2 replies to this topic

[genetix]

hello, hello.. again... yeah hear me right Bill is harrassing my USB space yet again.. Need to get rid of evil Bill and get good gates working in way smaller space.

 

Now, situation is generalized NT6.x installation systems requires x86 architecture boot DVD to boot everything, but the issue is to have an recover capability for x64 2K8 Servers, vista/7/8, NT6.0->6.2 OSes in general that the remaining boot DVDs most be separated and in different ISOs to able to make recovery possible. Now with Windows 8 out I was thinking it starts to be time to take a look at this issue on hand and try to get every single recover disc in to 1 single "extreme compressed bootable 200MB floppy" which most likely is just dreamful thinking.

 

Current situation:

* SIZE = 1,73 GB

(total size including used x86 loaders to installation = 2,321 GB and YES this is ONLY installers doesn't include a single byte of actual OS install data.)

 

60X64W.iso.gz

60X64W.iso.gz

60X86S.iso.gz

61X64S.iso.gz

61X64W.iso.gz

62X64S.iso.gz

62X64W.iso.gz

 

booted with syslinux memdisk these works just fine, but the size is an issue since I see no reason really to have more than 2 ISOs for entire family recover (or even install). Problem comes at MS boot manager having different needed DLLs/EXEs even while boot.WIM itself could be copied and singular boot manager could be used to boot that boot.wim.

 

Anyone, here have good suggestion how to combine these and better yet how to combile every single installer to 2 singular installers which are capable of installing and recovering every single NT 6.x OS in this planet ?

 

(assuming I need Windows 8 PE environment and some magic mean make it capable of installing and recovering Windows Vista.)

Edited by genetix, 26 August 2013 - 08:46 AM.

[Flux]

I don't know if it's possible, but at the very least, the installation part would be awesome, and extremely useful!

unfortunately, I imagine it will be very difficult, if possible at all. but will definitely keep checking this thread for updates

[genetix]

Installation is not really an issue. You can do every single windows install by 1 singular installer.

 

Either way, after careful consideration and seeing that even if I would manage to combine x64 / x86 6.x all to 2 images the size would still be same damn chunk. the actual files taken by Windows Vista/7 are quite small while Windows 8 hoags clean 200MB per installer plus boot.wim. So, kinda abandoning the idea as maximum size saving would be somewhere close to 1 GB.

 

Will still be looking of course other solutions. Possibly boot directly to WIM and/or booting BOOT.WIM as an installer removing 2 "containers" from the loop, but I believe if I go to this pathI end up using splitable .swm wim format and direct extraction of any OS through NT 6 generation.

Edited by genetix, 29 August 2013 - 10:29 PM.