WinVBlock

http://www.rmprepusb...-xp-from-an-iso

 

• installed GRUB4DOS 0.4.4 2009-03-29 on my usb stick
•  

 

Simply DON'T. 

That is an OBSOLETE version of grub4dos (that was BTW NEVER recommended), and yes I do know how it is the latest one on some sites, but we have a sticky here:

http://reboot.pro/forum/66-grub4dos/

http://reboot.pro/topic/14-grub4dos/

as the hosting sites story for grub4dfos is complex.

Get a recent 0.4.5c or 0.4.6.a version from chenall's site:

http://grub4dos.chen...ries/downloads/

Wonko

@woko downloaded grub4dos-0.4.6a-2015-06-17

How do I install it? grub.exe and all .com files are 16bit (I have win7 x64)

@steve, I'm gonna try to make it work only updating grub and if it fails I'm gonna try with rmprep, it can be some issue with my custom iso :|

Usually you just need to replace the grldr file to update grub4dos.

RMPrepUSB makes it easy to install grub4dos to a USB drive.

but I think my grub doesn't use that grldr file at the root, it always says "cmain() starting....no pxe" in the beginning :\
I searched to see what it was, and it kinda sound related to grldr initialization

Edited by shifu, 08 July 2015 - 09:40 AM.

My guess is that the toolbox (also sticky here):

http://reboot.pro/forum/66-grub4dos/

http://reboot.pro/to...ox-for-windows/

also works on 32 bit systems only (as essentially it uses bootlace.com), but there is another tool:

http://reboot.pro/to...dows-and-linux/

get latest version here:

http://reboot.pro/to...linux/?p=191845

that should work fine on 64 bit.

Wonko

Hey wonko

It keeps bringing the 0x0A bsod after loading windows modules

I packed my stuff in this 7z http://www61.zippysh...AfCpc/file.htmlcontains:

menu.lst

grldr

winvblock.ima

TXTSETUP.SIF

bsod.jpg

I still use the same menu.lst entries, installed grub mbr using this command:

grubinst.exe --g4d-version=0.4.6a --read-only --verbose --no-backup-mbr --mbr-disable-floppy --time-out=0 (hd1)

used grldr from grub4dos-0.4.6a-2015-06-17 and winvblock.ima from @reboot12 

EDIT: @steve6375, tried rmprep now and it shows this error after showing "setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration..."

Spoiler

my rmprep settings:

Spoiler

Edited by shifu, 09 July 2015 - 05:27 AM.

# hd0 is USB
# hd1 is real HDD
title TXT-Setup WinXP - phase 1
map --mem /winvblock.ima (fd0)
map --mem /xp.iso (0xff)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

# hd0 is USB
# hd1 is real HDD
title GUI-Setup WinXP - phase 2
map --mem /winvblock.ima (fd0)
map --mem /xp.iso (0xff)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader (hd0)+1
pause Press ENTER and then unplug this USB drive...

it works reboot12

but took ages to load it up, 11min to load a 240mb image, which means it only loads at 372kbps 

it works reboot12
 
but took ages to load it up, 11min to load a 240mb image, which means it only loads at 372kbps 

If have 2 partitions (disk D:) on HDD install WinXP from second partition to first like me :-)
http://reboot.pro/to...ck/#entry184462
It should be faster :-)

Or use PXESERVER + TFTP or HTTP protocol. Over TFTP ISO 584MB load to RAM about 1-3 minutes :-)
ISO over TFTP
ISO over HTTP (memdisk)

But fastest will from partition D: to C:

@Reboot12

Are you really sure-sure that you can only use --mem mapping when installing a XP from .iso?

@shifu

I don't get it.

Mem mapping is easy (and slow because of the transfer time, BTW most probably a .gz image will be faster).

If you want to use direct mapping you need to "tell" Winvblock the name of the .iso and create a "dummy" parameter disk in memory, see (examples):

http://reboot.pro/to...block/?p=183326

http://reboot.pro/to...tall-xp-in-vhd/

http://reboot.pro/to...738-win7vblock/

Wonko

@Reboot12
Are you really sure-sure that you can only use --mem mapping when installing a XP from .iso?

My version WinVBlock is based on Sha0 0.0.1.8 from file attached in this topic at page 9:
http://reboot.pro/to...e-9#entry101308

From the sources it shows that it does not support direct mapping of ISO images:

[version] Up version to 0.0.1.8

This release introduces initial support for GRUB4DOS
sector-mapped disks. Currently, only HDD images with MBRs
are supported.

I tested also the new version of WinVBlock which operates like a direct mapping of ISO images:

This cheap test for an appropriate backing disk simply
reads where the first ISO9660 volume descriptor would be
and checks for the presence of the "CD001" signature in a
particular field. Sector-mapped .ISOs from GRUB4DOS
should now be available.

but WinXP not install with this version.

The cause of the error 0A is 100% direct mapping ISO image with WinVBlock 0.0.1.8 !

Anyway mapping (map --mem) 584MB ISO image from second partition (disk D:) to RAM takes only 15 seconds!

map --mem 584MB ISO to RAM from USB 2.0 stick takes ~ 10 minutes

Well, no offence whatever intended , but "your" version of Winvblock may do (or may completely fail to do) *whatever*, this thread is about the "official" version of Winvblock by Sha0, not about a version "you" made (modified or as is) starting from an obsolete version of the driver.

Are you telling me that the thingy by Wim_b does not work and that the various reported successes with that or similar method are false?

The menu.lst shifu reported using (As a side note it is rare to find someone from Iraq using a Portuguese Windows ) did not provide the needed "hooking info" to allow direct mapping, no surprise it did not work, are you telling me that it won't work the same way when the right "hooking info" is passed to the Winvblock driver? 

Wonko

WinVBlock 0.0.1.8 is last attached WinVBlock driver in this forum by Sha0. My version 0.0.1.8 is exactly the same as the version Sha0. My version have only some fix in txtsetup.oem i winvblk.inf:

My fix's list: http://reboot.pro/to...-20#entry185175

• resolve BSOD PFN_LIST_CORRUPT (add two setting in registry)
• deleted repeated spaces for remove error in nLite http://reboot.pro/to...-20#entry183386
• fix double appearance in Device Manager

In summary: wvblk32.sys by Sha0 = my version - source code is not modified!!!

Well, then Wim_b is using a different version that can actually map directly the XP .iso and install from it.

Please note how also Steve6375 uses direct mapping:

http://www.rmprepusb...-xp-from-an-iso

underlining how it may not work on some systems (he mentions Atom based ones).

Wonko 

@wonko, it works using steve6375's rmprep tutorial, but as you said before about "telling winvblock" iso name, is done by doing so:

title Start - TXT-mode XP Setup
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /XP.iso
map /XP.iso (0xff)
map --rd-size=2048
map --mem (rd)+4 (0x55)
map --e820cycles=0
map --hook
write (0x55) #!GRUB4DOS\x00v=1\x00/XP.iso\x00\xff\x00
chainloader (0xff)

?? (I don't understand how to unmix the vhd part from the code, only started using grub yesterday)

about the portuguese xp, yeah, was the smallest iso I found in short notice

The snippet you posted seems fine to me, but you will need to add at it's beginning the mapping of the Winvblock.ima or .ima.gz to (both) first and second floppy:

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock.ima.gz

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd1)

so that it is available to F6 loading.

In a perfect world it would only be necessary to map the floppy image to first floppy (and maybe it works with this on your specific motherboard) but from experience double mapping it seems to work on more motherboards.

Do take some time reading here (the specific topic where this method was devised/developed, together with the corrispondent one using Firadisk instead):

http://www.msfn.org/...rom-a-iso-file/

And do take some time, more generally, having a look at the various different methods available:

http://www.msfn.org/...ndows-from-usb/

Wonko

Just one last question wonko,

The second part of windows installation is booted like this?

title Continue GUI-mode XP Setup
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /xp.iso
map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)
map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd1)
map /xp.iso (0xff)
map --hook
write (0x55) #!GRUB4DOS\x00v=1\x00/xp.iso\x00\xff\x00
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /ntldr

Yep , basically the first part of the setup copies the boot files on the internal hard disk, and then the computer is rebooted to boot from the internal hard disk that proceeds in the installation starting with files on hard disk but needing anyway access to the "source CD" for some other files.

As a side note, the traditional way to install Windows from HD (i.e. making a copy of the contents of the CD on the HD and then installing using (old) WINNT.EXE (running from DOS)  or later WINNT32.EXE (running from a second instance of the OS or from a PE) always seemed to me to offer quite a few advantages (having a "local" source for -say SFC/WPF nagging about corrupted files, having much more freedom for partitioning and letter assigning, etc.) and the same can be replicated with WinNTsetup, which is more friendly than WINNT32, old version (but good enough for XP):

http://reboot.pro/to...721-winntsetup/

new version:

http://www.msfn.org/...winntsetup-v38/

In a nutshell, if you are just wanting to install from an "untouched" .iso of XP the grub4dos+Winvblock(or Firadisk) method is very convenient, if you want Driver Packs, etc., possibly the best tool/approach is WinSetupFromUSB:

http://www.msfn.org/...omusb-with-gui/

and you might want to test also Rufus:

http://reboot.pro/fi...file/145-rufus/

but if you have anyway on the stick a PE that you use to partition/format the disk before, and possibly a heavily modified source, then a manual way using WINNT32 or the WinntSetup by JFX offers more flexibility/control.

Everyone has his/her own preferences, all the mentioned tools (and also some other ones not mentioned till now, like E2B and the "classic" batch by Wimb) are good, often chosing one method over the other is just a matter of personal preference or of the specific hardware that may "like" or "like not" a given method.

Wonko

I have a usb stick with a bunch of OS's, which makes grub4dos the best fit and, the only OS it was lacking was windows xp (we all have that old pc who only runs windows xp  )

I kinda prefer winpe approach than old school xp install (don't know why microsoft didn't made a toolkit to pass xp into a wim file :\)

WinNTsetup looks pretty cool, seems that I need to play with it 

Thank your for your help wonko, was really appreciated 

Well, then Wim_b is using a different version that can actually map directly the XP .iso and install from it.

Yes Wim_b in tutorial VHD_XP_Setup - Install XP in VHD use new version WinVBlock from 2011 in winvblock.ima. This is version from this git repository: WVBlk32.sys and this version support direct ISO map. My version is from 2010 and not support direct ISO mapping.
 wvblk.png   45.72KB   0 downloads

If you want to use direct mapping you need to "tell" Winvblock the name of the .iso and create a "dummy" parameter disk in memory

• install WinXP SP2 from D:\xp.iso (NTFS) to C: (NTFS) - not to any HDD image RAW or VHD
• I want to use my F6 winvblock.ima (without SATA - only WinVBlock driver)
• F6 floppy need stay on D: together with xp.iso or load from PXE
• I want boot PC GRUB4DOS from my Tiny PXE Server (ervan)

The CD/DVD case on backing HDD now works. So the rules will be:

• You have to append a hunk to the image file
• The hunk must be the sector-size for the image file's intended disk type
• That means commonly 512 bytes for HDD images
• That means commonly 2048 bytes for .ISOs
• The last 512 bytes of the hunk must be a Microsoft .VHD footer with fixed-disk type
• Once I attach a sample to this post, there're only two fields to change for your own HDD image/.ISO
• Those two fields both take the same 8 bytes
• Those 8 bytes are the size of the HDD image/.ISO's total bytes, without the hunk

The last 512 bytes of the hunk must be a Microsoft .VHD footer with fixed-disk type

title TXT-Setup WinXP - phase 1\n Direct map ISO\n No need press F6 for 32-bit WinVBlock
# map winvblock.ima to RAM as (fd0) & (fd1) from PXE
map --mem (pd)/images/winvblock.ima (fd0)
map --mem (pd)/images/winvblock.ima (fd1)
# search xp.iso image and direct map
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /xp.iso
map /xp.iso (0xff)
map --hook
# map rd - this occupies first floppy area (fd0) in G4D
map --rd-size=2048
map --mem (rd)+4 (0x55)
map --rehook
write (0x55) #!GRUB4DOS\x00v=1\x00/xp.iso\x00\xff\x00
chainloader (0xff)
map --status
pause --wait=5 If you are installing WinXP x64 MUST press F6 when prompted
pause then hit S to select WinVBlock 64-bit. Default is WinVBlock 32-bit

title GUI-Setup WinXP - phase 2\n Direct map ISO
# map winvblock.ima to RAM as (fd0) & (fd1) from PXE
map --mem (pd)/images/winvblock.ima (fd0)
map --mem (pd)/images/winvblock.ima (fd1)
# search xp.iso image and direct map
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /xp.iso
map /xp.iso (0xff)
map --hook
# map rd - this occupies first floppy area (fd0) in G4D
map --rd-size=2048
map --mem (rd)+4 (0x55)
map --rehook
write (0x55) #!GRUB4DOS\x00v=1\x00/xp.iso\x00\xff\x00
# Boot from first local HDD
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /ntldr

• xp.iso is contiguously
• C: and D: partitions is FAT32
• for WinVBlock 32-bit no need press F6 because this is use default
• for WinVBlock 64-bit need press F6
• when use my old .sys driver with this menu.lst then have BSOD C5
• for use winvblock.ima from HDD instead PXE add line:
  

  find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock.ima

  and replace line pxe to:
  

  map --mem /winvblock.ima (fd1)

• no need map floppy image twice - only as (fd1) because map (rd) occupies the first (fd0) area. CHS and Start sector is the same for (fd0) and for (rd) 3E518, look at this:
  while mapped only (fd0) floppies_curr=1:
   only_fd0.png   3.64KB   0 downloads
  while mapped (fd1) and (rd) floppies_curr=2:
   fd1_rd.png   4.18KB   0 downloads
  but for prevent appearing warnig DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore need also map (fd1)
• if use map --mem + old driver then need map only one floppy image as first (fd0)
• if use map (direct) + new driver then need map only one floppy image as second (fd1)

Well, no offence whatever intended , but "your" version of Winvblock may do (or may completely fail to do) *whatever*, this thread is about the "official" version of Winvblock by Sha0, not about a version "you" made (modified or as is) starting from an obsolete version of the driver.

Well, then Wim_b is using a different version that can actually map directly the XP .iso and install from it.
Please note how also Steve6375 uses direct mapping:
http://www.rmprepusb...-xp-from-an-iso
underlining how it may not work on some systems (he mentions Atom based ones).

@Reboot12
Are you really sure-sure that you can only use --mem mapping when installing a XP from .iso?

• nLite integrate error
• double occurrence in Device Manager
• PFN_LIST_CORRUPT ;-)