WinPE 2.0 GimageX COM based HTA

[thebearpoo]

Thanks for the update, Geezery.

[Tripredacus]

I fired up WinDiff to check the new version against my custom version. There isn't anything in this version for me to add really. The code differences aren't that big a deal to me. I did see (I think) that you removed the progress bar support during the /apply command. Instead of trying to make the incremental progress bar (as it would appear you wanted) how about just having an animated GIF or something to be on the screen? If could just be a fake progress bar. I've received complaints from my users about the progress bar because sometimes it doesn't even show up. Of course it would always appear as a gray rectangle.

I also see that you put my custom WinPE backgrounds up on your site. Can you drop me a credit on your site someplace for them?

I am going to be doing testing of WinPE 3.0 using your HTA (or my version of it) on both x86 and amd64 versions of WinPE. I will let you know if I encounter any problems.

[grungething]

Thanks for your response, seen the guid and it is way better. I'm now almost there and am delighted with the result. However just one small problem is the resolution is not changing to 1024x768. It still works and you can just see the buttons, but it would be a ot nicer if it was the 1024x768 res. Any ideas what to look for?

setres program is in misc folder too, havn't changed any setting in the hta file either.

Edited March 2, 2009 by Tripredacus
Moved from Boot Menu thread.

[Tripredacus]

Thanks for your response, seen the guid and it is way better. I'm now almost there and am delighted with the result. However just one small problem is the resolution is not changing to 1024x768. It still works and you can just see the buttons, but it would be a ot nicer if it was the 1024x768 res. Any ideas what to look for?

setres program is in misc folder too, havn't changed any setting in the hta file either.

Resolution options are on line 26 of the HTA.

SetResSettings = "1024 768 32 1"						  'Setres default parameters.

Make sure your file has these same settings.

[Kingskawn]

Super interesting this tool! Can you please tell me how it works if you want to install xp on a new machine. How can you push the wim file on it? With 'how' I mean, what information do you use to deploy it, MAC, GUID,...? Or is it only on one machine at the time?

I could use such a tool if I can install xp on a distant machine (LAN) if I only know the MAC address. (I already have a running WDS so machines can boot on PXE and of course a DHCP server )

[Tripredacus]

Super interesting this tool! Can you please tell me how it works if you want to install xp on a new machine. How can you push the wim file on it? With 'how' I mean, what information do you use to deploy it, MAC, GUID,...? Or is it only on one machine at the time?

I could use such a tool if I can install xp on a distant machine (LAN) if I only know the MAC address. (I already have a running WDS so machines can boot on PXE and of course a DHCP server )

This program is run from the client and is not automated to the point that it doesn't require interaction. Its more of a GET instead of a PUSH with this, it is just an app that runs in the PE.

[Kingskawn]

No plans to do this from a central machine that can deploy xp on the same lan? Or is there another HTA from someone else that can do this

[Tripredacus]

I'm not sure I am getting what you are asking. So instead, I will just run down how I use it.

I took the original HTA (I'm using the older version but the same can be done with the current) and modified it. There are some things you need to modify, such as the Imagepath, which tells the HTA where to look for the images. I changed it to z:\. Then I edit my startnet.cmd file and have it map the Z: to the folder the WIMs are located in. Also need to add regsvr32 for the DLL included with the download, and lastly use mshta to launch the HTA itself. Rebuild the PE.wim and update it in WDS.

Then you have your client that you want to image. Presuming you have images already or you can make new images. You boot to the network. If your WDS is set up properly, it will load the WinPE up on a RAMDISK on the client. The PE loads, turns on networking, maps the network drive, registers the DLL and opens the HTA.

The HTA will then show you what images you have. If it can't find any images (or perhaps you don't have any yet) It will open a browse box. If you do have images, they will be listed. You select the WIM and image you want, and it will format the drive. After this it copies the image down. When it is done, you can reboot or shut down.

This method works best on a WDS running Server 2008, as it supports multicast. Server 2003 has issues with more than 4 clients (in my experience and my setup). So using this HTA I can image up to 40 clients at once. 40 happens to be the number of interfaces I have on the same subnet as the WDS.

See IcemanND's Win PE guide which is stickied to learn how to make your Win PE media (or boot image) and how to capture images.

[Kingskawn]

I'm using SCCM to deploy machines now. What I thought this hta was, was a frontend where you can deploy xp from a central machine (can be a server or normal desktop machine) where resides the wim files and all the stuff that is needed in order to stage machines remotely.

But this hta doesn't allow remote installations, it's all on individual machines that the hta page must be loaded and execute.

In SCCM I deploy a wim files that contains the xp OS but after that it gets a whole bunch of software programs installed on it.

[Tripredacus]

Its not that it doesn't allow it, but that isn't its function. It is meant for the clients, not for the server.

[Tripredacus]

Geezery! I got another feature idea!

I do most of my image administration from within the PE and not the server. It would be handy if, in the main display of the images within the wim, that the image index number is also displayed. Currently, all images are arranged alphebetically by their image description. This means that the images are not in order based upon their index (the order they were captured/appended) value. It is easier to perform image maintenance with the image index, especially if there are long image descriptions. Also, if you have a lot of images, it would be easier to acquire the image index value, otherwise I have to use the following:

imagex /info z:\xp_intel.wim > c:\wim_info.xml

This has to be done because sometimes the XML information is more than be fit into the PE Command Prompt window.

[geezery]

Hello,

I removed the GImageX dll dependancy from the HTA, but I haven't tested it yet. I think it should work without it. It uses only imagex.exe for image handling now.

I also added the Index number to the description if that was your wish Tripredacus. Can you try the new HTA, you can download it from

geezery

Edited March 31, 2009 by geezery

[ducati31]

hello all. im new to MSFN.

How do i get a copy of Geezery files? The link has been removed and there is nothing on the homepage?

Cheers

[Tripredacus]

The original author has abandoned this project, so I am taking over its sponsorship. I cannot take any requests for adding or updating new features to the software.

UPDATE

Working on v9.1 update.

Last available versions

Version 7.1 :: download

Version 9.0 :: download

Cleaned up Version 2.0 by Fredledingue :: download

Custom PE backgrounds

Embedded by Tripredacus :: download

Vista by Tripredacus :: download

Edited September 30, 2009 by Tripredacus

[Turge]

After spending quite a few hours trying to get an HTA to receive the progress event from GimageX and display a progress bar, I can finally say that I achieved everything I was targetting. Since I still have to clean up the code before posting it, I'll just post a screenshot of my app for now to see what kind of interest it generates.

I should also point out that it currently works on Windows XP/Vista/7 and Windows PE 1.5/2.0/3.0 using all versions of GimageX.

So let me know what you think..