20 replies to this topic

[diddy]

New draft completed - available here

Draft v2 includes instructions for using grub4dos as the PXE boot loader/file.

Setting Up A Windows XP PXE Server (DRAFT v2)

Guide covers -

• Install Windows 2000/XP/2003 (RIS)
• Install Windows Vista/2008/7 from a network share
• Boot disk images
• Boot WinPE (XP/2003 based - e.g. LiveXP, PEBuilder)
• Boot WinPE 2.*/3.0
• Boot Linux (Parted Magic example included)

Includes download link for an offline version of the guide (in .htm format). Some scripts are included (in the offline download) for automating various sections.

Feedback welcome - please remember it is still in draft.



Enjoy,

diddy

[allanf]

Hi diddy

Thanks for the guide.

I have been trying to PXE Boot WinPE 2.1 (bootfile pxeboot.n12) in VirtualBox with little success - a 'Windows failed to start... \Boot\BCD... 0xc0000001" screen.

Researching the matter, I came across a message by Bubble here relating to the problem with Boot Manager entry names, i. e. "Ramdisk options" for all entries.

The solution? Delete '{ramdiskoptions}'s description, something like:

> Bcdedit /store /deletevalue {ramdiskoptions} description

And now, the boot entries have no description to inherit, and so display their own.

I haven't tried it, so can't vouch for it - just stumbled across it and recalled the note in your guide.

Also, I can't seem to locate your batch files in the downloadable version of the guide. In particular, I was wanting to look at your 4a_WinPE.cmd and 4b_WinPE.cmd. How do I find them?

Regards

[was_jaclaz]

Researching the matter, I came across a message by Bubble here relating to the problem with Boot Manager entry names, i. e. "Ramdisk options" for all entries.

Interesting.

Just for the record, it seems that different versions of BOOTMGR behave differently:
http://www.msfn.org/...32-t125543.html
http://www.msfn.org/...dd-t114711.html



jaclaz

[cdob]

Yes, Windows 7 bootmgr list {ramdiskoptions} description, if available.

http://diddy.boot-la...files/winpe.htm
remove /d "Ramdisk options"

call :add_W7RE \sources\BOOT7_86.WIM x86:add_W7RE for /f "tokens=1-3" %%a in ('BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /create /device') do set guid_options=%%c BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid_options% ramdisksdidevice boot BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid_options% ramdisksdipath \boot\boot2.sdi for /f "tokens=1-3" %%a in ('BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /create /application OSLOADER') do set guid=%%c BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% description "Windows 7 Recovery Console %2" BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% osdevice ramdisk=[boot]%1,%guid_options% BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% device ramdisk=[boot]%1,%guid_options% BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% systemroot \windows BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% detecthal Yes BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /set %guid% winpe Yes BCDedit.exe /store %BCD% /displayorder %guid% /addlastgoto :eof

Or use different {ramdiskoptions} always.
Set description to both ramdiskoptions and OSLOADER section.
This should work at all different bootmgr.

[itcrew]

Hey Diddy


Greate Guide, there is no cmd scripts though. Please can you update

[Tense]

I second that. There are no scripts in the download. Can you readd them?

[diddy]

Sorry for the mix up with the scripts.

I've re-uploaded the guide - scripts are included this time.

diddy

p.s. Child commitments continue to keep me busy so appologies for lack of responses over the past few months.

[Sha0]

A very nice guide. The RIS "INF file XXX is corrupt or missing, status 21." error has been addressed in Syslinux 3.83, so anything newer should be fine.

http://syslinux.zyto...ust/013127.html
http://git.kernel.or...c135cb5793d847e

[Aviad Raviv]

ok, i don't wanna sound rood and trash all your hard work.

but all of this has been done before into a very well working virtual appliance call UDA.

the creator has incorporated a lot of the stuff you show in your guide into a Linux free VM that can be used using a simple webGUI.

with that said, both I (as a long time user of this product) and its creator have moved on because we found two things to be true:

1. if your going to install windows with a flat install over the network (witch both of us no longer recommend) your better off using MSs RIS\WDS as reverse engineering the process doesn't bring anything new to the table, and doing it just gets harder with every new release and you can implement the additions done with PXElinux like boot ubuntu and acronis just fine on a server thats hosting WDS\RIS with a regular MS server.

2. flat installs are a thing of the past... images are way easier to get running with less effort and take a fraction of the time to deploy.

i have moved from the UDA project to the FOG one because of these two reasons and i have added to it all the additions i have done to UDA in my youtube films.

my youtube channel (shameless self promotion):
http://www.youtube.c...g...&playnext=1

the UDA home page (homage):
http://www.ultimatedeployment.org/

the FOG page (recommended):
http://www.fogproject.org/

[RCollewijn]

Note - due to an error the menu entries created above will not display properly when bootmgr.exe (the WinPE boot loader) loads the BCD store. The entry for x86.wim should display WinPE (x86) and amd64.wim should display WinPE (amd64), however both entries read as Ramdisk options

You can solve this by using the bootmgr.exe from vista rtm

Robert Collewijn
Deployment Solutions

[Fox-Bill]

Hi Diddy !
Many Thanks for your effort !
I am trying PXE Windows XP server 2.1 and I see that's what I search.

[Tense]

First...

Thank you! This works well for me. Now, that being said. I was able to boot Win7PERescue by renaming the wim to x86.wim.. though I have a question now.

I want to add more options in the menu.1st.. which I know how too.

Such as: [codebox]LABEL winpe
MENU LABEL WinPE 3.0
KERNEL /boot/pxeboot.0
[/codebox]

BUT... how can I add the entries to pxeboot.0? Or if that is not right.. How can I have multiple types of PEs to choose from and execute? Can you point me in the direction or topic that can help me.

[diddy]

@cdob

In response to your post here - removing the /d switch works as you described to display the correct descriptions for WinPE entries. Sorry for the late response I only recently got around to testing it due to other commitments. The use of different {ramdiskoptions} may well be a lifesaver in future.



diddy

[Wonko the Sane]

In response to your post here - removing the /d switch works as you described to display the correct descriptions for WinPE entries. Sorry for the late response I only recently got around to testing it due to other commitments. The use of different {ramdiskoptions} may well be a lifesaver in future.

Just to keep things as together as possible:
http://www.boot-land...showtopic=11442
a further confirmation.


Wonko

[rsuren]

Hello,
thank you for your great work,
but non of the offline document download links are working, please check them out,

Thank you,

[tonikas]

If anyone has any feedback regarding this guide, please post here.

 

Hi Mate,
your tutorial "Setting Up A Windows XP PXE Server" is very good and clearly understood, but I have a problem with BINL Service. I hope you will help me.
The problem is that the infparser.exe (or infparser.py) with CMD does not compile (nics.txt and devlist.cache) my PC(s) network card driver files. I tried to use your converted BINL Service py2exe and Gianluigi Tiesi's BINL service (with Python). I did everything according to the instructions. Where is the problems?

Maybe you could compile (nics.txt and devlist.cache) my PC(s) network card driver files and send me? Here is network card driver files 3Com 3C920 Integrated LAN, v.ECD5.43A2(4.26).

Of course would be glad to know, why do not work BINL.

[Wonko the Sane]

Hi Mate,
your tutorial "Setting Up A Windows XP PXE Server" is very good and clearly understood, but I have a problem with BINL Service. I hope you will help me.
The problem is that the infparser.exe (or infparser.py) with CMD does not compile (nics.txt and devlist.cache) my PC(s) network card driver files. I tried to use your converted BINL Service py2exe and Gianluigi Tiesi's BINL service (with Python). I did everything according to the instructions. Where is the problems?

Maybe you could compile (nics.txt and devlist.cache) my PC(s) network card driver files and send me? Here is network card driver files 3Com 3C920 Integrated LAN, v.ECD5.43A2(4.26).

Of course would be glad to know, why do not work BINL.

Have you checked (and followed EXACTLY) this procedure?

 

http://diddy.boot-la.../files/binl.htm

WHICH errors did you get?

When?

 

Wonko

[tonikas]

I followed exactly. I stopped in step 4.
When I write in CMD "infparser.exe C:\PXE\binl\INF", I get answer:

'infparser.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

All files and directories are definitely in place and 1-3 steps done perfectly. Where is the problems?

Edited by tonikas, 11 June 2013 - 06:55 PM.

[Wonko the Sane]

I followed exactly. I stopped in step 4.
When I write in CMD "infparser.exe C:\PXE\binl\INF", I get answer:

'infparser.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

All files and directories are definitely in place and 1-3 steps done perfectly. Where is the problems?

That error seems like you are not in the right directory (i.e. infparser.exe cannot be found).

 

Where are you in the CMD prompt?

Where is the infparser.exe program?

 

Example:

You should have:
C:\PXE\binl\infparser.exe

C:\PXE\binl\INF\<one or more .inf files>

C:\PXE\binl\DRIVERS\<one or more .sys files>

 

When you open a command console it should open on (normally):

 

 

C:\Windows\system32>

 

this is where you should type:

 

 

CD C:\PXE\binl

 

[ENTER]

and get as prompt:

 

 

C:\PXE\binl>

 

and if you type:

 

 

DIR

 

[ENTER]

you should see infparser.exe listed.

IF your CMD opens on another drive (say D:\Windows\System32>, then you have to add the /d switch to CD, i.e.:

 

 

 

CD /d C:\PXE\binl

 

[ENTER]

 

Wonko

[tonikas]

Thanks mate, problem was inattention. I created a subfolder "binl" in binl directory, and there I add all binl directory files. DOS dir command helped to clarify the problem. 

[Wonko the Sane]

Thanks mate, problem was inattention. I created a subfolder "binl" in binl directory, and there I add all binl directory files. DOS dir command helped to clarify the problem. 

Good , so problem solved AND importance of EXACTness proved once again 

 

Wonko