CHM & HTML help support and editing BartPE menu?, How to configure these things? Options

[TakuSkan]

This looks more like the forum to post these questions on configuring a few aspects of BartPE that I haven't been able to figure out in the past couple of weeks. I'm redirecting myself here from my original thread about booting BartPE from a USB flash drive.

Can anyone answer the following issues or point me to URLs where I might find solutions?

1. Screen resolution:
   

   I decided to post this specifically to: 'The CD Forum > Bart's PE Builder > Plugins'

2. CHM help files.
   

   I can’t find information on setting up support for them in BartPE Is there a plugin and reader somewhere?

3. HTML help files:
   

   That requires installing MS Internet Explorer or another web browser. I wasn’t able to find information on setting that up in BartPE. URL anyone?

4. How to edit the BartPE ‘Start menu’:
   

   I managed to figure out how to set up plugins for Stellar Phoenix, Beyond Compare and a few others that don’t show up in BartPE’s start menu.
   
   I open the default file management tool (name?), browse to the .exe and launch programs that way.
   
   Seems one or two show up on the menu, but are greyed out. Any info on addressing editing start menu options?

Thanks for any feedback.
TS

This post has been edited by TakuSkan: Sep 25 2009, 11:03 PM

[nuMe]

3 = I believe the xpe and firefox plugins address that.

4 = have you reviewed the nu2menu plugin's htm file? Posting the xml files from the failing plugins may help also.

This post has been edited by nuMe: Sep 25 2009, 11:55 PM

[TakuSkan]

Thanks for the pointers nuMe. They ought to get me started. I'll research them and report back on my progress.

Posting the xml files from the failing plugins may help also.

I may just do that if Icana't figure things out on my own.

ThxAgn
TS

This post has been edited by TakuSkan: Sep 26 2009, 04:12 AM

[mbarnes]

Hi TakuSkan


here is a previous link to questions on HELP hlp & chm viewing

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...l=international

for some reason searching here on 'help' returned nothing

summary: easy way is add XPE plugin or get ubcd4win project

regards

Mike Barnes

[TakuSkan]

Hi Mike.

here is a previous link to questions on HELP hlp & chm viewing..

..summary: easy way is add XPE plugin or get ubcd4win project

Ah... XPE. I was reading about that when nuMe suggested it for reading HTML. 2-in-1... great!

Many thanks.
TS

[bengt]

For the chm viewer you could try the ABC Amber CHM Viewer 1.03, and it is freeware.

This post has been edited by bengt: Sep 26 2009, 05:41 AM

[paraglider]

Please post the built nu2menu.xml file from the output directories. There should only be one in <outputdir>\Programs\nu2menu. <OutputDir> is BartPE by default.If you have more than one nu2menu.xml in the output directories then that's your problem.

You can manually run my sortmenu program at:

http://www.paraglidernc.com/utilities/utilities.htm

to check that you have a good nu2menu.xml file. If my program reports problems then they need to be fixed in the original plugin xml files.

[paraglider]

What is your problem with screen resolution? You will need to install video drivers and run a plug and play plugin ( xpe is one ) to go beyond the default vga resolutions.

[Ed_P]

For the chm viewer you could try the ABC Amber CHM Viewer 1.03, and it is freeware.

Nice find bengt.

This link brings up the app's review page: http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Web_Aut...CHM_Viewer.html

[jaclaz]

Also, Xchm:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2104

Also, UNIVBE:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=60


jaclaz

[TakuSkan]

I really put a lot on my plate the other day. So I'm going to take things one at a time.

What is your problem with screen resolution?

Dealing with screen resolutions seems like the most challanging task I've taken on. So for the moment I'm going to focus on getting XPE set up which hasn't been easy. But at some point I'd like to figure out how to set up an option to switch to a widescreen resolution like 1024x800.

Please post the built nu2menu.xml file from the output directories....

Thanks for the offer paraglider. I did manage to sort out my menu problems pretty easily. I found that a few paths an/or executable filenames in a few plugins' XML menu files to be incorrect. It was just a simple matter of correcting them.

summary: easy way is add XPE plugin or get ubcd4win project

Setting up XPE has been frustrating. First of all let me explain that I'm not burning boot CDs. I'm focusing only on making a bootable UFD and am using PeToUSB v3.0.0.8 to load the BartPE files to it. And I'm booting the UFD on my Toshiba notebook.

On none of my attempts to build BartPE/XPE has pebuilder reported any errors.

On all but one attempt to build BartPE/XPE, the UFD booted to BartPE, but XPE failed to load. The system starts the boot process showing, "Starting Windows XPE [The Horse Power]" on the screen. It boots into BartPE, and starts loading XPE. During that process 5 error messages pop up that refer to networking, ‘Installing TCP/IP’, ‘Installing MsClient’, ‘Starting DHCP Service’, ‘Starting NLA Service’, and ‘Starting LmHosts’.

I haven't set up networking, so I don't know if that's a problem. However I did get XPE to load once without it.

When the process stops, I’m left with just the bare BartPE desktop without either the standard BartPE ‘start’ menu, or the Windows taskbar and desktop icons XPE should set up. I can ‘ctrl-alt-del’ and get Windows Task Manager. The ‘Applications’ tab shows one item, [Task: XPELogon | State: Running] which apparently hadn’t fully completed.

Within Task Manager I have an option that will launch RegEdit for some reason. But I have to hold the power button down to shut the system down.

I’ve gone through 2 versions of installation. Let me know if I've missed any steps:

1. The very minimal installation following Sherpya's installation procedure to install XPE. I downloaded 'xpe-1.0.7.cab', and for this process, DIDN'T create the ‘drivers’, ‘inf’, ‘system’ or ‘files’ sub-directories for the I386 files:

1. Start pebuilder
2. Click 'Plugins'
3. Click 'Add'
4. Browse to 'xpe-1.0.7.cab' and click OK there and in the following window.
5. Go to '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7' and change 'z_xpe-custom.inf.sample' filename to 'z_xpe-custom.inf'
6. Run pebuilder, go into plugins settings, and disable Nu2Shell.
7. Build BartPE files
8. Use PeToUSB to load the files to the UFB

2. A more complete installation building on the steps already outlined, but including files from ..\I386 on the XP installation disk.

1. Create four directories in '..\plugin\xpe-1.0.7': ‘drivers’, ‘inf’, ‘system’ and ‘files’.
2. Begin copying the following files from the XP installation disk '[XP]\I386\' folder.
3. Copy all *.sys files from 'driver.cab', to the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\drivers' folder.
4. Copy all *.sys files from 'sp3.cab' (I used sp3 files), to the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\drivers' folder and over-write older versions.
5. Copy all *.inf files from '[XP]\I386' .to the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\inf' folder by decompressing them from the command line.
6. Copy all *.exe and *.dll files from 'driver.cab' to the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\system' folder.
7. Copy all *.exe and *.dll files from 'sp3.cab' to the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\system' folder and over-write older versions.
8. Find copies of tweakui.cpl and tweakui.exe and put them in the '..\pebuilder\plugin\xpe-1.0.7\files' folder.
9. Delete the expanded .inc .ins and .ini files in the xpe\inf subfolder. Just leave .inf files.
10. Rename the z_xpe-custom.inf.sample file to z_xpe-custom.inf (I didn't edit the files z_xpe-custom.inf and xpe-defaults.inf to [my] needs").
11. Run pebuilder, go into plugins settings, and disable Nu2Shell.
12. Build BartPE files
13. Use PeToUSB to load the files to the UFB

The only time I was able to get XPE to load was after the 2nd or 3rd build. On the 1st few attempts I had neglected to disable the nu2shell plugin which was over-riding automatically booting into XPE. So I browsed to the 'x:\minint\explorer.exe' file and launched it manually. XPE loaded for a few minutes and completed successfully by setting up Windows XP desktop icons, and loading the taskbar at the top of the screen.

With that build, the system was able to boot the UFD and successfully load XPE several times when I did it manually. But after subsequent builds where I used the 'pebuilder > plugins' menu to disable nu2shell. I haven't been able to get XPE to load.

I've tried going back and simply re-enabling nu2shell in an attempt to recreate the one build where I did get XPE to load manually. But even that hasn't succeeded again.

I've gone back and pulled the XPE plugin totally out of the '..\pebuilder\plugin' folder, and rebuilt BartPE as it was before adding it. After loading the newly rebuilt files to the UFD via PeToUSB, the system would boot normally with all of the pre-existing software working fine as before.

I've also tried leaving XPE in the plugin folder, and removing the entire '..\plugin\zz5\nu2shell' folder with all the nu2shell files. But XPE still doesn't completely load.

Is is possible the sp3 files were causing problems? That doesn't seem likely since the minimal installation in step #1 above didn't include them and still failed to boot.

A lack of RAM? I set up the ramdisk plugin. But XPE still failed to fully load.

So what's stopping XPELogon from completing it's process? Could it be a lack of network drivers? I got XPE to run once without them. And BartPE boots and runs fine without them.

I can't count the number of times I've rebuilt the files and re-tested them while writing this. I'm up for any suggestions.

Thx
TS

This post has been edited by TakuSkan: Sep 27 2009, 09:07 PM

[paraglider]

Think you are running before you can walk.

1) Downloading and extract pebuilder to a clean directory.

2) Extract the xpe plugin to plugin\xpe. Add no other plugins.

3) Download Sherpya build scripts dated 20050322 from https://sourceforge.net/projects/winpe/file...uild%20Scripts/.

4) Rename mkisofs.exe to mymkisofs.exe in your pebuilder directory.

5) Extract the following files from the build scripts to your pebuilder directory
filecase.ini
mkisofs.exe
README.txt
sort.txt
wrapper.cmd

6) Download Sherpya infcachebuild 2.0. Extract the x86 version of infcachebuild to the pebuilder directory. If you are building on Vista / Win7 then you will need to copy a version of setupapi.dll from xp + Sp3 to your pebuilder directory.

7) Follow your step 2) instructions. When you first run pebuilder hit the plugins button. Disable nu2shell / penetcfg automatic / startup group plugins. Hit close. Select create iso file option. Make sure burn option is not selected. Run build.

8) Its recommended that you install a virtual machine product like Sun VirtualBox and use that to test the iso file before you try USB booting. Make sure if using a virtual machine that you allocate 256 - 512 mb ram to the virtual machine assuming your PC has at least 1GB ram. That way you get fast testing without having to reboot your main PC.

[paraglider]

You may also need to disable the 'Remote Desktop Client' plugin to fix copy errors when using xp + sp3 as the source.

[TakuSkan]

Thanks for detailing that for me paraglider. But still no joy.

The bootable USB flash drive I made using your approach had the same results. At the end of booting, I was still left at a bare desktop.

I went through everything all over, but making everything from an XP SP2 installation disk to factor out any possible sp3 issues. But booting the UFD still dumped onto a blank desktop.

So I downloaded Sun VirtualBox and booted XPE off an iso made from that SP2 build that failed to boot in the UFD. That completely booted to a XPE desktop where it worked perfectly. During the boot none of those 5 network related error messages occured.

It seems the problem is somewhere in the process of loading the BartPE files onto the UFD. I had problems like these when I was using 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility' to load the BartPE files to my UFD, before I switched to using PeToUSB.

I thought maybe PeToUSB is having problems now. So I set up 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility' again, and it seems to run fine now. But it was still no go trying to completely boot XPE with the UFD it loaded.

Any other thoughts?
Thx
TS

This post has been edited by TakuSkan: Sep 29 2009, 01:28 AM

[fuwi]

@TakuSkan

First of all let me explain that I'm not burning boot CDs. I'm focusing only on making a bootable UFD and am using PeToUSB v3.0.0.8 to load the BartPE files to it.

There are 2 different versions v3.0.0.8 of PeToUSB:
the official (german) version from http://gocoding.com/page.php?al=petousb which can only format with FAT16
the 'hacked' (english) version http://eaz.nm.ru/download/PeToUSB_3.0.0.8.zip which formats with NTFS

which version are you using?

fuwi

[paraglider]

I use this utility:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...=21702&st=0

[paraglider]

Disable autostart of networking. Uncomment these lines in z_xpe-custom.inf:

[Software.DelReg]
; Uncomment these lines if you are using PeNetCFG
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","101"
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","102"
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","103"
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","104"
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","106"
"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\900","107"


Did you add drivers for your network card?

[jaclaz]

Think you are running before you can walk.

As someone put it down before:

PS Another thought to keep in mind, take baby steps.

A word of advice, if I may.

Use a Virtual Machine.

Go the "original" .ISO way.

Only when the .ISO works (and you have become more familiar with the envirionment) add the USB "variable".

jaclaz

[TakuSkan]

@fuwi:

There are 2 different versions v3.0.0.8 of PeToUSB...
...which version are you using?

Ed_P had referred to the Russian version of PEtoUSB that dealt with his 16GB UFD, so I have the .ru domain version.

@paraglider:

I use this utility:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...=21702&st=0

Yes... as I wrote in my last post, I switched back to that ('Bootable USB-Drive Utility') for loading the UFD, but it didn't solve the problem.

Disable autostart of networking. Uncomment these lines in z_xpe-custom.inf:

Yes, autostart for networking has been disabled. I went ahead and uncommented those lines. While the resulting UFD is loading XPE I no longer get those 5 networking errors. But it still leaves me at a blank desktop.

Did you add drivers for your network card?

Since you mentioned it here I tried attempting it without XPE. The PE Builder v3 help for 'Adding drivers' looks simple enough. But as I've learned with many things BartPE related, that's not usually the case. I've yet to get that set up successfully.

@jaclaz:

A word of advice, if I may.
Use a Virtual Machine.
Go the "original" .ISO way.
Only when the .ISO works (and you have become more familiar with the envirionment) add the USB "variable".

Yes... As I mentioned in my previous post, I did set up Sun VirtualBox. And as I pointed out, VirtualBox will boot XPE from the ISO made by pebuilder into a fully functional OS. But the exact same BartPE build loaded onto a UFD with either PeToUSB or 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility' fails to fully load.

I've also made a bootable CD from that pebuilder ISO, and I can boot the system from it into a fully operational copy of XPE.

paraglider@jaclaz:

Think you are running before you can walk.
...take baby steps

Seems there's more than a little wisdom in that thought.

-+-

This post has been edited by TakuSkan: Sep 29 2009, 07:25 PM

[fuwi]

@TakuSkan

@fuwi:
Ed_P had referred to the Russian version of PEtoUSB that dealt with his 16GB UFD, so I have the .ru domain version.

@paraglider:
Yes... as I wrote in my last post, I switched back to that ('Bootable USB-Drive Utility') for loading the UFD, but it didn't solve the problem.

This let me think, that you always use NTFS on your UFD.
Just for trial and error: Have you ever tried to switch to FAT32 in the 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility'? Do you have also that empty desktop in XPE with such a FAT32 UFD?

fuwi