134 replies to this topic

[pscEx]

Here my candidate for competition:

Standard multiPE project with option "micro"
ISO: 88.8 MB
boot.wim: 72.8 MB
Values with German sources, no SP. May vary with other languages or SP1

The PE is not a "boot only" PE. It contains some useful apps like notepad, cmd, ...
Example: Clicking a *.txt file will show it with notepad.
I do not like to omit such tasks, just to win some bytes less.

In addition: I only used files from source CD, no ressource edited (big files) imageres.dll or shell32.dll.
I do not like to add some "compression" which may be invalid in the next SP, just to win some bytes less.
IMO the build should always be "native" from Billy's CD.

To test / check, you can download the multiPE project version 62 (http://reboot.pro/fi...ile/61-multipe/).
((adding the link directly to the text, currently seams not to be possible))
Use Tools > WB manager, and choose Min_Win7 as configuration.

Peter

[MedEvil]

Just one thing, i would like to point out for this competition.

IMO, a PE without a wagonload of tools, is only useful with Network support and a browser to download and install any tools needed.

But then, i don't know how much usability counts versus size, in this contest.

[pscEx]

Look at the competition rules.

The micro-PE should contain explorer.

But no mentioning of networking or browser.

IMO your concerns appear some weeks too late. They should have been put to the competition announcement.

Peter

[MedEvil]

I think i complained at the very start of this idea (not this topic), that a PE below 100MB would probably be a useless PE.
But seeing, that you've got the wim down to 72MB. There might be room enough to put a browser in after all.

[Brito]

Standard multiPE project with option "micro" ISO: 88.8 MB boot.wim: 72.8 MB

Congratulations Peter, great work so far. 

 

Hey Medevil, join up! Where is your candidate?

[MedEvil]

Wrong kind of competition for me, as you probably already know.

[vvurat]

Here is mine. 68Mb wim size. It has explorer,basic dos support (diskpart,chkdsk,format,ipconfig etc.) It has networking support (only penetwork) with wireless (atheros and some other drivers integrated), browser support. 7zip and imagine photoviewing program. Has imagex gui for mounting wims. Usb support.

 

[Wonko the Sane]

Here is mine.

To be picky (as usual ) that is a screenshot of yours.

Nice results, though

 

Wonko

[MedEvil]

@all developers, who (claim) can't write scriptsSeriously guys, the least we would need from you, to be able to help you, would be usable filelists for copy, upx, ..., the hives and all other files not included in a Win7 Setup-DVD, from your build.For anything fancy like removing resources, you will need to provide at least a basic batch.---------------------------------For a more "do it yourself" approach...Find a project which builds a Win7PE, which builds hives, which contain everything your project needs and then simply write a script like this:

[Main]Title= (Whatever)Description= (blabla)Selected=TrueLevel= ([*1] read below)Version=1Date=Locked=TrueAuthor=[Process]//to add a fileFileCopy,FromFile,ToDir (Command,Path and Name of the file to copy, DirectoryPath to copy to)//to remove a fileFileDelete,FileToDelete (Command,Path and Name of the file to delete)...

[*1] Play a bit with the setting, till your script runs after the build scripts and before the compile scripts. In Win7PESE this would be after the Driver scripts and before the Finals scripts. (Level=7)For anything more fancy, like registry operations just ask for help.

[Brito]

Here is mine. 68Mb wim size.

Congratulations, great result so far. Don't forget to post the project or way for other users to replicate your boot disk and confirm the result.

 

 

[pscEx]

Current status in multiPE:

ISO: 72.5 MB
WIM: 67.9 MB

EDIT: Boots in VirtualBox with 192 MB memory. It can be assumed that it also can be booted in older systems with 256 MB memory.

There are currently the options "Micro" and "Nano".
"Nano" attempts 'minimum'.
"Micro" still has useful files like attrib.exe, notepad.exe etc.

I'm working on "Pico" which does some UPX, driver compress, and ressource deletions.
Example: UPXed shell32.dll is about 4 MB compared with about 12 MB original.
In the WIM that brings a reduction of about 500 KB.

Brainstorming about "Mini" which adds network and internet browser to the "Micro" build.

Peter

Edited by pscEx, 07 December 2012 - 01:58 PM.

[reni]

I want to see scripts

[Wonko the Sane]

I want to see scripts

Here is one:
http://www.mmdc.nl/s...060r_detail.jpg


Wonko

[pscEx]

Or download the lastest multiPE project, which is published in the reboot.pro download portal.

Currently it is version 62.

Version 63 containing the latest setups, will be published at the competition's deadline, on DEC. 23

Peter

[Brito]

Hi Peter,

 

I've downloaded the most recent version and tried to build plain Win7PE but something went wrong. The log is available at http://temp.reboot.pro/

 

Might be the WIM driver, on my machine it was already installed. Perhaps from a clean Windows install on a virtual machine it works without issues.

[pscEx]

Version 62 has some initialisation issues when multiPE is already installed on a different disk.
That is fixed in version 63. I'm still testing and therefore did not yet publish. But it is already on my server: http://multipe.exec-...multiPE_63.zip.


Before install delete D:multiPE_Depot.

EDIT: There are some issues with sxs files of SP1 source. Try SP0 source.

Peter

[joakim]

A tip for all the participants for how to futher reduce the wim size: Switch over to newstyle wim.

 

Challenge is how to automate this from a Windows 7 (or earlier) host.

[MedEvil]

What is 'newstyle wim'?

[joakim]

Hint: Look into Windows 8.

 

But keep in mind, the challenge I mentioned. The reward is a few MB..

[Wonko the Sane]

Maybe it is a nice idea as a "post-processing" of the "winner".

The competition should be limited to something that you can build from a "normal" 7, and that should be below the 100 Mb and fast in booting and provide *some* functionalities (and NO, having Notepad working is not enough ).

It seems to me like the object of the current competition is complex enough to leave the further complications for a later stage

 

Wonko

[Brito]

Version 62 has some initialisation issues when multiPE is already installed on a different disk.
That is fixed in version 63. I'm still testing and therefore did not yet publish. But it is already on my server: http://multipe.exec-...multiPE_63.zip.


Before install delete D:multiPE_Depot.

EDIT: There are some issues with sxs files of SP1 source. Try SP0 source.

Peter

 

Hi Peter,

 

I wanted to try it out but this is already getting too complicated to follow. I'm not even sure about what kind of SP has my Win7 source and this really shouldn't matter. Otherwise I see many people getting into a dead-end trying to run this project. Whenever possible, reduce the steps required to get an easy build from the start.

 

[pscEx]

When the setup is READY (on deadline dec 23th):
Download the multiPE project, start WinBuilder, navigate to Tools > WB Manager, and choose W7_Micro.

Sorry, that during current development cycle the standard user may have some issues.

Peter

[Brito]

No problem my friend, just highlighting some of the quirks that can be ironed out.

[Wonko the Sane]

It's interesting to learn how Nuno is considered "standard user".

Limited to Winbuilder related matters I would have rated him among the 10 most knowledgeable users in the world.

 

 

Wonko

[Brito]

Hello,

 

I can design script interpreters, however this doesn't directly translate to being familiar with projects running on top of the interpreter. I've developed some on my own, on others I am a standard user in cases like Peter's project and provide feedback when possible.

 

Much in the sense of being able to help out the PHP folks developing the interpreter and not being aware of the inner details for Wordpress.