32 replies to this topic

[guimenez]

Hi

i'm trying to boot SevenPE using tftpd32 server but i'm getting some errors.

the tftpd32 its working fine, since i'm booting lots of images.

this is my default file in pxelinux.cfg settings:

Label SevenPE
LINUX /memdisk
APPEND iso
INITRD SEVENPE.ISO

it loads the iso and then reboot

i can run some isos with this command

hope someone can help me

thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

How big is the .iso?
Hom many Gb of Ram do you have?


Wonko

[sbaeder]

And does this same ISO boot fine from a DVD or USB Flash drive? - i.e. is it a booting issue with tftp or with the actual image. And finally, where did this PE come from?

[guimenez]

thanks for all reply

i'm using make_pe3 to make the sevenpe and it takes 230mb.
i've 4gb of RAM

it works fine in VMWARE

many thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

So, it's not a memory clog with memdisk.

If the whatever you are booting uses grub4dos, you may need to "keep pxe"
http://reboot.pro/9341/page__st__13

Or try the other ways suggestd here :
http://reboot.pro/15160/


Wonko

[guimenez]

Many thankssssssssssss

i can´t belive, after months trying and now it works just flawless

once again Wonko you are the man.

this i use and it works for now in 11 computers

title win7pe.iso to 0xFF
pxe keep
map --mem (pd)/iso/win7pe.iso (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)

thanks again

Edited by guimenez, 27 August 2011 - 06:57 PM.

[Wonko the Sane]

thanks again

Good.

Why don't you post now a complete description of your setup (so that it will be useful to some other peeps with the same issue)?
I mean including your TFTP32 settings, which PXE solution are you using, how you initiate it, the folder structure on your PXE server, etc., etc., AFAIK we have lots of bits and pieces but not one "full" descroption/report (apart the diddy's guide, but that cannot have 7PE).


Wonko

[guimenez]

Yes, its a good idea

OK, lets start


1- you need to have a working sevenpe iso, if you don't have it, just search for (Make_PE3) and its almost just press GO button
2- download tftpd32 and uncompress to folder tftpd32
3- create a folder called root
4- copy the grldr (boot file from last build of grub4dos) to root folder
5- inside the root folder, create a folder called menu.lst
6- inside menu.lst create a file called default (attention, doesn't have extension)
7- inside default file put his commands:

title Run SevenPE from PXE
pxe keep
map --mem (pd)/sevenpe.iso (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)

Folder Struture

tftpd32
-tftpd32.inf
-tftpd32.html
-tftpd32.exe
-root (folder)
|-grldr
|-sevenpe.iso

8- change the settings and DHCP in tftpd32 to be equal to the images bellow (remember to set base directory according to your folder struture and ip according to your LAN)




9- Just test it

a BIG THANKS to Wonko and obvious this GREAT COMMUNITY

Guimenez

[Wonko the Sane]

Very good.

BUT a small disambiguation needed.

Strangely enoough , the result of running Make_PE3, will be a PE 3.x and NOT a "SevenPE".

Of course the name you call the .iso or the entry in menu.lst is irrelevant, you can call it "mickey_mouse.iso" or "spiderman.iso", but when you post on the board you should make always clear WHAT are you running/attempting to run, using the ACTUAL name all other people uses for it...

We also have

• Win7PE
• Win7PE_SE <- actually if I recall correctly two "branches" of it
• Win7RescuePE
• Multi 7PEs
• BB-7PE

and probably more, so it is easy to create confusion.



You owe me 20 bucks :

Spoiler

Wonko

[steve6375]

This may help others too - http://sites.google....b/tutorials/pxe

[Wonko the Sane]

This may help others too - http://sites.google....b/tutorials/pxe

Yep , but that nice tutorial contains "everything AND the kitchen sink", the post by guimenez is more "vertical" but simple to follow, most people (expecially newbies, i.e. the ones that will actually need to read your Tutorial will IMHO in most cases get a headache at the second or third option you throw in )


Wonko

@guimenez
Cannot say if it makes a difference in booting times, but you can try to gzip the .iso image.

[guimenez]

Thank you Wonko for explain me the diference.

I need to join money to pay you some beers

Do you think i need to change the topic title?

I call sevenpe because the build that i made with make_pe3 as explorer and its similar to win7pe

[guimenez]

And what about the gzip think. Cam you explain me how to use gzip? I think will be more faster

Thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

And what about the gzip think. Cam you explain me how to use gzip? I think will be more faster

When you use the map --mem option grub4dos can take a gzipped file and will expand it while putting it to RAM.

So, instead of having a "sevenpe.iso" you will have a "sevenpe.iso.gz" as "source".
Depending on:

• how compressible is the image
• how slow/fast is your PXE connection
• how slow/fast is your booting machine

you may be able to shave off some seconds in the booting time (the transferred image is smaller).

Using gzip is pretty much straight forward (REMEMBER that you DO NOT "add" a file to a gzip file, you "replace" the file with the gzipped one):
http://www.gzip.org/
http://www.gzip.org/gzip124xN.zip
should do or try this alternate buid:
http://gnuwin32.sour...ckages/gzip.htm

As often happens with Unix derived utilities there is Syntax:
http://www.math.utah...zip_4.html#SEC7
(with a mind.boggingly amount of switches) but not easy to understand examples, all you have to do is (afteer having extracted gzip.exe in the same \root\ directory):

gzip sevenpe.iso

and you will have a brand new sevenpe.iso.gz (and NOT anymore a sevenpe.iso)


Wonko

[guimenez]

I've try it with gzip and take the double time.
With iso its 1.2 minutes to open and with gzip it takes about 2.1 minutes

but thanks once again, now i know that i can use gzip

Edited by guimenez, 29 August 2011 - 10:48 AM.

[Wonko the Sane]

I've try it with gzip and take the double time.
With iso its 1.2 minutes to open and with gzip it takes about 2.1 minutes

Yep, sometimes you win , sometimes you loose.

Most probably the PE 3.x WIM (inside the .iso) is already so well "compressed" that the difference in size is not enough to justify the extra processing time needed to ungzip it).
And probably you have a fastish network.
Can you post some data (just to have an idea):

• typical machine that you PXE boot processor/speed/ram
• size of the .iso (230 Mb) and size of the .iso.gz
• speed of the network 100Mb/1Gb/Fiber optic

Wonko

[guimenez]

Yep, sometimes you win , sometimes you loose.

Most probably the PE 3.x WIM (inside the .iso) is already so well "compressed" that the difference in size is not enough to justify the extra processing time needed to ungzip it).
And probably you have a fastish network.
Can you post some data (just to have an idea):

• typical machine that you PXE boot processor/speed/ram
• size of the .iso (230 Mb) and size of the .iso.gz
• speed of the network 100Mb/1Gb/Fiber optic

Wonko

Ok

i've try with about 8 machines
but the one with 1.2 minutes was a pentium IV 2.8GHZ with 1GB of RAM
My LAN as 100Mbs
The iso have 303Mb and the GZ as 293Mb.

Now that i have this great piece of software i need to make use of this:

- is it possible to use the WinPE 3.0 to see my share on the server and then use imagex to apply images to my computers with a batch file?
- i will use this topic to put lan drivers from Driverpacks: http://reboot.pro/10662/

I hope you can still help me on that.

After finish, i will make a complete tutorial to make a server and install images from them

many thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

The iso have 303Mb and the GZ as 293Mb.

Yep almost the same or "no compression".

Now that i have this great piece of software i need to make use of this:

- is it possible to use the WinPE 3.0 to see my share on the server and then use imagex to apply images to my computers with a batch file?
- i will use this topic to put lan drivers from Driverpacks: http://reboot.pro/10662/

I don't see a reason why you should not be able to.

I hope you can still help me on that.

Not really my field of experience.

At the most I can give you some help with the batches.


Wonko

[guimenez]

Thanks

i will try it out, then ask you for help on the batch thing

thanks once again

[steve6375]

The link I posted earlier (which Wonko thought contained everything and the Kitchen sink), also has some pointers on WinPE3 and ImageX - just next to the Kitchen sink . Did you read it?
http://sites.google....b/tutorials/pxe

[Wonko the Sane]

The link I posted earlier (which Wonko thought contained everything and the Kitchen sink), also has some pointers on WinPE3 and ImageX - just next to the Kitchen sink .

Disambiguation needed.
The fact that the mentioned tutorial contains everything AND the kitchen sink is a fact.
That the overwhelming amount of info in that Tutorial may confuse people attempting to learn PXE booting, is Wonko (the Sane)'s opinion.


Wonko

[guimenez]

The link I posted earlier (which Wonko thought contained everything and the Kitchen sink), also has some pointers on WinPE3 and ImageX - just next to the Kitchen sink . Did you read it?
http://sites.google....b/tutorials/pxe

thanks i will try it.

i don't what is happen in winpe 3.0 because i have net but no access to my shared folders.
it says permittion denied

[guimenez]

thanks i will try it.

i don't what is happen in winpe 3.0 because i have net but no access to my shared folders.
it says permittion denied

thank you Steve

the site that you give it to me worked like a charm :D

i've done it again (with all your help)

i'm using to mount the shared folder the command:
NET USE P: \\MYSERVER /U:myusername "mypassword"

then

format /q /x C:

p:\imagex /apply p:\Win7Premium.wim 1 C:

I deployed an image right now with 2gb and it taked just 7 minutes

i'm so happy :D:D:D:D:D

now i will make some batch files and put them on WinPE Desktop (trying to figure it out)

thanks people

Edited by guimenez, 29 August 2011 - 07:25 PM.

[guimenez]

Ok, now i'm trying one more thing

i've seen that GPXE can boot LAN on computers that doesn't have boot from LAN support on the BIOS.

I can't make GPXE load GRUB4DOS boot file (grldr)

i've try: kernel server_ip/grldr

but it reboots

any help please

thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

Try using grub.exe (which IS actually linux kernel compatible ) instead of grldr.

ONLY seemingly unrelated:
http://reboot.pro/9802/


Wonko