Problems abount remote boot

[Guest]

Now I can remote deploy a small image(.sdi file) from server using remote boot service and tftp. But there are still some problem I can't understand clearly
1. What is the difference between the phrases "remote boot" and "ram boot" ? After I read the two MSDN technical articles -- "Deploying Windows XP Embedded Remote Boot" and "RAM Boot Using SDI in Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 1", I thought may be the two phrases are the same--they are mean that the client download a specific runtime image from the server and using that image in RAM to start the device , is'nt it? But another question appeared. The Last article emphasizes the structure of the SDI file include four BLOBS. But the SDI file I have remote deployed just only include PART BLOB and it can boot and start in my target device. Why
2. My targe device is also a PC which have two hard disk--Primary Master, 40G, include C:, D:, E:, F:, G:, five partitions, all formated FAT32; Primary Slave, 5G, include I:, J:, two partitions, all formated NTFS. The golden image was gotten through running FBA on I: partion which is the primay partition of this hard disk.
The problem is that after the image started in the RAM, through My Computer I can see C: partition which is actually the RamDisk, and others which are hard disk patitions exclude the primary partition of Primary Slave hard disk. I have tried to change the 5G hard disk to the Primay Master, I still could not find out the primay partition. Why ?
My English level is limited. Can you understand what I described above?

 

[KM]

Arlin,

I got to admit - XPe docs are not very clear about the SDI format and SDI
BLOBs.
I'll try to answer your questions, though my English is not good either:

1. The context where you read about the "ram boot" meant the remote boot to
diskless device where an XPe (or any other OS) image is loaded to RAM and
booted from the RAM disk.
Another "ram boot" is when you boot from an SDI file locally (using
ramdisk(0) notation and rdpath switch of boot.ini). Basically, it is pretty
much same boot process - image is loaded and booted from RAM.

To remote boot your SDI image you only need a PART BLOB.
LOAD and BOOT parts may be used if your own network boot program is
implemented which you can send to the client which will download the full
SDI.

2. Currently C: is hardcoded in ntldr/RAMdisk. That's why you see your boot
drive as C:.
You mentioned your primary slave partitions are NTFS formatted. Does your
image include NTFS support?

Also, to know more about how XP assigns drive letters please read this tip:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/community/tips/xp/rtpartin/default.aspx

KM

Now I can remote deploy a small image(.sdi file) from server using remote

boot service and tftp. But there are still some problem I can't understand
clearly.

1. What is the difference between the phrases "remote boot" and "ram boot"

? After I read the two MSDN technical articles -- "Deploying Windows XP
Embedded Remote Boot" and "RAM Boot Using SDI in Windows XP Embedded with
Service Pack 1", I thought may be the two phrases are the same--they are
mean that the client download a specific runtime image from the server and
using that image in RAM to start the device , is'nt it? But another question
appeared. The Last article emphasizes the structure of the SDI file include
four BLOBS. But the SDI file I have remote deployed just only include PART
BLOB and it can boot and start in my target device. Why?

2. My targe device is also a PC which have two hard disk--Primary Master,

40G, include C:, D:, E:, F:, G:, five partitions, all formated FAT32;
Primary Slave, 5G, include I:, J:, two partitions, all formated NTFS. The
golden image was gotten through running FBA on I: partion which is the
primay partition of this hard disk.

The problem is that after the image started in the RAM, through My

Computer I can see C: partition which is actually the RamDisk, and others
which are hard disk patitions exclude the primary partition of Primary Slave
hard disk. I have tried to change the 5G hard disk to the Primay Master, I
still could not find out the primay partition. Why ?

 

[Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)]

Hi Arlin,

I just need to add something to Konstantins not good English. (What should I
say then about my English I have no idea.)

2.
Before the last shutdown on your HDD you should.
- Delete all entries from HKLM\System\MountedDevices
- Delete reg entry HKLM\System\Setup SystemPartition


Regards,
Slobodan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
Microsoft!
https://www.windowsembeddedeval.com/community/newsgroups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)]

Hello Arlin,

You are right your procedure is ok then.

Have you done what I have suggested in previous thread?

Before the last shutdown on your HDD you should.
- Delete all entries from HKLM\System\MountedDevices
- Delete reg entry HKLM\System\Setup SystemPartition

Regards,
Slobodan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
Microsoft!
https://www.windowsembeddedeval.com/community/newsgroups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I regret to have not described my question clearly and fully. Let me try again.

1. At first , the two hard disks on my pc represent below:
Primary Master: 40G, Primay Partition--C: Extention Partition

includes four logic partitions--D:, E:; F:; G:

Primary Slave : 5G, Primay Partition--I: Extention Partition

includes one logic partitions--J:

2. I copied the pre FBA image to I:, and changed the status of "primary

master" to "Not installed" in BIOS. Now, the two hard disks on my pc
represent below

Primary Master: 40G, Not installed
Primary Slave : 5G, Primay Partition--C: Extention Partition

includes one logic partitions--D:

3. Started the system. System started at the Primay Partition of the

Primary Slave, which was become the C: partition of the system. Actually the
image ran FBA at C:

 

[KM]

Arlin,

Try Slobodan's suggestions about the deleting the registry entries.

Also, try to run a tool like diskpart to verify the missing partition existence/type/etc. Or you can use a good proven third party
tools like Paragon Partition Manager, Partition Magic, etc (this will no solve your problem but will give you more info about it).

--
KM,
BSquare Corporation

I regret to have not described my question clearly and fully. Let me try again.

1. At first , the two hard disks on my pc represent below:
Primary Master: 40G, Primay Partition--C: Extention Partition includes four logic partitions--D:, E:; F:; G:
Primary Slave : 5G, Primay Partition--I: Extention Partition includes one logic partitions--J:

2. I copied the pre FBA image to I:, and changed the status of "primary master" to "Not installed" in BIOS. Now, the two hard

disks on my pc represent below

Primary Master: 40G, Not installed
Primary Slave : 5G, Primay Partition--C: Extention Partition includes one logic partitions--D:

3. Started the system. System started at the Primay Partition of the Primary Slave, which was become the C: partition of the

system. Actually the image ran FBA at C:

 

[Guest]

Thanks to Slobodan Brcin and KM very much
I've resolved the problem accordding Slobodan Brcin's suggestion
I delete the post-FBA image's register entries which mentioned by Slobodan Brcin. And then treat the image as golden image. It's OK