52 replies to this topic

[Sha0]

No, I installed Windows in VirtualBox, mounted it with Winmount & then made the image. But, I booted the image on my desktop, the physical machine.

Here's the deal: I have a 220 MB stripped Windows XP HDD image which I use every day. It has a BOOT.INI file like the one I gave a link to as well as all HAL and kernel combinations. When I boot the HDD image with MEMDISK or GRUB4DOS on all manner of hardware, I have to guess at which BOOT.INI choice to make. If it boots past the "light blue" screen (because I use the /SOS in BOOT.INI), then I have a [possibly semi-] compatible HAL and kernel combo, and can move on.

The Windows auto-logs in, which I'm assuming yours does, as well.

Then I have a batch file:

@echo off

echo.

echo  ENDLESS LOOP TO KILL "Found New Hardware Wizard"

echo.

echo  You will have to close this window manually.



:_start

cmdow "Files Needed" /end > nul 2>&1

cmdow "Found New Hardware Wizard" /end > nul 2>&1

goto _start

And I put the batch file in the Start menu -> Programs -> Startup. When I boot on new hardware, there's no mouse nor keyboard until Windows has gone through and attempted to install all the devices. The batch file kills any user-interaction popups; allowing device installation to continue all the way through, albeit with possibly unknown devices at the end. At least I get mouse and keyboard out of it.

Get rid of system file checker from your image, or at least temporarily disable it.

[Holmes.Sherlock]

"light blue" screen (because I use the /SOS in BOOT.INI), then I have a [possibly semi-]

What is SOS?

cmdow "Files Needed" /end > nul 2>&1

Is cmdow an external command?

And I put the batch file in the Start menu -> Programs -> Startup.

Should I put the batch file in the image?

The batch file kills any user-interaction popups; allowing device installation to continue all the way through, albeit with possibly unknown devices at the end. At least I get mouse and keyboard out of it.

If the devices are not installed, then isn't it surprising to get the keyboard & mouse support?

Get rid of system file checker from your image, or at least temporarily disable it.

I've already done it.

[Sha0]

What is SOS?

/SOS is a "switch" you put in your BOOT.INI file. It shows you which files NTLDR loads.

Is cmdow an external command?

It is not part of Windows. Maybe you can download it. Warning: Some anti-virii believe it is a virus.

Should I put the batch file in the image?

It might help you out. It has certainly helped me to get mouse and keyboard on every hardware platform I've booted my image on, without stalling for user interaction on a device that gets installed before the mouse and keyboard.

If the devices are not installed, then isn't it surprising to get the keyboard & mouse support?

Devices with .INFs (and possibly .CAT files) and all needed driver files in a "good" location such as \Windows\INF\ might install automatically. Mouse and keyboard are typically an example. Devices for which you need to inject drivers into your image will not likely install automatically, but you can address them with Device Manager later on.

I've already done it.

Great.