3 replies to this topic

[kompressor]

HI, I've got an .iso image of vistape builded with winduilder 075. I choose build model - standard in ram, and force all programs to ramdisk. The image works fine on microsoft virtual pc. So I'd like to boot this image with pxe. I used pxelinux.0 to boot an msdos boot disk, so I configured it to boot the image of vista pe, but it doesen't work.
So how can I boot vistaPE iso image with pxe?
Can anyone help me?

[Casey Parker]

Yes, actually. You're looking for lmdisk or similar. Vista's bootloader will load just fine from the emulated in-RAM DVD. Unfortunately, Vista only knows how to copy files from a -real- DVD. If you could manage to get the files onto the drive immediately before starting it, it'd work well, but that sort of defeats the PXE purpose. Look around a bit and you'll see the virtual disk drivers to make this work, I believe.

[Wonko the Sane]

Well, no.

That would apply to a Vista or 7 "install" .iso, see here:
http://reboot.pro/5041/
and here:
http://reboot.pro/5041/page__st__14
http://reboot.pro/5041/page__st__26
and here:
http://reboot.pro/9076/

A PE 2.0 or 3.0 (read as VistaPE or Win7PE) does not need a virtual disk when booted locally from .iso, since it loads from the .iso the actual .wim file, when PXE booting you just serve the .wim file.
(or you can use the PXE capabilities of grub4dos to map the served .iso, but it's overkill, IMHO)

Or if you prefer, Vista comes with it's own "boot time" RAMDISK driver:
http://technet.micro...845(WS.10).aspx

See:
http://sysadminman.n...he-pxe-server-8
http://reboot.pro/1220/


Wonko

[Sha0]

HI, I've got an .iso image of vistape...So I'd like to boot this image with pxe. I used pxelinux.0...

If your plan is to do PXELINUX (pxelinux.0) -> MEMDISK + your.iso, then you should understand the double-RAM requirement.

If, instead, you wish to do PXELINUX (pxelinux.0) -> pxechain.com + some_microsoft_nbp.0, then perhaps some_microsoft_nbp.0 could load the .WIM file natively, and avoid the double-RAM requirement.