Installing Vista/XP on USB disk, Tutorial: boot Vista/XP from USB wihout INF modification Options

[jaclaz]

ISSUE

My USB drive is no longer bootable.
I've tried with (bootmgr + boot folder + bootsect.bak) from the original working bootable USB setup and also copied set from the VM/VHD install.
With the set copied from VM/VHD install, I get the Windows Boot Manager error:

can't boot - most likely due to a recent change in hardware or software
there is a problem with C:/windows/system32/winloader.exe - file is missing or has become corrupt
insert windows installation CD and restart

The file /windows/system32/winloader.exe does exist on the flash drive.

Is it because boot config copied from VM/VHD is hard-coded to C: drive and Win7 loader doesn't default USB key to C:?

QUESTION
Can anyone advise of an easy, reliable method for getting the files off the VM's drive and on to my USB key while keeping / making the USB drive bootable? Do I have to do a complete disk image? If so, how do I get around the multiple partition - believe I can only put 1 partition on the USB key. Or is there another way of copying the files?

All help much appreciated.[/font][/size]

MBR and bootsector have NOTHING to do with "later" errors like the ones involving BOOTMGR, BCD and winloader.exe.

Try using this:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ic=8480&hl=

though really cannot say if it will work.

OR use QEMU as a VM with the stick attached to it as \\.\PHYSICALDRIVEn, see here:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8581

I am suggesting QEMU as, though a bit slower than other VM's has the most "standard" virtual hardware (and drivers), for the latest build, see here:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7650

jaclaz

[cdob]

There was an error while copying the file into /media/disk-1/Windows/System32/config/systemprofile/AppData/Loca1Low/M1cro$oft/Cryptn3tURLCach3/Content[/indent]

Did you edited the error message?

there is a problem with C:/windows/system32/winloader.exe - file is missing

Adjust the bcd store, set boot to device and osdevice.
http://www.multibooters.co.uk/cloning.html

[smudger]

Did you edited the error message?

Yes - I edited the error message.

Adjust the bcd store, set boot to device and osdevice.
http://www.multibooters.co.uk/cloning.html

Thanks very much jaclaz & cdob- the bcd store change almost did the trick! I followed instructions as per link (booted Win7 VM, attached USB drive to VM and did bcdedit) and my (non-VM) machine booted from the USB drive and continued the Win7 installation process.

However, it took a long time to Install Devices - circa 45 mins - which seemed much longer than same step when installing on to VM, when USB drive was the host for the virtual drive. Not sure why this is - maybe because I didn't turn windows page file off on new W7 USB install, or maybe because driver that gets loaded for USB when used with the VM is better than the default one that gets used when booting & installing directly from USB? (Using Jetflash v220 64Gb flash drive.)

Anyways, after Install Devices & Apply System Settings, Win7 install reboots again but this time it won't restart & I get the Windows Recovery Screen. Tried following options:

• start windows normally
• start windows in safe mode with command prompt
• start windows in last known good configuration

but no good - still won't boot now from USB key, even after doing so initially. (Thankfully still boots XP from my HDD and thought it wasn't going to for a while - guess it was the memtest taking the time!)

So, I'm at dead-end again.

Does anyone have any ideas where to go from here?

If turning the page file off may do the trick, how do I do this from another OS, now that I can't get the USB install to boot (and haven't had front end access to it yet.)

Thanks again.

[smudger]

:
2) In working OS simply run usb_boot.bat and enter your USB drive system32 path

3) Continue installation from USB drive.

4) If you get bluescreen after installation reboots, repeat step 2.

5) Done
:

Apologies all - re-read this, re-ran usbbootwatcher.exe and that did the trick - I can now boot Win7 successfully from my USB stick!

Have successfully managed to reboot it as well and it hasn't frozen or anything - reboots fine.

Haven't tried attaching any other USB devices yet when running from the USB stick but guess it should be fine.

I have to say though, my main reason for wanting to boot & run from USB was that I thought it would perform better running native than in a VM on host XP. Admittedly I've only just done the install so haven't really used the native USB install yet but I have to say, I'm not convinced it's much, if any any, faster than running as a VM - even when the USB drive hosts the VM's virtual drive!

(And by the way, Win7 had automatically decided a page file wasn't appropriate for the USB install (I guess it must do some sort of speed test to determine).)

Thanks to all who have contributed to the process.

[jaclaz]

Apologies all - re-read this, re-ran usbbootwatcher.exe and that did the trick - I can now boot Win7 successfully from my USB stick!

Happy you made it

I have to say though, my main reason for wanting to boot & run from USB was that I thought it would perform better running native than in a VM on host XP. Admittedly I've only just done the install so haven't really used the native USB install yet but I have to say, I'm not convinced it's much, if any any, faster than running as a VM - even when the USB drive hosts the VM's virtual drive!

You may want to take into consideration actual speed of the device you installed to.
If a stick, they are NOT all the same, see this as an example:
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2009/...ive-roundup.ars
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2009/...e-roundup.ars/5

Besides, there are known issues related to filesystems used:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=125116

jaclaz

[marietto]

Hello,

I tried to boot and run Windows 7 on my usb disk using your method. This is what I did :

1) I Started installing Windows 7 on a sata disk and I stopped after first reboot.

2) I did an image of the installation of Windows 7 on the sata disk using Paragon Partition Server 10 and I burned it on a dvd

3) I installed a working copy of Windows 7 on the sata disk and I connected my USB disk there.

4) I restored the image files of Windows 7 on the USB disk

5) From the command prompt I ran usb_boot.bat and this is what happened :


========================================================================== 1 / 4

USB Boot preparation by MarV

Path to your system32 folder on usb drive (e:\Windows):

========================================================================== 2 / 4

Target: e:\Windows\System32

Creating backup of registry...
1 file(s) copied.
Register backup e:\Windows\System32\config\system.backup

Loading system hive...
The operation completed successfully.

Current control set is ControlSet001
Target architecture is: x86

Writing data to registry...
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
Press any key to continue . . .

========================================================================== 3 / 4

Copying service...
1 file(s) copied.

Press any key to continue . . .

========================================================================== 4 / 4

All done

Press any key to continue . . .

everything seems to be good,but when I rebooted the pc,it doesn't boot giving a read disk error. It is configured as primary and active. Can you help me ? Thanks.

[jaclaz]

marietto,
you imaged a drive.

This is NOT part of the method, I'll quote for you:

If you use Vista/2008 you might get error message (system cannot be installed on USB hdd blabla). Easiest way is to connect your USB hdd to your PC over sata/ide, start installation, and after first reboot, place it to your external USB case again (continue step 2, and continue installation from USB drive!!!). The harder way is to start installation somewhere else and after first reboot copy complete image of partition to your usb drive / I didnt tried this one yet

Using "Paragon Partition Server 10 " is not a description of what you did.

You may have imaged the whole disk or just the partition.

You may have restored the whole disk or just the partition.

YOu may have done in "raw" or "adaptive" mode.

Most probably, because of what you did in the above steps, you have as a result, BEFORE using the batch, an unbootable USB stick/device.

You need to have a bootable device, TESTED.
Then copy FILES (NOT the image) from the "partial install" to the USB device.
Then fix the BCD, see only a few posts above the experience with user smudger.

OR follow Dietmar's tutorial for VISTA:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...mp;#entry118931

AND the suggested way to copy from one drive to the other.



jaclaz

[marietto]

...

This post has been edited by marietto: Sep 1 2009, 05:15 PM

[marietto]

This is what I did :

1) I installed Windows 7 until first reboot on the sata disk n.1
2) I copied the Windows 7 installation on the USB disk using Acronis True Image Home 2009. I checked if it was bootable.
3) I fixed the Winload error using the Windows 7 DVD in recovery mode
4) I attached the USB disk and a sata disk n.2 and I ran usb_boot.bat on it with folder destination d:\windows\system32 (the USB disk with Windows 7 installation inside) and I rebooted
5) The installation of Windows 7 has continued until the second reboots
6) I attached the USB disk and the sata disk n.2 again and I ran usb_boot.bat on it with folder destination d:\windows\system32 (the USB disk with Windows 7 installation inside)
7) I copied these files from the sata disk n.2 to the d\windows\system32 folder of the USB disk :

a) usb_boot.exe
usbbootwatcher.exe
c) usbbootwatcher.conf

and I rebooted.

8) The Windows 7 installation ended regularly (if I detach the sata disk n.2 and I leave the usb disk alone,Windows 7 is unable to end the installation,because it reboots)
9) I detached the sata disk n.2
10) On the USB disk,I did :

a) sc create "USBBOOT" binpath= c:\windows\system32\usb_boot.exe start= auto
sc start "USBBOOT"

and I rebooted
11) The computer started to reboots on the first Windows 7 logo,so I went in Safe Mode and I disabled the USBBOOT service and the problem is gone.
12) On the USB disk I did :

a) sc stop "USBBOOT"
sc delete "USBBOOT"
c) usbbootwatcher /install

and I went to the service list to see if there was a service called usbbootwatcher,but there wasn't. I rebooted.
13) I attached the sata disk n.2 with the USB disk and on the first one I did :

a) usbbootwatcher /prepare d:\windows\system32

some messages appeared on the screen.
14) I started the computer with the USB disk and I went on the service list to see if there was a service called usbbootwatcher,but there wasn't and then I did :

a) create "USBBOOT" binpath= c:\windows\system32\usb_boot.exe start= auto
sc start "USBBOOT"

now each time that I attach new devices,the computer reboots.

Did I some mistake ?

[Full_thrust]

I got Win 7 to almost work, boots up to the Win 7 Logo and then reboots. the only thing it seems like i am missing is the USb Watcher file, but it will not let me DL it.

Did the file move?

Thanks,


Dave

[jaclaz]

I got Win 7 to almost work, boots up to the Win 7 Logo and then reboots. the only thing it seems like i am missing is the USb Watcher file, but it will not let me DL it.

Just in case:
There are three complete tutorials (and a how it was made thread) here:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=77

Tutorials:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9196
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9201
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9193

Development thread here:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9051


The files in first post of this thread download regularly for me, try again:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22473

jaclaz

[Full_thrust]

Thanks, I finally got the file to DL too, was strange for the last couple of days it would not.

Dave