37 replies to this topic

[Squid]

Hello folks!

Great implementation of XP for the USB crowd!

Got a question . . .

How can we set up Thuun's latest stable LiveXP release:

http://thuun.boot-la...3b9b-livexp.zip

to squeeze out a bit more color depth (say 256 colors) in the final build???

8 is definitely "not enough" for my purposes

Also need to toss in a couple of my own apps for the build; and want to launch one or two at boot. How to?

Pease hep the noob . . .


Thanks!

[Brito]

Hi Squid!

Coincidence enough that Peter released a script to solve this sort of annoyances using the universal driver from bearwindows - you can try out the nativeEx project (available inside wb's download center) to see how it works.

I haven't yet tested it under liveXP or thunn's nativePE - but it should be compatible with these projects as well.

Look here: http://www.boot-land...iver-t2344.html


About your other questions - I recommend using any available script as example to see how things work. We're also discussing a new way of doing the things you've mentioned but it will take some time until it is concluded.


Good luck!

[Squid]

Thanks Nuno!

Great project -- I'll follow that link, and grub around some more to try and see how things work . . .

Hope the wife is doing OK; and all's well for you

Take care.

[pscEx]

Also need to toss in a couple of my own apps for the build; and want to launch one or two at boot. How to?
Pease hep the noob . . .

As German I'm still a noob in English language, and I do not understand your intention.
Can you try to explain in more simple (and more common) words?
(e.g. I do not know toss)

Peter

[Squid]

@psc:

Thanks for coming over to view my post! I understand your difficulty with German/English -- my wife speaks both languages (her native language is English); and tells me how different the syntax can be.

My need is:
I need more than 8 screen display colors for my ISO build of Thuun's latest stable LiveXP release (http://thuun.boot-la...3b9b-livexp.zip). 256 colors for screen display would be really good. Nuno said that you just released a script to solve this problem of few screen display colors using the universal driver from bearwindows. How do I solve this problem of few screen display colors myself for my ISO build of LiveXP?

Also, I wanted to know how to add some of my own programs to my ISO build of LiveXP.

And, I wanted to know how I could make a program start with my ISO build when it boots (like HKLM ... Run or a Startup folder shortcut to a program does).

Thank you very much, Peter!

[pscEx]

I need more than 8 screen display colors for my ISO build of Thuun's latest stable LiveXP release (http://thuun.boot-la...3b9b-livexp.zip). 256 colors for screen display would be really good. Nuno said that you just released a script to solve this problem of few screen display colors using the universal driver from bearwindows. How do I solve this problem of few screen display colors myself for my ISO build of LiveXP?

Download UniversalVideoDriver.Script from the nativeEx server (direct link)
Because NativePE is based on the nativeEx core, it should work there w/o issues.

Also, I wanted to know how to add some of my own programs to my ISO build of LiveXP.

Very different needs:

• Some programs just have to be copied
• Some others need registry changes
• And there is the question of shortcuts ....

Best is to look at the existing scripts and compare with one which is similar to your program.

And, I wanted to know how I could make a program start with my ISO build when it boots (like HKLM ... Run or a Startup folder shortcut to a program does).

There are different possibilities, too.

• You can use the project's autorun mechanism:
  See ExternalMediaShortcuts.Script
• You can use a shortcut to the 'autostart' start menu folder:
  See Welcome.script
• You can use one of the registry run functions:
  See ImDisk.Script

(All 'See' samples in the nativeEx_barebone project)

Peter

[Squid]

@psc:

Thanks, Peter, for your thorough reply.

I am sure that this'll be a TREMENDOUS help in getting acquainted with the WinBuilder project; and it should help me with my build

I'll have many more questions for the community, I'm sure.

O -- one more thing -- I noticed that the LiveXP build is XP Professional. How could this be, considering that the OS CD which I used to build it with is XP Home???

Thanks again, and have a great day!

[Brito]

...

O -- one more thing -- I noticed that the LiveXP build is XP Professional. How could this be, considering that the OS CD which I used to build it with is XP Home???

Thanks again, and have a great day!

Don't worry - home and professional versions have their differences but they don't seem very relevant for our projects here - you should however use only sources with SP2 to ensure compatibilty with the source we also use for testing and get more stable results..

[Squid]

Thanks again, Nuno.

However, that wasn't quite what I was asking about.

I was wondering why my build of LiveXP booted as XP Professional while my source disk is XP Home???

Are there some files included in the LiveXP set which are taken from a copy of XP Pro???

Have a great day!

[pscEx]

Thanks again, Nuno.

However, that wasn't quite what I was asking about.

I was wondering why my build of LiveXP booted as XP Professional while my source disk is XP Home???

Are there some files included in the LiveXP set which are taken from a copy of XP Pro???

Have a great day!

Maybe Nuno did not explain 'strong' enough:

ALL XP versions have the same source. Anywhere there is a (or more) bit(s) telling the final OS to make some differences.

PEs built with WinBuilder do not ask for that bit(s). Therefore they show 'the best' of the source CD.

BTW: As MSDN subscriber I have legal sources of XP workstations an servers. Inspite of that I like to use NTSWITCH to switch on the fly between them, if necessary.
(NTSWITCH just changes some bits ...)

Peter

[Squid]

@psc:

Thanks again, Peter.

I'd heard something to this effect sometime back (in the context of OEM/Pro/Home serial number hacking); but I'd never done any work with the setting bits before myself.

So, I managed to obtain an XP Pro interface out of my copy of Home...

Neat!

Thanks again for the help

[Squid]

Hello Folks!

Getting back to the original topic . . .

After working extensively with the bearwindows' video driver script in LiveXP, I have met with failure in resolving this issue.

For the record, Thuun's 53b9b kitted release works well with the included drivers on an older eMachines which I easily hijacked with my LiveXP Cruzer stick -- I know that this color depth problem doesn't affect everyone's system out there. But, when it does strike, the display is truly miserable.

So, I did the following to a test build of Thuun's release on my unfortunate machine:

After downloading bearwindows' “Universal Video Driver” script content via the link on psc's post (above), I saved it as “UVDriver.script” to ...Archive/LiveXP/Drivers on my extracted WinBuilder dir. To allow WinBuilder to find this new script, I then placed a .link file with the following content:

[main]

link=%BaseDir%\Archive\LiveXP\Drivers\UVDriver.script

Selected=True

on the ...Projects/LiveXP/Drivers dir as “UVDriver.link”.

The main project interface showed the new driver as being present and in good order.

I then proceeded to build an otherwise “stock” project with the following modifications:

Build 1: All standard, with the addition of the above “UVDriver.script”.
Build 2: “QemuVGA.script” omitted from the build.
Build 3: “VmwareVGA.script” omitted from the build.
Build 4: Both “VmwareVGA.script” and “QemuVGA.script” omitted from the build.

In every case the video remained at the same low-res level as before: It made no difference.

Please note that in all of the forgoing instances “UVDriver.script” was present in the completed build.

Also for the record, I'm working with a newer THOROUGHLY CLEAN Dell somethingorother with 256mB of RAM which (obviously) supports the necessary USB boot protocols.

Any help???


Thanks!

[pscEx]

Hello Folks!

Getting back to the original topic . . .

After working extensively with the bearwindows' video driver script in LiveXP, I have met with failure in resolving this issue.

For the record, Thuun's 53b9b kitted release works well with the included drivers on an older eMachines which I easily hijacked with my LiveXP Cruzer stick -- I know that this color depth problem doesn't affect everyone's system out there. But, when it does strike, the display is truly miserable.

So, I did the following to a test build of Thuun's release on my unfortunate machine:

After downloading bearwindows' "Universal Video Driver" script content via the link on psc's post (above), I saved it as "UVDriver.script" to ...Archive/LiveXP/Drivers on my extracted WinBuilder dir. To allow WinBuilder to find this new script, I then placed a .link file with the following content:

[main]

 link=%BaseDir%\Archive\LiveXP\Drivers\UVDriver.script

 Selected=True

on the ...Projects/LiveXP/Drivers dir as "UVDriver.link".

The main project interface showed the new driver as being present and in good order.

I then proceeded to build an otherwise "stock" project with the following modifications:

Build 1: All standard, with the addition of the above "UVDriver.script".
Build 2: "QemuVGA.script" omitted from the build.
Build 3: "VmwareVGA.script" omitted from the build.
Build 4: Both "VmwareVGA.script" and "QemuVGA.script" omitted from the build.

In every case the video remained at the same low-res level as before: It made no difference.

Please note that in all of the forgoing instances "UVDriver.script" was present in the completed build.

Also for the record, I'm working with a newer THOROUGHLY CLEAN Dell somethingorother with 256mB of RAM which (obviously) supports the necessary USB boot protocols.

Any help???


Thanks!

Did you enter the data for your video card into the script?

Peter

[Squid]

@psc:

Isn't bearwindows' driver designed to work satisfactorily just about anywhere XP runs???

For, if I need to specify a particular card at build time, it'll create a real problem for me when running LiveXP on a number of different XP systems in the field...

Isn't there some other way to do this without needing to explicitly define the target video card with each build???

[pscEx]

Isn't bearwindows' driver designed to work satisfactorily just about anywhere XP runs???

The driver's inf currently 'knows' the following cards.

[AnaPa.Mfg]
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% = Vbemp, NOPNP
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA) = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0300
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (XGA) = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0301
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0380
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard Graphics Adapter (VGA) = Vbemp, *PNP0900
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - VGA = Vbemp, *PNP0917
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - SVGA = Vbemp, NOPNP
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% (ATI Rage 128PRO 4x pri) = Vbemp, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5046
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% (ATI RV250 pri) = Vbemp, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4966&SUBSYS_4F721002
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% (ATI RV250 sec) = Vbemp, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4963&SUBSYS_4F731002
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% (Intel D845G) = Vbemp, PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2562&SUBSYS_52478086

If there is a different card, w/o putting into the list, the driver will not recognize it as video card which it can handle.

Isn't there some other way to do this without needing to explicitly define the target video card with each build???

You type the card info once. Then it is stored in the GUI.

Peter

[was_jaclaz]

Maybe completely wrong , but would using class/subclass for the device instead of Vid/Pid be possible for video too?

Basic idea coming from this:
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=2411&hl=

Check this (very interesting MS document):
http://download.micr...ecGuide_v1a.doc

Device classes and specifications facilitate the design of drivers and operating system software to support the new bus:
Entities other than the device manufacturer can develop software to support a device. The device manufacturer does not have to implement software for every combination of host platform and operating system that potentially could support the device.
The device can fit more easily into a platform or operating system’s management schemes without requiring additional support from the manufacturer. Thus the device can be more compatible in areas such as Plug and Play or power management.
Operating-system software can adapt to a specific device or interface, using descriptive information presented by the device. Any device implemented completely and correctly according to the class specification should operate successfully using the built-in operating system support for that class.
Devices of a particular class can be controlled with a common class driver. This allows an operating system to load a device driver on the basis of a matching class and subclass, as an alternative to a specific vendor ID, product ID, and so on.

Bolding is mine.

jaclaz

[Brito]

Classes seem the way to go (a bit OT: the USB driver under Win9x you mentioned is a very good news )

I've moved this topic from wb's forum..

[bearwindows]

Hi, There!

In is NOT NECESSARY to add PCI VENDOR/DEVICE ID's to inf-file of my VBEMP driver.
refer to my site:

** By default any Plug'N'Play ISA/EISA/VLB/PCI or PCI-E videocard will be detected CORRECTLY by 2000/XP/2003 version of my driver. But if you wish, you MAY add your videocard's PCI VENDOR/DEVICE ID in vbemppnp.inf so your card will named as it is or you can select the driver manually when Windows firstly find an unknown device. This is an optional operation!

these lines from inf-file "catches" videocards in "universal way":

[AnaPa.Mfg]
...
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA) = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0300
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (XGA) = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0301
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter = Vbemp, PCI\CC_0380
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - Standard Graphics Adapter (VGA) = Vbemp, *PNP0900
%AnaPa.DeviceDesc0% - VGA = Vbemp, *PNP0917
...

if you have a problem with your card plz give me a log. How to get it? - Refer to my site "Troubleshooting" section...

[pscEx]

In is NOT NECESSARY to add PCI VENDOR/DEVICE ID's to inf-file of my VBEMP driver.
refer to my site:

To confirm:
My Intel 845 (PCI\CC_0300) works w/o any additional *.inf entry.

I provided this GUI input only to be complete for 'emergencies'

Maybe Squid is such an 'emergency'

Peter

[Squid]

Good morning, Folks!

I see that a lot has happened here since I went to bed last night . . .

OK.

From what I'm understanding, either there's a problem with bearwindows' driver sucessfully detecting my video on the Dell, or there's a problem with the .script file or WinBuilder's output of the driver into the final build.

SO, if I could, I'd like to know just exactly how I should set up the drivers on my LiveXP interface.

Should I:

1: Keep all other video drivers, with the addition of my "UVDriver.script";
2: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove "QemuVGA.script" from the build;
3: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove "VmwareVGA.script" from the build; or
4: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove both "VmwareVGA.script" and "QemuVGA.script" from the build?

After I'm sure that I'm getting this step right, I'll try to get a log out to bearwindows


Thanks everyone!

[pscEx]

Good morning, Folks!

I see that a lot has happened here since I went to bed last night . . .

OK.

From what I'm understanding, either there's a problem with bearwindows' driver sucessfully detecting my video on the Dell, or there's a problem with the .script file or WinBuilder's output of the driver into the final build.

SO, if I could, I'd like to know just exactly how I should set up the drivers on my LiveXP interface.

Should I:

1: Keep all other video drivers, with the addition of my "UVDriver.script";
2: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove "QemuVGA.script" from the build;
3: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove "VmwareVGA.script" from the build; or
4: put in my "UVDriver.script" and remove both "VmwareVGA.script" and "QemuVGA.script" from the build?

After I'm sure that I'm getting this step right, I'll try to get a log out to bearwindows


Thanks everyone!

In my project which works well from burned CD, I do not have any different video driver than bearwindows's universal.
Remember: Without defining any different card in the GUI!

BTW: I personnally do not have any idea where the Qemu, VMWare etc. video drivers are used for.
I never checked them, and everything runs well in qEmu, VMWare, VirtualBox, VPC.
If you download nativeEx_barebone, those video drivers are not in the project.

Peter

[Squid]

Thanks Peter

I'll get to it ASAP; and get back with the community about what happened!

[Squid]

Alright.

Here's what we came up with after changing over to the the latest version of the VBE Miniport - Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA) which was downloaded through bearwindows' site.

Procedure (for the record):

Downloaded VbempXPF.zip (from http://www.navozhden...u/vbempxpf.zip).
Downloaded DbgPrint logger (from http://alter.org.ua/...gPrnHk_v7e.rar) and installed it from Run with the following command line:

DbgPrintLog.exe --full -T DTN -wd X:\dir_for_logs --drv:inst 1 --svc:inst A --drv:opt DoNotPassMessagesDown 1

	--drv:opt StopOnBufferOverflow 1 --drv:opt BufferSize 16384 BootInit.log

After reboot, the service was listed as “DbgPrintLog”; Started.

Next, I updated the system's display adapter from the standard Intel 82865G Graphics Controller to the new VBE Miniport driver via the vbemppnp.inf file which was included in the VbempXPF.zip archive.

The system was rebooted: The new display adapter had failed.

I will presently be forwarding the (HUGE) log dump detailing the failure onto bearwindows for a look-see; and will invite him back to the forum for more input . . .

[bearwindows]

Squid
here is a part of your vbe.log:

VESA/VBE BIOS Present (3.00, 832 Kb)
OEM String: (0x20000100) Intel®865G Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA BIOS
...
.VBESetCurrentMode()...
Ht 1056, Hss 848, Hse 928, Vt 630, Vss 601, Vse 604, PCLK 56548800, RR 8500
INFO: Int10CallBios (eax 0x4F02 ebx 0x4915), 800x600 32bit, 85Hz, V(-), H(-)
ERR: Int10CallBios (eax 0x14F ebx 0x4915)
VBEMP: VBESetCurrentMode failed (0x14F)
...

1. hmmmm... 832 Kb..... is not enough for 800x600x32 (800x600x4=1920000 bytes)
or for 640x480x32 (640x480x4=1228800 bytes). 
but OK for 640x480x16 (640x480x2=614400 bytes) or 800x600x8 (800x600=480000 bytes)
2. Can you test these modes (640x480x16, 800x600x8)?
3. May be your pc BIOS is buggy or you have disabled VideoRAM in BIOS???
P.S. I cannot test Intel's 865 Chip with my VBEMP; but 845, 915, 965 Intel's chips works OK.

[Squid]

@bearwindows:

Thanks for the quick analysis.

832K is REALLY queer for the video RAM . . .

I set it down to 32mB (shared) to give me more of the good stuff for everything else; but all seems to be working OK apart from the universal driver --

I'll make a run down to BIOS and see what's going on there.

As for testing the driver in 640x480x16 & 800x600x8, I seem to recall that there was no other mode allowed from the display properties applet.

But, I'll revert to the universal driver and check again; and post my findings back here as soon as I can.