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[How To] Multi-boot DVD Guide


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Hum, i didn't realized the example file has "???" on it, sorry about that :)

You should change those ??? with PRO1.DAT according to my tutorial. Of course you can name the boot file, what ever you what :)

No, your example file is OK, but I was unsure, since I dont have "pro1.dat" file at all.

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PRO1.dat is just a bootfile. if you look at most of the examples it tells you how to create pro1.dat etc. in your case pro1.dat would boot polish and pro2.dat would boot english. Basically its the standard boot file with a modification to make it boot from a folder other than i386 (the default folder)

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PRO1.dat is just a bootfile. if you look at most of the examples it tells you how to create pro1.dat etc. in your case pro1.dat would boot polish and pro2.dat would boot english. Basically its the standard boot file with a modification to make it boot from a folder other than i386 (the default folder)

I've followed all the steps in the tutorial, but all i've got, is 'pro1.bin' and 'pro2.bin' files. Shouldn't I use those names instead of 'pro1.dat'?

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Well, it seems CDShell has a preference for *.dat files, i've never actually tried with the *.bin extension, it was a too-easy-to-bother detail :P

If you've tried it, please report back so i can simplify a little bit more the tutorial :)

Good luck ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Damn, it doesn't work for me, and I've been trying this for almost 2 days now.

But everytime I get this weird manifest error.

What am I doing wrong?

1169_thumb.jpg 268e_thumb.jpg

I extracted my files from the TechNet ISO called "en_winxp_pro_with_sp2.iso". (CD Name: VX2PFPP_EN)

If I install with this ISO directly, Windows Setup works just fine.

I also tried with my German and Japanese files, but the same error occurs.

I'm using Virtual PC 6.0.142.0 (2007).

Please help!

Edited by Wuschmaster
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Hi Wuschmaster, from those images it looks like you mixed up some files from sources with diferent languages, ence the "Invalid character" error. I would say the problem resides on the winntbbu.(can´t remember extension) file. But you may have also mixed up some other files as well. Check for that and report back please :)

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for mirroring the original guide but what I need is the

original command you paste in the Start > Run box to obtain

the boot files, because I am using Server 2003 not XP and this

guide only covers XP with an automated SFX to get the boot files.

Anyone know the command?!

I know its something to do with: winnt32.exe /noreboot but I can't remember it!

DOH! Thats literally all it is:

D:\I386\WINNT32.EXE /noreboot

Don't do a dynamic update, click advanced and tick to copy all files from

the CD, then when its done that, grab the files from C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT

Then whatever you do, make sure to take the lines out of C:\boot.ini :rolleyes:

Sorry if you read this, you didn't need to :P

Edited by LeveL
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  • 2 weeks later...

>DVD Layout:

>Ok, now check if your DVD layout is similar to this, if it is, everything is ok. Keep in mind that this is just a sample layout. This >ayout includes XP Pro and Server 2003, but you may add as many as you like (or as many as it fit's on DVD).

>

>C:\DVD\ - Multi boot DVD Source

>C:\DVD\BOOT\ - CDShell folder

>C:\DVD\i386\ - Windows XP Pro reduced source folder (OPTIONAL)

>C:\DVD\PRO1\ - Boot folder 1 for XP Pro

>C:\DVD\PRO2\ - Boot folder 2 for XP Pro

>C:\DVD\3ST1\ - Boot folder 1 for Server 2003

>C:\DVD\3ST2\ - Boot folder 2 for Server 2003

>C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\SOFTWARE\ - Folder where software is placed

>C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\Install.cmd - CMD file that takes care of the software installation

>C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\SOFTWARE_ALL\ - Folder where software for all OSs is placed

>C:\DVD\SETUP\XP\Professional\i386\CMD\RunOnce.cmd

>C:\DVD\SETUP\Server2003\Standard\I386\CMD\RunOnce.cmd

Hi I am kinda new at this, well not kinda new I am new. But was looking at the cd layout and was wondering if i actually need more then 1 copy of the

C:\DVD\SETUP\XP\Professional

folder for dif setups of xp pro? ie if i add unattended or software its all done in the pro1 pro2 etc folders and the install.cmd of course? Am i correct on this? Or do i actually have to have separate real folders for each pro version as well as the pro1 pro2 folders?

Also if i have one install with hotfixes and 1 without then i def would need separate folders i think right?

Sorry for all the questions but its only way i will know for sure. I kinda want one install at sp2 but want one at current hotfix lvl as well and possibly each of those with and without software as well which from waht i see above would only need 2 dif full cd's one with hotfixes and one without and do rest in pro1 2 3 and 4 etc?

Also I used the sfx file to make the boot files for my pro1 folder but it does not copy the ntldr file to it so my iso would not run and gives the error I have read about where some had problems it finding ntldr. Anyway I copied it over manually and it works but thought it should be known that the sfx does not copy it.

Thanks in advance

Edited by dreadlord
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Hi dreadlord!

Well, if i understood right, your plan is to have 4 choices to install from:

XP Pro SP2 without hotfixes

XP Pro SP2 without hotfixes with software

XP Pro SP2 with hotfixes

XP Pro SP2 with hotfixes and software

You can do this by having 2 separate sources on your DVD, one with hotfixes, one without. In each source you can have 2 diferent boot folders, one that installs sofware, one that doesn't. So the final DVD layout for those 4 separate choices would be something like this:

C:\DVD\ - Multi boot DVD Source

C:\DVD\BOOT\ - CDShell folder

C:\DVD\PRO1\ - Boot folder 1 for XP Pro SP2 with hotfixes

C:\DVD\PRO2\ - Boot folder 2 for XP Pro SP2 with hotfixes and software

C:\DVD\PRO3\ - Boot folder 3 for XP Pro SP2 without hotfixes

C:\DVD\PRO4\ - Boot folder 4 for XP Pro SP2 without hotfixes, with software

C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\SOFTWARE\ - Folder where software is placed

C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\Install.cmd - CMD file that takes care of the software installation

C:\DVD\SOFTWARE\SOFTWARE_ALL\ - Folder where software for all OSs is placed

C:\DVD\SETUP\XP\ProWithHotfixes\

C:\DVD\SETUP\XP\ProWithoutHotfixes\

So, yes you need 2 separate source folders because you want one OS with hotfixes, one without, but don't need 2 more to install software, the guide is written exactly to avoid that situation.

Hope it helped,

André Casal

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  • 1 month later...

I'm stuck right now. I'm trying to include a highly customized unattended XPSP2 install that I created months ago with nLite. I don't have a winnt32.exe file in my i386 folder. How do I get the boot files?

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Hi tknaught :)

Well, i suppose you have the original Windows Source, so you just need use the SFX geitonaki built (Automatically create multi-boot folders and files (thanks to geitonaki)) and extract the needed files from original source.

You have another option though, create a copy of your files on the hard drive, press Start -> Run -> Browse to Winnt32.exe and add the "/noreboot" command, somethinglike this: "C:\source\Winnt32.exe /noreboot".

Use what suits you better, good luck :)

André Casal

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Ok. First of all. Absolutely, total kick-butt guide. The best I've found. I've been fighting with Powerpacker & am happy to have found a way to make my cd manually.

However, I have an issue w/ DriverPacks currently.

First, my setup:

dvdlayoutsz9.th.png

There's XP PRO VOL, XP PRO OEM, XP Home OEM, and XP Home RTL.

THere's different folders for the 5 different XP VOL Keys we have.

All of which have been integrated w/ RVM, and have some other packs applied, and are working swimmingly.

As you can tell from the screenshot, my current configuration includes and $OEM$ and OEM folder in each /Setup/XP/<folder>

These are the RVM packs everything was build from. Since the $OEM$ is exactly the same for all folders, CDImage is nice enough to save me a ton of space.

However, I don't know if that's the correct approach.....although I've verified it works.

More importantly, though, Driver Packs is NOT working, and I'm trying to figure out why.

Currently, the XP Source folders all have driver packs applied individually......and obviously work that way, as a single install CD.

However, when I put them in the multiboot, we're hosed

dvderrorkl9.th.png

I don't know exactly how driver packs work yet, but I know there's a presetup.cmd, I just don't know how it's called.

From what I can tell currently, the only thing changed with the multiboot approach is that the TXTSETUP.SIF has one line changed

txtsetupsifsr2.th.png

And although presetup.cmd is in the file, there is obviously something amuck w/ the current use of my OEM folder (automatically created by driver packs)

So, my questions are as follows:

#1. What is the most correct approach for the $OEM$ folder? One per setup source underneath the /Setup directory, or is there a better method

#2. Aside from trying driver packs w/ the multiboot approach, which is my next test, is there a way to make my current driver pack setup work properly?

And again, this thread kicks major butt. Thanks a ton.

My next step once I fix driver packs is to add on a slipstreamed 2K3 (Ent, Std, Web),and finally, a custom XPE (think Sherpya) buld I already have.

FYI, I did not have a need for using the install.cmd/<youros>.tag method because my apps are integrated already via SVCPack, regedts are imported via commands.txt and then I use WPI after installation.

Thanks for any reply.

Calpha.

PS. The create folders batch file blew my **** mind....looking at the source. And I'm a developer. I was totally impressed with the tricks applied in changing the file contents and never would have thought in a million years to do it........although admittedly, I don't understand the code exactly.......but am trying.

PSS. I will update when I try method 2 (multiboot apprach) with applying the driver packs.

Update: Driver Packs Working

I missed two things.

#1. Do Driver Packs Last. I was running the create_folders_.cmd on my Sources and then doing the driver packs. DOH!

#2. Bashrat's directions work perfectly for multiboot: I flummoxed the last try somehow, but they're working now.

Here's more clarification:

I have 6 Versions of XP currently.

These folders all exist at c:\dvd\setup\xp\

XP-VLK (RVM UpdatePack, 20+ Addons)

XP-VLK-MINI (RVM UpdatePack IE7, WMP11)

XP-OEM (RVM UpdatePack, 20+ Addons)

XP-OEM-MINI (RVM UpdatePack IE7, WMP11)

XPHomeOEM ( UpdatePack, 20+ Addons)

XPHomeRTL (UpdatePack, 20+ Addons)

From there, XP-VLK-MINI has 5 diff't keys so there's 11 options in my CDMenu, but 5 of them are all built from the XP-VLK-MINI.

Soooo------the catch is to follow directions correctly, and you don't have any issues.

Given:

c:\DVD

c:\DVD\SETUP\XP\XP-PRO-VLK

I create one DPACK .INI file for each folder underneath c:\dvd\setup\xp in DISC MODE

Then create one more more INI file in multiboot mode.

Make sure to select C:\DVD as the boot folder

Slipstream!

The results?

#1. C:\DVD\OEM created. This is the .7z'd DPacks......

#2. C:\DVD\SETUP\XP\XP-PRO-VLK\$OEM$ created if it's not there, and DPS ROE, etc, added.

NOW, run the create folders cmd.......

------------------------------------------

The only catch now, is I wish there was one place I could put my $OEM$ folder on the disk instead of one $OEM$ in every C:\DVD\Setup\XP\XP-PRO-VLK\$OEM$ and every os afterwards :)

Edited by calpha
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i just started making multiple boot cd's. i want to make bootable xp pro but i can't find "pro1.dat" file. cdshell does not find any file like name. how can i create this file. can you explane more how can i set cdshell... thank you...

Edited by doktor001
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i just started making multiple boot cd's. i want to make bootable xp pro but i can't find "pro1.dat" file. cdshell does not find any file like name. how can i create this file. can you explane more how can i set cdshell... thank you...

The files you're looking for are the .BIN files.

I just changed my cdshell entries to chain the .BIN and everything worked.

If you followed the example exactly, you would have a PRO1.BIN ----- and this file would be the loader that CDShell calls.

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