Forum: EasyBoot
Topic: Install Both Vista & Win 7 from one USB
started by: madar
Posted by madar on Nov. 17 2009,15:17
hi all

Users that like to have windowses vista and windows 7
together can Take a look at link below:

< http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9737 >

And hope my dear friend (Balder) will make winbuilder scripts
for that
Posted by balder on Nov. 17 2009,17:17
@madar

Hi madar :)  You have a point in using two (or several) partitions to USB device and put vista to one partition and win-7 to another as we at current time isn’t able to mix them together on same partition.

Anyway, it’s in theory possible to create such script that creates several partitions on same USB device, this is no problem – but as I see it we have to use some type of “dummy disk” or related solution to make partition two on USB device visible in windows system – or can you provide with a simpler solution :O

And doing above makes USB device to act as a “fixed disk” (harddisk) – and here I have a problem. Can my script sort out that it is a “fixed” USB device and not a “fixed” internal harddisk that it has found in window system ???   

I have to look in to this and see if my script still can sort out that it is a USB device that’s been found by script and not a "fixed disk (harddisk). At present time I cannot see partition two without using "dummy disk" solution - or as I asked - do you have a simpel solution without using "dummy disk"?

This is a hard nut to crack :p  

I’l be in touch

Regards balder

Posted by pica on Nov. 18 2009,00:21
This may help
< http://www.lancelhoff.com/make-wi....al-disk >
Posted by madar on Nov. 18 2009,00:26
Hi Dear Balder

Thanks a lot for your nice answer an your concern

I was not thinking about the topics you said,let me
think about too.
As always i have learned new things from you.
Thanks a lot
Posted by balder on Nov. 18 2009,01:31
@pica

This solution works well in WinXP – but I’m unsure if it works in Vista/Win-7 ???  
And on the other hand – this involves a lot of manually copying and pasting etcetera – it’s a working solution but far from a simple one :O  

I of course tested this solution to create two (or several) partitions to USB device – making USB device become a “fixed disk”. In this way I could use tutorial created by madar. I then created grub “kicker-images” and launched them from EasyBoot as usual “run ***.img” to start setup of vista or whatever I like to launch from EasyBoot menu :D

Thanks pica for this tip

On the downside we still have no solution how to mix Vista and Win-7 together if run from DVD-unit – but that’s a “different story”.

balder
Posted by madar on Nov. 18 2009,02:55
Dear balder

just for your notice

i did as below to make partitions on UFD (i have seen tutor in some part of link < http://www.boot-land.net/forums....c=7512 >

1.Unzip  "xpfildrvr1224_320.zip"(Hitachi Microdrive ) to folder hm
 
2.Open …\hm\cfadisk.inf ,delet the whole content of [cfadisk_device]
section and replacing it with the following single line

[cfadisk_device]
%Microdrive_devdesc% = cfadisk_install,USBSTOR\GenDisk

3. Place "hm" folder in "system32\drivers".

4.Plugin your UFD to your PC,
 Go to Start > Run then type  devmgmt.msc
 In Comming window (Device Manager),select your UFD under "Disk drives"
 right click on your UFD and click on "Update Driver..."
 In wizard window select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)"
 In next window select  "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install."
 In next window click on "Have Disk..."
 Use"Browse..." and go to "hm" folder in "system32\drivers"
 select "cfadisk.inf" and  "OK" it
 Then select "Hitachi Microdrive" in "Model" pane
 Click on  Next
 when The "Update Driver (Compatibility) Warning" window appearesClick YES > Finish.

5.Now you can partition your UFD.

Posted by balder on Nov. 18 2009,09:39
@madar

Yes I now about “Hitachi Microdrive filter”. This works (a well known way to solve partition problems to USB drives that are not “fixed”). Thanks for pointing to this solution anyway :)
But as this involves moving files here and there and updating “driver” to USB device etcetera – well… it’s generally speaking not any simple solution. And further more – how about possibilities to use this in Vista and Win-7 ???

Tip from pica is a little bit easier for me to accept (and other users as well I think) – as no files are needed to be copied to system – and you can quite easily roll back your USB device.

This is what I did (note: highly experimental):
1. Used tip from pica (post nr3) and then created two primary partitions - setting partition one as active.
2. I then “rolled back” my USB using USB Device Properties >click the Driver tab and uninstalled driver. Removed and plugged USB device back - and now it shows up as a removable drive (with only one visible partition - partition two is invisible but still there).
3. I used my script “EasyBoot-Vista-USB” to put Vista files on the root (partition one) of USB device.
4. I then used another script of mine “EasyBoot-Ghost” (you have to provide ghost32.exe from your own source). I used script to create an image of primary partition one (partition one is now the only visible in WinXP).
5. Again using script “EasyBoot-Ghost” to clone primary partition-2 on USB device with earlier created ghost image (Ghost can see hided partition as it checks partition table on USB device). This operation works pretty fast.
6. That’s it! I created a ghost image of partition one and cloned partition 2 on USB device (stick) with this ghost image – and it works

How about avoiding the whole process above – it seems possible :p

I created a ghost image from a 512 MB large USB stick that was formatted with 2-primary partitions (proportions in about 50% to each partition). I then plugged in a 2 GB large USB stick and cloned this USB stick with the pre-made ghost image (from 512 MB large USB stick that have 2-partitions). Ghost automatically resized and created 2-partitions on the 2-GB USB-stick to the right proportions (about 50% to each partition=1GB each partition).

Final test: “SanDisk” 4GB USB stick. Works exactly the same – ghost automatically resizing and creating 2-partitions with size about 2 GB to each partition. Note: partition 2 is not visible but can be accessed through ghost.

I must rework “EasyBoot-Ghost”-script to support this new options – I’ll see how fast I can do this.

This is in an experimental phase but I must say it look promising :)
I’ll be in touch…. Big thanks to pica again – it really helped – thanks

Regards to @mada and pica from balder
Posted by balder on Nov. 19 2009,11:14
@madar

Created “easyboot-usb-ghost.script” – it’s a beta version but a working one :)
You can download script from my web script page.


I would be grateful if you madar could test script on that computer you have that didn’t boot with my originally “easyboot-usb.script” – at least didn’t boot if using front end of USB connector ???

Please test this way.
1. Use a “simple” or “bad” USB stick\Thumb drive
2. Start script and use option: “Repair MBR BOOT-record” and also check: “Put grub menu files to partition one (recommended)”
3. Test boot ability in that front end of your computer that was a problem earlier :O

Waiting hopefully for your reply :p

Regards balder

Posted by madar on Nov. 19 2009,12:36
Hi dear balder

1.Really great thanks for your hard work
2.At this time i could not download that,it seems the link is dead
any way as link works ,i will download and test that.

3.i am proud of having you as friend

Posted by balder on Nov. 19 2009,13:02
@madar

Quote: “seems the link is dead”

Tested link and it works :)   Please test download again :;):

Note: I have found a little bug when using 2-partition option :angry:  Need to rework this internal image file, but the major part of the script works allright :cool:

Edit: As a temporary solution option to create 2-partitions on USB device is not available

Regards balder

Posted by madar on Nov. 19 2009,13:33
Dear balder
the link for ""StartKit" including new USB-EasyBoot-ISO.script "("http://web.telia.com/%7Eu75404714/winbuilder.zip"  ) is dead yet
but other links are working.i downloaded them and after a while i will
start to put them together and test.

Thanks a lot for rapid and hard work
Posted by balder on Nov. 19 2009,13:47
@madar

Yes you was right  :(   Link was partly dead - used caps to some letters a bad idea - it's fixed now :;):

Anyway - you don't need that download - only script itself

regards balder
Posted by madar on Nov. 19 2009,16:01
Dear Balder

I did as below:
1.placed ghost32.exe in C:\winbuilder directory.
2.i selected  options "create 2-partitions on USB device" and "*put grub menu files to partition one" then clicked on start button,after a while my UFD was
partitioned perfect.

3.i copied vista iso (iso.iso) inside iso directory in partition 1 of UFD

4.I restart computer and booted by UFD,every thing was good in first
few minutes but after selecting languages and else... from setup process
after few minutes it gave error below:
"A required CD/DVD drive device is missing...." and setup asked the address of driver.
I had this problem in testing my tutor too (of course by win 7 setup not vista"
and here the same problem was by vista setup.
as i said in my tutor ,in my tutor test after giving  the address of cfadisk.inf
of hitach filter (for the second time it accepted and installation process continued ,but in testing by your script using the cfadisk.inf that you used and also cfadisk.inf that i used did not be accepted.

so  setup process did not continue

This errore are seen a lot of times for user when installing win 7 or vista

I think this is some problem with win7 and vista,but if we can find the
needed driver it will work

but what is the real driver??? i do not know

Any way i will work more and will inform you

have nice times

Posted by balder on Nov. 19 2009,16:12
@madar

Quote: ”after a while my UFD was partitioned perfect” Okay it seems to work partly well then :)  Why vista behaves as it does I don’t know ???

Anyway I am still not satisfied how script behaves :angry:  I have it working all right in WinXP – next step is to test in vista to watch and analyse results :O

EDIT: SCRIPT IS UPDATED! PLEASE USE NEW SCRIPT AND DELETE THE OLD ONE :O

Regards balder

Posted by balder on Nov. 20 2009,13:51
@madar

Testing according to problems when run setup vista from removable USB stick.

1. USB stick with two partitions. Vista setup asking for CD drivers = not working :angry:
2. USB stick with single partitions. Fast setup! USB stick works with fast copying of files - even AUTOUNATTEND.XML works = success! This works great :laugh:
3. USB hard drive with two partitions (drive connected with adapter to USB). USB hard drive works with very fast copying of files - AUTOUNATTEND.XML doesn’t work but setup continue without problem. Fast setup! Note: Vista files was put on partition two = success! :)
4. USB hard drive with two partitions (drive connected with adapter to USB). USB hard drive works with very fast copying of files - AUTOUNATTEND.XML doesn’t work but setup continue without problem. Note: Vista files was put on partition one = success!  :)

Conclusion: There are problems related to using two partitions if using removable driver (USB stick). This doesn’t work at present time. Note: USB stick with one single partition works fully out including AUTOUNATTEND.XML. Take attention to that I used my script “easyboot-usb.script” because this script creates one straight partition to removable USB device.

USB harddrive (harddrive are always seen as “fixed” drive) works from any partition. But if having two partition AUTOUNATTEND.XML doesn’t work – no big deal with AUTOUNATTEND.XML if you not are going to use AUTOUNATTEND.XML in a very sophisticated way.

Above show clearly that it’s not a “low hill” we climbing up to and over – it’s a mountain :O

Final note: USB-Ghost script updated. Delete the one you downloaded earlier.

Regards balder
Posted by madar on Nov. 20 2009,14:15
Hi Dear Balder

Today i have worked most of my day in finding the reson of
needed drivers,i was not successful.surly your scripts works
this is windowses vista and 7 problem.
if you search the error (that i have said befor) in the web you will see that
hundreds of users have this error ,even installing from dvd.
But nobody know why.

i tried to use more than 10 different drivers but setup does not accept.

Any way ,again thanks a lot for your nice work,and i am sure that the
problem is by windows system.

I will not give up and i will try to solve (at least hope so)
have nice life

Posted by balder on Nov. 21 2009,11:00
@madar

Very interesting post how to integrate different “wim-based” builds from @varun037 < HERE > :O

It seems it’s possible to combine different vista based builds - and to that family I guess Win-7 belongs. I do not run vista and I do not have any Win-7 to test at this moment, so it’s up to those that do have this opportunity to test and show\report how it is done :;):

Regards balder
Posted by madar on Nov. 21 2009,12:46
Dear Balder

I spent a lot of time today to find a way,and at the end i was thinking
about using wim files too.
thank you very much for informing me
i will report you if i get any success