Bootable USB-Drive Utility for creating bootable FAT/FAT32/NTFS BartPE USB-Sticks and Harddrives

Download-Link : http://www.fuwi.ethz.ch/files/USB-Boot_Utilities.zip

Some screenshots here

Guide: Kickbooting a BartPE USB-Stick or Harddrive (created with the 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility') directly from the BartPE-CD:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?s=&...st&p=158496




March-19-2012: v1.9.8.2
New version of grldr: version 2012-02-22 , Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated: latest pci.ids
Some other files updated to newer versions
Bootmenu-screens updated, see screenshots
Delete your browser-cache to make sure you get the latest version!

Nov-09-2011: v1.9.8
Some enhancements and updates (compatibility for newer versions of grldr)
New version of grldr: version 2011-11-04 , Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated: latest pci.ids

Mar-10-2011: v1.9.7
New version RMPartUSB.exe, new version grldr (version 2011-03-05), solved the issue "No Ethernet adapters found on this machine" after updating a USB-Stick with new nic-drivers

Mar-02-2011: v1.9.6
Some enhancements, Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids)

Feb-03-2011: v1.9.5
Some enhancements and optimizations, new memtest86+ (version 4.2), Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids).
Full functionality under BartPE with the attached PEBuilder-Plugin.
Update function now updates Memtest86+ & HDT & DFT too.
New bootmenu-screen, see screenshots

Jan-14-2011: v1.9.3
Some code optimizations, some text in the user-interface changed.

Jan-13-2011: v1.9.2
Made some enhancements for the the attached PEBuilder-Plugin, please read the readme.txt in USB-Boot.zip in folder PEBuilder-Plugin.

Jan-12-2011: v1.9.1
The old HP commandline formatter replaced with RMPartUSB.exe from the RMPrepUSB package (with the permission of steve, the author of RMPrepUSB).
Now it's possible to format USB-Sticks with FAT32 up to >1TB - no 32GiB limitation.
Now it's possible to format USB-Sticks with NTFS even under Vista/Windows 7 32/64bit.
Bootscreens redesigned (nicer font) see screenshots
Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids).
Some internal optimizations.

Dec-03-2010: v1.8.8.3
some small bugs fixed

Nov-05-2010: v1.8.8
Bootscreens redesigned, see screenshots
The 'Create_WinPE_Kicker-CD.iso.cmd' batch now ask for iso creation.
grub4dos updated (version from Nov-02-2010).
Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids).
Some internal optimizations.

June-23-2010: v1.8.6
Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids).
New memtest86+ version 4.10
Some other files updated.
'Create_WinPE_Kicker-CD.iso.cmd' now also works under 64-bit Windows versions.

May-11-2010: v1.8.4
some files updated.
bug fixed: Create a new bootable harddisk (HDD-Partition created under Windows 7) -> blinking cursor instead the bootmenu.

February-08-2010: v1.8.1
a small bug fixed, thanks ChinaDragon (http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...st&p=161159)
Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) updated (latest pci.ids)

January-26-2010: v1.8.0
some internal functions enhanced (e.g. more configuration settings in the file 'BOOTABLE_USB-DRIVE.cmd').
bootscreens redesigned, see screenshots
script for changing the grub4dos-bootmanager configuration on a working USB-drive (switching grub4dos-start between MBR and Bootsector -> CHBOOT.cmd in \GRUB4DOS\CHBOOT\)
new utility in the "Others" menu: Hardware Detection Tool (HDT). This replace the "CPU Identification Utility" in the previous version.
new memtest86+ version 4.0

August-11-2009: today, there was a buggy version v1.7.2a for some hours on my server!
please replace it with the updated version v1.7.2b !

August-07-2009: v1.7.2
small bug fixed (no drive-icon if PE-dir = i386 on the USB-Drive).
some internal functions enhanced (e.g. more configuration settings in the file 'BOOTABLE_USB-DRIVE.cmd').
Infoscreen when selecting 'Kick-Boot BartPE (fast)' in the bootmenu of the USB-Drive but no valid kickboot-image is on that drive (e.g. after 'Update').

May-27-2009: v1.7.0
unfortunately, in version 1.6.9 from yesterday i have packed a wrong version of the PEBuilder-Plugin
the CD-nu2menu is now working in the new version v1.7.0

May-26-2009: v1.6.9
newer version of robocopy, the Daylight Saving Time switching problem is solved.
now Server 2003 can be used as PEBuilder-source (no need for patching the Server 2003-setupldr.bin, this is done by the Utility automatically).
optional starting the 'Boot-Kicker Image Creator' after each new creation or update of an USB-Drive
(set UpdKicker=1 or 0 in 'BOOTABLE_USB-DRIVE.cmd').

May-13-2009: v1.6.8
support for i386 folder on the USB-drive. Just rename the minint folder to i386 and make
an Update of the USB-drive, that's all. You don't have to patch the files setupldr.bin or
ntldr, this is done by the Utility automatically. Also the opposite way: rename the i386
folder to minint, then make an Update, that's it.
In the previous versions, there was only one script for customizing an USB-drive:
'customize.cmd' in the folder 'Custom', but this script is only called from the function
'Create a new bootable USB-Drive'. In the new version, there is an additional script 'custom-upd.cmd'
in the folder 'Custom'. This script is called from the function 'Update BartPE on a USB-Drive',
so you can make your special updates without re-creating the USB-drive.
Note: predefined (but commented out) in 'custom-upd.cmd' is an option to re-install grub4dos
back to the MBR (default it is in the bootsector). Activate this option if you have boot-problems
with non-standard bootsectors.

April-30-2009: v1.6.7
filesystem for USB-Sticks can be switched between FAT, FAT32, NTFS and no-reformat
Submenu 'Others' (menu2.lst) in Main-Menu (menu.lst).

April-23-2009: v1.6.6
option to bypass the internal formatter on creating new USB-Sticks: create a dummy file
'format.ok' on the already (correctly) partitioned and formatted stick, then select 'Create a new bootable….'
as usual. Only 1 file has changed (budu.cmd) -> update all occurrences of budu.cmd in your installation.

Mar-19-2009: v1.6.4
grldr starts now in bootsector instead from MBR (fix F9-bootmenu problem on HP DC 7x00).
users of the PEBuilder-plugin should also update the files & folders in the plugin 'files'-folder :
-> delete everything in 'files', copy all files & folders from 'USB-Boot_Utilities.zip' to 'files').

Mar-10-2009: v1.6.3
new version of grldr, bootscreens redesigned
(hiding the ‘F1 / F2’ - Linux stuff, see screenshots here).

Feb-27-2009: v1.6.2
new bootscreen for drives without BartPE.
added a MsgBox (relevant for the kick-booting feature after re-creating or updating an USB-drive).

Feb-23-2009: v1.6.1
now Vista/Windows 7 UAC compatible.
now a PEBuilder-plugin included:
- adds the utility to the nu2menu/ShellPE-menu (for creating/updating USB-drives in BartPE).
- adds a script ‘Bootable USB-Drive Utility.cmd’ to the CD-root (executable under XP/Vista/Win7,
the CD is automatically source for the PE-files (no need to edit ‘Config_SourcePath.cmd’).


Installing the Utilities:
Copy USB-Boot_Utilities.zip in your PEBuilder root-folder (where PEBuilder.exe is).
Unzip the archive to a new folder 'USB-Boot_Utilities' (same hierarchy level as 'plugin', 'drivers' etc).
Run 'Bootable_USB-Drive.cmd' in the 'USB-Boot_Utilitys'-folder.

if you get the message 'No valid BartPE files found!'
then you have to change the value of the variable 'SourcePath' in the file 'Config_SourcePath.cmd' change in accordance with your needs.

There is also a BartPE plugin included in USB-Boot_Utilities.zip:
- adds the utility to the nu2menu/ShellPE-menu on your BartPE-CD (for creating/updating USB-drives in BartPE).
- adds a script ‘Bootable USB-Drive Utility.cmd’ to the BartPE-CD root (executable under XP/Vista/Win7).
-> the CD is automatically source for the PE-files (no need to edit ‘Config_SourcePath.cmd’).

Setup/Update the plugin:
1. delete everything in the 'files' folder of the plugin
2. copy all files & folders from USB-Boot_Utilities.zip to the 'files' folder
3. delete the folder 'PEBuilder-Plugin' in the 'files' folder

USB-Harddisks:
Any existing primary partition on a USB-Harddisk (FAT,FAT32 or NTFS, must not be active)
can be used as the boot-volume. It's recommanded to use the first partition,
because only the first partition can be used for 'self Kick-Booting'.
(for Kick-Booting with the Kicker-CD, the partition number has no influence).
Partitions will not be reformatted, so existing files and folders are preserved.

Executing Create_WinPE_Kicker-CD.iso.cmd also expands the grub4dos-menu on the USB-drive
with a 'Kick-Boot BartPE'-entry (for faster booting). You have to run this script after each Update!

Note:
The first postings in this thread (up to Oct 10 2008) are related to my older tool "BartPE USB-Stick Utility"
which can create a special kind of FAT32 BartPE USB-Sticks (DOS7-boot, loading BartPE via grub4dos started in config.sys).
This utility is still available here, but it is recommanded, that you try first the new "Bootable USB-Drive Utility".

The postings for the actual 'Bootable USB-Drive Utility' are starting here

fuwi

Good!

Hmmm, if I get it right it is a "wrapper" around the command line version of the HP USB utility, the interesting point for me is the use of gpatch.exe to write "80" at offset 64 or 36, that should mean that you have experienced that in some cases this value can be "81" or "82", but what is the reason for re-writing the bootsector with bootsect.exe?

jaclaz

@jaclaz

my reply comes tomorrow, i have 30 degree celsius in my office, i go swimming now...

fuwi

@jaclaz


1.
I found out, that when i wipe a USB-Stick (beginning with physical sector 1, writing '00', for example with roadkil's diskwipe)
and after that, i run the USB-Stick.cmd under XP without patching the bootsector (after formatting with hpusbf.exe), the 'Drive ID' is
0 instead 80h, and the Stick doesn't boot, see screenshot1

2.
The reason for re-writing the bootsector with bootsect.exe:
when i run the USB-Stick.cmd under Vista without re-writing the bootsector after formatting with hpusbf.exe, the Stick has a Vista-style
bootsector (BOOTMGR instead NTLDR, and the language is the lanuage of the Vista-OS), and the Stick doesn't boot, see screenshot2

After re-writing the bootsector with bootsect.exe, i have a valid NTLDR-style bootsector in english, see screenshot3

fuwi

@fuwi


What is the mean for the SourcePath ? refer to the tools directory of "USB-Stick" or the PE output source (e.g. D:\PeBuilder\pebldr )

@fuwi

Personally, I change it to ..\PeBldr\, and finally I get a stick as below



But it can't boot from the USB, it is sure work before by win98 format with grub4dos. ComPro way

Sorry for my bad English

@ChinaDragon

which file system did you select? FAT or FAT32?

fuwi

@fuwi

Thank you for your attention, I choice the [n] with file system FAT32.



It has a BLACK screen with a flashing underscore at the top of left hand side only, the system halted

@ChinaDragon

when you change the filesystem for Option [n] to FAT (key 'f' <enter>)
and re-create your Stick with Option 'n' -> does it boot?

fuwi

@fuwi

Work fine now with FAT file system, what going wrong for the FAT32 ?

Your work great, many thank

@ChinaDragon

The most compatible format for a bootable flash device is FAT16. Only "some" boards bios can boot FAT32.

fuwi

@fuwi

Just do a test for the FAT32 format, for same USB stick and booting machine, I think the issue is not related to the bios. It can boot to Win98 DOS shell.

@ChinaDragon

The matter has not been solved yet.

Read these:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...=20747&st=0
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=4756

There are reports by ktp that using the grldr.mbr+grldr from grub4dos to directly chainload the loader (thus by-passing the bootsector) works, so the problem MUST lie in something in the bootsector for FAT32, but what exactly I cannot say:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=1339

jaclaz

@ fuwi

I tested with Kingston 8 Gb DataTraveler
when using 2k3-sp2 as source I get the message "ntldr not found" when tyrying to boot a HP-notebook. I tried to replace the ntldr (255kb) with one from 2k3-sp1 to no avail.

anyway - thanks for your work

@ jaclaz , fuwi

Thank you for your information, I will wait for the solution.
Currently I'm playing with the FAT32 + Grub4dos then clainload the loader for launching my PE, very interesting.

If you are into experimenting, try also this method:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5000

Not at all straightforward, but guaranteed to create a non-fractional cylinder/head partition table , if this is the problem, this method could solve it.

NOTE, as is it won't work on Vista, it needs 2K/XP files:

to get the MBR code and uses the "normal" FORMAT command, thus if used on Vista it will create a Vista bootsector.

jaclaz

@jaclaz

A bit of hard for me, it is very nice tutorial, I will study on it. thank a lot.

@all

because of the problems with fat32-booting, i have changed my BartPE-USB Utility.

If you select FAT32 as filesystem, now a DOS7 Boot-Stick is created, and BartPE is started via grub4dos.
For FAT as filesystem -> nothing has changed.

Download the new version and test it please

(ChinaDragon, sanbarrow with the 8GB DataTraveler)

fuwi

Don't you need a menu.lst file similar to:
Or a fallback to the hd's system?

@Ed_P

They embed the menu in the config.sys



@fuwi
Still can't boot with FAT32 file system
It has a BLACK screen with a flashing underscore at the top of left hand side only, the system halted.

I just back to use the ComPro way to make again, it work

@jaclaz

Just found that the batch halted when performing following command, according the codebox info. is it a problem when it searching the 0Ch:

Input of mkimg



FOR /F "tokens=7 delims= " %%A in ('ECHO I | VDK.EXE VIEW myxp.pln | FIND /I "0Ch:"') DO (
ECHO Image will be mounted as %%A
SET ImageOK=%%A
)



Is it related to my OS, it is Chinese XP Pro SP3

D'oh!! Thanks.

Fat32 worked well for me. I had 2gb store branded drive.

Booted with no issues.

NO, it is related to the - don't take it the wrong way - "absurd" settings you gave the program.

You are trying to make a 10 Mb FAT32 image with CHS of 2x128x63, LBA mapped.

The FORMAT command "refuses" to work with this data.
If you try to format as FAT32 such a small volume, you will get a message like:


If you need a 10 M image, try doing it with 16/63 geometry, FAT16 CHS - 06 - that will work.

If you want to experiment with FAT32 images, they must be BIGGER, minimum size is about 40 Mbytes, if I recall correctly, for FAT32.

jaclaz

sorry, the USB-Stick Utility (version from last week) has an error in FAT32 formatting...
please download the new version and test FAT32

you can now make customizations for your USB-Stick, rename custom.cmd.txt to custom.cmd, and create
a new FAT32 Stick!

fuwi

@fuwi
Thank a lot, just test it with FAT32, it work GREAT now.

Hi fuwi

This is the best utility for making bootable USB BartPE stick!! thanks a lot mate..

Fat32 works fine here too...

Hoest

OFF TOPIC

@fuwi

What tool did you use for sceenshot 1 in post nr.4?

I now that I have the tool,but I forgot the name,so I can't find it.

Thanks in advance.


Greetz wanderer.

@wanderer

i used the PowerQuest Partition Table Editor

ptedit32.exe (old Version 1.0 from PowerQuest) download:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_...es/PTEDIT32.zip

(newer versions can be found in newer Symantec applications)

fuwi

Thank you fuwi,now I remember

Greetz wanderer.

Wohoo! This is the first program that works for me using Windows Vista with PeBuilder (building with XP as source of course). (FAT16 option works, not FAT32, but still, it WORKS, Finally! )

Thanks!!

Hmm strange both FAT16 and FAT32 work fine here at this end... Running Vista SP1 and building with XP SP2.

Using a Kingston USB stick as target.

Hoest

A newish version of the batch is here:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21702
jaclaz

edited by fuwi (link corrected)

@fuwi

Really want to get it for trial, but the url is unavailable.
USB-Boot_Utilitys.zip

Many thank

@fuwi

I get it now, and just build a bootable PE-Stick by it ( FAT32 - Transcent 2G USB Stick), it work great, thank again



* for me, I change the SourcePath to ......
set SourcePath=D:\PEBUILDER\pebldr\

@ALL

Compare with another stick of Imation Atom 2G USB , it take 19 Mins to complete copy 724M (including 485M data for system folder and 238M data for Programs) data, for TRANSCENT 2G USB, it take 49 mins !

Compare with the boot time, I trying to boot it from a IBM Thinkpad X31 (1300MHz with 512M RAM)
Transcent : BIOS detect it for 1 mins and then boot to my BartPE env. via Grab bootmenu, it take more 6 mins
ATOM : BIOS detect it for few (3) seconds and then boot to my BartPE env. via Grab bootmenu, it take more 5 mins



Sorry for my bad English

@ ALL

Compare with the boot time again, I trying to boot it from a DELL OPTIPLEX 160L (2.2GHz with 1024M RAM)


Imation ATOM 2G USB stick : BIOS detect it for few (3) seconds and then boot to my BartPE env. via Grab bootmenu, it take more then 10 mins for Inspecting the hardware configuration, and then arround 3 min to start the splash screen and my PE.

Reminder that the pervious build (Win98 + Grub4DOS then clainload to my PE) of my stick just using 3min to complete whole the process.

I will build it again and report the result later.

Sorry for my bad English

@ ALL

Likely the stick loading the Win98 ([DOS]) then launch the Grubmenu and BartPE is FASTER then the Grub4DOS [MBR] method.

Stick : Imation ATOM 2G USB stick

Machine A : IBM Thinkpad X31 (1300MHz with 512M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 3 mins

Machine B : DELL OPTIPLEX 160L (2.2GHz with 1024M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 13 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 5 mins

Following step included for the measurement of process time.
[DOS] Cold boot -> POST -> Slash screen of Win98 -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed

@ ALL

I ask myshelf, WHAT different for above methods to bring up the PE and it will be affected to the process time

Is it the Himen.sys and emm386 involved for the DOS method, just trying to remark them out, restart again, the result is SAME, 5 Min for Machine B.

I ask myshelf again, WHAT different .... ?
May be the file transfer mode of PE system, one by Robocopy (MBR) and another is PEtoUSB (DOS), I will format it by fuwi tools again to create a stick to boot from Grub4DOS MBR, and then add my PE to the stick by PEtoUSB manually for test.

@ ALL

1./ Firstly, format a USB stick by fuwi tools, it is FAT32 filesystem and boot from Grub MBR



2./ start the PEtoUSB.exe
Just select copy option to copy your PE files to the stick.

3./ Edit menu.lst to include the boot item of BartPE


4./ Personally, I will replace the NTDETECT.COM too.

@ALL


Prove that the process time can be saved when using the PEtoUSB.exe to copy the PE system to the stick.


[DOS-Format with DOS shell and Robocopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR-Format with Grub MBR and Robocopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR2-Format with Grub MBR and copy the PE source to the stick by PEtoUSB.exe]

Stick : Imation ATOM 2G USB stick

Machine A : IBM Thinkpad X31 (1300MHz with 512M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 3 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 3 mins

Machine B : DELL OPTIPLEX 160L (2.2GHz with 1024M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 13 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 5 mins

Following step included for the measurement of process time.
[DOS] Cold boot -> POST -> Slash screen of Win98 -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR2] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed

@ChinaDragon

I have updated my tool a little bit:
For creation of a new USB-Drive or USB-Stick i use now xcopy (instead of robocopy).
Robocopy is now only used for updating existing USB-Drives or Sticks.

Please test it with your Imation ATOM 2G USB Stick (create a new Stick), and make a boot-test on your DELL OPTIPLEX 160L
(still 13 minutes for booting? Or comparable with your "MBR2-Format with Grub MBR and copy the PE source to the stick by PEtoUSB.exe"?)

Download v1.0.02 here

fuwi

@fuwi

My pleasure , I will test it and report on the result again.

The last modified date of file Bootable_USB-Stick_Grub4dos.cmd still 2008/10/10 10:55, is it OK ?

@ChinaDragon

no, the new Bootable_USB-Stick_Grub4dos.cmd has the date 2008/10/15 13:31

(clear your browser cache, or wait a while)

fuwi

@fuwi

Mainly it take long time for the "Inspecting HW configuration" phase.

[DOS-Format with DOS shell and Robocopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR-Format with Grub MBR and Robocopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR2-Format with Grub MBR and copy the PE source to the stick by PEtoUSB.exe]
[MBR3-Format with Grub MBR and xcopy the PE source to the stick]

Stick : Imation ATOM 2G USB stick

Machine A : IBM Thinkpad X31 (1300MHz with 512M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 3 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 3 mins
Grub started from [MBR3] : Whole process take 4 mins 45 sec

Machine B : DELL OPTIPLEX 160L (2.2GHz with 1024M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 13 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [MBR3] : Whole process take 11 mins 20 sec

Following step included for the measurement of process time.
[DOS] Cold boot -> POST -> Slash screen of Win98 -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR2] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR3] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed

note : HWPNP is NOT included for above process

The only possible explanation that I can find for a PE copied to the stick with PEtoUSB.exe being so much faster as opposed to copied by xcopy of robocopy is a different ORDER in which the files are copied, i.e. the difference could be due to a "sequential" drive access as opposed to a "random" one.

My guess is that if a batch is used to copy (with copy, xcopy or robocopy or whatever program) the files in the same order in which they are accessed during boot time, the booting time will decrease as well.

jaclaz

P.S.: can you try checking the stick (two times) with utilities like CHSDIR (or maybe FINDPART CYLDIR):
http://www.partitionsupport.com/utilities.htm
to see if the order of the file is different and which one is the "fast" one?

Probably some kind of "pe_sort.txt" can be used at USB stick too:
http://www.911cd.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8053

@ChinaDragon

I really don't know from where this time difference comes on your DELL OPTIPLEX 160L,
particularly the difference of [MBR] resp. [MBR3] to [MBR2], because only the kind of copying is different.

BTW:
With "Inspecting HW configuration" you mean the Progress-Bar at the bottom of the screen on startup of BartPE?

Have you ever tried to make a Stick with the Main-Tool "Bootable_USB-Drive.cmd"? With this Tool you can create
bootable ext. BartPE USB-Harddisks (FAT32, with SIBLO-Bootmanager), but also FAT32 BartPE-Sticks with SIBLO-
Bootmanager.

A short description is here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...st&p=150434
How are the results with such a "SIBLO-Stick"?

fuwi

@fuwi



Yes, it is



No, I will try it later.
You are so GREAT and HELPFUL for us.


Just thinking about the boot sequency that it will access the system files one by one, for the ISO creation, reminder that it have a parameter and allow user to sort the files sequency (from pe_sort.txt), is it the same thing that we needed to copy the MAIN files first so that it is increase the "hit rate" and reduce the "seek" time, is it the same method the PEtoUSB.exe also does?!

something like that and still under develop


I will update my [MBR3] stick with PEtoUSB.exe again
if it can improve the process time, then nothing we can do again during it perform something to improve the speed that we don't know, otherwise, I will trying to do some sorting before copy the pe system to the stick

Sorry for my bad English.

@fuwi


It can't to improve the process time when using PEtoUSB to RENEW the stick.


Just hardcode a scopy.cmd, it is used to copy the major system files to the stick before execute the robocopy

Midified v1.0.01 of Bootable_USB-Stick_grub4dos.cmd


The process time is 3 min for Machine A now, I can't performing test by Machine B during I'm currently on sick leave, I will test it when I back to office on next Monday.



Dear fuwi
How can it (scopy.cmd) be generated by the utility on-the-fly, it is a bit of hard for me.

@ALL

The "Sort" work solve the problem and it boot fast for either Machine A and B.
It is mean that copy the critical system files to the stick first can improve the bootup speed.

[DOS-Format with DOS shell and copy the PE source to the stick by PEtoUSB.exe]
[MBR-Format with Grub MBR and Robocopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR2-Format with Grub MBR and copy the PE source to the stick by PEtoUSB.exe]
[MBR3-Format with Grub MBR and xcopy the PE source to the stick]
[MBR4-Format with Grub MBR and scopy.cmd + Robocopy the PE source to the stick]

Stick : Imation ATOM 2G USB stick

Machine A : IBM Thinkpad X31 (1300MHz with 512M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 3 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 3 mins
Grub started from [MBR3] : Whole process take 4 mins 45 sec
Grub started from [MBR4] : Whole process take 3 mins

Machine B : DELL OPTIPLEX 160L (2.2GHz with 1024M RAM)
Grub started from [MBR] : Whole process take 13 mins
Grub started from [DOS] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [MBR2] : Whole process take 5 mins
Grub started from [MBR3] : Whole process take 11 mins 20 sec
Grub started from [MBR4] : Whole process take 5 mins 12 sec

Following step included for the measurement of process time.
[DOS] Cold boot -> POST -> Slash screen of Win98 -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR2] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR3] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed
[MBR4] Cold boot -> POST -> Grubmenu - > Inspecting HW conf. -> Splash screen -> BartPE -> autorun(s).bat ->Completed

note : HWPNP is NOT included for above process