Want your own personal windows install usb?

[tnx]

Not to bore anybody but I just found summet interesting.

Regarding my HDD with the four partitions on. Three 32gb fat32 partitions and one large remaining NTFS partition.
Using Diskpart I cleaned it and created three new partitions, two 32gb and one large remaining sized one, all NTFS file system.

Using your guide I tried to add the boot code to the first 32gb partition to make a Win 7 installer. It did NOT work, just threw errors at me.

error

This tool can only be run on systems booted using a PC/AT BIOS. This system was booted using EFI or some other firmware type.

Did A little Googling and It seemed to be cause It was using a mounted Win 7 image and that would not work on UEFI ???? No Idea why.
Anyway, simple cure.

I just ran Command Prompt as Admin and typed

bootsect /nt60 f:

f = HHD Drive letter of the Win 7 installer partition

BINGO !!!

Boot code was written to the chosen partition.

Copied the Windows 7 files.

Slung the HDD in my test rig, and it booted up into the Windows 7 installer and began to install.

So Windows 7 also installs from a NTFS file system.

By the way, test rig drive is a M.2 drive inside of a M.2 > Sata adapter. ( Basicly a SSD )

Windows 7 installed and running and installed from a NTFS drive....

Now simply gunna try the

bootsect /nt60 f:

on a Win 10 installer and see what happens..

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Not boring me in the slightest
This is the sort of stuff I taught myself
A very long time ago
And had forgotten most of it
So feel free to think aloud in here
Got me thinking whether this could be useful with my macrium images
That won't boot with winload.exe errors
Since Bootrec /fixboot
Bootrec /fixmbr
Bootrec /rebuildbcd
Did nothing to fix it
I can still mount them with viboot if want data off them
But it's irritating me they won't work

 

[darael]

You will find the difference between NTFS and FAT32 is to do with the BIOS. I think legacy BIOS can't boot from NTFS, but UEFI can - if you need secure boot, it's best to UEFI-boot where possible.

Run CMD as Administrator

Run DISKPART from the command prompt

To list available current disks, type LIST DISK

Identify your disk number (in this example I will use Disk 2)

Type in the following:
SELECT DISK 2

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=FAT32 QUICK

EXIT

EXIT

Now, using a tool like 7-Zip, extract your ISO to the USB disk and it should work.

 

[tnx]

Just testing this but in a more controlled way.

Using my Asus Z170 Pro Gaming board test rig.
The BIOS/UEFI settings are Secure Boot loaded and set to Windows. ( All previous install tests were "Secure Boot Unloaded" and set to "Other OS" )

Using my "Installer SSD" which has three partitions. A Windows 7 installer and a Windows 10 installer, both formatted to NTFS and bootsect.exe /nt60 integrated along with a "Files" partition also formatted to NTFS.

SSD Connected to the board via USB Type C. ( I have a simple USB C to SATA connector ) ( Having the SSD connected directly into the boards SATA Ports works just as well, USB Type C for a 2.5" drive is much neater I find )

Windows 10 Pro Installed.

Post install processes implemented :-

Windows 10 updated.
All my regular REG Edits.
My TUF Theme.
All Unwanted APPs uninstalled.
Start Menu cleaned and personalised.
Taskbar personalised.
7Zip Installed.
Google Chrome installed and personalised.

PC rebooted and tested running : All OK.

PC rebooted from the Windows 10 installer and SHIFT F10 selected.

Diskpart "lis vol" was used to determine the "Files" partition of the "Installer SSD" = "D"

Using your DISM capture script but tweaked ever so slightly to write the image to my pre made DIR "Windows 10 Custom WIM File" and named it "install.wim" from the beginning.

The image was made successfully.

The PC was rebooted into Windows. Checking the "Files" there was the custom .wim file in my designated DIR, roughly 6.7gb in size.

My new custom install.wim file was copied to the Windows 10 Sources folder and a new fresh install was done.

Install went very smoothly and quickly. Only input from me was to partition the drive. ( I could use autounnatend.xml to even eliminate this )

Once installed I tested to see if all my customisation's were implemented and everything was fine and running smooth.


For me this has been one of the most interesting threads on these forums !

Cheers..

I am going to do a new test on Windows 7. Yesterday I found a problem with the DISM capture-image. Windows 7 does not have that verb.
So I plan to install Windows 7, then boot into the Windows 10 installer and see if that DISM can capture a Windows 7 image. To be honest I don't see why it wouldn't but only one way to find out.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Really nice to see you expanding on what I did
Yes I could have named it install.wim to start with and saved it to a folder/dir
Possibly even directly to the sources
Folder and told it to overwrite the original
Install.wim
Wasn't sure if any one would even try it out so kept it a bit simpler than it might
Have been just in case
Obviously you are more than capable of shortening the sequence or altering
It to suit your requirements
And really happy someone not only tried
It but found it interesting enough to further improve upon it.
Look forward to seeing if you think of anything else with it

 

[tnx]

Just doing a more controlled test with Windows 7.

The initial install started smoothly but upon the first reboot I hit a problem.
Because I had set the BIOS\UEFI to Secure Boot, loaded the key and set it to Windows UEFI, Windows 7 does not like this and I suddenly remembered why I didn't generally use this.

A quick BIOS\UEFI settings change back to disable Secure Boot and set it to "Other OS", save and exit the install was back on track.

So we can say if messing with Windows 7 disable Secure Boot.

If your past Windows 7, which most folk will be, setting the BIOS\UEFI to Secure Boot, WINDOWS UEFI is perfectly fine.

Just going to install some drivers, customise some stuff, install an APP or two, maybe run some updates too then I'll see if the Windows 10 installer can capture a Windows 7 image.

Look outside, its very sunny.......Got to stay inside.....

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Just doing a more controlled test with Windows 7.

The initial install started smoothly but upon the first reboot I hit a problem.
Because I had set the BIOS\UEFI to Secure Boot, loaded the key and set it to Windows UEFI, Windows 7 does not like this and I suddenly remembered why I didn't generally use this.

A quick BIOS\UEFI settings change back to disable Secure Boot and set it to "Other OS", save and exit the install was back on track.

So we can say if messing with Windows 7 disable Secure Boot.

If your past Windows 7, which most folk will be setting the BIOS\UEFI to Secure Boot, WINDOWS UEFI is perfectly fine.

Just going to install some drivers, customise some stuff, install an APP or two, maybe run some updates too then I'll see if the Windows 10 installer can capture a Windows 7 image.

Look outside, its very sunny.......Got to stay inside.....

Sun's not broke through here yet
Though it's trying to
Been strictly self isolating since before boris even mentioned it as my partners in high risk groups
Very strange times indeed
Nice you even tested on 7 I didn't really mess around with 7 or 8 just assumed other than bios settings it should work
Bit lazy of me lol
But not used 7 or 8 in years

 

[tnx]

But not used 7 or 8 in years

Most folk have moved on....
I do like to mess though and with that in mind...

A silly thought came into my mind. XP ? Would this work on XP ?

So I Googled windows XP bootsect.exe /nt60... Nope, it's wrong.
Windows XP uses bootsect.exe /nt52... mmmmmm I thought.

So I grabbed a 2gb USB 2 drive, using Diskpart formatted it to fat32
Then On my Windows 10 i ran

bootsect.exe /nt52

message was successful..

I know its a long shot. I know it's silly but I am gunna load some XP files onto this USB and try boot. Massive fail ? Don't really care. The testing is the important bit..

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Very long time since used xp lol
Know I used to make modified xp discs
With extra drivers, pre installed software
Not sure if ever got it to boot from
USB flash drives
But yes you're right if you don't try you won't know

 

[tnx]

It failed....

LOL...

Only thing was,urrrrrrr yep,,,, "Easy2Boot" to get XP booting off a USB... A right fath though...

I'll leave that there....

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

It failed....

LOL...

Only thing was,urrrrrrr yep,,,, "Easy2Boot" to get XP booting off a USB... A right fath though...

I'll leave that there....

Lol
Not totally surprised
I probably did try it at one point
Just so long ago I don't remember

 

[tnx]

Windows 7

After installing Windows 7, customising it I rebooted into the Windows 10 installer and ran DISM capturing the Windows 7 install.wim image.

This worked perfectly and the new install.wim was roughly 6.5gb in size.

Copied this into the Windows 7 installer sources folder and did a fresh install.

Worked perfectly.

Handy having a drive with multiple installers on and a spare partition too.

So I recon my testing has finished. I have learnt a couple of new things and given me good ideas to build a custom Windows 10 installer and also to build a custom up to date Windows 7 installer all thanks to this thread.

Cheers..

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

You're very welcome mate
Even if you are the only person to make use of this post that's more than enough
For me to be glad I thought of
Posting it on here.

 

[tnx]

Sorry.

Just simply could not leave it alone. XP Bootable USB the easy way. There had to be.

So took my Z97 test rig apart and dug out my old favourite Asus Sabertooth Z77 and installed that into my test rig.
It's like putting on a old pair of slippers seeing the Sabertooth boot into life once more.

So I did some digging about, many roads led to "Easy2Boot" but I have been down that road and it's just a load of faffing about.

Summet I don't recall seeing before popped out, Power ISO has what they call a "Rescue Media Creator".... Seemed easy to follow, so followed it I did.

With just a couple of clicks the USB drive was ready. All I had to do was copy the Windows XP "i386" folder to the root of the USB.

Boot from this USB... It did...Run a command prompt window.
Format my SSD
Navigate to the i386 DIR and START winnt32.exe

Voila !!!

It does its thing then closes.

Just simply remove the USB drive, reboot from the SSD and continue with installing Windows XP.

As I type I turn to my right and i am looking at Windows XP running on my Z77 board on a SATA SSD.

Now my Asus Sabertooth Z77 has drivers for Windows XP, they have been sitting on one of my storage drives for many years, even the GPU in my test rig, Radion R9 280X has Windows XP drivers.

I may have cheated a little bit, well back in the day when I was using XP a fair bit I made myself a Windows XP with Asus SATA drivers. No I did NOT use nLite. I did it the hard,manual way. But once done it always worked but that was with using good old fashioned CD's.

So now I have Windows XP running on my test rig, cause I am going to install all the drivers. Then what ? Just think, could I go further back in time, Windows ME ? Surely not. ( I wish I hadn't though of that now )

A totally useless post but I just can't help myself sometimes.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Sorry.

Just simply could not leave it alone. XP Bootable USB the easy way. There had to be.

So took my Z97 test rig apart and dug out my old favourite Asus Sabertooth Z77 and installed that into my test rig.
It's like putting on a old pair of slippers seeing the Sabertooth boot into life once more.

So I did some digging about, many roads led to "Easy2Boot" but I have been down that road and it's just a load of faffing about.

Summet I don't recall seeing before popped out, Power ISO has what they call a "Rescue Media Creator".... Seemed easy to follow, so followed it I did.

With just a couple of clicks the USB drive was ready. All I had to do was copy the Windows XP "i386" folder to the root of the USB.

Boot from this USB... It did...Run a command prompt window.
Format my SSD
Navigate to the i386 DIR and START winnt32.exe

Voila !!!

It does its thing then closes.

Just simply remove the USB drive, reboot from the SSD and continue with installing Windows XP.

As I type I turn to my right and i am looking at Windows XP running on my Z77 board on a SATA SSD.

Now my Asus Sabertooth Z77 has drivers for Windows XP, they have been sitting on one of my storage drives for many years, even the GPU in my test rig, Radion R9 280X has Windows XP drivers.

I may have cheated a little bit, well back in the day when I was using XP a fair bit I made myself a Windows XP with Asus SATA drivers. No I did NOT use nLite. I did it the hard,manual way. But once done it always worked but that was with using good old fashioned CD's.

So now I have Windows XP running on my test rig, cause I am going to install all the drivers. Then what ? Just think, could I go further back in time, Windows ME ? Surely not. ( I wish I hadn't though of that now )

A totally useless post but I just can't help myself sometimes.

Very nice mate
And not useless at all I have seen people still using xp in these forums for really old
Software
Knowledge is rarely useless
And of course the satisfaction of doing it is also worth it so great job

 

[Django x2]

If you chose NTFS you can't use an UEFI Secure Boot, leaving the system vulnerable. Is this not simply sysprep?

 

[tnx]

Only Windows 7 without secure boot.

Windows 10 worked either way.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Never used sysprep
But isn't that aimed at fresh installs
Whereas my way works even once you already deployed windows and all your stuff
Plus sysprep would be aimed at large scale development?
Edit sorry deployment

 

[Django x2]

Never used sysprep
But isn't that aimed at fresh installs
Whereas my way works even once you already deployed windows and all your stuff
Plus sysprep would be aimed at large scale development?
Edit sorry deployment

I get what you mean, but it's exactly the same. You can completely build an image with everything you want on it, air gapped even, with trusted installers and drivers, then sysprep away to remove the user scope. You then have a complete white glove (industry term) build, with all the apps and drivers on, untouched by the internet, untouched by users, image.

 

[tnx]

If you were just building an image for ones own personal use this way seems easier than sysprep.
I have never used sysprep but I have read about it and seen some guides, it looks very complicated.