Clone Windows XP to a USB drive with USBoot

I came across USBoot a few days ago and decided to give it a try today. I see that jaclaz had suggested it in a few previous posts way back in the mists of time.

 

I used a freshly installed netbook with XP SP3 (no updates added) as the 'source', a 2GB USB NTFS flash drive as the 'target' and followed phase-i, ii and iii.

 

I have written up my result into Tutorial 105 here (as usual).

 

What I have now is a flat file Windows XP USB drive which I can boot on most systems. No internal hard disk is required by this install of XP, so you can boot full XP on a system containing just the USB flash drive.  Performance is not that bad considering either!

 

P.S. You will need to disable Standby as you cannot wake it from Standby.

 

I had several attempts at using a VM to generate the image without success though...  

Hi steve6375

 

I made this for an Acer Notebook a long time ago (one with 512 MB Ram) that came with 8 GB solid HD (now disabled). There was no way to change the solid HD because I can't remove some screws.

I used a 4 GB USB pendrive formated FAT32 & with a Ramdisk (256 MB) to locate pagefile, windows temp and IE temp folders in order to avoid wear, no hiber file, also an 8 GB SSD is used as drive D to hold My documents. It is working (only when traveling) since about 2 years now.

I have an image of drive C to restore on another pendrive when required.

 

Also using dummydisk you can have pagefile, on USB drives if you want.

 

Best regards

Edited by alacran, 24 February 2013 - 01:31 AM.

USBoot is great! (Thanks Gerd) I use v2.08 since it doesnt have the added USBOOT logos.

I have no issues with phase-III in VMware but with Qemu(Qman70) I have to make a Qdisk .raw for target but the cool thing Ive found is that after pahse-II you can literally copy and paste everything to another USB and it will boot!


I suggest adding EWF if booting flashdrives but not in ram, its really speeds it up to acceptable levels.

if you slipstream an XP with RVM intigrator and the driverpacks Keep The Drivers option then install that and then use USBOOT you will have a universal XP that automatically loads any drivers you need.


I also use IMDisk, Firadisk, WinVblock, to boot in ram too and used Sha0s HAL tutorial so that I have several options for booting. heres my boot.ini:


[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
C:\grldr="Grub4Dos"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Last Config" /sos /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(ACPI PC) for most compatability" /sos /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="ACPI APIC MP HAL" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlmp.exe /hal=halmacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="ACPI APIC UP HAL" /sos /kernel=ntkrnl.exe /hal=halaacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="ACPI UP HAL" /sos /kernel=ntkrnl.exe /hal=halacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="EISA UP HAL" /sos /kernel=ntkrnl.exe /hal=haleisa.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALSTAN" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlup.exe /hal=halstan.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALAACPI" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlup.exe /hal=halaacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALMPS" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlup.exe /hal=halmps.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALMPS" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlmp.exe /hal=halmps.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALSP" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlmp.exe /hal=halsp.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALACPI" /sos /kernel=ntkrnlup.exe /hal=halacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(MPS Unipro PC) for singlecore Xeons" /sos /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halapic.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(ACPI Multipro PC) multicoreHyperthr" /sos /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(ACPI Unipro PC) singlecore, nohyper" /sos /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halaacpi.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(MPS Multipro PC) multi-core Xeons" /sos /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmps.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="(Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor PC)" /sos /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halsp.dll /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

I have found a system yet that doesnt boot on the first entry but if I do I have several options.


tI do wish I could find a way arround the activation code USBOOT has so I could use it when no connection to internet is available.

BTW USBOOT works for W2000 also

I mutliboot several USBOOTS from same drive, its great!

Just for the record the tool works (and works allright since it's birth (around 2006).

I simply - personally - don't like the whole idea of the "challenge code" and I don't use it because of this IMHO senseless approach.

 

Wonko

Wait4UFD driver Enables Direct Install of XP on USB drive or in VHD on USB

Advantage of Direct Install of XP is that one does not need to make changes in the booting of the local harddisk,

where changes might be unwanted or difficult as in the case of a hidden Boot Manager partition e.g. Windows 7

 

First XP Setup ISO file was prepared as described in Section 2 here

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=23553

DPsBase.exe was used to Integrate DriverPacks Chipset + Processor + MassStorage + LAN + WLAN

(settings Disc - Method 2 - GuiRunOnce - Enable KTD for the DriverPacks I will Select C+P+M+L)

 

http://reboot.pro/to...it/#entry167235

 

1. IntegrateDrv was used to integrate Wait4UFD driver in the XP Setup Source directory containing folder i386
2. ImgBurn was used to make new XP Setup ISO file, that was copied to NTFS formatted active partition of USB-harddisk
3. VHD_XP_Create.exe was used to make 3 GB NTFS VHD on USB and to make Grub4dos Menu for WinVBlock driver
http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=23553
4. Boot with Grub4dos Menu from USB and Install XP in VHD using Start TXT-mode / Continue GUI-mode / Boot Windows XP VHD

5. After Install of XP then Run USB_XP_Fix.exe and Select your XP-1.vhd file on USB-drive and click GO

to make XP Universal for booting from USB connected to any computer.