Help with multiboot usb disk with XP\Win7

So basically at work we have two cd images. One is an xp iso and one is for windows 7. My goal is two have one usb boot stick that when i boot it i can choose which one of those to boot. Ive come close but am finally stumped.

Im using XBOOT to create the multiboot filesystem with the isos. The Win7 iso boots fine. But when i boot the XP iso i get a bsod 0x7b after the xp boot logo screen. Ive seen this is common due to it looking for the hd drivers or such. Ive tried changing sata from ahci to compatibility. Ive tried the following work arounds.

1.) Using the hex edited NTDETECT.COM, it made no difference. I wasnt sure where it put this, so ive tried right on the root of the usb stick, as well as replacing the one in the root of the ecore.iso, which is the name of the xp image.

2.) Using firadisk in the menu.lst for grub. I always got some error about the executeable not being right or something.
title ecore with firadisk.

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /images/ecore.iso
map --mem /firadisk.gz (fd0)
map --mem /images/ecore.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

3.)The closest ive gotten is using YUMI which is another multiboot creator app. I would select ISO RUN FROM MEM when i would add the iso before it builds the usb disk. This results in just a black screen after the XP LOGO screen.

Since it seems my problem is getting the ecore.iso to successfully boot using a multiboot usb file structure we'll just concentrate on that and forget about also booting the win7 iso.

Heres the structure of the ecore.iso




And heres the structure of the usb disk after XBOOT formats it...





Now there's plenty of options in xboot, you can add the iso as iso emulation, hard drive emulation. IVe tried both, im not sure what the difference is. You can also use Syslinux or grub as the bootloader, ive tried both.

@ BSoD

]Blue Screen of Death 0x0000007B error[/size]

If you get this error when booting from some PCs (e.g. Dell PC or Acer TravelMate laptop) using any XP based USB bootable drive, the problem is usually caused by the WinPE/BartPE OS not being able to access the files on the USB drive. This is usually because of one of two reasons:

1. The version of NTDETECT.COM you are using is resetting the USB controller and thus the USB drive is no longer present. This may well be the problem if UBCD boots when emulated under QEMU but not on some real systems.

FIX: 1a: Use a modified version of NTDETECT.COM which does not reset the USB controller - see here

- OR -

2. You do not have the correct Mass Storage Drivers present in your XP/BartPE image files and so it cannot detect the USB drive when it switches to protected mode.
FIXES:
2a: Try changing the BIOS Menu Hard Disk access mode from 'Enhanced - AHCI' to 'Legacy' or 'Compatible' (mainly a fix for non-USB drive booting though!)
2b: Add mass storage drivers to your XP installation (UBCD4Win v3.60 does this automatically when you use the default build)
2c: Load the XP/BartPE ISO file into a ramdrive and use firadisk.gz. This requires more RAM but avoids the mass storage driver problems - though you may not be able to access all hard drives or USB drives in your system once you have booted to BartPE. See Part 3 below for details.

link

Try This For making usb disk with XPWin7

http://www.rmprepusb...to-internal-hdd

Have you tried WinSetupFromUSB?
http://www.msfn.org/...omusb-with-gui/

Use latest beta8, you are few mouse clicks from having what you need.

Sardu also supports what you need, give it a try as well.

As for XBoot- it does not support any Windows setup disk. Win7 ISO worked until you saw the setup options, I guess you didn't continue, next you will see an error message that Setup could not find its source files.

@ BSoD

link

Try This For making usb disk with XPWin7

http://www.rmprepusb...to-internal-hdd

Tried 1A, 2A and 2C with no luck..

Have you tried WinSetupFromUSB?
http://www.msfn.org/...omusb-with-gui/

Use latest beta8, you are few mouse clicks from having what you need.

Sardu also supports what you need, give it a try as well.

As for XBoot- it does not support any Windows setup disk. Win7 ISO worked until you saw the setup options, I guess you didn't continue, next you will see an error message that Setup could not find its source files.

I tried Sardu but couldnt find anything about adding my own iso files, just preset stuff they had there. Ill look into Winsetuptousb.

This works with my multiPE project running under WinBuilder:

Format the USB with RMPartUSB.exe DRIVE=<your number, e.g. 2> FAT32 NTLDR VOLUME=multiPE_XP
Install grub4dos with GrubInst.exe --verbose --skip-mbr-test (hd<your number, e.g. 2>)
Copy these files to USB:

menu.list of grub4dos:

BTW: multiPE_XP.fira is really an ISO, renamed for project internal copyflow reasons from multiPE_XP.iso to multiPE_XP.fira.
 USBdir.gif   12.93KB   9 downloads
Peter

BTW: Double topic should be combined!

EDIT: My ntdetect.com is in i386!

Thanks peter. I think I'll try to emulate what u have. Only thing I'm confused about. So I see ur using firadisk and also the modified ntdetect.com? On my xp I so the ntdetect.com is in the root of the image. I should replace that one with the modified one? Or just throw a modified one in i386?

I use only unmodified ntdetect.com

Peter

I use only unmodified ntdetect.com

Peter

I understand, but where do you have the file at?

In the root of the usb stick?

In the root your xp iso?

Or in the i386 of your xp iso?

In the root of the USB and in i386 of xp iso.

I'll check whether that one of them is not necessary.

Peter

EDIT: That one in the root of USB is not necessary.
It seems to be left from some old history and I'll remove.

Peter

Still cant get this working, so ill give an update of everything ive tried.

My goal is to create one usb boot stick where i can choose to boot my xp image or my win7 image. I havent even bothered with the Win7 portion, as im trying to get the XP option to work, without any success.


Here is my XP ISO. Keep in mind, if i burn this to a cd, it boots fine like it should. Or if i use Rufus to create a iso to a bootable usb stick, it again, works fine.





Now like i said, if i use an app like RUFUS, and tell it to make a bootable USB, and select the xp.iso file. It makes a usb drive with the following contents. And it boots successfully like it should.




Now since im trying to create a multiboot usb with a menu(grub4dos) i used RMPrepUSB with the following choices. WinPEv2(Bootmgr), NTFS, Boot as HD Ticked, Copy OS Files after format(C:XPCD). I then installed Grub4dos.


Heres my C:XPCD folder that rmprepusb copies over.





Heres my Menu.Lst with a bunch of different parameters ive tried.

#hd0 is USB

#hd1 is real HDD

# note: --mem is not needed to load XP.ISO in this step

title INSTALL XP - STEP 1 - XP Setup from ISO file using FiraDisknRemember to select both AHCI driver AND FiraDisk driver!!!

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock.ima.gz

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd1)

# if this loads the ISO into memory slowly - then you need to run WinContig on the ISO file on your USB drive to speed it up!

map /XP.iso (0xff) || map --mem /XP.iso (0xff)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader (0xff)/i386/setupldr.bin || chainloader (0xff)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN || chainloader (0xff)

pause If you have an AHCI HDD you MUST press F6 when prompted, then hit S to select WinVBlock or FiraDisk (recommended) driver, then hit S again to select your AHCI driver (e.g. Atom Netbook=WinVBlock+ICH7R/DH, DQ67 series 6=FiraDisk+Desktop,Workstation,Server Express)

pause Now quickly hit [Enter] twice (and then F6 if you need to install an AHCI driver) ...





#hd0 is USB

#hd1 is real HDD

#boot.ini

# note: --mem is used first - if not enough memory then retry try without loading iso into ramdrive (but may get BSOD)

title INSTALL XP - STEP 2 - Install XP from ISO file (phase 2)n2nd phase of setup will complete the install and reboot from the hard disk

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock.ima.gz

# we must load the ISO into memory, so it will be slow to load here ...

map --mem /XP.iso (0xff) || map /XP.iso (0xff)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (hd0)+1

pause Press ENTER and then unplug this USB drive...



title INSTALL XP - STEP 1A (USE IF PREVIOUS STEP 1 GAVE BSOD 7B ERROR) - XP Setup from ISO file using FiraDisknRemember to select both AHCI driver AND FiraDisk driver!!!

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /winvblock.ima.gz

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd1)

map --mem /XP.iso (0xff)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader (0xff)/i386/setupldr.bin || chainloader (0xff)/I386/SETUPLDR.BIN || chainloader (0xff)

pause If you have an AHCI HDD you MUST press F6 when prompted, then hit S to select WinVBlock or FiraDisk (recommended) driver, then hit S again to select your AHCI driver (e.g. Atom Netbook=WinVBlock+ICH7R/DH, DQ67 series 6=FiraDisk+Desktop,Workstation,Server Express)

pause Now quickly hit [Enter] twice (and then F6 if you need to install an AHCI driver) ...



title INSTALL XP - STEP 2A FOR LOW RAM SYSTEMS (FASTER) - direct ISO mapnDoes not work on some systems - e.g. some Atom CPU based netbooks

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd0)

map --mem /winvblock.ima.gz (fd1)

map /XP.iso (0xA0)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd0) (hd1)

checkrange 0x80 read 0x8280 && map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

map --rd-size=2048

map --mem (rd)+4 (0x55)

map --rehook

write (0x55) #!GRUB4DOSx00v=1x00XP.isox00xA0x00

root (hd0,0)

chainloader (hd0)+1

pause Keep the USB drive connected until Setup completes!





title Boot XP ISO test

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /xp.iso

map --mem /firadisk.gz (fd0)

map --mem /xp.iso (0xff)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader (0xff)







title Boot from 1st Hard Disk nBoot from MBR of first hard disk

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

map --hook

chainloader (hd0)+1

rootnoverify (hd0)



title List Mass Storage PCI IDs (runs checkpci from FreeDos)nMake a note of the PCI IDs listed and then check them against the TXTSETUP.OEM entries

map --mem /PCIID.ima.gz (fd0)

map --hook

root (fd0)

chainloader (fd0)+1

What happens is i either get a BSOD 7B error, or the screen just goes black after the windows xp boot logo. Ive tried all the different choices of selecting firadiskwinbvblock in conjuntion with then selecting my SATA AHCI Drivers. I dont understand if i can successfully create the usb boot disk by itsself with rufus, shouldnt i be able to do the same thing with a multi boot menu? Just choosing the directory to boot from? It doesnt necesarrily have to be a ISO, if extracting the contents of the iso to a folder and then calling it to boot from there with grub4dos works, thats fine aswell.

Any help is appreciated.

Edited by emerica243, 08 October 2012 - 06:15 PM.

Can we start from scratch?
http://www.msfn.org/...ndows-from-usb/
The WinsetupfromUSB has a few tens of thousands happy users, so it is "strange" (though of course possible) that it doesnt work for you. (BTW there are two vesions of WinsetupfromUSB withGUI, the "historical" one and the Beta one that use different approaches)
BUT there also two other methods, BOTH tested by several people succesfully, one with the .iso loaded in ram (plese read as firadisk) and one with direct mapping (please read as Winvblock):
http://www.msfn.org/...aded-iso-image/
http://www.msfn.org/...rom-a-iso-file/
Now it is IMprobable that you are failing with all three (actually four) of them.

BUT from the screenshot you posted your "source" .iso (ecore.iso) is NOT a plain XP install .iso (which is a pre-requisite for most of these methods) as it seemingly includes a PE 1.x.

However since you have Rufus working why don' t you simply add to a stick made with it a choice for grub4dos and from the latter a choice to load the Windows 7 .iso (and add to it the Windows 7 .iso)?


Wonko

Wonko the Sane, youre correct. It is not a STANDARD xp iso image right from a cd. Its for work, and they modify their own stuff. Basically when you boot their xp.iso. It loads like a PE would with the white line, then it shows the windows xp boot logo screen, and loads a custom gui for deployment on the system. I get the BSOD after that windows xp logo screen when ive tried all that ive said above. Right now im messing with the Winsetupfromusb stuff from this tutorial. http://www.techtipsg...sb-drive/13085/

If this fails, ill follow your links. How would i do the following option that youre lastly suggesting?

I guess i can create the rufus stick that works fine. Then add the windows 7 iso onto hte stick then install grub4dos, but what entries would i make to be able to boot both of them?

UPDATE:

My first attempt with Winsetupfromusb has been successfull!!

Thanks Wonko!

My only last question is, is there some utility to easily modify/edit Grub4dos menugui to make it look nice. Add background images extra descriptive text when youre highlighted on the choices, etc.

Also, when i did the Winsetupfromusb, i formatted my drive with rmprep as NTLDR, what the difference in formattin the drive with NTLDR or BOOTMGR?

Edited by emerica243, 08 October 2012 - 06:53 PM.

...
Also, when i did the Winsetupfromusb, i formatted my drive with rmprep as NTLDR, what the difference in formattin the drive with NTLDR or BOOTMGR?

A typical MBR will load and execute the first sector of the active partition. Thus, the first sector of the active partition must contain code for loading and executing a proper bootloader, such as NTLdr or BootMgr. Newer Windows versions use BootMgr.

UPDATE:

My first attempt with Winsetupfromusb has been successfull!!

Thanks Wonko!

Well this is surprising , since the winsetupfromUSB does not use the Windows PE approach and it would really be a coincidence that it works with it.
Possibly the stick is now working like a "normal" XP setup .
Which version winsetupfromUSBwithGUI did you use?

My only last question is, is there some utility to easily modify/edit Grub4dos menu\gui to make it look nice. Add background images \ extra descriptive text when youre highlighted on the choices, etc.

Yes/no, in the sense that there are but maybe not doing everything you are asking for, however you want to search for GFXboot on the board.

Also, when i did the Winsetupfromusb, i formatted my drive with rmprep as NTLDR, what the difference in formattin the drive with NTLDR or BOOTMGR?

It installs the bootsector invoking NTLDR, but you can use bootsect.exe from Windows 7 to switch between NTLDR (/nt52) and BOOTMGR (/nt60)

But if you used WinsetupfromUSBWithGUI it shouldn't make any difference as you should have grub4dos installed to the MBR, booting directly (bypassing the boosector) the grldr (and conversely a menu.lst).



Wonko

GFXMenu is not really required any more as the latest 2012 versions of chenall's grub4dos can use splashimage with hi-res hi-colour .bmp images. Help text can be added for each menu item by editing the title line of each menu item - see http://www.rmprepusb...orials/grub4dos

GFXMenu is not really required any more as the latest 2012 versions of chenall's grub4dos can use splashimage with hi-res hi-colour .bmp images. Help text can be added for each menu item by editing the title line of each menu item - see http://www.rmprepusb...orials/grub4dos

Sure , but still nothing compared with what you can make with GFXboot:
http://reboot.pro/15689/
I thought that the OP was after the (completely UNneeded IMHO) "eye-candy".
And old "quick comparison":
http://www.msfn.org/...nce/page__st__5
(low-resolution) splashimage vs. GFXboot
Apart from the (BTW nice) boobs , with splashimage you are still "costrained" with fonts, no amimations, no clock, etc.


Wonko

THanks so much guys. This helped me all so muich to get my stuff working. I got one last question though, is how would i go about using winsetupfromusb with multiple installationssources? It only shows one box per type of source

THanks so much guys. This helped me all so muich to get my stuff working. I got one last question though, is how would i go about using winsetupfromusb with multiple installationssources? It only shows one box per type of source

Reading (attentively) the first post of the thread:
http://www.msfn.org/...omusb-with-gui/
might give you some ideas, then possibly reading the docs, would further help you.


Wonko

I didnt want to start a new thread. So does anyone know the easiest way to be able to get Diskpart.exe access from grub? Basically i want to have a grub menu choice where i can quickly format hard disks

Can you do it by booting to FreeDOS? Do you need NTFS formatting?

Havent tried FreeDOS, NTFS would be preferred.

I don't want to start a new thread, does anyone know how to have grub4dos (which is NOT GRUB and NOT GRUB2) make some coffee?
Black, strong, two spoons of sugar, please.


Wonko

Suggest you start a new thread - you will need to boot to an OS to ptn and format with NTFS!