blank black screen appears only showing a blinking cursor.

What did i wrong?

Could someone please give me the links you used to get info on booting winpe from RIS please, I want to try this out. Do you think it would be possible to boot Wininternals Emergency Recovery Disk from RIS at all?

I disagree.  MiniPE by DigiWiz (http://www.atgig.com/DigiWiz/miniPE.htm) which is based on XPSP1 works wonderfully with one condition.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Am I the only one not getting that link to work?

The closest thing I could find was http://jacksonian.ca/brian/info/miniPE.htm, but doesn't mention DigiWiz on the page at all..

From various quotes of MiniPE on other web sites, it sounds like a cool .ISO or whatever method is used to distribute it/create it...

Edited September 12, 200520 yr by JoeMSFN

IF sysinternals makes a verion built on pe2005 it should be poosible to run it from RIS.

Information on howto setup PE to boot from RIS/RAM can be found in the winpe.chm file located in the docs directory

make sure your PE image is the last alphabetically in your RIS images folder

Hi,

I had the exact same problem but I was using the WIN2003 SP1 as source for the .ISO but you also have to make sure the BOOT Files that RIS uses are from Windows 2003 Server SP1.

NTDECTECT.COM

NTLDR (aka SETUPLDR.EXE)

STARTROM.COM

I got the blank screen when these files was from Windows XP Pro SP2 setup files.

Of course the BARTPE.ISO has to be WIN2003 SP1 as well.

Hope this helps!

Edited September 20, 200520 yr by PxeBoot