5 replies to this topic

[BenKell]

Hey All -

I've spent hours this weekend trying to find the best way to make a certain installation media.

My ultimate goal is to make an external USB hard drive (and/or PXE) that is bootable which boots to a menu where you may choose from many different bootdisk or OS setup options.

With my job, I install many OS's and use many bootdiscs to where this tool would be invaluable. I have searched for ones that are pre-made, but they either do not contain the OS's I need or are pirated version of Windows which wouldn't help me for what I need it for.

I have done plenty of research and been told it's not possible by many, but I know it can be done by combining things I've learned. Below is a list of what I've tried and how far I got before deciding to try a new path. If anyone could, please suggest what you think would be helpful in any way.

Goal:
Bootable Ext Hard Drive /w Menu Where you May Choose To Boot To The Following:
- All Windows Workstation Installations (7, Vista, XP,etc) - This includes all versions of each OS (Pro, Home, etc) and also both x86 and x64.
- All Windows Server Installations (2008, 2003, 2000, etc) With all versions like above
- Many Linux distros
- Many Boot CD's - Acronis, Orpcrack, UBCD, etc (If their license will let me)
- On the same drive all installation files for my other apps..
I already have access to 100% legit ISOs from Microsoft

What I've tried or played around with...
-EasyBoot
- BCDW
- Grub4DOS
- Bart's PE Builder
- Realtogo
- Editing configs of already made boot CDs downloaded from various locations as well as torrents
Examples: http://thepiratebay....ndows aio/0/7/0
http://thepiratebay...._11_IN_1-RETAIL

All of the above apps are completely different and either have 1000 options that provide too many details to learn, not enough options, or no documentation. Even though BartPE is listed, I never got anywhere with it since I tried to start a multiboot plugin, but got an error.

Where I am with project:
I've made several test ISO images with a few apps as well as with the editing of other images. I test them by mounting them in VmWare Workstation 7 as I haven't even started on the part of booting to ext usb hard drive. In most, I can get to a menu and then have it redirect to start the setup. However, either the setup works fine but other setups on the same test image don't work or something turns up corrupt.

The best (and easiest in my opinion,) would be to find a program or script that creates a boot menu which could boot factory ISO images. Perhaps having multiple partitions on an external drive and extracting 1 ISO to each? Isn't this what Grub offers?

If there's a method, tutorial, or ideally software that you think may help me, please let me know.

Thanks Guys!

[Wonko the Sane]

I've spent hours this weekend trying to find the best way to make a certain installation media.

Oh my ...., hours!! this weekend, you must be very, very tired.

With my job, I install many OS's and use many bootdiscs to where this tool would be invaluable. I have searched for ones that are pre-made, but they either do not contain the OS's I need or are pirated version of Windows which wouldn't help me for what I need it for.

Which job, just out of curiosity?

I have done plenty of research and been told it's not possible by many, but I know it can be done by combining things I've learned.

Many people make mistakes, but I would be curious to know the "many" that told you so.

Goal:
Bootable Ext Hard Drive /w Menu Where you May Choose To Boot To The Following:
- All Windows Workstation Installations (7, Vista, XP,etc) - This includes all versions of each OS (Pro, Home, etc) and also both x86 and x64.
- All Windows Server Installations (2008, 2003, 2000, etc) With all versions like above
- Many Linux distros
- Many Boot CD's - Acronis, Orpcrack, UBCD, etc (If their license will let me)
- On the same drive all installation files for my other apps..

It would be easier to say that you are not interested in booting Solaris and BeOS.

All of the above apps are completely different and either have 1000 options that provide too many details to learn, not enough options, or no documentation.

Yep, life is really, really tough.

The best (and easiest in my opinion,) would be to find a program or script that creates a boot menu which could boot factory ISO images.

Yes, when and if possible.

Perhaps having multiple partitions on an external drive and extracting 1 ISO to each? Isn't this what Grub offers?

No, it's what grub4dos offers (as well as Syslinux/isolinux), and you possibly don't even need that many partitions.

If there's a method, tutorial, or ideally software that you think may help me, please let me know.

Come on, get real , how do you think there can be a tutorial to do ALL the things you listed as your goal?
And that you can learn about ALL the items you listed over a weekend?

Start reading the grub4dos forum:
http://www.boot-land...hp?showforum=66

Start with the stickies, AND the guide:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5187
you need to LEARN how to use grub4dos and make experiments using as base the reports we have and the info that is collected, but with the exception of this thread:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5041
which is a list of working setups, for the reasons stated here:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=8944
each single item may be (and usually is) a different story, so you will have to search specific threads, usually 1 thread=1 specific OS or anyway "boot item".

BTW, and for your interest, usually a "Tutorials" section on a Forum is where people posts Tutorials, not where people asks them.

Wonko

[Myk3]

I do know the only way to install vista / 7 from the same disk is to partition the drive.. The easy thing though is that the same install (vista) can install all the versions of vista (unless you want 64bit also) then you will need another partition for the different architecture of the OS.

I would read here for more info

[TeZ]

Oh dear, I think I've joined the wrong group. Poor Benkell...you just asked a rather legitmate question and recieved initiation by fire.

I've been searching for an answer to this myself and so far this is what I've come up with

http://www.sarducd.it/

I havent tried it yet, but seems to be something of an answer.

Cheers

Hope it works for you

[Wonko the Sane]

Oh dear, I think I've joined the wrong group. Poor Benkell...you just asked a rather legitmate question and recieved initiation by fire.

That's a concrete possibility.

I've been searching for an answer to this myself and so far this is what I've come up with

http://www.sarducd.it/

I havent tried it yet, but seems to be something of an answer.

Really?

Guess which is the Support Forum for that app?

Hint:
http://www.boot-land...p?showforum=100

Now you are entitled to whine about being initiated by fire also!


Seriously, you must keep in mind Rule #12:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=9101

12. SMILE! Life is tough, we all know that, when you enter this board, it will be appreciated that you leave your personal problems behind, asking and replyinq questions or however exchanging informations with a "positive" attitude, TAKE IT EASY and enjoy your stay here.

and consider how the OP request was made, in the sense that:

• it is in the wrong section of the Forum (Tutorials is where Tutorials are published, not where they are requested)
• it sounds to anyone who has spent hundreds or thousands of hours to try and learn what is depicted exactly like:

For my job I need to rebuild from scratch a 1:1 reproduction of the dome of St. Peter in Rome:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter'..._final_solution
I have studied all the weekend and tried with bricks, cement and mortar but was not able to build a three foot high wall with them it's so difficult to put them together....what can I do?

Which in our (please read as "my") perverted mind sounds like someone wanting to reach the top of the mountain whining about nails, ice axes, ropes, snaplinks and what not, before even trying them, expecting that someone gets him there by helicopter instead of by climbing like all the other people do.


Wonko

[½pfftery]

Which in our (please read as "my") perverted mind sounds like someone wanting to reach the top of the mountain whining about nails, ice axes, ropes, snaplinks and what not, before even trying them, expecting that someone gets him there by helicopter instead of by climbing like all the other people do.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19694083/
"Walters paid a $1,500 penalty for violating air traffic rules." (but it still required a little trial and errro

ooo

oo



ooo


rrr

rrrr

rrrrr)
http://msnbcmedia1.m...2p.grid-6x2.jpg