Thanks for all the hard work everyone puts into the various Windows boot projects. The following is a question not a gripe.

I usually find that doing anything in Linux is much more seat-of-the-pants than Windows. So I am wondering why creating a live CD of Windows so much more complex that Ubuntu?

Ubuntu just boots and finds the right drivers on many PCs. Once started, you can update it and add programs and set it up the way you like*. Then (and this is the BIG part) you can burn the configured system to an ISO, a CD or even a USB.

Granted in Windows we are not dealing with open source but is it really that difficult to create a basic "live boot" with the ability to be updated live and then burn the image to an ISO?





*Getting Linux apps install can be a nightmare but that is beside the point.

You seem to miss the philosophical point.

BartPE (or if you prefer a generic PE) was born as a Pre-installation Environment or as a Recovery environment.

It's use as a full-fledged OS was never in the intentions of the designers.

Users have little by little "extended" it adding apps and menus to use it in a more "comfortable" way.

Using the DriverPacks, you can have most of the drivers you want at your fingertip, with roughly the same detection rate as a a Linux would have.

There is no reason why what you describe cannot be done, simply noone took the time to look into it, as probably the whole idea of making a "portable" system somehow "connected" to a given hardware wasn't thought as particularly "smart" or "useful".

If you want something that "keeps a memory", use a "full XP".

By cleverly combining these:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9830
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9227
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3890

You can probably have what you are looking for.

jaclaz

Hello again ,
one big advantage windows got over Linux is wirless networking ,

with UBCD4WIN or Reatogo XPE you you can get on wirless network in minutes ,
with linux even with the Ndiswraper and the adapted drivers by Mandriva it is still
difficult to connect wirelessly,

besides most teches use UBCD4win and Bart PE or ERD commander to fix and repair windows which you cannot do with Linux
I used Kinoppix 3.3 before Bart PE in 2001 but needed to mount and un mount the Usb drives just to copy data
to USB

do not under estimate BART he is a Genius in his own rights
and his nu2 Menu works even with windows 7
http://www.nu2.nu/nu2menu/

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

I think he should be given credit by Microsoft towards his help with WindowsPE Operating system,
Regards Ben_Mott

You can with plain BartPE too now. Check out WolfWare's plugin: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=23656&hl=

Thanks for the Link
I bookmarked it and will read it later

regards Ben

Thanks for the replies. I understand the purpose of the various PE builds. Repair disks have saved my skin on many occasions.

What I'm looking for is different. A portable system that I can boot on almost any PC that would have all my apps and settings the way I like it, be easy to update and not mess with the "host" PC's hard drives AT ALL. I could use some form of remote access but I would still have to boot off their windows, punch a whole in their firewall, leave behind some registry entries and a ton of temp file garbage. Not to mention having to have their password to log in to their desktop.

Ubuntu Live CD does not touch the hard drive and does all the other things. I've yet to see anyone attempt anything like it for Windows. I'm just wondering why not.

As for Bart and company. I agree 100%.

One other thing. Such a system would be a LOT easier to maintain than having to create scripts each time you want to add/change/update every single app.

Anyway, I've beat this horse to death (sorry PETA!). Thanks again for the responses.

A bootable BartPE system on a USB stick combined with a PortableApps menu system could meet your goal. Give it a shot and let us know how it turns out.