WinPE 2005 (Win2k3 SP1) Boot to RAM via PXE

[szwicker]

I know there are numerous posts around here explaining the steps to one part of the equation or another but they're all over the place, now and things have gotten convoluted, etc.

So, I'm looking to boot to PXE, and have it use the new method of loadking the ISO image to RAM and running PE from there, etc.

Can anyone help out by posting the steps?

Thanks a million!

[getwired]

If you have a properly licensed copy, the directions on how to do this should be in the media and tools that came with WinPE.

[szwicker]

I found them to be extremely convoluted but I'll give them a 2nd look.

[getwired]

Booting WinPE from PXE (via ISO RAMDisk) isn't exactly easy to set up - so the steps that are there - while I agree they are convoluted - will work...

Good luck.

[bilemke]

Actually, if you dont use RIS, it isnt that bad.. It involves and CD ISO of a bootable PE cd, a simple freeware tftp/boot server.. And extract and renaming (no, not even editing, just renaming) a few files from the cd to put in the root of a tftp server.

Oh yeah.. you need a copy of SYSLINUX/PXELINUX (a tiny download) that is also easy to come by. In case you are not familiar with Linux, dont worry.. It isnt that hard to use as a boot loader.. If you have ever used CDSHELL on a bootable cd you should have no problem. I will see if I can find the instructions I got from another site and have used in the past.

Before someone defends RIS all out.. It isnt bad.. But I dislike having to use Microsoft for everything.. DHCP and what not.. One freeware program plus SYSLINUX can do almost everything I have seen RIS do.

Edited November 20, 2005 by bilemke

[getwired]

You don't need syslinux or pxelinux to PXE boot WinPE from an ISO into a RAMDisk... you need a PXE server - it can be RIS, or any other - and WinPE - but that's it.

[bilemke]

True, PXELINUX you can have a nice menu and boot something besides WinPE 2005 though.

[1993]

Actually, if you dont use RIS, it isnt that bad.. It involves and CD ISO of a bootable PE cd, a simple freeware tftp/boot server.. And extract and renaming (no, not even editing, just renaming) a few files from the cd to put in the root of a tftp server.

Oh yeah.. you need a copy of SYSLINUX/PXELINUX (a tiny download) that is also easy to come by. In case you are not familiar with Linux, dont worry.. It isnt that hard to use as a boot loader.. If you have ever used CDSHELL on a bootable cd you should have no problem. I will see if I can find the instructions I got from another site and have used in the past.

Before someone defends RIS all out.. It isnt bad.. But I dislike having to use Microsoft for everything.. DHCP and what not.. One freeware program plus SYSLINUX can do almost everything I have seen RIS do.

Can you send me the information, I would like to try it.

Actually, if you dont use RIS, it isnt that bad.. It involves and CD ISO of a bootable PE cd, a simple freeware tftp/boot server.. And extract and renaming (no, not even editing, just renaming) a few files from the cd to put in the root of a tftp server.

Oh yeah.. you need a copy of SYSLINUX/PXELINUX (a tiny download) that is also easy to come by. In case you are not familiar with Linux, dont worry.. It isnt that hard to use as a boot loader.. If you have ever used CDSHELL on a bootable cd you should have no problem. I will see if I can find the instructions I got from another site and have used in the past.

Before someone defends RIS all out.. It isnt bad.. But I dislike having to use Microsoft for everything.. DHCP and what not.. One freeware program plus SYSLINUX can do almost everything I have seen RIS do.

Can you send the info how you did it? This si exactly what I am looking for.

Actually, if you dont use RIS, it isnt that bad.. It involves and CD ISO of a bootable PE cd, a simple freeware tftp/boot server.. And extract and renaming (no, not even editing, just renaming) a few files from the cd to put in the root of a tftp server.

Oh yeah.. you need a copy of SYSLINUX/PXELINUX (a tiny download) that is also easy to come by. In case you are not familiar with Linux, dont worry.. It isnt that hard to use as a boot loader.. If you have ever used CDSHELL on a bootable cd you should have no problem. I will see if I can find the instructions I got from another site and have used in the past.

Before someone defends RIS all out.. It isnt bad.. But I dislike having to use Microsoft for everything.. DHCP and what not.. One freeware program plus SYSLINUX can do almost everything I have seen RIS do.

Can you send me the information, I would like to try it.

Actually, if you dont use RIS, it isnt that bad.. It involves and CD ISO of a bootable PE cd, a simple freeware tftp/boot server.. And extract and renaming (no, not even editing, just renaming) a few files from the cd to put in the root of a tftp server.

Oh yeah.. you need a copy of SYSLINUX/PXELINUX (a tiny download) that is also easy to come by. In case you are not familiar with Linux, dont worry.. It isnt that hard to use as a boot loader.. If you have ever used CDSHELL on a bootable cd you should have no problem. I will see if I can find the instructions I got from another site and have used in the past.

Before someone defends RIS all out.. It isnt bad.. But I dislike having to use Microsoft for everything.. DHCP and what not.. One freeware program plus SYSLINUX can do almost everything I have seen RIS do.

Can you send the info how you did it? This si exactly what I am looking for.

[mats]

If you do use MS ris it's simple

under \remoteinstall\Setup\English\Images\"imagename"\i386, add the iso file and a templates folder

In templates add ntdetect.com,ntldr and startrom.com and a sif file

my sif file looks like this, there shouldn't be any line breaks int the OsLoadoptions line

[setupData]

BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"

BootPath = "\i386\System32\"

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

Architecture = "<platform>"

[RemoteInstall]

Repartition = No

[OSChooser]

Description = "PE2005"

Help = "try this"

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

ImageType = Flat

Version = "5.2 (0)"

[Vagabond8]

None of the Nforce 4 chipsets can do it, though.

Microsoft has confirmed, that "the nvidia concept simply does not work with Pe loaded from ramdisk over pxe" and they will do nothing about it.

So it all depends on if customers can put enough pressure on Nvidia to make them design a special driver for this sort of installation.

[kyor]

@bilemke

I want also start Win pe over pxelinux. can you give me a hint how to do that ?

The reason why i want to do that over PXE linux is, that i also want the possibility

to boot floppy images over pxe

Or can I do this with RIS, too ?

can you post your pxelinux config file ?

thanks

greetz kyor