Multi-boot DVD Guide

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http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=74862

andregcasal
May 21 2006

This is (probably) the most complete and updated guide on how to build a Multi Boot DVD. I'll be updating it as i can. Hope you like it.

Features in this guide:

Automatically create multi-boot folders and files
Install all your software directly from your CD/DVD (so it won't be copied to the HD saving time)
You'll have just one Install.cmd file to update/maintain all your software
Determine which software gets installed in which OS
Still be able to use the OEMPreInstall=Yes and [GuiRunOnce] in winnt.sif to launch some other stuff that you may need
You can slipstream drivers to every OS you want, having only one copy (BTS's DrivePacks integration being researched)
You'll still be able to use any post-install methods you like (RunOnceEx, kTool, WPI, WIHU, XPlode, etc)

This guide is compatible with the following methods and tools:

nLite
RyanVM
HFSLIT
BTS's DriverPacks (Method 2 is recomended. That way you can have only one copy of the drivers and slipstream them to all the OSs.)
Windows Post-Install Wizard (WPI)
kTool
WIHU
XPlode

This guide is compatible with the following OSs:

Windows XP SP1
Windows XP SP2
Windows Home
Windows XP Media Center
Windows 2000
Windows Server 2003 (Standard, Enterprise, Web & Data Center)
Windows 98

Before we start: Keep it simple, for boot menu use CD Shell, use simple winnt.sif files, etc. You should beautify, only after you'll successfully completed and booted from all OSs. Some beautifying options are at the end of this guide.

What you will need:

Time and patience, don't expect to get everything to work the first time
Various operating system CDs or ISOs
Sufficient drive space (5+ GB to be safe) (I used +/- 20GB for my DVD)
CDImage (GUI'ed version)
CD Shell
Hex Workshop to hex-edit files.
Optional - VMware (Shareware), Virtual PC (Freeware) or Qemu (Freeware) (for testing purposes)
Any ISO burning software, like CDBurner XP (Freeware)

Work on one operating system at a time. Test once you have that operating system added to make sure everything works right, then move onto the next OS. It will save yourself time if something goes wrong and you have no idea where to look. You can only test your DVD once you've passed the "Creating the ISO" section. Good luck!

[ ... rest ommited ...]

This post has been edited by andregcasal: Jan 29 2007.

documented on: 2007.08.07

Multi-boot DVD Guide

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=94398&st=20

> Now you're p***ing me off ! What do you mean integrated into the Windows
> setup ? Don't drop a totally provocative hint and run away !!! smile.gif

I knew that would get you going laugh.gif .

I've used many, many different ways to run an unattened/Modded XP setup and now finally after nearly two years of p***ing around I've settled on the simplest setup going.

At present my setup consists of:

RyanVM's Update Pack, WMP10 addon and DirectX 9c addon.
Bashrat's DriverPacks (all of them except MassStorage).
Windows Post-Install Wizard to install all my apps.

To bind all this together I have my own custom addon to use with the RyanVM Integrator. It consists of files to add/update unattened setup and integrate the MediaCentre Royale theme. Included in this package is an inf I made to update reg settings at specific stages of install and to finally run RunOnceEx to finish the DriverPacks setup and execute WPI. It's clean and (even if I do say it myself) professional.

Most of this is easy to do i.e adding Ryan's updates/addons and the DriverPacks. The fun really starts when your learning how to build your own addons, write inf's and configure WPI. They're a bit more time consuming.

All-in-all the $OEM$ folders, and a batch file could do the small things I've done with my little addon, I'm just being a know-it-all whistling.gif (let the flaming commence).

The only real benefit with integration is you don't have to use oemprecopy, or what ever it's called, that messes up F6 driver installation during txtmode. You can also run an upgrade install with the /makelocalsource switch and everything works as it should ($OEM$ folders only work on a full OEM install!). Not that I ever do but you can.

If you want some help I'll be more than heppy to barrage you with links smile.gif .

documented on: Mar 21 2007, kof94