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Creating a boot.ini for LiveXP

boot.ini

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#1 Antonio C.

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 04:18 PM

I have gone up/down this forum looking for an answer to my dilemma: I need to create "boot.ini" file with several entries for kernel debugging.

 

I thought that the "DefineBootSector" script could help but I can't seem to see the connection to the boot.ini file. Can somebody help me? Thank you much.

 

/Antonio

 

 

 



#2 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 07:09 PM

I have gone up/down this forum looking for an answer to my dilemma: I need to create "boot.ini" file with several entries for kernel debugging.

 

I thought that the "DefineBootSector" script could help but I can't seem to see the connection to the boot.ini file. Can somebody help me? Thank you much.

 

/Antonio

What are you actually trying to do? :dubbio:

 

Actual GOAL, please :), NOT path/method to get there.

 

LiveXP uses NOT NTLDR (and consequently NOT BOOT.INI).

 

It is a PE (seriously misnamed as "live XP", but is a PE, more exactly a PE 1.x i.e. built from XP or Server 2003 original files).

 

The "normal" booting of a PE 1.x is to use SETUPLDR (and the "settings" for it are in txtsetup.sif and winnt.sif).

 

There is the possibility of making a "hybrid booting PE" (which does use NTLDR and boot.ini), but before pointing you to the relevant info, it would be better if we can be sure you are NOT - by any chance - slipping on a chocolate covered banana :w00t: :ph34r: :

http://homepage.ntlw...red-banana.html

 

:cheers:

Wonko



#3 Antonio C.

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 07:44 PM

Thank God someone is listening here!

 

We want to boot the XP kernel and debug it via a remote machine. We can do this via other images (non-ISO) but the liveXP is just another vehicle that we are testing.

 

A user in the VistaPE forum was trying to do the same thing we are. He modified the 'boot.ini' file via a script: http://reboot.pro/to...er/?hl=boot.ini   ....I couldn't find the same script in the liveXP project.

 

Thanks again for your response.

 

/Antonio



#4 pscEx

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 07:59 PM

Sorry that I have to tell you some disappointing things.

 

The reference you gave changes BCD, which is used beginning with Vista, and therefore not available in XP (or XP - based PE).

 

But a small hope: XP uses boot.ini.

Therefore might be a chance to use boot.ini in XP based PEs, too.

 

Currently I have no idea how to implement. But maybe some member gives a suggestion ...

 

Peter



#5 ilko

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 09:30 PM

I think you'd need to modify txtsetup.sif and osloadoptions value.

If it's based on 2003 there is F8 key at F6 prompt to enable debugging on com2, read here for details:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814334

 

If it's XP source you'd have to modify txtsetup.sif:

http://www.osronline...cfm?article=264



#6 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 31 July 2013 - 09:08 AM

Thank God someone is listening here!

 

We want to boot the XP kernel and debug it via a remote machine. We can do this via other images (non-ISO) but the liveXP is just another vehicle that we are testing.

 

A user in the VistaPE forum was trying to do the same thing we are. He modified the 'boot.ini' file via a script: http://reboot.pro/to...er/?hl=boot.ini   ....I couldn't find the same script in the liveXP project.

 

Thanks again for your response.

 

/Antonio

The reference you posted is meaningless :ph34r:.

 

Let us recap :):

The initial boot of Windows from NT to Server 2003 happens (mainly) through 3 (or 4) files:

  1. NTLDR <- the actual bootmanager AND Os loader
  2. BOOT.INI <- the configuration file (plain text file)
  3. NTDETECT.COM <- boot time device enumerator
  4. NTBOOTDD.SYS <- optional, not often used anymore - boot time hard disk driver (common in the times of SCSI disks)

 

The initial boot of PE 1.x i.e. built from XP or Server 2003 sources happens (mainly) through 3 (OR 4) files:

  1. SETUPLDR <- the OS loader (in setup mode)
  2. Txtsetup.sif <- setup directive file (plain text file)
  3. NTDETECT.COM <- boot time device enumerator
  4. Winnt.sif <- other setup directive file (not always needed/required - plain text file)

 

The initial boot of Vista :ph34r: or later up to and including 8.1 AND that of any PE derived from them, i.e. PE 2.x, 3.x and 4.x all happens (mainly):

  1. BOOTMGR <- the actual bootmanager AND Os loader AND OS loader (in setup mode) AND boot time device enumerator
  2. \boot\BCD <- the configuration file (Registry Hive)

 

While the "rest" of the system is all in all very similar across the whole NT family, the initial booting part is very, very, VERY different between anything before Vista :ph34r: and Vista :ph34r: and later.

 

You simply CANNOT "mix" the two sets when it comes to booting.

 

Then, unlike the Vista :ph34r: and later, XP and 2003 have a rather different booting mechanism compared to a PE built from their source (again you cannot mix "liberally" an XP with a PE 1.x).

 

The configuration file for XP is boot.ini.

The configuration file for a PE built from XP source files (like LiveXP is) is txtsetup.sif.

 

Follow Ilko's advice :thumbsup:.

 

DO NOT EVEN THINK (at the moment - since it seems to me you still need some time to study the matter before) to follow this link (which is provided for the interest of pscEx and Ilko):

http://reboot.pro/to...e-fast-boot-pe/

 

BTW pscEx should know about this, because of this:

http://reboot.pro/to...icoxp/?p=151841

(but often he has not much time to play with the other kids :w00t: and he may well have forgotten the reference :unsure:)

 

:cheers:

Wonko



#7 Antonio C.

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Posted 31 July 2013 - 01:54 PM

WOW. Thank you so much for such great responses! This will come in handy when we start debugging the Vista OS.

 

SOLUTION:

 

1) Generate the .ISO image with the liveXP project.

2) Edit the osloadoptions in the "txtsetup.sif" file (under Target/LiveXP/I386 folder) and set the debug parameters.

3) Run the  "Create ISO" script (under the LiveXp/Finish/CreateImage step).

 

I ran the new image and it connected to my kernel debugger. Thank you again for the feedback on solving this problem.

 

Sincerely,

Antonio C.







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