92 replies to this topic

[matte]

BTW, RC2 with SP2?

[Galapo]

BTW, RC2 with SP2?

No, sp1 only.

Regards,
Galapo.

[Galapo]

Thanks, must have missed that.
Can i use XP to do the iso and then copy the files from 2k3?

Use xp build files, sure. Just provide 2k3 files on BootSDI or CreateISO (providing it's the latest version) scripts.

Regards,
Galapo.

[matte]

Well i got it working with a windows 2k3 server (usb booting that is). But not with XP.

Copied SETUPLDR.BIN, RAMDISK.SYS and NTDETECT.COM to the XP boot but still same thing.

[matte]

I give up.
Been trying to fix this in the last 4 days without luck. 2 bad, seems like a nice boot cd (well i got it to work on cd, not usb do´h..). Ill just try something else.

[KageAkuma]

Now that I have a working LiveXP running from CD, my appetite has been whetted!

What I _really_ want is something similar but not quite the same --

I would like to take an installed version of WinXP that is fully customized for the specific computer I want it to run on, and make it run from a CD or USB stick.

The reason is that I purposely want the system to revert back to its unsullied state each time it is turned off or rebooted.

I have looked at WinXP-embedded, but the cost of $1000 for the dev kit and $100 for the one system is not in the budget. However, I have _NO_ problem paying Microsoft for a retail copy of WinXP -- in fact I have already done so multiple times. I want to use a purchased and fully-activated/licensed/legal copy of WinXP on the computer it was licensed on.

Unlike PE-based systems, I want this one to have the proper drivers for the specific hardware, and already have its network settings, as well as the user's name and other info.

I have the glimmerings of an idea of how to pull this off, but if you can point me to a tutorial as great as this one that tells me what to do step-by-step, that would be wonderful!

I didn't read all 8 pages of posts, but I would like to point out that DeepFreeze would probably be the best fit for this. It's a program that locks down a computer to a "frozen" state and on every reboot it goes back to this "frozen" state.

[Squeeto]

Thank you Amalux for the great tutorial and work combining the project builds.

I have been researching live cd's for XP for a couple of days now. Most of the projects I have seen are for bartpe recovery discs. I am more interested in a pocket OS. Have I come to the right place?

How cool it would be to boot from CD, run XP from ram, copy registry and Documents and Settings at boot to hard drive and remember the changes with all newly installed Programs for next boot.

How can I find out what is modified throughout the system. Especially good to know when it is time to upgrade to the latest. I saw many replacement system apps injected in. I suppose that they are overwriting the original files. Even notepad seems to get an upgrade.

This is a very hot topic right now with a lot of information on the net; it is very easy to get lost. Your tutorial is very precise and has prompted me to stop and finally ask directions

Thanks again.

[amalux]

Thank you Amalux for the great tutorial and work combining the project builds.

I have been researching live cd's for XP for a couple of days now. Most of the projects I have seen are for bartpe recovery discs. I am more interested in a pocket OS. Have I come to the right place?

How cool it would be to boot from CD, run XP from ram, copy registry and Documents and Settings at boot to hard drive and remember the changes with all newly installed Programs for next boot.

How can I find out what is modified throughout the system. Especially good to know when it is time to upgrade to the latest. I saw many replacement system apps injected in. I suppose that they are overwriting the original files. Even notepad seems to get an upgrade.

This is a very hot topic right now with a lot of information on the net; it is very easy to get lost. Your tutorial is very precise and has prompted me to stop and finally ask directions

Thanks again.

Hi Squeeto, you're welcome; glad it helped and glad you found the forum! For a true 'pocket OS', see here. If your looking for something you can carry in your pocket or on your keyring that will boot any computer and have all the tools you need to fix, backup, restore, fresh install (if needed) etc. all from one easy disc, UFD, USB etc. then you've definitely arrived at the right place!

How cool it would be to boot from CD, run XP from ram, copy registry and Documents and Settings at boot to hard drive and remember the changes with all newly installed Programs for next boot.

The one thing you can't do is 'save your settings' i.e. changes to OS, new installed programs etc., between boot sessions as all is lost in RAM each boot. I used to think this was important but honestly, it's not and would open vulnerabilities to corruption, viruses etc on the boot disk/device. You simply set up your boot environment the way you want it with all the tools, programs you need and include whatever support files you want (I386 source folders, backup images, drivers etc), either on the same disc/device or separate as needed. You can edit/update these support files anytime you want if the media is RW, i.e. on a CD/DVD-RW disk etc. and of course you can write to/access the host HDD anytime but to change the boot/OS portion of the PE boot disc/device would require a new build (takes about 10 min. now!)

How can I find out what is modified throughout the system. Especially good to know when it is time to upgrade to the latest. I saw many replacement system apps injected in. I suppose that they are overwriting the original files. Even notepad seems to get an upgrade.

Remember that things work a bit 'different' in PE and apps that need to directly access the host registry require special handling but basically you have a self-contained OS running in RAM (BootSDI) or from media which requires its own system files, program files etc. and should not be changing/overwriting files on the host unless specifically directed to do so by you.

Hope this helps a bit, ask more questions for further explanation

[Squeeto]

Hope this helps a bit

Helps a lot.

apps that need to directly access the host registry require special handling

Can Opera be redirected to the hard drive to remember my latest saved links, passwords, etc?

You know if one stares at that spinning avatar of yours long enough, one of the triangles changes directions! I'm tranced.

[was_jaclaz]

You know if one stares at that spinning avatar of yours long enough, one of the triangles changes directions! I'm tranced.

A nice optical trick for you:

If you stare at the following picture long enough,
you should see a giraffe...





jaclaz

[Squeeto]

Thanks I needed that. Just came back from checking the stocks





edit: sorry for the hijack; maybe when I am not so new.

[amalux]

You know if one stares at that spinning avatar of yours long enough, one of the triangles changes directions! I'm tranced.

Only for special people

Can Opera be redirected to the hard drive to remember my latest saved links, passwords, etc?

Probably but since I don't use Opera on my host I can't give you details; maybe someone here knows more?

[Galapo]

I have been researching live cd's for XP for a couple of days now. Most of the projects I have seen are for bartpe recovery discs. I am more interested in a pocket OS. Have I come to the right place?

LiveXP contains a script by Nikzzzz called ImageCreator which does exactly what you're after. That is, any changes made in the PE are available on next boot. It will require you to play around with it to understand how it works.

Regards,
Galapo.

[Squeeto]

Only for special people

My wife brought home a link from a psyche course she took at work which depicted a spinning ballerina and some see her moving clockwise and others counter. It has to do with left or right side brain thinkers. I just thought she had nice legs.

LiveXP contains a script by Nikzzzz called ImageCreator which does exactly what you're after.

Thank you.


I really just want an untouchable operating system to viruses and software that thinks I need to upgrade some system32 .dll file. The main core boots with my typical apps from cd (untouchable) and adds in registry changes, any extra installed progs, etc. that stay saved on the hd.


Supposedly, if you crack open many of these usb keys, they have an internal toggle switch to make them read only. What a good CD replacement (faster and larger). But LiveXP would have to know not to write to it.

[amalux]

... I just thought she had nice legs.

I really just want an untouchable operating system to viruses and software that thinks I need to upgrade some system32 .dll file. The main core boots with my typical apps from cd (untouchable) and adds in registry changes, any extra installed progs, etc. that stay saved on the hd.

OK, I'm trying to follow... If you just want an OS booted from HDD that can bounce back, 'untouched', from any virus, system corruption, bad install etc., there are great backup solutions available like Acronis, Ghost, Drive Image etc. 1 minute to restore everything back, as it was before the issue; new installs, customizations are easily saved to a new backup when desired. Other options include this hybrid backup that restores the 'core' OS at each reboot but allows saving docs etc., actually this is possible with the full backups as well by simply putting 'My Documents' on a separate partition, there are also VM options as well.

If you want the 'core' OS to boot from an image, like LiveXP, either from CD/DVD-R/RW, UFD, USB, multi-boot HDD etc. you will have an issue saving/synchronizing any configuration changes, new installs etc. with the core which holds the registry for those changes. It may be possible but I believe stability and ease of use would be sacrificed. Galapo's proposed solution of creating a backup image from within the PE environment using ImageCreator has proven problematic for me but may be another option to consider.

Supposedly, if you crack open many of these usb keys, they have an internal toggle switch to make them read only. What a good CD replacement (faster and larger). But LiveXP would have to know not to write to it.

Normally, this wouldn't be an issue with read-only media (CD/DVD-R); BootSDI allows for this by allocating writable memory on your system RAM but I'm not sure how this would work with read-only USB.

[Squeeto]

great backup solutions available like Acronis, Ghost, Drive Image etc.

I have been just using the System Restore in XP. It has burned me before when I removed something I had just recently made. But of course this was my fault for backing up/restoring 'All'.

We have an ad on the tube for an insurance company where everyone (except the guy who has their insurance policy) is running around with pillows, foam, packaging bubbles and warning tape wrapped around their bodies and cars. I thought- 'Hey, thats my computer'. I was hoping for bullet proof rather than a replace when wounded strategy.

issue saving/synchronizing any configuration changes, new installs etc. with the core which holds the registry for those changes. It may be possible but I believe stability and ease of use would be sacrificed.

Not a good trade off.

Other options include THIS hybrid backup that restores the 'core' OS at each reboot but allows saving docs etc.

Deep Freeze? I'll check it out but from the description: "Faronics Deep Freeze ... any changes made to the computer—regardless of whether they are accidental or malicious—are never permanent."

Thanks for answering all of my noob questions.

[temmu]

is the result of this tutorial a pe disk?
or are we booting a full-blown xp?


the tutorial says xp sp 2 works best.
what about xp sp 3?


if this boots xp, not pe-xp, then that means real apps such as av scanners, malware scanners et al can be installed?

[amalux]

is the result of this tutorial a pe disk?
or are we booting a full-blown xp?


the tutorial says xp sp 2 works best.
what about xp sp 3?


if this boots xp, not pe-xp, then that means real apps such as av scanners, malware scanners et al can be installed?

Hi temmu

Definitely not a 'full-blown' XP -- or are you looking for a definition of LiveXP?

It's a pe at it's heart but with so many add-ons, improvements and tweaks that it seems like a full XP in many ways. I honestly forget sometimes, working in LiveXP if I'm booted to a 'real' Windows or not

Retail XP3 should work fine but most testing done with SP2 so no guarantee. If you're looking for AV/MW scanners etc. read the whole tutorial and give portable apps in LiveXP a try. Currently there's a number of good ones to choose from.

Try it and see!