Creating the Best Troubleahooting Device

Ever thought of having the most powerful computer troubleshooting tool at your disposal. Well this is a close shot. You can have everything from
- Xp installation
- Bart PE
- Vista installation, and
- Linux distributions
on one flash drive.

A little not well defined how to is defined as follows. Please, to make sense of it, read each line almost independently unless it looks continuous. Bad english writer, i would re-write later when i have time.

USB_MultiBoot.cmd - Install XP from USB
1. Introduction
The Batch Program USB_MultiBoot.cmd can prepare a Bootable USB-Stick,
which can be used for Install of XP from USB.
Install from USB-Drive is of general use, convenient and faster than Install from CD or DVD,
but is limited to computers that are bootable from USB, as determined by BIOS and
Motherboard.
Updating and Changing an USB-stick is also easier than preparing a new Bootable CD or
DVD.
Install of XP from USB is very useful when the computer has no optical drive,
like e.g. ASUS Eee subnotebook.
Preparing a Bootable USB-Drive with USB_MultiBoot.cmd Involves:
Format USB-stick like a Bootable Harddisk Drive with NTLDR BootSector
using PeToUSB or HP USB Format Tool
Select from the Main Menu of USB_MultiBoot.cmd
1 - Give XP Setup Source Folder and give UserData for XP Setup
2 - Give USB-Drive Target
3 - Make Bootable USB-Drive with XP Setup Folders
Install of XP from USB requires to Reboot from USB-Drive
and Select from Boot Menu: 1. Begin TXT Mode Setup Windows XP
- Download Direct from CD Forum: USB_MultiBoot_10.zip
Or from BootLand Forum: USB_MultiBoot_10.zip
Or from Mirror (Thanks to Siginet) - USB_MultiBoot_10.zip
- Unpack USB_MultiBoot.zip to your Harddisk in a simple Path without SPACES.
USB_MultiBoot.cmd is Vista Compatible, but requires User Account Control OFF.
In this case a BOOTMGR type BootSector is made when Formatting the USB-Drive.
Such Bootsector is Detected and Auto Converted by BootSect.exe to
NTLDR type Bootsector required for booting with boot.ini Menu
XP as OS is Preferred for Speed of FileCopy to USB ( 10 min instead of 30 minutes for Vista
OS )
The procedure for Install of Windows XP from bootable USB-stick was developed by
ilko_t , jaclaz , cdob, porear and wimb at MSFN Forum
- Install XP from USB at MSFN Forum http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-XP-from-USBf157.
html
- List of FAQs http://www.msfn.org/board/FAQs-t116766.html
- More Info See Guide with ScreenShots
- More Help with Bookmarks is available in the Help_Info Folder in USB_MultiBoot.zip
- Use of MultiBoot.cmd and everything in this Guide is COMPLETELY at your own risk.
2. XP-Source Preparation - *** BEFORE YOU START ***
Take care that your XPSOURCE Folder is located on your Harddisk in a simple Path without
SPACES.
Copy the Content of your Windows XP Setup CD to your XPSOURCE Folder on Harddisk
Siginet's RyanVM Integrator or nLite can be used to Integrate Windows UpdatePacks in the
XP-Source.
http://integrator.siginetsoftware.com/index.php?download
http://www.nliteos.com/
Windows XP UpdatePacks and Addons:
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack-sp2.html
http://integrator.siginetsoftware.com/index.php?addons
http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/
Supports the use of BTS DriverPacks located in OEM Folder on USB-Drive
http://driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/
For Install of XP on a modern system with SATA Drives it is needed to use DPsBase.exe
for Integrating in your XPSOURCE BTS DriverPack Massstorage with TXT Mode Enabled.
In that case a lot of Extra RAID SCSI and SATA Drivers (about 120 extra) are Integrated
which appear in the
XP Setup BootFolder $WIN_NT$.~BT on USB-Drive and can prevent a lot of XP Install Boot
Problems.
First use RyanVM Integrator and then use DPsBase to Improve your XP-Source.
The program supplies a Customised presetup.cmd and changes the winnt.sif file for use of
DriverPacks.
The Complete XP-Source is Copied by USB_MultiBoot.cmd to XP LocalSource Folder
$WIN_NT$.~LS on USB-Drive
Computation of Estimated XP Folder Size is used to prevent USB-stick overflow
and includes $WIN_NT$.~BT + cmpnents + I386 + AMD64 + $OEM$ + OEM Folders.
Excluding LANG and WIN98X Folders from Copy to USB can be Selected
from USB_MultiBoot.cmd Main Menu, which reduces the XP-Source on USB-Drive by 135
MB
Reduction of the XP WINDOWS Folder can be achieved with nLite
but do NOT select Operating System Options-->Manual Install and Upgrade for
removal.
If you did you will get BSOD, error 0x0000006F during Text mode Setup of Windows XP.
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3. Making Bootable USB-Drive with USB_MultiBoot.cmd
- Remove all other Removable Drives, like USB Backup Harddisks and Memory Cards
- Use USB-stick with High Read/Write Speed of about 15 MB/sec
- Unpack USB_MultiBoot.zip to your Harddisk in a simple Path without SPACES.
- Launch USB_MultiBoot.cmd and Display the Format Menu
- Format USB-Drive with FAT or NTFS - FAT32 is very SLOW for Install of XP
P) - PeToUSB - FAT Format - Max 2 GB
To Format USB-Drive : Enable Disk Format with LBA FAT16X
Do NOT Select here FileCopy of BartPE
FAT Format Supports Direct Booting with MS-DOS using MULTI_CONTENT
Install of XP from USB in 30 minutes - Buffalo FireStix 2 GB
H) - HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool V2.0.6 - NTFS Format - use X_CONTENT
NTFS Format Supports DOS Boot Floppy Images via GRUB4DOS Menu
Install of XP from USB in 16 minutes - Corsair Flash Voyager 4 GB
Do NOT use HP Tool for USB-Harddisks having more than 1 Partition
WARNING - HP Tool Formats whole Disk - Second Partition is Lost
N) - No Format - Use USB-Drive with FAT or NTFS Format by Windows XP
Or Update Existing Bootable USB-Drive having NTLDR Bootsector
- For USB-Harddisk use Main Menu Option 0) to Change USB-stick in USB-Harddisk.
Because that makes that rdummy.sys is used and this is essential for using USB-Harddisk.
rdummy.sys makes Fixed USB-Harddisk seen in XP Setup as Removable Device.
- Select from the Main Menu of USB_MultiBoot.cmd
1 - Give XP Setup Source Folder and give UserData for XP Setup
2 - Give USB-Drive Target
3 - Make Bootable USB-Drive with XP Setup Folders
U_11_Main_Selected.jpg ( 59.4K ) Number of downloads: 166
4. XP Setup Parameters in winnt.sif file and $OEM$ folder
Display and Edit of the 8 required parameters for Unattended Setup allows
to give your ProductKey and TimeZone used in Current_winnt.sif Copy of your winnt.sif file.
The Current_winnt.sif File is auto adjusted for Install of XP from USB and then
copied by USB_MultiBoot.cmd to $WIN_NT$.~BT folder on USB-Drive.
The file useraccounts.cmd with UserName is made in the $OEM$ Folder
copied to $WIN_NT$.~LS folder on USB-Drive.
CMDLINES.TXT is used for making UserAccounts and install of Registry Tweaks at T-12
Info see: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/
For the Option Edit UserData for XP Setup we have:
A. Unattended Install - UserName = YourName
in winnt.sif file - unattendswitch="Yes" - UserName is used Automatically
useraccounts.cmd with UserName is created in $OEM$ Folder copied to USB-drive
B. Semi-Unattended Install - UserName = None
in winnt.sif file - unattendswitch="No" - UserNames are given Manually at Windows
Welcome Screens
useraccounts.cmd is Renamed to Inactive txt file in $OEM$ Folder copied to USB-drive
C. Undefined Install - UserName = Unknown
No Changes are made in winnt.sif file or $OEM$ folder
In all cases Selecting Cancel keeps given Settings for winnt.sif file and $OEM$ folder
Unchanged
Selecting Unattended Install in the Editor instead of Cancel will enable to skip the
Welcome Screens
by automatic adding the unattendswitch="Yes" Setting to the [Data] Section of the
Current_winnt.sif file.
The UserName given at Edit Screen 8 will not be used in the case of XPSOURCE made by
nLite.
OEM or nLite winnt.sif File is detected in XPSOURCE and Auto Changed for Install of XP
from USB.
In that case All Setup Parameters come from XPSOURCE and therefore Empty $OEM$_X
Folder is Selected.
Windows XP file SETUPLDR.BIN is Renamed to XPSTP according to the 5-letter limit
requirement
for making NTFS BootSector Files using MakeBS3.cmd of jaclaz
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2362
In the Attended Install all Setup Parameters are given Manually during the GUI Mode of
Setup Windows XP.
For each XP Source the Program Supports to launch Unattended or Attended Setup.
For Attended Setup a second SetupLoader XATSP is made ,
where winnt.sif is Patched as winat.sif using gsar.exe
So the extra Setup Option does not take extra space from the USB-stick.
Attended Install is always available as Extra Option in the boot.ini Menu.
5. Install of XP from USB
Remove all other Removable Drives, like USB Backup Harddisks and Memory Cards
This will enable that your Computer Harddisk in XP Setup gets DriveLetter C
Boot with USB-Drive plugged and Press [Delete] or F2 to Enter BIOS Setup
Change BIOS Boot Settings:
Harddisk is First Boot Device Type and USB-Drive is seen as First Harddisk
Reboot from USB-Drive and Select 1. Begin TXT Mode Setup Windows XP
Use Only C: Drive of Computer Harddisk as Partition for Install of Windows XP
and then Select Quick Format with NTFS FileSystem, XP Install is Automatic
***** NEVER UNPLUG USB-Drive ***** Until After First Logon of Windows XP
New Harddisk and Creating Partitions after Booting from USB-Drive:
Direct after Deleting and Creating New partitions, Quit XP Setup with F3
OR Switch OFF your Computer and Boot in any case from USB-Drive again and
Run 1. TXT Mode Setup again so that DriveLetters get their Correct Value
So in this case one Boots ** TWICE ** in the TXT-mode Setup XP
USB_MultiBoot.cmd can make USB-stick to be seen in XP Setup as Boot Drive U:
In this preferred case the driveletters of Harddisk Partitions and Optical Drives
will get there desired normal value.
Otherwise USB-stick will get Drive Letter D: and other drives have shifted drive
letter.
The same shifting of drive letters occurs for Install from USB-Harddisk,
for which it is not possible to make it seen as Boot Drive U: by changing migrate.inf
After First Logon there is only 1 USB-Harddisk partition visible as Removable Drive.
After Reboot for Second Logon then all partitions of USB-Harddisk will become
visible
as Fixed Local Drives and the highest partition number of USB-Harddisk will get
DriveLetter D:
This reversal and use of DriveLetters might be unwanted and consequently
the use of USB-stick for XP Setup is Preferred
NON-STANDARD INSTALLS OF WINDOWS XP AND INSTALL OF WIN2003
Install of Windows XP from bootable USB-Drive
next to WINDOWS on the same or on a different partition of the harddisk,
is possible by proper manually adjustment in advance of the BOOT.INI file on the
USB-Drive.
Adjust BOOT.INI on USB-Drive: ( Or Select Correct boot.ini Using Option B in Menu
Screen )
For Install on the Second Partition, change partition(1) in partition(2)
For Install Next to WINDOWS, change WINDOWS to
what will be used as Install FolderName, e.g. WINDOWS.51
Windows Install Folder Name required according to MS-DOS 8.3 format
So these non-standard installs are still possible,
but require only small changes in the BOOT.INI on the USB-Drive in advance.
Otherwise ERROR Message for Setup of WINDOWS XP: WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll
file missing
will orccur on Reboot for GUI Mode.
6. Post-Install of Drivers and Programs
The Folder usb_cfg_extra provides a script for Windows Post-Install Wizard (WPI) -
http://wpiw.net/
WPI is very handy for the Automatic Install of Programs after Install of XP from USB.
In WPI script there is the option to run SFC /purgecache which deletes the dll cache
by deleting the files in Folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache
This is a very simple way to reduce the WINDOWS Folder Size by 360 MB
The Result is a XP WINDOWS Folder Size on Harddisk of only 785 MB inclusive all Updates.
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Advanced Use of USB_MultiBoot.cmd for making MultiBoot USB-Drives
7. Adding Extra Sources for Booting with BartPE, UBCD4WIN, Windows PE 2.0 and
Vista Setup
BartPE - http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
or
UBCD4Win - http://www.ubcd4win.com/index.htm
can be added to USB-Drive by Selecting BartPE Source Folder in the Main Menu. Remove
with Cancel.
The Folder usb_cfg_extra provides scripts for BartPE Menu
Install of Vista from USB is supported and launched via GRUB4DOS Menu
http://www.msfn.org/board/vista-t114092.html&st=6
http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-Vista-fr...6.html&st=2
For Vista Install from USB, Remove on first Restart your USB-stick.
Overflow Control is used by measuring DiskSize, FreeSize, XP-Source and
Extra Source Folders using ASP Drive Object and Visual Basic Scripting.
http://www.w3schools.com/asp/asp_ref_drive.asp
http://www.robvanderwoude.com/index.html
8. Multiple XP Install from USB and Multiple PE (BartPE and UBCD4Win) Booting
from USB
Multiple XP Install from USB is Supported (max 9 sources)
http://www.msfn.org/board/SOLVED-Install-M...SB-t114543.html
Run USB_MultiBoot.cmd again using New XP Source and Empty XX_CONTENT Source
Folder
Multiple PE (BartPE and UBCD4Win) from USB is supported using Multi_Partition USBDrives.
Multi-Partition an USB-stick after using INSTALL_DUMMY.cmd from makebt Folder.
When dummy.sys is Installed in your OS, then USB-sticks are seen as Fixed Local Harddisks.
In that case you can make Multiple Partition USB-sticks with NTFS format,
allowing to combine BartPE and UBCD4WIN or different Vista Versions x86 and x64
http://www.msfn.org/board/Multiple-PE-from....html&st=11
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...20089&st=24
Run USB_MultiBoot.cmd again using New BartPE Source and
using Empty XX_CONTENT Source Folder and No Copy of XP Source