191 replies to this topic

[was_jaclaz]

Member triiui posted here:
http://www.boot-land...?...=5041&st=26

his success in installing Windows 7 through grub4dos .iso mapping.

Same method is failing for member Demontager:
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=9038&hl=

I was able to boot only and actually when setup process should started get these errors:
Win7
"A required CD/DVD drive device is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD,DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert it now.

And the issue is confirmed by the sheer existence of the Chinese post/thread maanu found:
http://www.boot-land...?...c=9038&st=8
which details a workaround making use of IMDISK

I contacted triiui via PM (reproduced by permission):

It seems like you incorrectedly posted here:
http://www.boot-land...?...=5041&st=26
that Windows 7 install works, while it does not.

Please do confirm you actually booted it successfully WITHOUT the "missing" CD/DVD problem and/or start a new thread detailing HOW you did it.



jaclaz

Uhm thats so wierd, like 3 hours ago I installed it into the HDD of my school without any kind of problem. Also I formated my computer yesterday due to some problems I had with the HDD and reinstalled Windows 7 with that method.

So its actually working. Maybe it's working, because I have Windows XP installer there, on the root of the pen, so when its looking for X file or configuration, it takes the XP configuration and works anyway. Im not sure tho.
If you know surely that you get problems if you boot the .iso from grub4dos, you are free to delete it, as much more people might have problems with that too.

No , actually I would like to keep it AND provide a better solution instead of the "manual" command for IMDISK.

If you don't mind I'll start a new thread, citing what happened and your current confirmation. (can I cite verbatim your PM?)

As soon as you have an occasion to install 7 on some machine, are you willing to investigate (basically by deleting little by little anything BUT windows 7 .iso, grub4dos and menu.lst) which files may be responsible of it working?



jaclaz

yeah do it, np.
I will try to investigate about this; im a bit busy because of school right now, but I will check why it is working for me. I might be maybe just lucky? haha

Any idea/insight/suggestion/report is welcome.

I anyway refuse to attribute the success or insuccess to

There must be a reason....

jaclaz

[triiui]

As quoted up there, I think it is because I've XP installation files (from the BartPE method or w/e) and maybe thats the reason.

BTW version I'm using is RTM 7100. Maybe it has something to do with that

[maanu]

i am not so sure , BUT if 7 iso will boot from usb drive , it ll give missing cd/dvd drive error , BUT if it ll boot from HDD (suppose we have grub4dos installed to MBR) it wont give any error .

can anyone check by booting it from the hdd ? i dont have any iso right now so cant test it .

but im very much sure about it that on another community , more then 5 persons had this error , so i told them to extract the iso at the root and it worked . all of them were booting iso from the usb drive . i did not know by then that imdisk option .

and if you ll search on wuoyu , many ppl were having this cd/dvd error if they booted from usb 4drive .

[was_jaclaz]

Maybe it is connected with the "Fixed" vs. "Removable" status of the controller?

If yes, that would be another pont for "flipping the bit".

If yes, is there a way to load either cfadisk.sys or dummydisk.sys in Windows 7? (at least in 32 bit versions)

jaclaz

[tsetya]

i tried to install to install win7 (7100 and 7600) using iso mapping from HDD, usb HDD, partitioned UFD, none of them work. setup starting then stop at "required cd/dvd driver missing"
tried to execute x:\sources\setup also the same.
(no problem when installing from extracted iso)

note: i have experience with this error when installing vista from HDD using extracted iso, in this case i can execute drive:\sources\setup and installer will continue.

[Raik]

Maybe it is connected with the "Fixed" vs. "Removable" status of the controller?

I might try it just let me copy the files needed, takes time >_<...


If this works I will be a step closer to the ultimate USB boot drive (XP, windows 7 32bit, Acronis) already up and working perfectly fine (windows 7 but with the copy all DVD to USB method, I need to boot the ISO, that way I can have both 32bit and x64 in the same USB and install).

[Raik]

OK, finished.

Both x86 and x64 in a 8GB Corsair Flash VoyagerMini
Format NTFS allocation default
Only REMOVABLE tested, tomorrow will test FIXED

Results:


Asus P5Q-E motherboard = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, install fine.

Intel Atom 330 = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, installs fine.

Acer Aspire One AO751h = Both x86 and x64 boots and install fine.

Compaq Presario CQ41-226LA = Both x86 and x64 boots, can´t install, ERROR.


Tomorrow will test FIXED and see if it solves, if not well that is the problem, SOME PC can´t install windows 7 from a USB drive with the GRUB metod, only the copy-the-full-dvd-to-usb-drive works.

[steve6375]

OK, finished.

Both x86 and x64 in a 8GB Corsair Flash VoyagerMini
Format NTFS allocation default
Only REMOVABLE tested, tomorrow will test FIXED

Results:


Asus P5Q-E motherboard = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, install fine.

Intel Atom 330 = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, installs fine.

Acer Aspire One AO751h = Both x86 and x64 boots and install fine.

Compaq Presario CQ41-226LA = Both x86 and x64 boots, can´t install, ERROR.


Tomorrow will test FIXED and see if it solves, if not well that is the problem, SOME PC can´t install windows 7 from a USB drive with the GRUB metod, only the copy-the-full-dvd-to-usb-drive works.

What method is this talking about? Using Grub4DOS and an ISO file or using the ISO file contents on the flash drive? What is in the menu.lst?

I would have thought that booting from a Win7 install ISO would not work because as soon as WinPE boots it will look for the large source .WIM file and won't be able to find it inside the ISO file. One way to work round this would be to extract the source Win7 WIM file from the Win7 ISO and place this WIM file on the flash drive where WinPE can find it and see if that works? e.g. place it in \sources\install.wim.

[Wonko the Sane]

@steve
check the original post by triiui

http://www.boot-land...?...=5041&st=26

describes it well enough: pure grub4dos mapping of the Windows 7 .iso as (hd32).

As you can see there are contrasting reports, the "extracted-iso-to-root" is known to be working, and it is NOT the object of this thread, the latest reports by raik seem like telling us that something BIOS connected can determine success or failure, but personally I cannot understand how it works when it works.


Wonko

[steve6375]

@steve
check the original post by triiui

http://www.boot-land...?...=5041&st=26

describes it well enough: pure grub4dos mapping of the Windows 7 .iso as (hd32).

As you can see there are contrasting reports, the "extracted-iso-to-root" is known to be working, and it is NOT the object of this thread, the latest reports by raik seem like telling us that something BIOS connected can determine success or failure, but personally I cannot understand how it works when it works.


Wonko

Same here! If it is iso booting then how does it work which is why I asked the question just to be clear. I can understand it booting, but I cannot understand how it would find the Win7 wim file and install Win7 to a disk!

This is why I suggested that a boot from the iso + a \sources\install.wim file on the USB drive might work.

i.e. flash drive has
grldr
menu.lst (using iso file)
win7.iso
\sources\install.wim

When WinPE boots it will look for a file called install.wim on all possible drives. If the tester has such an install.wim somewhere on any drive then the iso boot method might appear to work. But if they booted the USB drive on a clean, bare metal system, it would not unless the install.wim file exists on the USB drive as a file.

[Raik]

What method is this talking about? Using Grub4DOS and an ISO file or using the ISO file contents on the flash drive? What is in the menu.lst?

I would have thought that booting from a Win7 install ISO would not work because as soon as WinPE boots it will look for the large source .WIM file and won't be able to find it inside the ISO file. One way to work round this would be to extract the source Win7 WIM file from the Win7 ISO and place this WIM file on the flash drive where WinPE can find it and see if that works? e.g. place it in \sources\install.wim.

Sorry, how could I forget to post the menu.lst, silly me

title Windows 7 x64

find --set-root /windows7x64.iso

map /windows7x64.iso (0xff)

map --hook

chainloader (0xff)

Obviously change the name of the ISO to windows7x64 or windows7x86 (it should also work with vista, havent tested).

IMPORTANT: Make sure the name DOESNT CONTAIN SPACES, I dont know why but doesnt work, it doesnt even boots, so NO "windows 7 x64.iso" but "windows7x64.iso", I havent tested "_" instead of spaces and will not do it.

raik seem like telling us

Is my english that bad , well jokes aside. It is a huge possibility that BIOS is involved in the success or failure of this metod to install windows 7. Some PC can, some dont, main suspects are poor BIOS options like in cheap laptops (Compaq... maybe HP as is the same manufacturer, havent tried tough, my DV1000 is broken and my sisters DV2000 dead).

Same here! If it is iso booting then how does it work which is why I asked the question just to be clear. I can understand it booting, but I cannot understand how it would find the Win7 wim file and install Win7 to a disk!

This is why I suggested that a boot from the iso + a \sources\install.wim file on the USB drive might work.

i.e. flash drive has
grldr
menu.lst (using iso file)
win7.iso
\sources\install.wim

When WinPE boots it will look for a file called install.wim on all possible drives. If the tester has such an install.wim somewhere on any drive then the iso boot method might appear to work. But if they booted the USB drive on a clean, bare metal system, it would not unless the install.wim file exists on the USB drive as a file.

Me neighter, I cant understand why it works, I, like you know how it works, but why sometimes does and sometimes doesnt, its a mistery, hence the name of the title in this thread.

Ok here is how I did it, first \sources\install.wim is not needed at all, only .iso, no extra files (except Grub obviously). THIS IS NO LONGER TRUE, I´m sorry, latest tests proved me WRONG.

Im a very lazy person, to do format, add boot files, copy files manually and install grub so I just downloaded WINSETUPfromUSB, with this you can add windows XP if you want, it makes it bootable and can format the drive if needed, adds Grub and necesary configurations automatically all fool proof.

With winsetupfromusb you can add one windows XP, one vista/7 DVD, one ISO file (like acronis, norton ghost or whatever iso file you want). With this software you can boot windows 7 in ANY computer, no problems or issues (as long as you can boot from USB that is) BUT the software uses the COPY all DVD files to the USB and then adds a Grub line to boot windows 7 installation files, the main problem is that it can only add one windows 7 (that means only x86 or x64 or if you want ultimate AND premium you can only have one) then I though "Damn, I want windows x86 AND x64 in the same USB drive", then I found this forum and the metod to boot with Grub an ISO file, and it works... for some PC.

BTW you can have BOTH windows 7 x86 and x64 in .ISO (I love it because you can burn them any time and they are in my USB to boot or burn at will).

Sorry for my bad english, any comments about it are very much appreciated.

[Wonko the Sane]

@Raik
Sorry if it seemed like I was commenting your English knowledge, it wasn't meant as such , what you posted is extremely clear, only it missed some details.

Now we have the confirmation that member triiui was not under the effect of drugs (or under that of only very mild ones ) when he posted about the way he managed to boot Windows 7 as .iso WITHOUT anything else but a straight ISO mapping to (hd32) or (0xFF) with grub4dos.

So, now we know that it does work (on some PC's).

What we miss is WHY/HOW it works. (theoretically it should NOT/CANNOT )

You can confirm that you did install it on a CLEAN (or recently formatted) Hard Disk, and not on any hard disk where Windows 7 had been already installed, or with any other device containing an install.wim, right?


Wonko

[steve6375]

Just to be clear...

Booting to WinPE v2 or v3 from an iso is perfectly possible, which is what happens when you specify the iso file in menu.lst. What I do not understand is after you boot, how you can get the Windows source wim file listed in the Windows Install window and actually install Windows onto a hard disk.

So when you say 'boot' - this is quite possible, but have you actually installed Windows after booting - this is what I cannot think would work.

[Wonko the Sane]

So when you say 'boot' - this is quite possible, but have you actually installed Windows after booting - this is what I cannot think would work.

I don't think that these:

Results:


Asus P5Q-E motherboard = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, install fine.

Intel Atom 330 = Both x86 and x64 boots fine, installs fine.

Acer Aspire One AO751h = Both x86 and x64 boots and install fine.

Compaq Presario CQ41-226LA = Both x86 and x64 boots, can´t install, ERROR.

can be misunderstood.


Wonko

[steve6375]

Well something is not right somewhere.

I just formatted an 8GB Verbatim micro USB key with RMPrepUSB as NTFS + grub4dos
Made a menu.lst as above.
Copied Win 7 pro 32 bit iso downloaded from http://techpp.com/20...download-links/

So my USB flash drive has ONLY 3 FILES

menu.lst
grldr
win7Pro32.iso

It boots
I hit key to boot from "dvd"
It asks for country settings
I hit Setup
It stops with 'A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing' and 'Make sure the installation media contains the correct drivers'

Exactly as I would expect...

[steve6375]

Well something is not right somewhere.

I just formatted an 8GB Verbatim micro USB key with RMPrepUSB as NTFS + grub4dos
Made a menu.lst as above.
Copied Win 7 pro 32 bit iso downloaded from http://techpp.com/20...download-links/

So my USB flash drive has ONLY 3 FILES

menu.lst
grldr
win7Pro32.iso

It boots
I hit key to boot from "dvd"
It asks for country settings
I hit Setup
It stops with 'A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing' and 'Make sure the installation media contains the correct drivers'

Exactly as I would expect...

I then tried just adding \sources\install.wim to the USB pen - no good - still asked for DVD driver
I then added ALL files from \sources to the pen drive - better - now lets me format the HDD - BUT it would not let me install Win7 to the HDD even after I wiped it and repartitioned it. The log file (X:\windows\panther\setupact.log) says 'LogReasons: [BLOCKING reason for disk 0: CanBeSystemVolume] The selected disk is not the computer's boot disk.'

The HDD is enumerated by WinPE as \Device\HardDisk1\DR1 according to the log file, and presumably the boot drive (the flash pen) would be HardDisk0.

[steve6375]

Possible scenario which may work

1. Prepare pen with ISO file + all files extracted from the iso file
2. Configure BIOS to boot to USB as a Removable drive

Now grub4dos should load the boot.wim from the ISO file, then WinPE should see the \sources flat file structure and run the Install Windows GUI.
With luck, HDD0 will be seen as the system drive and it will let me install to the Hard disk.

... Result (booting as Fixed Disk in BIOS settings) = Did not work - same error as above - setup was unable to create a new system partition - log file has same 'not boot disk' error. Same affect if I use (hd32) instead of (0xff).

Booting again setting BIOS to treat USB as Removable - would not boot (disk read error occurred).

Booting same pen by installing grub4dos and then using chainloader /bootmgr - Result = Works

It is strange that by booting using /bootmgr the install GUI does not object to installing Windows to the non-boot device, but if booting via the ISO file, it does object even though the usb pen has identical contents!???

Yet more 'misteries'...

[steve6375]

This does work though!!!

title Windows 7 from ISO + flat files
find --set-root /win7Pro32.iso
map /win7Pro32.iso (0xff)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)


But I am using the extracted files from the ISO file as well as the ISO file itself!! So this is hardly capable of having multiple ISO files yet.

[Edit]
If I delete the install.wim from the \sources folder on the USB pen - I get the message 'Windows could not collect information for [OSImage] since the specified file [install.wim] does not exist.'

So back to square one! I don't see how iso booting can work unless the install.wim is also present somewhere...
[/Edit]

[steve6375]

This does work though!!!

title Windows 7 from ISO + flat files
find --set-root /win7Pro32.iso
map /win7Pro32.iso (0xff)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)


But I am using the extracted files from the ISO file as well as the ISO file itself!! So this is hardly capable of having multiple ISO files yet.

[Edit]
If I delete the install.wim from the \sources folder on the USB pen - I get the message 'Windows could not collect information for [OSImage] since the specified file [install.wim] does not exist.'

So back to square one! I don't see how iso booting can work unless the install.wim is also present somewhere...
[/Edit]

If only grub4dos had a file rename menu command ... ren \sources\install_w7p32.wim install.wim

[TheZeDD]

I've not tried the Win7 booting from a UFD yet... but from what you gents are saying here I take it that you have not been able to ummm.... load more then one ISO to a UFD when if you have Win7 on the UFD for installation to a drive in a computer?

And in order to make this work you must have both the Iso AND the extracted files for the ISO on the same UFD?

[steve6375]

as far as I am concerned, it is not possible to boot even ONE Win7 install iso from a Removable USB flash drive AND install Windows 7 to a hard disk. I am still waiting for someone to post EXACT method of how this can be done..

i.e. USB drive only contains the iso and very little else apart from grldr and menu.lst - it cannot find WIn 7 install.wim file and so you install Windows????

[TheZeDD]

I have to chuckle...

I thank you for your reply and your time in taking to do what you have.

So... The answer being is that you CANNOT install Win7 from a, how shall we call it, a wirgin setup of the Grub/Grub4Dos (Wonko will be by shortly to correct me) but basically the Loader (GrLdr) and its basic supporting components such as the Menu.lst and one or two other items (e.g. a fresh MultibootISO U.F.D./USB Flash Drive).

Wow, I've got a meriad of info that I've attempted to compile for ideas and theory's and such on installing Win7 from a UFD that say this is quite possible. Lemme find one quick.... because one user even posted showing what he was doing with a video/screenshots of it working...

I make guarantee's or if you have known these:

I forgot to hard save the first link on this first one:

C/O the sevenforums.com, I found it in July of 2010 from poster "mjbmjb":
Using Grub4Dos to Install Windows 7 from USB Pendrive

I tried both using Google and Yahoo to find it... Google doesnt even list "mjbmjb" on the site. Gotta love Google's $400.00 stock quote accuracy and uh, well... not even Yahoo's search found it :/ ?????

Ok, this user even posted info saying a DVD takes 30 minutes but this method via a UFD/Pendrive whatever... takes only 15 minutes!

This is one congruent paragraph:

"...Advantages of using Grub4Dos
There are many several ways to install Windows 7 from USB Pendrive.

Microsoft has officially released a software which can transfer Windows 7 DVD into pendrive.
WintoFlash is another software will do the same thing.
However, these 2 software will only allow 1 OS at a time.

But, by using Grub4Dos, many other bootable OS or Softwares (ie, Linux, Ubuntu, Ultimate Boot CD, Partition Wizard...) are supported in ...O-N-E... single pendrive/External Hard Disk. "

This must be it and it matches quite closely to what I have, I did a Google/Yahoo search for "(hd0,2) means 1st hard disk, 3rd partition" and it comes up first (hmm.. even Bing.com too):
http://www.w7forums....rage-t6272.html

Also....
Windows 7 - Install Windows 7 from USB Pen Drive Using Grub4Dos:
http://www.sevenforu...g-grub4dos.html

Tips - Using Grub4Dos boot Windows 7 Installation from USB:
http://www.boot-land...showtopic=11831

How To: Install Windows 7/Vista From USB Drive [Detailed 100% Working Guide]
http://www.intowindo...-working-guide/

I guess I didn't have as much as I thought I did..

Lemme know, I have no way of either testing or verifying these but someone is saying it works. I'm sorry I can't offer more

- Z

[steve6375]

Which one of these shows booting from an iso file? As far as I can see the CONTENTS of the iso file are copied to a USB drive, I said that you cannot boot directly from a windows 7 install iso file and then install windows once booted.

• You can easily boot from a usb drive containing the contents of a win 7 install dvd
• You can boot directly from the iso of a win 7 install dvd from a usb drive BUT once booted you cannot install win 7 to a hard disk.
• You cannot boot directly from the iso of a win 7 dvd from a usb drive and then install win 7 to a hard disk.

The methods you have linked to do not copy the iso file to the usb drive, they copy the contents of the DVD to the usb drive - there is a big difference!

or have I missed something...

[TheZeDD]

Heh, funny. I hit the "Fast Reply" option... it took 3x longer to load the fast reply then the "Reply" button... nvm.

Ok, now I see what you mean. So you want to have just one ISO of win7 on the UFD, boot Win7 and then install Win7 while being inside of the loaded Win7 from the UFD.

Can I ask a question? WHAT THE H&LL for? Just reboot the dang thing and let 7 load if that whats you want. It takes 15 minutes or less to load from a UFD. lol... nvm. but I am curious, feed my feeble mind why this must be so. Is it more of a campaign or?

excuse my poor humor... you made my day on this one.

** Edit ... waves to Wonko

Edited by TheZeDD, 30 October 2010 - 09:27 PM.

[steve6375]

I've not tried the Win7 booting from a UFD yet... but from what you gents are saying here I take it that you have not been able to ummm.... load more then one ISO to a UFD when if you have Win7 on the UFD for installation to a drive in a computer?
And in order to make this work you must have both the Iso AND the extracted files for the ISO on the same UFD?

I think we are talking at cross purposes here. The title of this topic is 'The mistery of Windows 7 install required CD/DVD'. The topic is describing how to take a Windows 7 install DVD iso file and boot from a USB drive containing that iso file.

A windows 7 install DVD boots to WinPE v3 (not Windows 7) and then installs Windows 7 to a hard disk. The Windows 7 OS is actually in a file called install.wim which is read from the DVD (like unzipping files from a zip file to the hard disk).

Are you talking about booting the operating system - Windows 7 - directly from a Windows 7 iso file??? Can you explain your original Q a little better - what are you trying to achieve?