11 replies to this topic

[john3voltas]

I've been using WB since 0.74 came out.
I use nativeEx with 2003R2 trial together with a couple of scripts like ODIN, McAfee and 7zip.
Mostly I use it and/or update it every month or so and it always worked fine up until I changed to a new laptop (running XP SP3 as usual).
I run WB, it finishes with QEMU which runs the ISO properly.
Then, I write the Target to a pendisk using PEtoUSB 3.0.0.7.
Then every time I boot it up on several PCs I get a blue screen of death.
WB seems to be working as expected: no errors and it even runs the image fine in QEMU.
It's when I copy it to the pendisk that get the BSOD.
I've tried several pendisks already and I get the same behavior.
I even tried a clean vanilla nativeEx and I get the same behavior.
Any ideas on what might be causing this?
TIA
Cheers

[Brito]

It's been a while since I ran a boot from USB using XP.

But you can use BootSDI script (inside the create image folder) which needs to be enabled to ensure that your image would run from RAM to avoid troubles.

I think this has been recently upgraded to another script but BootSDI is still shipped with the default configuration.

You might also consider upgrading your LiveXP that comes with wb 080. Just unpack to a new folder wb080 and grab the latest LiveXP files as it is working very well.

[john3voltas]

Hi Nuno,
Thanks for your reply.
You think I should use BootSDI.
I have 2 questions regarding BootSDI.
The first is, why would I need to use BootSDI if I never used it and I was successful.
The second is, using BootSDI I will be using a whole lot of more memory RAM than I would if I didn't use it right? If that's true, I won't be able to run that pendisk on older computers with less RAM, right?
Nevertheless I will test nativeEx 0.80+BootSDI and nativeEx 0.77 without BootSDI.
I will post my results.
Thanks for your help.

[john3voltas]

Ok, I tried all combinations of nativeEx with WB versions.
I tried, WB 0.77RC2, WB 0.78, WB 0.78SP6, WB 0.80 with and without BootSDI from a 2003R2 trial and it always ends up showing a BSOD.
I tried to take a picture of the BSOD but my camera doesn't support macro pictures and since this never happens in QEMU or VirtualBox...
Then I tried LiveXp with WB 0.78SP6 (still need to test 0.80) and it worked perfectly both in QEMU and in a physical PC.
For all I know, nativeEx could be broken.
Is anyone using nativeEx in real UFD booting?

[dera]

Isn't the problem that LiveXP adds storage driver to the build,
while nativeEx doesn't add?
In QEMU or in VirtualBox this is not problem
but on real pc with specific storage controller which needs specific storage driver
it might be a problem.

[john3voltas]

Duh. lol
It could actually be such a problem because I'm not adding any drivers, at all.
I'll try with SATA drivers and let you know.
What's puzzling me is that this used to work just the way I am trying.
Did nativeEx used to have SATA drivers in the past?
Cheers

[Brito]

Isn't the problem that LiveXP adds storage driver to the build, while nativeEx doesn't add?

Excellent reasoning!

why would I need to use BootSDI

After loading the image to RAM, you can even remove the USB pendisk from the drive as it won't be needed anymore. On this case, it was a safety check to ensure that you boot from USB using an alternative method.

I won't be able to run that pendisk on older computers with less RAM, right?

Depends on your definition of old computers, I'd reckon you will need at least 256Mb to run comfortably a 100 Mb image. It's tough finding computers with less RAM than this value nowadays, isn't it?

There are scripts out there that will let you use a windows swap file available on the hard drive if you need to go lower.

[john3voltas]

After loading the image to RAM, you can even remove the USB pendisk from the drive as it won't be needed anymore. On this case, it was a safety check to ensure that you boot from USB using an alternative method.

I actually don't need to take the UFD off after booting up.
So booting to memory is not a must for me.

Depends on your definition of old computers, I'd reckon you will need at least 256Mb to run comfortably a 100 Mb image. It's tough finding computers with less RAM than this value nowadays, isn't it?

Indeed.
My definition of old computers goes as low as P3-450Mhz with as low as 128~256MB.
I used to be able to use my UFD made from nativeEx on those.

On the other hand, I have successfully booted my nativeEx UFD made from WB 0.80 on an older PC without need for SATA drivers.
Which means that IT IS the lack of SATA drivers that is leading me to the BSOD.
My old laptop's hard drive wasn't SATA hence the difference in behavior.
So I tried with SATA2.script just to learn that it does not carry SIS drivers (my laptop's drivers...).
So I started trying 3 different DPs drivers that come with LiveXp but I can't understand if they work alone or if they're all needed.
With these I sometimes get a BSOD and some other times I get a message on boot saying that SIS.inf is missing.
Could you help me with:
DPs-Build_MassStorageDrivers-Bin.script
DPs-Build_MassStorageDrivers.script
DPs-Build_MassStorageDrivers_au3.script
I was under the impression that the last one would suffice but right now I don't know nothing.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers

[john3voltas]

I have to admit: I am clueless as to why I can't make WB work with a vanilla nativeEx build on my UFD.
I always get a BSOD when booting my UFD from a nativeEx build on my laptop even though it works perfectly with QEMU.
On the opposite, livexp works perfectly both with QEMU and with my laptop.
I would like to ask someone to guide me on a step by step basis to see if I'm doing something wrong.
Heck, in the end I even might as well post a guide.
Thanks to all who've been helping me.
Cheers

[pscEx]

The mass-storage drivers do not help when booting from USB stick fails.
They are helpful for later access of ATA hdds, when the PE runs.

On my system building a working pen with nativeEx is no issue.

Did you include under Drivers > 4 storage: Removable Devices Combo and USB Mass Storage Dummy Filter Driver.

Peter

[john3voltas]

Did you include under Drivers > 4 storage: Removable Devices Combo and USB Mass Storage Dummy Filter Driver.

No.
Must I use it?
Sometimes I can be such a redneck... .
I'll retry and will let you know.
Thanks in advance.

[john3voltas]

Just to let you know that I've included both "Removable Devices Combo" and "USB Mass Storage Dummy Filter Driver" scripts
and I don't get a BSOD anymore.
It's good to know that it hasn't anything to do with nativeEx or WinBuilder 080.
It was all down to me trying to remove anything that could make the build lighter and I didn't know that those scripts were needed if I wanted to boot from UFD.
Thanks to everybody that helped me in this topic.
Regards