Universal HDD Image files for XP and Windows 7, Create, Update and Restore of HDD Image files using IMG_XP.exe package External links Options

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Universal HDD Image files for XP and Windows 7

Create, Update and Restore of Windows HDD Image files using IMG_XP.exe package

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0. Introduction

Download - IMG_XP - mirror

Run the SFX SelfExtractor IMG_XP.exe and use Extract to the Root of your Workstation Harddisk.
In this way you will get on your Local Harddisk the folder IMG_XP from which you can launch 4 Programs:

• IMG_XP_Create.exe to make NTFS compressed HDD Image File of Drive with non-running XP or Windows 7
• IMG_XP_Update.exe to Update the registry and drivers in the FiraDisk RAMBOOT Image file that you just used for booting
• IMG_XP_Restore.exe to Restore XP or Windows 7 on HDD or USB using HDD Image file as Source
• BOOT_IMG allows to Install on TargetDrive a Universal HDD Image File of XP loaded by GRUB4DOS into FiraDisk RAMDISK

The programs have been tested running in 32-bits XP and Windows 7 and can also be used from LiveXP PE Environment.
In all cases ImDisk must be installed in XP or Win7 by using previously the provided imdiskinst.exe file.
ImDisk is used to mount the HDD Image file in a virtual drive.


Universal XP is reality now:

The same HDD Image File of XP can be used for booting XP from FiraDisk RAMDISK or from HDD, USB-HDD or from USB-stick,
on computers having quite different Hardware architecture.

For booting XP from USB on different systems it is needed to first Create a FiraDisk RAMBOOT Image File and boot from RAMDISK,
which was found for XP to be made quite easily Universal for BIOS with AHCI and IDE SATA controller setting.
Then the Universal XP HDD Image file is installed on USB-HDD by using IMG_XP_Restore.exe

IMG_XP_Restore.exe is found to be useful for Install of XP on USB-HDD drive:

• Boot with Universal XP Image file from FiraDisk Ramdisk
• Connect USB-HDD on which you plan to Install XP, so that USB-HDD settings are known in XP registry
• Run IMG_XP_Update.exe to Update the registry and drivers in the Image file that you just used for booting
• Use IMG_XP_Restore.exe to Restore XP on your USB-HDD using Updated HDD Image file
• Reboot from USB-HDD with Windows XP

Install of Windows 7 on USB-HDD was realized as follows:

• Install Windows 7 as usual on local harddisk and Reduce Size
• Connect USB-HDD on which you plan to Install Windows 7, so that USB-HDD settings are known in Windows 7 registry.
  Wait until all USB-HDD drives are visible in Windows Explorer
• Reboot with other OS e.g XP or PE, anyway so that Windows 7 is not running
• IMG_XP_Restore.exe can then be used to direct Restore in about 20 min Windows 7 on your USB-HDD
• Reboot from USB-HDD with Windows 7 and wait about 3 min to let drivers for new hardware found to be installed

IMG_XP_Restore.exe takes care of everything and creates Universal Windows 7 booting from USB-HDD

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1. Booting with XP HDD Image file loaded in FiraDisk RAMDISK

- BOOT_IMG allows to Install on TargetDrive a Universal HDD Image File of XP loaded by GRUB4DOS into FiraDisk RAMDISK.
Use this e.g. on a laptop running Vista or Windows 7 to make a boot option in BOOTMGR menu for Windows XP.
Without the need to make new partition for XP,
one can now simply use BOOT_IMG.exe to install 1.4 GB Universal XP Image file booting in 1 min from FiraDisk RAMDISK.

The next section describes how such Universal HDD Image files of XP can be made and also can be used for Install of XP on USB-HDD.

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2. Install of XP on USB-HDD

• Install Windows XP on local Harddisk as usual using XP Setup Source with integrated MassStorage DriverPack.
  http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21883 - Prepare XP Setup Source as described in Section 2.
  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.
  http://driverpacks.net/downloads
• Set System Restore Off and Run PURGE_DLLCACHE.BAT to delete 350 MB of dllcache folder
• Reduce Size e.g. Change Virtual memory and Sleep settings to get rid of pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys
• For booting from RAMDISK Install FiraDisk driver with R-mouse on firadisk.inf in IMG_XP\makebt\firadisk-driver-0.0.1.18 folder
• Install ImDisk driver using C:\IMG_XP\makebt\imdiskinst.exe allows later to update Image file using IMG_XP_Update.exe
• Connect USB-HDD on which you plan to Install XP, so that USB-HDD settings are known in XP registry
• Reboot with your installed Windows XP and USB-HDD connected to Update the registry
• Boot then with other OS e.g make Active other primary partition with XP or Windows 7 or use RAMBOOT image LiveXP PE
• Run IMG_XP_Create.exe to make NTFS compressed HDD Image File of Drive with the non-running Windows XP
• Make Universal by booting with XP Image file from FiraDisk Ramdisk on computers having quite different Hardware architecture
  Use BOOT_IMG.exe to Install XP Image file as GRUB4DOS boot option on local harddisk.
  Update Drivers using DriverForge with Drivers folder that you supply, e.g. use DriverPacks from http://driverpacks.net/downloads
  IMG_XP_Update.exe is then used to Update in 1 minute the Image file that you just booted from.
  This learning process improves the XP Image file and creates Universal XP.
• Use IMG_XP_Restore.exe to Restore XP on your USB-HDD using the just made HDD Image file
• Reboot from USB-HDD with Windows XP

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3. Install of Windows 7 on USB-HDD

• Install Windows 7 on local Harddisk as usual from DVD or from USB-stick or use existing installed Windows 7
  For Install from USB-stick:
  Preboot HDD with pe21.iso into Windows PE 2.1 with GUI and launch Windows 7 from folder on USB-stick.
  See Section 5 in http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21883
• Set System Restore and UserAccount Control Off and Reduce Size e.g. Change settings to get rid of pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys
  No pagefile.sys - Run as Administrator in cmd window: sysdm.cpl
  and Change Advanced Performance Virtual memory Settings - Set to use No paging file
  No hiberfil.sys - Run as Administrator in cmd window: powercfg.exe -H off
• Install ImDisk driver using C:\IMG_XP\makebt\imdiskinst.exe allows later to update Image file using IMG_XP_Update.exe
• Connect USB-HDD on which you plan to Install Windows 7, so that USB-HDD settings are known in Windows 7 registry
• Reboot with Windows 7 and USB-HDD connected to Update the registry
• Reboot then with other OS e.g Select in BIOS to boot from other harddisk with XP or make Active other primary partition with XP
  or use RAMBOOT image LiveXP PE from GRUB4DOS Menu installed by BOOT_IMG.exe
• Run IMG_XP_Create.exe to make 7.0 GB NTFS compressed HDD Image File of Drive with non-running Windows 7 - Or
• Use IMG_XP_Restore.exe to Restore Windows 7 on your USB-HDD using HDD Image file
  Or Select Windows 7 drive to clone direct in 20 min
• Reboot from USB-HDD with Windows 7

Windows 7 boots perfect from USB-HDD on machine (ASUS MoBo with AMD Athlon 64 X2) where Windows 7 was previously installed,
but booting with Windows 7 from USB-HDD if connected to laptop (Intel Pentium DualCore, IASTOR needed for HDD),
then BSOD 7B occurred due to missing IASTOR driver and missing IASTOR registry settings for Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase and Services\iaStor
Adding to running Windows 7 the given HKLM_SYSTEM_iaStor.reg registry tweak and adding the files for iaStor driver solved the problem.
Then Windows 7 was booting from USB-HDD on both machines and can be seen as Universal Windows 7.
All other needed drivers for the laptop were automatically installed by Windows 7 after booting and running from USB-HDD.

Thanks to karyonix, more Info see:
FiraDisk - http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8804
Forum FiraDisk - http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=94
Windows 7 - http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=77
Windows 7 on USB-HDD - http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9196

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4. Universal Image Create and Restore - Details

- IMG_XP_Restore.exe for Restore on USB drive takes care of:
USB Services get "Group"="Boot Bus Extender" and Start=0 to prevent BSOD 7B
UsbBootWatcher.exe and UsbBootWatcher.conf are copied to USB-HDD\WINDOWS\system32 directory.
Thanks to marv and cdob for describing effect of Driver Group and Start value to prevent BSOD 7B in booting XP from USB.
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22473

IMG_XP\makebt\UsbBootWatcher\HKLM_systemdst_BOOT_USB.reg - Added to SYSTEM registry for Restore on USB drive

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CrashControl]
"AutoReboot"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\Usb Boot Watcher Service]
"Type"=dword:00000010
"Start"=dword:00000002
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000000
"ImagePath"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,55,\
00,73,00,62,00,42,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,57,00,61,00,74,00,63,00,68,00,65,00,\
72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,00,00
"DisplayName"="Usb Boot Watcher Service"
"ObjectName"="LocalSystem"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\Usb Boot Watcher Service\Enum]
"0"="Root\\LEGACY_USB_BOOT_WATCHER_SERVICE\\0000"
"Count"=dword:00000001
"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\Usb Boot Watcher Service\Security]
"Security"=hex:01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,9c,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,30,00,00,00,02,\
00,1c,00,01,00,00,00,02,80,14,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,00,60,00,04,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,fd,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,\
05,12,00,00,00,00,00,18,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,\
20,02,00,00,00,00,14,00,8d,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,0b,00,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,fd,01,02,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,23,02,00,00,01,01,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbehci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Boot Bus Extender"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbhub]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Boot Bus Extender"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbohci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Boot Bus Extender"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbstor]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Boot Bus Extender"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbuhci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Boot Bus Extender"

IMG_XP\makebt\UsbBootWatcher\HKLM_systemdst_BOOT_HDD.reg - Added to SYSTEM registry for Restore on HDD drive

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CrashControl]
"AutoReboot"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbehci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000003
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Base"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbhub]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000003
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Base"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbohci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000003
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Base"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbstor]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000003
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Base"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\usbuhci]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000003
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="Base"

In all cases of Restore the DiskSignature 4 bytes in MBR at hex offset 1B8 must be taken into account:
Value of \DosDevices\C: in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices on Target Drive is set according to DiskSignature.
All other values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices on Target Drive are deleted.
More Info on DiskSignature http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/mbr/index.html

User can add extra registry tweaks
to HKLM_systemdst_Add.reg or HKLM_softwaredst_Add.reg in IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks folder,
which will be added in Restore to the WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM and the SOFTWARE registry files on Target drive.

IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks\HKLM_systemdst_Add.reg - used by HKLM System CheckBox

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\intelppm]
"Start"=dword:00000003

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\services\msahci]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\AliIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\CmdIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\IntelIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\PCIIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\TosIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\ViaIde]
"Start"=dword:00000000

IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks\HKLM_softwaredst_Add.reg - used by HKLM Software CheckBox

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; SuppressNewHWUI - Suppress popup of Wizard New Hardware found,
; so that Universal XP can continue recognizing New Hardware
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\softwaredst\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Settings]
"SuppressNewHWUI"=dword:00000001

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Diable SystemRestore
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\softwaredst\Microsoft\Windows Nt\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore]
"DisableSR"=dword:00000001

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Disable Automatic Windows Updates - Notify Only, No download
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\softwaredst\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update]
"AUOptions"=dword:00000002
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Install of Windows 7 on system with BIOS SATA = IDE Controller, then the msahci Service has Start = 3.
Subsequent booting from USB-HD with msahci Start=3 on system with BIOS SATA = AHCI controller results in BSOD 7B.
The msahci tweak has been added to HKLM_systemdst_iaStor.reg used by Add iaStor - AHCI CheckBox.
This is needed to prevent BSOD 7B in Restore of Windows 7 for support of BIOS with SATA = AHCI controller setting.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976/en-us

Adding iaStor driver prevents BSOD 7B on booting from USB-HDD on other computer systems.
Copy iaStor.sys to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers and iaStor.inf + iaAHCI.inf to C:\WINDOWS\inf
Copy iaStor.cat + iaAHCI.cat to your CatRoot folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

download the latest version of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager from http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Product_Fi...01&lang=eng
More Info on adding iaStor driver to SYSTEM registry - http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=444831
http://www.msfn.org/board/enable-ahci-inte...xp-t109450.html

IMG_XP_Restore.exe has Add iaStor - AHCI CheckBox to take care of the above and
IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks\HKLM_systemdst_iaStor.reg registry tweak is added to the WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM registry file on Target drive
so that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase contains the required PCI device values.

IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks\HKLM_systemdst_iaStor.reg - used by Add iaStor - AHCI CheckBox

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\services\msahci]
"Start"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2681&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_27C1&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_27C5&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2821&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2829&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2922&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2929&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_3A02&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_3A22&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_3B29&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_3B2F&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_3B22&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\Services\iaStor]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Group"="SCSI miniport"
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"ImagePath"="system32\\drivers\\iaStor.sys"
"tag"=dword:00000019
"DisplayName"="Intel AHCI Controller"

Besides the already existing option to Add iaStor Driver, there is additional possibility to add other drivers
by dropping them previously in the corresponding IMG_XP\makebt\drivers folder.


Additionally for Install of Windows 7 on USB-HDD primary partition with DriveLetter U:

CODE

bcdedit /store U:\Boot\BCD /set {bootmgr} device partition=U:
bcdedit /store U:\Boot\BCD /set {default} device partition=U:
bcdedit /store U:\Boot\BCD /set {default} osdevice partition=U:
bcdedit /store U:\Boot\BCD /set {default} detecthal on

On booting from USB this USB-HDD partition will automatically get drive letter C:
http://www.multibooters.co.uk/cloning.html

For making correct Windows 7 entry in BCD store of BOOTMGR menu it is essential that Windows 7 was set as the default option.

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5. Universal XP - Support in boot.ini menu for Multiple Hal and Kernel

The boot.ini menu of XP can be used to select on the fly which hal and kernel file will be used for booting.
In this way one can support booting with the same Universal Image file on computers having quite different hardware.

http://www.vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/hal.shtml
http://www.etherboot.org/wiki/appnotes/port_winnt_sanboot

The method described above is improved and used in IMG_XP_Create.exe and IMG_XP_Restore.exe

Default XP boots by boot.ini entry LAST CONFIG with the files hal.dll and ntoskrnl.exe and ntkrnlpa.exe
The boot.ini switches /hal and /kernel will copy the in boot.ini named switchfiles and on the fly overwrite hal.dll and ntoskrnl.exe
At the same time the kernel name (max=6 letters) plus pa .exe file is used to overwrite ntkrnlpa.exe

A set of 7 hal files and 4 kernel files in folder halkern is generated from the XP Setup Source provided by user.
The hal and kernel files are extracted in priority from sp3.cab or sp2.cab or driver.cab (used by RVM Integrator) e.g. as

CODE

D:\XPSOURCE\I386>expand driver.cab -f:hal*.dll D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern\
D:\XPSOURCE\I386>expand driver.cab -f:nt*.exe D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern\

In folder halkern we rename:

CODE

D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern>ren hal.dll halstan.dll
D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern>ren ntoskrnl.exe ntkrup.exe
D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern>ren ntkrnlpa.exe ntkruppa.exe

D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern>ren ntkrnlmp.exe ntkrmp.exe
D:\IMG_XP\makebt\halkern>ren ntkrpamp.exe ntkrmppa.exe

In this way folder halkern contains 7 hal and 4 kernel files:

CODE

halmacpi.dll
halaacpi.dll
halacpi.dll
halmps.dll
halapic.dll
halstan.dll
halsp.dll

ntkrmp.exe
ntkrmppa.exe
ntkrup.exe
ntkruppa.exe

IMG_XP_Create.exe and IMG_XP_Restore.exe will copy the files of the halkern folder to Image folder WINDOWS\system32

Multiprocessor = MP and Uniprocessor = UP

boot.ini file with Multiple Hal and Kernel for making Universal XP

CODE

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="LAST CONFIG - XP Pro (Last Configuration)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALMACPI - XP Pro (ACPI Multiprocessor PC) for multi-core, hyperthreading"   /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmacpi.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALAACPI - XP Pro (ACPI Uniprocessor PC) for single-core, no hyperthreading" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halaacpi.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALACPI  - XP Pro (ACPI PC) for most compatability on ACPI computers"        /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halacpi.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALMPS   - XP Pro (MPS Multiprocessor PC) for multi-core Xeons"              /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmps.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALAPIC  - XP Pro (MPS Uniprocessor PC)  for single-core Xeons"              /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halapic.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALSTAN  - XP Pro (Standard PC) for old non-ACPI computers"                  /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halstan.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALSP    - XP Pro (Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor PC)"                      /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halsp.dll

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Summary

Universal XP is reality now:

- The same HDD Image File made with IMG_XP_Create.exe can be used for booting XP from FiraDisk RAMDISK
or from HDD, USB-HDD or from USB-stick, on computers having quite different Hardware architecture.

- IMG_XP_Restore.exe can be used to Install on HDD partition in 3 min XP including Office + PRGS + Updates
using 1.4 GB Universal XP HDD Image as source.

- BOOT_IMG allows to Install on TargetDrive a Universal HDD Image File loaded by GRUB4DOS into FiraDisk RAMDISK.
Use this e.g. on a laptop running Vista or Windows 7 to make a boot option in BOOTMGR menu for Windows XP.
Without the need to make new partition for XP,
one can now simply use BOOT_IMG.exe to install 1.4 GB Universal XP Image file booting in 1 min from FiraDisk RAMDISK.

- IMG_XP_Update.exe is used after booting with full XP RAMBOOT Image file, to Update the Image file that you just booted from.
Boot with full XP RAMBOOT Image file and Update Drivers using DriverForge with Drivers folder that you supply.
Then run IMG_XP_Update.exe to improve full XP Image file in 1 minute with drivers for New Hardware.
This learning process creates Universal XP.

- Most computers nowadays are ACPI Multiprocessor PC and we can use the corresponding HAL.
If you need for XP to support computers using a different HAL then you can use Add Hal and Kernel files and
let modify by IMG_XP programs your boot.ini as described in Section 5.
http://www.vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/hal.shtml
http://www.etherboot.org/wiki/appnotes/port_winnt_sanboot

- IMG_XP_Create.exe - IMG_XP_Update.exe and IMG_XP_Restore.exe are now for general use.
Allthough originally developed to make and Update 32-bits full XP FiraDisk RAMBOOT Image Files,
these programs can probably be used also to Create, Update and Restore Images of Windows 2000/XP/2003 and for x64 XP.
Update and Restore of Windows 7 VHD Files may work as well, but was not yet tested by me.
Please give feedback about any problems so that they can be fixed.

- IMG_XP_Create.exe and IMG_XP_Restore.exe have been tested running in 32-bits XP and Windows 7
and can also be used from LiveXP PE Environment.
In all cases ImDisk must be installed in XP or Win7 by using previously the provided imdiskinst.exe file.
ImDisk is used to mount the full XP HDD Image file in a virtual drive.

To Install ImDisk driver on Vista and Windows 7 you need to turn off UAC, User Account Control
http://www.ltr-data.se/opencode.html

The 64-bit ImDisk driver files included in the install package will not load on 64-bit Vista or 64-bit Windows 7
unless the machine is running with testsigning switched on.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

CODE

bcdedit /set testsigning on

Reboot to activate this.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd419910.aspx


Thanks to jaclaz for pointing me to strarc.exe of Olof Lagerkvist ,
which is used in IMG_XP_Update.exe to Update the full XP FiraDisk RAMBOOT Image File, from which you just booted.
Updating Registry and Drivers in Image file is done in only 5 sec, a Total Update of the Image requires 1 min.



Download IMX_XP from - wimb - mirror - (Thanks to Siginet)


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Development and historical thread here:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9227

[Lancelot]

Thanks a looooooot wimb

[Ariom]

Waaaa.. I'll try this!
Hope it works....

THANKS Wimb

Ariom

[Galapo]

Just a suggestion: you may also need to set AMDk7 and agp440 services to either 3 or 4 as well.

Regards,
Galapo.

[wimb]

Just a suggestion: you may also need to set AMDk7 and agp440 services to either 3 or 4 as well.

You mean this is necessary to make XP Image Universal,
or did you find this to be important to prevent BSOD 7B in booting from USB-HDD ?

Until now I did not have troubles with AMDK8 settings on Intel machines,
and for AGP I think Suppressing New Hardware found Wizard has helped to overcome boot problems.

Can you give more details on what issues we can encounter regarding those Services.

Thanks for your reply.

[Galapo]

The suggestion primarily arose out of my background with coding OfflineSysPrep. I had added the option of disabling the Intelppm service, but at the request of users added these other two as well. Booting on Intel hardware with amd processor service running can cause bsod in some cases. As for agp440, it's too long ago and I can't remember the details.

Regards,
Galapo.

[oriensol]

Hi Wimb,

Thanks for the great tool!

Perhaps the help/tutorial can be updated with the following two suggestions:

1. Install dummy.sys before imaging.
2. Inclusion of Paraglider's setpagefile commands for use with lower memory systems

Regards,
oriensol

[wimb]

PROGRAM UPDATE - IMG_XP.exe Package

In IMG_XP_Restore.exe the Source can be now a Drive (select your Windows folder) or the Source can be a HDD Image File.
This allows to direct Restore Windows on your USB-HDD drive,
without the need to make intermediate HDD Image file.

For booting XP from USB on different systems it is needed to first Create a FiraDisk RAMBOOT Image File and boot from RAMDISK,
which was found for XP to be made quite easily Universal for BIOS with AHCI and IDE SATA controller setting.
Then the Universal XP HDD Image file is installed on USB-HDD by using IMG_XP_Restore.exe

Booting Windows 7 from USB-HDD on different machines needs additional msahci tweak to make it really Universal for BIOS with AHCI and IDE SATA controller setting.

To enable booting with Windows 7 from USB-HDD on a computer with BIOS SATA = AHCI controller setting,
it will be important to add to IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks\HKLM_systemdst_iaStor.reg
the following tweak for the msahci service:

CODE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\systemdst\ControlSet001\services\msahci]
"Start"=dword:00000000

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976/en-us
After Install of Windows 7 on system with BIOS SATA = IDE Controller, then the msahci Service has Start = 3.
Subsequent booting from USB-HD with msahci Start=3 on system with BIOS SATA = AHCI controller results in BSOD 7B.

User can add extra registry tweaks to HKLM_systemdst_Add.reg or HKLM_softwaredst_Add.reg in IMG_XP\makebt\registry_tweaks folder,
which will be added in Restore to the WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM and the SOFTWARE registry files on Target drive.

FiraDisk driver is Updated to version 0.0.1.16


@oriensol
Thanks for your reply.
I will add your suggestions to the help/tutorial.

[wimb]

PROGRAM UPDATE - IMG_XP.exe Package

IMG_XP_Restore.exe

The msahci tweak has been added to HKLM_systemdst_iaStor.reg used by Add iaStor - AHCI CheckBox.
This is needed in Restore of Windows 7 for support of BIOS with SATA = AHCI controller setting.

Restore on FAT32 drive is now available using regular FileCopy.
In the previous version strarc.exe failed for restore from NTFS compressed Image File to FAT32 Target Drive.

Thanks to oriensol for making me aware of the problem with FAT32 format.

[wimb]

PROGRAM UPDATE - IMG_XP.exe Package

All programs of IMG_XP.exe package were updated for support of 64-bit versions of XP and Windows 7
Thanks to Olof Lagerkvist for making 64-bit version strarc64.exe

Install of Windows 7 on USB-HDD was realized as follows:

• Install Windows 7 as usual on local harddisk and Reduce Size (see Tutorial = post #1 of this thread)
• Connect USB-HDD on which you plan to Install Windows 7, so that USB-HDD settings are known in Windows 7 registry.
  Wait until all USB-HDD partitions are visible as drives in Windows Explorer
• Reboot with Windows 7 and USB-HDD connected to Update the registry
• Reboot with other OS e.g XP or PE, in anyway so that Windows 7 is not running
• IMG_XP_Restore.exe can then be used to direct Restore in about 30 min Windows 7 on your USB-HDD
• Reboot from USB-HDD with Windows 7 and wait about 3 min to let drivers for new hardware found to be installed

IMG_XP_Restore.exe takes care of everything and creates Universal Windows 7 booting from USB-HDD

For making the USB-HDD BOOTMGR menu in BCD it is essential that Windows 7 is (as usual) the default option.