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mini8 usb vhd win8

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#1 wimb

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Posted 25 April 2013 - 08:14 AM

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File Name: VHD_W8_Compact - Make Mini 8 -
File Submitter: wimb
File Submitted: 25 Apr 2013
File Updated: 21 Mar 2021
File Category: Tools

VHD_W8C_88 - Program to make Portable and Mini 8

Download and Extract to simple path - password is bootwimb
In Win 7/8 OS Set User Account Control Off and Reboot

VHD_W8C_x64.exe - and VHD_W8C_x86.exe - Make New W8 VHD booting from USB or HDD
x64 version needs 7.0 GB VHD because of extra 1 GB SysWOW64 folder.

Source is any Windows 8 x86 or x64 fresh Installed on primary active partition of internal harddisk Or Win8 Pro installed in 15 GB VHD
Target Boot Drive can be FAT32 (needed for UEFI) USB-drive used only for Boot files so that there are no changes for booting of internal harrddisk .
Target System Drive must be NTFS and is the drive where the Win8 VHD file is created and this can be your internal harddisk drive.

WinNTSetup 3 - Install Windows 8.1 from ISO



Download Windows 8.1 x64 Enterprise - http://technet.micro...r/hh699156.aspx
Download WinNTSetup3 - http://www.msfn.org/...winntsetup-v30/

VHD_W8_Compact - Make Mini 8 VHD



Support topic - http://reboot.pro/to...ct-make-mini-8/

Windows 8 VHD files make use of Microsoft VHD driver which allows in Boot Manager Menu to boot VHD as FILEDISK.
Booting VHD files from Grub4dos Menu as FILEDISK or as RAMDISK requires to Install in Source VHD either FiraDisk Or WinVBlock driver.
Additinally Installed Programs and Drivers and Settings are remembered in FILEDISK just like in normal Windows OS.
Loading the VHD into RAMDISK is much faster when the VHD file is located on the internal NTFS harddisk drive.

Build-in Defraggler is useful to Defrag files within the Win8 VHD, but post processing is also possible after mounting the Win8 VHD.
NTFS Compression results in high fragmentation e.g. 85% so that it is advised to use Defrag VHD option.

VHD_W8_Compact.exe will create the Boot Manager Menu entry on HDD or USB Boot Drive for the Win8 VHD on NTFS System Drive.

Program UEFI_MULTI can be used in Win 7/8/10 OS or PE to make other HDD or USB drives bootable with the created W8 VHD.
http://reboot.pro/to...182-uefi-multi/

More Info - http://reboot.pro/to...to-make-mini-8/

==================================================================================================

Source preparation:
Any Windows 8 ISO file can be used but Universal solution for booting on UEFI + BIOS needs Windows 8 x64
Download 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation x64 from - http://technet.micro...r/hh699156.aspx

Boot with Windows 7/8 or 7/8 PE and then use WinNTSetup3
to Install any Windows 8 x86 or x64 on primary active partition of internal harddisk Or to Install Win8 Pro in 15 GB VHD.
Boot Drive can be FAT32 or NTFS USB-drive so that normal booting of the internal harddisk is not changed.

Win 8 Setup ISO file selected via R-mouse is mounted in ImDisk Virtual drive
In WinNTSetup3 - Tweaks - Select all System Tweaks so that UAC is off etc.
http://www.msfn.org/...612-winntsetup-
After booting with Windows 8 then Check to have Switched Off :
UAC + Defender + pagefile + System Restore + Hibernate + Windows Update + Action Center settings Disable ALL options

Hibernate OFF via cmd window with

powercfg -h OFF


Install FiraDisk driver with R-mouse on firadisk.inf in makebt\firadisk-driver- folder
The 64-bit FiraDisk driver requires to boot with testsigning switched on

Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

bcdedit /set testsigning on


Reboot to activate testsigning - Info http://msdn.microsof...y/ff553484.aspx

==================================================================================================

Credits and Thanks to:
JFX for making WinNTSetup3 to Install Windows 2k/XP/2003/Vista/7/8 x86/x64 - http://www.msfn.org/...612-winntsetup-
ChrisR for making Win8.1SE - http://www.msfn.org/...170546-win81se/
chenall, tinybit and Bean for making Grub4dos - http://code.google.c.../downloads/list
karyonix for making FiraDisk driver- http://reboot.pro/to...k-latest-00130/
Sha0 for making WinVBlock driver - http://reboot.pro/to...8168-winvblock/
Olof Lagerkvist for ImDisk virtual disk driver - http://www.ltr-data....ode.html#ImDisk and http://reboot.pro/in...hp?showforum=59
Uwe Sieber for making ListUsbDrives - http://www.uwe-sieber.de/english.html
Dariusz Stanislawek for the DS File Ops Kit (DSFOK) - http://members.ozema...eezip/freeware/
marv for making UsbBootWatcher - https://github.com/v...sb-boot-watcher and http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=22473
Pauly for making Bootice - http://bbs.ipauly.co...06e07ab6f3b01cb
NeoSmart for making EasyBCD - https://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
-
More Info on booting Win 7 VHD from grub4dos menu by using FiraDisk Or WinVBlock driver:
http://reboot.pro/to...-and-windows-7/ Or http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=23553
Boot Windows 7 from USB - http://reboot.pro/in...hp?showforum=77
Boot Windows 7 from USB - karyonix - http://reboot.pro/in...?showtopic=9196

================================================================================

Grub4dos Menu to Boot W864USP1.vhd as FILEDISK or as RAMDISK by using FiraDisk driver

VHD filename W864USP1.vhd contains Architecture 64/32 + Distribution Language + Version P/M/C + Number 1-9

title Portable W864USP1.vhd - FiraDisk FILEDISK - 3.5 GB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /W864USP1.vhd
map --heads=2 --sectors-per-track=18 --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)
map /W864USP1.vhd (hd0)
map --hook
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=disk,vmem=find:/W864USP1.vhd,boot;\n\0
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr
map --status
pause Press any key . . .

title Portable W864USP1.vhd - FiraDisk RAMDISK - 3.5 GB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /W864USP1.vhd
map --mem /W864USP1.vhd (hd0)
map --hook
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr

================================================================================

Click here to download this file
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#2 wimb

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Posted 26 April 2013 - 08:42 AM

VHD_W8_Compact.exe     and    Mini 8 VHD

 

VHD_W8C.png ===========>>  Mini8.png

 

:cheers:


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#3 wimb

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Posted 27 April 2013 - 08:05 AM

Mini 8 VHD running in WinVBLock RAMDISK booting from Grub4dos Menu is possible

 

Microsoft Virtual Disk == WinVBLock RAMDISK

 

Mini8-MVHD.png =========== Mini8-WinVBlock.png

 

:cheers:



#4 wimb

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Posted 27 April 2013 - 10:59 AM

Mini 8 VHD running in FiraDisk RAMDISK booting from Grub4dos Menu is possible as well

 

Microsoft Virtual Disk == FiraDisk RAMDISK

 

Mini8-MVHD-F.png ========= Mini8-FiraRAM.png

 

I could not use FiraDisk Or WinVBlock as FILEDISK driver,

but for FILEDISk we have the good working Microsoft Virtual Disk driver.

 

:cheers:

 

EDIT:

Booting Win8 VHD from Grub4dos Menu as FiraDisk FILEDISK is possible,

but requires to Uncheck the NTFS Compress Checkbox.

It is needed then to increase the VHD Size by e.g. 0.5 GB

http://reboot.pro/to...-39#entry172296

 

 

Grub4dos Boot Menu for Win8-1.vhd and using FiraDisk driver

 

title Win8-1.vhd - FiraDisk  FILEDISK - 2500 MB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /Win8-1.vhd
map --heads=2 --sectors-per-track=18 --mem (md)0x800+4 (99)
map /Win8-1.vhd (hd0)
map --hook
write (99) [FiraDisk]\nStartOptions=disk,vmem=find:/Win8-1.vhd,boot;\n\0
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr
map --status
pause Press any key . . .
 
title Win8-1.vhd - FiraDisk  RAMDISK  - 2500 MB
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /Win8-1.vhd
map --mem /Win8-1.vhd (hd0)
map --hook
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr
 

 


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#5 Ivan Kostov

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Posted 28 April 2013 - 10:22 AM

Hello. Does possible fresh installed from virtual hard disk? I tryed install windows 8 pro on vhd but i get a message that windows can't finished setup on this hardware. Please help.



#6 wimb

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Posted 28 April 2013 - 12:27 PM

Hello. Does possible fresh installed from virtual hard disk? I tryed install windows 8 pro on vhd but i get a message that windows can't finished setup on this hardware. Please help.

 

It is possible to Install and use Win8 Pro x64 in 15 GB VHD located on local harddisk and created by using WinNTSetup2 in Win7 OS as shown below

 

Win8-x64-Setup.png

 

It is essential that hardware e.g. Video Card meets the requirements for Windows 8 

and to avoid problems it is wise at first to avoid USB 3.0

 

The problems that I had with Install of Windows 8 were related to the reasons given above,

e.g. incompatible Video Card Or Win8 Source ISO on USB 3.0

 

Also for Install of Win 8 in VHD it is essential that in WinNTSetup2 the Edition is Set as Windows 8 Pro

 

What procedure did you use to Install Windows 8 Pro ?

 

:cheers:



#7 Ivan Kostov

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Posted 28 April 2013 - 11:26 PM

hello. 'm first created fix vhd with win nt setup, and after that install windows 8 pro 32 bit from windows 7 pro x86 as source. Verry intresting point are that i'm alos try upgrade windows 7 pro to windows 8 pro x86 on this machine but on setup proces, after restart computer reboot constantly, and i needed to back system with rolback rx



#8 wimb

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Posted 29 April 2013 - 06:45 AM

hello. 'm first created fix vhd with win nt setup, and after that install windows 8 pro 32 bit from windows 7 pro x86 as source. Verry intresting point are that i'm alos try upgrade windows 7 pro to windows 8 pro x86 on this machine but on setup proces, after restart computer reboot constantly, and i needed to back system with rolback rx

 

Then use other computer Or if possible change Video Card Or .....

 

Your hardware is probably not compatible with Windows 8

 

:cheers:



#9 Ivan Kostov

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Posted 29 April 2013 - 01:16 PM

Hi, my video car is NVIDIA GeForce GT 430, and past windows 8 compatibility from windows 8 upgrade asistent, but anotehr hardvare is uncompatible, firmware does not supported security boot, and kx drivers for creative sb live  are not compatible, please help



#10 wimb

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Posted 29 April 2013 - 01:23 PM

Hi, my video car is NVIDIA GeForce GT 430, and past windows 8 compatibility from windows 8 upgrade asistent, but anotehr hardvare is uncompatible, firmware does not supported security boot, and kx drivers for creative sb live  are not compatible, please help

 

Can you Disable in BIOS Or Remove entirely the Creative Soundcard ?

That might help.

 

Secure Boot support and UEFI firmware are NOT needed. 

Windows 8 boots fine on BIOS computers.

 

:cheers:



#11 wimb

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Posted 02 May 2013 - 08:38 AM

-
*** Update VHD_W8C_56 ***
 
Changes:
- AutoIt3 version 3.3.8.1 is used
- FiraDisk Or WinVBlock driver can be Installed in Source for booting Win 8 VHD from RAMDISK using Grub4dos Menu
- Some extra System32 files for Mini 8 to support chm Help files and to support Right click Inf Install
- Verdana Font is copied to VHD
 
 
:cheers:


#12 Ivan Kostov

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Posted 06 May 2013 - 04:01 PM

Hello, i cusscesfuly installed windows 8 pro media centar on another computer, and after that boot from first computer as well on fizical usb hard disk. now open vhd compact and try make vhd from usb hard disk, select user directory and system drive, in combo box select full setup but after 2   minutes i got a error

 STOP - Error DiskPart
 Create Dest VHD - DiskPart Error = -2147212227

please help. Thanks a lot



#13 wimb

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Posted 07 May 2013 - 05:26 AM

 and after that boot from first computer as well on fizical usb hard disk. now open vhd compact and try make vhd from usb hard disk, select user directory and system drive, in combo box select full setup but after 2   minutes i got a error

 

You should not boot with the Win8 from which you want to make a VHD.

The Win8 Source must not be in use when making VHD.

Try to Boot with some other Win7 / 8 / 7PE and then run VHD_W8_Compact to make VHD using Win8 on USB as Source.

 

What setting of VHD Size did you use in Full Copy ?

You would need certainly 10 GB for VHD Size to accomodate a full Win8 source.

I advise however to make Portable Win8 with reduced VHD Size e.g. 2.5 GB for 32-bits or 3.5 GB for x64 version.

 

Can you give a Screenshot of VHD_W8_Compact .exe when the error occurs,

so that I can see what is the Boot Drive and System Drive and Win8 Source Drive and VHD Size Setting ?

 

:cheers:



#14 gbrao

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Posted 14 May 2013 - 01:21 PM

i finally got some time to test W8_Compact.

- would it be possible for the program to only create the vhd ? ie. no boot manager stuff. i at least would prefer that. may be a option to create/not create boot entries.

- from a fresh W8 Pro vhd, no programs added, the install size was 1.6G compressed with dotnet 4 + catalyst + realtek audio, 1.5G without dotnet. i thought you said 1GB compressed size. I chose 'portable' version btw.

- could you post a screen shot of your start screen ?

thanks.

 

edit : it would be useful if you informed users what is the difference between portable & mini versions.



#15 wimb

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Posted 17 May 2013 - 04:18 AM

You can Uncheck Make Boot Menu as seen in Screenshot http://reboot.pro/to...-8/#entry171521

 

Windows Media Player and a lot of extra System 32 files are removed in Mini 8 version as compared to Portable version.

 

Install of Video Driver (catalyst) takes a lot of Space.

I prefer to keep the Microsoft Basic Display driver for Portable and Mini 8 VHD.

 

:cheers:



#16 gbrao

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Posted 17 May 2013 - 02:04 PM

Thanks. I now have XP, 7 & 8 booting as ramdisk ( and filedisk ;-)  ). I use them on my main PC - booting from HDD. For the speed, not for being portable. I can't afford a SSD, so this is good enough.

 

This is my portable 8 :

http://i.imgur.com/3NhBTh0.png

 

I deleted some stuff from FileRepository. Replaced the boot folder & Globalization with a much smaller folders.

 

 

 


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#17 wimb

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Posted 19 June 2013 - 11:06 AM

-
*** Update VHD_W8C_57 ***
 
Download  - VHD_W8C_57    - mirror
 
Run VHD_W8C_57.exe and Extract to simple path
 
Changes:
- Update Grub4dos to version grub4dos-0.4.5c-2013-03-03.7z
- Grub4dos Menu for booting Win8 VHD as FILEDISK or as RAMDISK is made when FiraDisk or WinVBlock driver is found in Win8 Source
- Add Drivers from makebt\drivers to system32\DriverStore\FileRepository is applied for Portable version by using Dism.exe
- BOOT_IMG.exe makes Grub4dos Boot Menu on Target Boot Drive for VHD on NTFS Target System Drive (FileCopy of VHD occurs if not yet present)
- WinContig was added to make fragmented VHD file contiguous as needed for booting with Grub4dos
 
:cheers:
 


#18 ktp

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:49 PM

@wimb

I am running Windows 8-64 bit from VHD, and preparing to install the Firadisk driver with firadisk.inf (right click), but I got the error message:

Install Error
The INF file you've selected does not support this method of installation. Operation not allowed in WOW64.

By using rundll32 command from firadisk-install.txt, I got: Error/Intallation failed

 

Testsigning has been on previously. Is there a solution? Thank you.



#19 wimb

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:44 PM

Did you reboot after setting testsigning on and did you check with bcdedit that it is really on ?

And is User Acount Control off ?
Did you use WinNTSetup to install Wx64 Edition Pro in VHD ?

 

I can Install FiraDisk driver in W8 x64 Pro VHD by using r-click on firadisk.inf

Then on reboot there is Unknown device for which you update driver by pointing to firadisk folder

and at warning you select Install anyway.

 

No idea why it did not work for you.



#20 ktp

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 04:15 PM

@wimb

Mea culpa. I think the problem occurs because I did not follow exactly your procedure.

Source preparation:
Win8 x64 ISO Or Win8 32-bits Enterprise Evaluation ISO file can be used

I used instead Win8 64-bit Enterprise, so it could be the cause. Also I did not reboot
after activating testsigning on. Your procedure did not explicitly mention it. I think you need
to add also the need to check the testsigning status by executing the command bcdedit. By the way,
I discover that there is no bcdedit.exe in \windows\system32 under Windows 8, so I have take the version
from my Windows 7-64. Note: I do not turn off UAC, I always run executables in administrator mode, is it sufficient?

1)
But I am really confused now, for sure probably I am missing something.
I understand that VHD_W8_Compact is used to make Mini 8, so this is a kind of make_pe4.
make_pe3: the input is either Win7 ISO or Win7 live system. The output is an iso file that can be booted
with grub4dos via CD-ROM emulation. So I assume (maybe wrongly) that VHD_W8_compact would have same input
but the output will be a VHD bootable with bootmgr.

But in fact the input is a VHD source! This means I must have already a working Win8 version in VHD!
No more simply a Win8 ISO as input! So I understand that first I have to create a VHD, install Win8 Pro
using WinNtSetup v2, then boot the VHD, make some tweaking (UAC, hibernation etc...) on the Win8 input VHD, is this right?
(I did not understand this, why the need to do these tweaks on the input Win8 VHD). By the way, these
steps could be done using the provided .reg files, this is not mentioned in your procedure. But then why the
HKLM Software/System tweaks for? for the target Win8 VHD ?

2)
What is recommended, Firadisk or WinVblock driver? Curiously WinVBlock_install directory is not under makebt as firadisk?

3)
In the program there are 3 choices : Mini 8, Portable, Full Copy. What are the differences between these 3 versions? Does it mean that Mini 8 and
Full Copy are not "portable"? By "portable" I mean to be able to boot on any hardware, like with with make_pe3.
Or do the 3 versions when booting on different hardwares have to learn and memorize different drivers?

Thank you in advance for your explanations.
 

 



#21 wimb

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Posted 27 June 2013 - 05:29 AM

Mea culpa. I think the problem occurs because I did not follow exactly your procedure.

 

Step 1 - Source preparation - Fresh Install Windows 8

Step 2 - VHD_W8_Compact.exe - Make new VHD of reduced size and will copy the registry and files of Installed Win8 

 

Source preparation:
Win8 x64 ISO Or Win8 32-bits Enterprise Evaluation ISO file can be used
http://care.dlservic...E_EN-US_DV5.ISO
9200.16384.WIN8_RTM.120725-1247_X86FRE_ENTERPRISE_EVAL_EN-US-HRM_CENA_X86FREE_EN-US_DV5.ISO

Boot with Windows 7/8 or 7 PE and then use WinNTSetup2
to Install Windows 8 x86 or x64 on primary active partition of internal harddisk Or to Install Win8 x64 Pro in 15 GB VHD

 

...................

 

Install FiraDisk driver with R-mouse on firadisk.inf in makebt\firadisk-driver- folder
The 64-bit FiraDisk driver requires to boot with testsigning switched on

.......

Reboot to activate testsigning

 

 

FiraDisk is preferred and only needed if you want to boot from RAMDISK by using Grub4dos Menu

Windows 8 VHD files make use of Microsoft VHD driver which allows in Boot Manager Menu to boot VHD as FILEDISK.

 

If you follow the description of post #1 precisely then your problems will be solved.

 

:cheers:



#22 ktp

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Posted 27 June 2013 - 03:36 PM

@wimb

OK now I understand better what VHD_W8_Compact.exe does. I still think make_pe4 (if exist) would be easier to use and would be the follow-on of well-known make_pe3.

I am using in fact real Win8-64 using Win8 To Go function in Win8 Entreprise. This works well.

 



#23 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 27 June 2013 - 03:42 PM

@wimb

OK now I understand better what VHD_W8_Compact.exe does. I still think make_pe4 (if exist) would be easier to use and would be the follow-on of well-known make_pe3.
 

http://reboot.pro/to...-boot/?p=166289

 

http://reboot.pro/to...e-40-usb-drive/

 

:cheers:

Wonko



#24 ktp

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Posted 28 June 2013 - 02:40 PM

@Wonko the Sane

 

Thank you for your links.

Currently I have preference for Win8PE over Win8 VHD. Boot speed, smaller size are main reasons...

But I have to experiment both methods further.



#25 ktp

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Posted 30 June 2013 - 09:04 AM

@wimb

On your machine (I guess Win8-64) for building Win8 VHD, do you need to turn off UAC?
If yes, then do you use the Control Panel/User accounts to turn UAC off, or do you
change this registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"EnableLUA"=dword:00000000







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