Recovery Console not working from USB Stick, Grub boots Recoveryconsole fine from DVD, but not from usb External links Options

[wimb]

OR are you using (as you should) a "Full HD-like image", EXACTLY as detailed here :
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=49
But then, you should have EXACTLY done the steps as detailed here:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=39

First I have made a "Full HD-like image" according to the description given by jaclaz
Booting from RAMDISK with a Recovery Console image file does work for me.
I have used the cmdcons folder as prepared by Make_USB.exe to fill the RC Image file.

winnt.sif in root of bootdrive for booting RC HD Image File rconx2.img

CODE

[SetupData]
BootDevice="ramdisk(0)"
BootPath = "\cmdcons\"
OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect /rdexportashd /rdimageoffset=32256 /rdpath=rconx2.img"

Then I made a RC Superfloppy Image and could use this for booting from RAMDISK as well, where the image could be loaded from internal Harddisk or from USB-stick.
I found that changing the System Name in the BootSector as cmdcons instead of MSDOS5.0 was Not essential for me.
The Image File has an unchanged NTLDR type FAT12 Bootsector as made by XP Format.

Files setupldr.bin of win2k3 and NTDETECT.COM are not needed in Root of Image File,
but they are essential files in Root of BootDrive.
File ramdisk.sys of win2k3 must be added to folder cmdcons in Image file.
The original file RAMDISK.SY_ must be removed from cmdcons folder (otherwise BSOD 7B).
The most important and very essential part found by jaclaz is making in root of the RC Image file a folder i386 containing (uncompressed) TXTSETUP.SIF file.

Mapping of the image in grub4dos menu.lst is not needed.
Just chainloader /setupldr.bin is sufficient in grub4dos menu.lst on BootDrive to launch the RC Image file.
setupldr.bin of win2k3 uses (normal) NTDETECT.COM and winnt.sif in Root of BootDrive
to load the image in RAMDISK and then for booting i386\TXTSETUP.SIF file in RC Image File.

Booting RC from RAMDISK gives the Setup screen where you have to press R to enter Recovery Console.

===================================================================
Booting Recovery Console from RAMDISK without pressing R has been described by ilko
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=56

Add the magic Grub4DOS lines to entry in menu.lst of BootDrive

CODE

title Boot rconxf.img from RAMDISK
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /setupldr.bin
chainloader /setupldr.bin
write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F

and add this line in the Image File to i386\TXTSETUP.SIF in [SetupData] section

CODE

SetupSourceDevice = \device\harddisk0\partition1

Without it Setup will start asking for the Windows CD.

Renaming in RC Superfloppy Image file the cmdcons folder as i386 as ilko has done is even more simple than creating a separate new i386 folder containing TXTSETUP.SIF as described by jaclaz

Following ilko one can even avoid editing TXTSETUP.SIF file by simply adding line to
winnt.sif file in root of bootdrive:

CODE

[SetupData]
BootDevice="ramdisk(0)"
BootPath="\i386\"
OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect /rdexportashd /rdpath=rconx.img"
SetupSourceDevice = \device\harddisk0\partition1

For MultiBooting one can use also BOOT_IMG.exe to Install the Image file and to make the boot options,
but you have to adjust BootPath="\i386\" and OsLoadOptions in ramx1.sif in BootDrive as given above for the corresponding winnt.sif file

===================================================================

RAMDISK with Recovery Console gets DriveLetter C: which is a disadvantage and giving Shift of DriveLetters.
This shifting does Not occur when using cmdcons folder in root of USB-stick (preferred and simply made with Make_USB.exe)

@online
For Setting Keyboard and Language you might use in winnt.sif in cmdcons folder probably something like

CODE

[RegionalSettings]
    LanguageGroup=1
    SystemLocale = "0413"
    UserLocale = "0413"
    UserLocale_DefaultUser = "0413"
    InputLocale = "0413:00020409", "0413:00000409", "0409:00020409", "0409:00000409"
    InputLocale_DefaultUser = "0413:00020409", "0413:00000409", "0409:00020409", "0409:00000409"
; Comment - Above for Dutch Settings NLD=413 and Eng=409 with VS international=20409 and VS=409 keyboards

[was_jaclaz]

I found that changing the System Name in the BootSector as cmdcons instead of MSDOS5.0 was Not essential for me.

Booting RC from RAMDISK gives the Setup screen where you have to press R to enter Recovery Console.

@wimb
Try reading the above two snippets together and with the fact that the WHOLE point of writing cmdcons to bootsector is EXCLUSIVELY that of getting to RC directly, without the "press R".

Booting Recovery Console from RAMDISK without pressing R has been described by ilko
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=56

Add the magic Grub4DOS lines to entry in menu.lst of BootDrive

CODE

title Boot rconxf.img from RAMDISK
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /setupldr.bin
chainloader /setupldr.bin
write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F

and add this line in the Image File to i386\TXTSETUP.SIF in [SetupData] section

CODE

SetupSourceDevice = \device\harddisk0\partition1

Without it Setup will start asking for the Windows CD.

And guess what the "magic" grub4dos lines do?
BIG ENDIAN 0x63646D63=0x636D6463
BIG ENDIAN 0x00736E6F=0x6F6E7300
Sequentially:
636D64636F6E7300
which in ASCII means:
63=c
6D=m
64=d
63=c
6F=o
6E=n
73=s
00=NUL

After all not that "magic":
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5316&st=21
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2362&st=7


This is the kind of thing I really hate about "simplifying" things, information is LOST in the process.
Compare the grub4dos entry posted by ilko that you quoted:

CODE

title Boot rconxf.img from RAMDISK
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /setupldr.bin
chainloader /setupldr.bin
write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F

With the "original" one (one of the default ones in the menu.lst included in grub4dos):

CODE

#####################################################################
# write string "cmdcons" to memory 0000:7C03 in 2 steps:
#####################################################################
# step 1. Write 4 chars "cmdc" at 0000:7C03
write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
# step 2. Write 3 chars "ons" and an ending null at 0000:7C07
write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F

Which one is more helpful?

No, I've abandoned that way: the above reports are related to a HD image created from/with IMDISK.

Really?
Can IMDISK create a HD-like image complete with it's MBR and partition table?
Since when?

It seems to me that the space just exists (I will post a screenshot, but now I've not the time).

You are right , brain fart on my side.

May be, and most of all I still do not understand if the uppercase/lowercase in lines and/or in folders name is (and where) so important. Please let me know about that.

Of WHICH files?

Btw: how about the following? Do you think that CD image could boot from UFD through grub4dos?

You should ask at:
http://www.informationweek.com/

You do realize that this post by ilko:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=56
i.e. the last one in this thread before I moved your post into, and that you were supposed to have READ, following my advice:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...5306&st=257
is EXACTLY describing that?

And that the other thread you were suggested to read:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2254
provides a batch to build such a .iso?

Really, if anyone replies to me after I suggested to read something, I do expect that either:

• the suggested things has been read, and understtod, if needed a question related to the latter is posted, and we continue talking on the SAME method/way
  OR
• something like "With all due respect I don't care about your suggestion, I'll just google my way through other sites" is posted

jaclaz

[wimb]

@wimb
Try reading the above two snippets together and with the fact that the WHOLE point of writing cmdcons to bootsector is EXCLUSIVELY that of getting to RC directly, without the "press R".

Thanks for explaining why cmdcons was written to bootsector, I was not aware of its function.

The original grub4dos entry has indeed important info that should not be lost.

[online]

@jaclaz

Please, believe in that: to obtain a working deployment following any of the existing procedures about Recovery Console from UFD seems to me more difficult rather than to follow any of the "ancient" Dietmar's tutorial(s) about Full XP running from UFD.

So, please do not angry, it does not seem the case; and please note that there are at least a dozen of link, thread and topics RC-related between Boot Land and 911CD only, and one time it seems "suggested" to follow one and another time another one.
So I'm a bit confused, sorry.
Useless to say that all of them are pointing to or from you (so, thank you to exist: I'm serious).

But, please also note that when, rarely, I write a tutorial I use a lot of words and of specifications thinking that a topic-related-newbie can do not follow/know enough the issue and then, in order to avoid posts over posts of clarifications I try, writing a tutorial, to understand that any reader could not "understand" what I state and then...

I find the wimb's latest post/explanation (without taking anything away from you, sure) is very "comprehensive" and I like to read that so.

Sorry if my reports RC-related have been "innacurate", you are right, but in this period I have not much time and I have to do tests and then repeatedly broken and then resume again.

For the same reason I were wrong about IMDISK image-creation report, really I made it with QEMU and mounted it with IMDISK.

But in every case I do not able to reach its bootability once formatted it within XP.

Following one of your kind explanation (please note that I never used before neither IMDISK nor - rarely - QEMU, and I hope this is not a fault) of one of your many posts topic-related I did as follows:

create a new VM (> DOS os) with QEMU and a new (raw) Virtual Disk Image (10MB)

booting from the Win98SE floppy (under VM)

fdisk the disk image (reboot)

format /s the disk image (reboot)

it boots

exit and mount that image disk (renamed as ".dsk") with IMDISK (as Hard disk volume - sectors 63)

format it within XP (> FAT)

copy NTDETECT.COM, ntldr and boot.ini

umnount it and/or save it within IMDISK as disk image

try to boot it with QEMU and it says

Remove disks or other media - Press any key to restart

so it is not a bootable image

Also I tried with your MKIMG with no further success:


MKIMG disk.img 10M 16/63 01 /fsz

The image is unmountable, please check given parameters


MKIMG disk.img 10,838,016 16/63 01 /fsz

32130 was unexpected at this time


Sorry if I did not understand by myself where I'm wrong...


Btw: my mentioned link about Recovery Console files&folders creation with the "\winnt32.exe /noreboot" command seemed to me as the most direct way in order to obtain the needed files (and then a related bootable ISO image) without using any tool/utility that possibly could add "something" more than exactly just those file. I always prefer straight ways (even manual ones): here's all.

[was_jaclaz]

@online
No probs whatsoever, but you see, at least seeing from the outside, you seem to be alternating from a very good knowledge of the way things work to total - and no offence whatsoever intended - naivety/lack of experience.

Some things that you should be already familiar with in my view:

Sorry if my reports RC-related have been "innacurate", you are right, but in this period I have not much time and I have to do tests and then repeatedly broken and then resume again.

For the same reason I were wrong about IMDISK image-creation report, really I made it with QEMU and mounted it with IMDISK.

1. How VITAL is reporting EXACTLY anything.

But in every case I do not able to reach its bootability once formatted it within XP.

Following one of your kind explanation (please note that I never used before neither IMDISK nor - rarely - QEMU, and I hope this is not a fault) of one of your many posts topic-related I did as follows:

create a new VM (> DOS os) with QEMU and a new (raw) Virtual Disk Image (10MB)

booting from the Win98SE floppy (under VM)

fdisk the disk image (reboot)

format /s the disk image (reboot)

it boots


exit and mount that image disk (renamed as ".dsk") with IMDISK (as Hard disk volume - sectors 63)

format it within XP (> FAT)

copy NTDETECT.COM, ntldr and boot.ini

umnount it and/or save it within IMDISK as disk image

try to boot it with QEMU and it says

Remove disks or other media - Press any key to restart

so it is not a bootable image

2. NOT posting a "vague" reference, but rather a LINK to whatever you followed.

BTW, and specifically, I doubt I ever recommended the above procedure.

In this case, Qemu BIOS sees the (smallish) HD image as having a geometry of nx16x63 and windows 98 Partitions the device and formats it with these parameters.

Then, INSTEAD of mounting the image through VDK AND a .pln descriptor file (which is what I generally recommend) you mounted it with IMDISK, which, unlike VDK, is NOT a "Virtual HD disk driver" but rather a "Virtual superfloppy driver" or "Virtual partition disk driver".
IMDISK SKIPS the MBR and hidden sectors and accesses just the partition.
Of course XP mounts the partition with it's default nx255x63 geometry and formats it accordingly.

Also I tried with your MKIMG with no further success:


MKIMG disk.img 10M 16/63 01 /fsz

The image is unmountable, please check given parameters


MKIMG disk.img 10,838,016 16/63 01 /fsz

32130 was unexpected at this time

3. Failing to describe in which environment you are doing experiments


WHICH of the several versions of mbrbatch/mkimg are you using?
WHERE did you get it?
UNDER which OS did you try using it?

and
4. Giving up too early/changing method/approach at first difficulty

WHY didn't you post a bug report/complain/request for help on it's thread?:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3191

DID you READ the thread where it's usage is discussed?
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5000

WON'T you think that if these exact instructions worked for Galapo, they should work for you as well?

What you report seems like a lockup of VDK.
It's a known issue that sometimes happen on XP (never on 2K ) and possibly on Vista, and it's source has not been tracked down yet, most probably something in the OS, like VSS or whatever "locks" the driver, thus it cannot be removed and "locks up".
Try rebooting.
Run the batch from fresh and ONCE, with the right values.
Get my pseudo-GUI for VDK and try mounting the image through it/play with installing/starting/stopping/removing VDK:
http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...ts/VDM/vdm.html
Report.

It is possible to change a couple of lines in the batch in order to check if VDK is already installed and avoid removing it, see here for some details:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5531
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=1662&st=59
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...c=6432&st=6

Giving up is NOT an option!



jaclaz

[online]

No probs whatsoever, but you see, at least seeing from the outside, you seem to be alternating from a very good knowledge of the way things work to total - and no offence whatsoever intended - naivety/lack of experience.

Yep, the (presumed) "naivety" is something that I lovingly grow...

1. How VITAL is reporting EXACTLY anything.

Yes, I know.

2. NOT posting a "vague" reference, but rather a LINK to whatever you followed.

BTW, and specifically, I doubt I ever recommended the above procedure.

Yes, you are right.
However I've just found that link
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ost&p=17980

Use the Qemu Manager "wizard" to create a new VM, say testVM, with DOS operating System, create with it a Virtual Hard Disk (RAW) say 10 Mb in size, save the new VM.
Double click on it and set a DOS/Win9x Dos floppy image as drive A:, selecting to boot from it.
Boot the VM, FDISK the drive C:
Reboot the VM, FORMAT it with /S option.
Close the machine
Unselect boot from floppy A: and try booting the machine from HD.
Should boot normally.
Close it, use IMDISK to mount the HD image with an offset of 63 blocks.
You should see the three files IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM you copied to it when in the VM.
Now, Format from within 2K/XP the disk image, and add to it the files NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and BOOT.INI (you can copy those on your primary partition on HD, they are only needed to check if the formatting is OK.
Reboot the VM and see if you can get as far as boot.ini, fllowing you should have an error about missing \windows\system32\ntkrnl.sys or something similar.

hoping I didn't misunderstand the whole pointing.

3. Failing to describe in which environment you are doing experiments

No, I did.

But in every case I do not able to reach its bootability once formatted it within XP.

Please, note that I've used a clean copy of XP SP3 (fully updated) with no "special" driver or filter driver or virtual drive installed.

WHICH of the several versions of mbrbatch/mkimg are you using?

The latest... the Galapo's one indeed (that's the "modded" not-your latest).
However with the just tested "mkimg003.zip" (that seems your latest one) the result is the same with the same errors.
Please, note that all required tools are the latest one's downloaded from the respective original sites.

WHERE did you get it?

From here http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3191

UNDER which OS did you try using it?

Already answered: please read above.

4. Giving up too early/changing method/approach at first difficulty

No, it is not my approach.
I try to understand (and to know) all what I do, indeed.
It is also for this reason that I do not like too the utility (mostly if very complex): I want to know what them exactly do (although then I could "want" to forget about it).
This specific issue, it seems I can not (able to) create a disk image HD-like in any way (at least for now)...

WHY didn't you post a bug report/complain/request for help on it's thread?:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3191

I did not think it could be a bug, and frankly I still do not think so.

DID you READ the thread where it's usage is discussed?
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5000

No, I din't... sorry.
But now I will give a look at those pages.

WON'T you think that if these exact instructions worked for Galapo, they should work for you as well?

Yep.

Giving up is NOT an option!

Rest assured.

Btw: please tell me about a(nother?) clear&proven (!?!) procedure in order to create a f#§*ed disk image HD-like. That's: what procedure should I groped now?

Thank you so much in advance.

[was_jaclaz]

Btw: please tell me about a(nother?) clear&proven (!?!) procedure in order to create a f#ç*ed disk image HD-like. That's: what procedure should I groped now?

Didn't I?

What you report seems like a lockup of VDK.
It's a known issue that sometimes happen on XP (never on 2K ) and possibly on Vista, and it's source has not been tracked down yet, most probably something in the OS, like VSS or whatever "locks" the driver, thus it cannot be removed and "locks up".
Try rebooting.
Run the batch from fresh and ONCE, with the right values.
Get my pseudo-GUI for VDK and try mounting the image through it/play with installing/starting/stopping/removing VDK:
http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...ts/VDM/vdm.html
Report.

Another:
instead of booting a DOS image in Qemu, boot a PE" in it and use it to partition/format the disk image.

Another:
boot DOS in Qemu, partition and format the image, use bootpart to replace the bootsector with the WinXP one:
http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

Tip available "between the lines" of this:
http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...B/USBstick.html
since 2005

Some more details on the use of bootpart:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129604



jaclaz

P.S.:
About this :
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2692
you might want to know that from time to time I do post "wrong" info (intentionally ) to make sure that the person I am speaking with at the moment is actually paying attention and does do EXACTLY what has been told (getting a new error that I will later use to explain why the suggestion was wrong and what is the actual problem causing the error).
Compare with this (in the present thread, which by now you should know by heart):
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=23

[online]

P.S.:
About this :
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2692
you might want to know that from time to time I do post "wrong" info (intentionally ) to make sure that the person I am speaking with at the moment is actually paying attention and does do EXACTLY what has been told (getting a new error that I will later use to explain why the suggestion was wrong and what is the actual problem causing the error).
Compare with this (in the present thread, which by now you should know by heart):
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5316&st=23

Are you serious?




P. S.: however, the f#§*ed formatting works great!

[online]

Thanks to pointings of jaclaz, wimb, maanu (not in this thread) and ilko I've found/derived/built two simplest ways in order to boot XP RC from my UFD.
Since I always prefer the most straight way (even if it's the manual one) I've tried to achieve that goal with either the minimum file hacking & file number and with the minimal use of tool/utility.
Having more time&calm I can finally say that I have achieved "my" success.
Of course most of the following have been already said "anywhere", but it seems to me that these two ways are really so very simple and direct as possibly I didn't read before (if something exists, please report).

Excluding the reported direct installation from a "PE", it seemed to me that essentially there are 3 ways in order to do that:
1. To boot XP RC from a bootable ISO image loaded in a RAMdisk (I like it and this way I've not relieved any issue ).
2. To boot XP RC from a "flat" folder (containing the needed files).
3. To boot XP RC from a bootable image disk as HardDisk or SuperFloppy loaded in a RAMdisk.


So in order to reach "my" success (> with the minimal use of files, tools and hacking) it is enough as follows (choosing the first two ways):

For "XP RC ISO" creation

• Insert your XP (SP3) Installation CD-ROM (note that your Product key may be needed) and from Command Prompt navigate to "I386" folder and run the following command
  winnt32.exe /noreboot
  
  CODE
  winnt32.exe /cmdcons /noreboot
  
  selecting
  
  CODE
  New Installation (Advanced)
  Upgrading to NTFS (No, skip this step)
  Dynamic Update (No, skip this step)
  
  and waiting for task completion
• Delete "C:\boot.ini" and rename the existing "BOOT.BAK" just as "boot.ini"
• Rename "C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT cmdcons" as "I386"
• Delete "bootsect.dat", "migrate.inf" and "ramdisk.sy_" from the just renamed "I386"
• Copy "ramdisk.sy_" (> WS2003_SP1) in "I386"
• Cut "winnt.sif" from "I386" folder and copy it in your UFD root replacing its existing entries as follows
  
  CODE
  [SetupData]
  BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"
  BootPath = "\I386\"
  OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /rdexportascd /rdpath=xrc.iso"
  
  noting that "xrc" is just your ISO file name and "I386" is the name of the folder existing in your "xrc.iso" image root
• Copy "ntdetect.com" and "setupldr.bin" (> WS2003_SP1) to your UFD root
• Copy "WIN51", "WIN51IP" and "WIN51IP.SP3" from your XP Installation CD-ROM root to your Desktop
• Extract with BBIE 1.0 and save on your Desktop the boot-sector image of your XP Installation CD-ROM
  http://www.nu2.nu/download.php?sFile=bbie10.zip
  running from Command Prompt the follow command
  
  CODE
  bbie X:
  
  where "X" is your actual CD-ROM drive letter
  then rename the just created "image1.bin" in BBIE folder as "msb.img" and copy it on your Desktop
• Create a bootable ISO with "No emulation" and "4 sectors loaded and allocated to the boot image
• That's create a (default options) bootable ISO with "Free ISO Creator 2.8.0.1" http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/...O-Creator.shtml
  just pointing to "msb.img" on your Desktop
• Copy the just created "xrc.iso" to your UFD root
  Note that also "mkisofs.exe" could be used, though it's a bit more articulated
  A sample-command could be something as the following
  
  CODE
  mkisofs -iso-level 4 -force-uppercase -volid "XRC" -b "msb.img" -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -hide msb.img -o "C:\XRC.iso" -V "YourLocalDiskLabel" "C:\YourWorkingFolder"
  
  I've tried "mkisofs 2.01-bootcd.ru (i686-pc-mingw32)" taken from an "old" VistaPE environment
• Add in grub4dos "menu.lst" the following entries
  
  CODE
  title XP Recovery Console
  find --set-root --ignore-floppies /setupldr.bin
  chainloader /setupldr.bin
• Done!
• The same ISO image will be working when burned (wanting) on a (bootable) CD-ROM.

For "XP RC Flat" creation

• Insert your XP (SP3) Installation CD-ROM (note that your Product key may be needed) and from Command Prompt navigate to "I386" folder and run the following command
  
  CODE
  winnt32.exe /noreboot
  
  selecting
  
  CODE
  New Installation (Advanced)
  Upgrading to NTFS (No, skip this step)
  Dynamic Update (No, skip this step)
  
  and waiting for task completion
• Delete "C:\boot.ini" and rename the existing "BOOT.BAK" just as "boot.ini"
• Rename "C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT" as "cmdcons"
• Delete "bootsect.dat" and "migrate.inf" from the just renamed "I386" and replace the "winnt.sif" file content with the following entry
  
  CODE
  [data]
  CmdCons="1"
• Place a copy of "ntdetect.com" existing in "I386" folder to your UFD root
• Copy the "cmdcons" folder to your UFD root
• Add the following entries in your "menu.lst"
  
  CODE
  title XP Recovery Console
  find --set-root /cmdcons/setupldr.bin
  chainloader /cmdcons/setupldr.bin
  write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
  write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F
• Done!

Enjoy!

RAMDISK with Recovery Console gets DriveLetter C: which is a disadvantage and giving Shift of DriveLetters.

Please, could you describe which is the real disavantage?
I ask that just because I've interested in different usages, but I've noticed the following:

if you want to use the "fixmbr" command (just as an interesting example) then you have to specify the correct switch in any case (either when running from "Flat" and from RAMdisk) as follows (just as an example)

CODE

fixmbr \device\harddsisk0

(that's the MBR of the 1st HD within your PC)
otherwise, since your UFD will be recognized as the 1st disk, if you run "fixmbr" without switch then the MBR of your UFD will be "fixed" indeed

CODE

Writing new master boot record on physical drive \Device\Harddisk4\Partition0

that's just your UFD.
Other operations and commands seem to work in both cases without any difference (please, report different experiences).
The odd thing, as already known, is that the "map" command reports
\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1 (HD)
\Device\Harddisk4\Partition1 (UFD)
and the "map arc" command reports
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1) (HD)
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) (UFD)

Note that the above occurs running either from RAMdisk and from "Flat" XP RC, the only noticed difference is in the drive(s) letter assignment:

D:\WINDOWS - if running from RAMdisk
C:\WINDOWS - if running from "Flat"

However the "fixmbr device name" switch
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058
is needed in both cases.

@online
For Setting Keyboard and Language you might use in winnt.sif in cmdcons folder probably something like

So many thanks for your complete reply , really I was interested just in the keyboard layout (not in locale/language options, that I have all in EN-US) so I've just renamed my "kbdxx.dll" to ""kbdus.dll" and replaced it in the related folder.

For the record I finally reached to create a HD-like image with MKIMG, although then I've preferred the ISO image because of the same results achieving, but with more simplicity, more straight way and more versatility.

C:\MBRBatch>mkimg disk.img
Image size, in bytes or suffixed by K, M or G for Kilo Mega or Giga
Please enter target image size: 10,838,016
Please type desired geometry [128/63 64/63 16/63 64/32]: 16/63
Available partition types for this image, 10838016 bytes:
01 FAT 12
04 FAT 16 <32 Mbytes
06 FAT 16 CHS Mapped
07 NTFS
0B FAT 32 CHS Mapped
0C FAT 32 LBA Mapped
0E FAT 16 LBA Mapped
Please type desired Partition Type [01 04 06 07 0B 0C 0E]: 01
Please type /fsz to use fsz.exe or [ENTER] to use mksparse.exe: /fsz
OKCreating a MBR from C:\WINDOWS\System32\dmadmin.exe with dsfo.exe:
OK, 512 bytes, 0.000s, MD5 = 61a174a7d3cbe41d9996de0f124b7ebf

Image will be mounted as 01h:FAT12

The batch has detected that the newly created image is mounted as drive Q:

NOW it would be the perfect time to stop if you are not sure about
what you are doing.

Press any key to continue . . .
The type of the file system is RAW.
The new file system is FAT.

WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK
DRIVE Q: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with Format (Y/N)? y
QuickFormatting 10M
Initializing the File Allocation Table (FAT)...
Format complete.

10.776.576 bytes total disk space.
10.776.576 bytes available on disk.

4.096 bytes in each allocation unit.
2.631 allocation units available on disk.

12 bits in each FAT entry.

Volume Serial Number is 5868-9E1F

Press any key to unmount the image and uninstall vdk.exe...

Press any key to continue . . .
Virtual Disk Driver for Windows version 3.1
http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/

Closing the image on the virtual disk 0...The image is closed.
Stopped the Virtual Disk Driver.
Uninstalled the Virtual Disk Driver.

C:\MBRBatch>exit

Btw: the HD-image will result bootable, but the other stuff is more articulated if not complicated so I've preferred the ISO-image creation following "my" straight way.

[was_jaclaz]

I guess everyone has his own ideas of "simple".

I find that using the already linked to batch file:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2254
to create the .iso is easier (and modifying it to use a SP3 source + the Server2003 SP1 Ramdisk/Setupldr.bin rather straigthforward)

But the main thing is that you are happy with your results.

If I may, wouldn't it make sense installing a local CMDCONS with:

CODE

winnt32.exe /cmdcons /noreboot

Or in other words, have you checked that the contents of the "C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT" that you rename as "I386" are the same as those of a C:\CMDCONS?

@wim_b
About drive lettering, wouldn't a simple migrate.inf file take care of it ?



jaclaz