Deploy XP Embedded via USB Stick

[lachlan.sutherland]

Hello, I have used Target Designer (XPe) to create a XPe image to the
companies requirements but I'm having problems implementing it. The
tablets the image is going on has one USB 2.0 port and two more when
docked. We've been using a USB CD drive to boot to the PE environment
provided on the first disk of the XPe Development Tools but its not
possible to boot the device with two USB devices (hit-and-miss;
sometimes it crashes, sometimes it doesn't). To make things even more
troublesome there doesn't, for the life of me, seem to be any way to
enter the BIOS. I've contacted Radiant Systems (supplier) several times
but they have yet to get back to me and I feel they may never. Also it
seems the PCMCIA card isn't supported by PE, while loading a message
box appears saying "Failed to install network adapter". What would be
ideal is to boot to a USB Stick (possible) and run a WinPE type of an
environment and either dump an ISO, restore a SDI, or even xcopy the
files to the drive. The Microsoft contact from our XPe provider
recommended this:

1) Download and install the HP format utility:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hpcpqdt/us/download/20306.html

2) Format the file system on the USB key with the utility- make sure
you use FAT16

3) Copy all of your working PE cd files to the USB key.

4) Copy ntdetect.com from the i386 dir into the root dir on the key.

5) Copy setupldr.bin from the i386 dir to 'ntldr' in the root
directory (no extension on ntldr file).

6) Rename i386 to 'minint'

But this fails (blue-screen-o-death) shortly into the Windows logo
while loading. We have signed the Microsoft CLA and are currently
waiting for the full version of Windows PE OPK but my research has
concluded that it won't make any difference. There has to be a USB
deployment solution, please if anybody can help I would forever
appreciate it.

Thanks,

Lachlan

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

There are three elements to make a USB flash drive bootable on a system:

** The host system must support booting from a USB flash drive.
(Please check with your system manufacturer.)

** The USB flash drive must support booting in general.
(Please check with your USB flash drive vendor.)

** The USB flash drive must contain boot/system files.
Typically, vendors of USB flash drives that support bootability will
provide you with a tool that will make the drive bootable.

USB Flash Drive FAQ
http://www.usbflashdrive.org/usbfd_faq.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Hello, I have used Target Designer (XPe) to create a XPe image to the
| companies requirements but I'm having problems implementing it. The
| tablets the image is going on has one USB 2.0 port and two more when
| docked. We've been using a USB CD drive to boot to the PE environment
| provided on the first disk of the XPe Development Tools but its not
| possible to boot the device with two USB devices (hit-and-miss;
| sometimes it crashes, sometimes it doesn't). To make things even more
| troublesome there doesn't, for the life of me, seem to be any way to
| enter the BIOS. I've contacted Radiant Systems (supplier) several times
| but they have yet to get back to me and I feel they may never. Also it
| seems the PCMCIA card isn't supported by PE, while loading a message
| box appears saying "Failed to install network adapter". What would be
| ideal is to boot to a USB Stick (possible) and run a WinPE type of an
| environment and either dump an ISO, restore a SDI, or even xcopy the
| files to the drive. The Microsoft contact from our XPe provider
| recommended this:
|
| 1) Download and install the HP format utility:
| http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hpcpqdt/us/download/20306.html
|
| 2) Format the file system on the USB key with the utility- make sure
| you use FAT16
|
| 3) Copy all of your working PE cd files to the USB key.
|
| 4) Copy ntdetect.com from the i386 dir into the root dir on the key.
|
| 5) Copy setupldr.bin from the i386 dir to 'ntldr' in the root
| directory (no extension on ntldr file).
|
| 6) Rename i386 to 'minint'
|
| But this fails (blue-screen-o-death) shortly into the Windows logo
| while loading. We have signed the Microsoft CLA and are currently
| waiting for the full version of Windows PE OPK but my research has
| concluded that it won't make any difference. There has to be a USB
| deployment solution, please if anybody can help I would forever
| appreciate it.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Lachlan