44 replies to this topic

[TGP1994]

Hi there everyone, I was just thinking, is it possible to move what's on our LiveXP cd, onto a Hard drive, so we can boot from it there? I thought it just might be a fun little experiment, to see if I could play with an os like that as a real one. So far, I managed to move the i386 folder over and renamed it as WINDOWS, then I put in the boot files. So far, I had to expand a dll and an exe file, but now when I try to boot from the drive it basically says several files are still missing without explicitly naming them. If anyone can suggest the files that need to be added, or even if there's an easier way to do that, that would be great. I guess it all comes down to understanding how the boot loader works in LiveXP.

[maanu]

see here

http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=4111


btw using pe as os is not such a good thing to do . it is meant to be for emergency use ( and ofc with tweaks and bits to look like real xp )

[TGP1994]

Well, I'm afraid BootSDI isn't an option, since I don't have server 2003. And I just think it would be fun thing to mess around with, updating and such.

Well, it looks like I've hit another barrier. Says there's a problem with the registry, which I now realise is located in config/system. Anyone have an idea why it could be causing a problem?

[Lancelot]

Well, I'm afraid BootSDI isn't an option, since I don't have server 2003.

I guess you dont read posts sent to you carelfully
http://www.boot-land...?...ost&p=74735

[TGP1994]

Well, ok, since you put it like that, I did read up on the post, went to a couple of links, but I'm not that desperate yet to download a ~300MB package just for two little files. So do you happen to know what's making windows thing the registry is corrupt or missing? If you think it's corrupt, would you happen to know what part, or if there are any tools to fix that?

[Lancelot]

than google (or a friend) may help finding specific files

So do you happen to know what's making windows thing the registry is corrupt or missing?

no idea !, nothing missing here causing trouble.

[TGP1994]

Ya, I've been googling quite a bit. recovery console reveals that there is no active controlset key, guess I'll have to go back in LiveXP and edit the registry. Darn windows installation disk takes FOREVER to start up though

And, can you detail for me what magic LiveXP works on windows in order to get it to boot up?

[Lancelot]

LiveXP boots up quite fast, I dont know what is wrong out there !!!!
(and faster with bootsdi but i guess for now this is not an option , besides also good when booting with ufd or harddrive (check post 155) but ufd seems not an option for you too )
No magic, LiveXP is a PE with lots of improvements.

[TGP1994]

Oh, I didn't mean LiveXP, I meant the Windows Pro install disk that I was using to use as a recovery console. LiveXP boots up ok, considering it I'm running it in a bulky vm on a crappy computer. I guess I'm not very well educated on the way PEs in generaly handle oses booting up, is there a chance you could educate me on that in general?

[Lancelot]

PE to handle osses to boot up !
From what you write, I guess you have a windows installed on your pc which have problems (**I dont know) on booting. (ps: maybe my english too poor)
With booting LiveXP (which is another os based on xp or 2k3) you can access the problematic windows (which is offline during access) and make some fixes on files, mbr, registry or recoveries..... A fine tool
So far I focus on problems with LiveXP and your problem beyond my focus.

Maybe you should open a topic here
http://www.boot-land...hp?showforum=71
Defining your problem properly (take your time, write in detail, "I have a problem" is not enough for others to understand and most of us do not use native language English) so Windows boot experts may give some advices, than maybe you can use LiveXP to apply advices.


Good luck

[TGP1994]

Ok, thanks for the help

[MedEvil]

What are you doing here bickering about BootSDI?
How to put a PE on a HDD, has been covered several times in the forum.
One requires a XP bootsector to make the drive bootable, setupldr renamed to ntldr and moved to the root together with ntdetect, if i remember right and the i386 folder renamed to minint. Done!

[was_jaclaz]

One requires a XP bootsector to make the drive bootable, setupldr renamed to ntldr and moved to the root together with ntdetect, if i remember right and the i386 folder renamed to minint. Done!

Some more details here:
http://www.boot-land...?...7739&st=154



jaclaz

[TGP1994]

Alright, that's gotten me somewhere, thanks guys! No there's another problem, it actual loads up as if it where the Windows pro installation disk. It still had that initial console-look loading this, but then it just went as if it were the installation cd. Anything else that needs to be done, guys?

[MedEvil]

Sounds like txtsetup.sif belongs into the root as well.

[TGP1994]

Ok, I actually got it to boot up this time. It's amazing how fast it is! Probably is 3 times or more faster than the cd. When it actually got to my wallapaper though, it had a message from lsass.exe saying the object could not be found. Well, it's not saying the object. Anyone have any ideas on fixing that?

P.S. It would be nice to have the normal windows bootloader, so I can go into safemode.

EDIT: And I think it was remove txtsetup.sif that actually got it working so far

[was_jaclaz]

P.S. It would be nice to have the normal windows bootloader, so I can go into safemode.

Well, if instead of a PE you would build a "Full" XP on USB you can have the "normal windows bootloader" (and SAFE MODE) allright.

If you want lemon juice you'd better squeeze lemons instead of carrots. (but on the other hand if you want carrot juice, squeezing lemons won't work well).



jaclaz

[TGP1994]

Well, I had it almost working before, where I could press F8 and access that menu.Problem was, something was wrong with the registry. I just wish there was a way I could have found out. Well, back to the original problem. So I keep seeing this lsass error when I boot up, do you know what thing it's referring to? I know lsass is there, so it's something it's trying to access.

[TGP1994]

So I guess all I need someone to tell me is what the difference is between the NTLDR that comes standard with windows installations and the one that's provided with LiveXP, since I noticed using one or the other either gives me that registry error or boots up most of the way. Oh, also, if someone knows the answer to that lsass.exe error, that would be great.

P.S. If a mod would be kind enough to move this topic over to the forum that was suggested a page back, that would also be great.

[was_jaclaz]

So I guess all I need someone to tell me is what the difference is between the NTLDR that comes standard with windows installations and the one that's provided with LiveXP, since I noticed using one or the other either gives me that registry error or boots up most of the way. Oh, also, if someone knows the answer to that lsass.exe error, that would be great.

P.S. If a mod would be kind enough to move this topic over to the forum that was suggested a page back, that would also be great.

I would gladly move the thread whenever appropriate if only I could understand WHAT are you trying to do.

Normal NT based system (NT/2k/XP/2003) booting sequence:
MBR->BOOTSECTOR->NTLDR->NTDETECT.COM->BOOT.INI->boot Windows (usually from \WINNT or \WINDOWS)

PE 1.x build (based on XP/2003) booting sequence:
(MBR->)BOOTSECTOR->SETUPLDR.BIN->NTDETECT.COM->.SIF file (usually TXTSETUP.SIF or WINNT.SIF-> boot PE (usually from \I386 on CD/DVD or from \minint on HD)

Windows is NOT PE and PE is NOT Windows.

LiveXP, notwithstanding it's INACCURATE name, is a PE.

jaclaz

[TGP1994]

Uh, well... I'm trying to boot it from a hard disk. HOWever, I've encountered some problems like the one I've posted above.

[cdob]

Can you describe again?

Which files exist at hard disk already?
I understand, there are some windows files already.
Do you have a full windows installed at the same partition?

Do you like ot add LiveXP to the same partition?

How did you do this so far? Write more details.

[TGP1994]

Ok, details comming up:

Basically, I think it would be cool to just mess around with a PE that doesn't reset every time to computer turns off, so more of a closer-to-real windows installation. So what I've done so far is copied to i386 directory over from LiveXP, renamed it to minint, added necessary boot files to the root, and so far it sorta works. Pretty much any file that was in my LiveXP build is on the hard disk, or virtual hard disk in this case. (Since I'm running it in VMWare.)

No, nothing was originally installed on that partition. And yes, I have added livexp to the only partition. And I pretty much did it like I said a paragraph up.

All I'm hoping you guys can tell me is why it's giving me the error from lsass.exe saying it cannot find the module.

[cdob]

added necessary boot files to the root

Which files did you added to the root?

or virtual hard disk in this case. (Since I'm running it in VMWare.)

This was a secret so far. Increase RAM at virtual machine.

[TGP1994]

Well, of course I put the i386 folder to the root, now renamed to minint, and I copied over the setupldr.bin and NTDETECT.com files, and I renamed setupldr.bin to NTLDR. That does the trick for loading it at least.

Why do you suggest increasing the Vm memory? I don't see why this should be using any more memory than on the cd, infact, this should be using less. Remember, the CD has to mount the mem disk as well, but I'll increase it anyways.

EDIT: Ok, I upped the memory from 512MB too 700 something, but that didn't fix the lsass.exe error.