How do I create a bootable WinPE CD for XP sp2?

[Stu]

This is my first attempt at using WinPE, and so far no luck. I am
getting the following error message when I try to boot from my CD:

"Please insert the disk labeled Windows XP Professional CD-ROM into
Drive A:
* Press ENTER when ready"

So far, I have done the following:
Copy the contents of my Windows XP CD i386 directory to c:\
Copy the contents of my sp2 files
Slipstreamed sp2 into the Windows XP i386 directory using the
'/integrate' switch
Copy the WinPE folder (and x86 subfolder) to a new folder (named
c:\build_x86)

NB I am using WinPE 2005, but from an extracted download, not a
bootable CD.

I have followed the instructions in the winpe.chm file, ie run the
following command:

c:\build_x86\winpe\mkimg.cmd c:\ c:\pe_image /wmi /nowf

This scrolled all the files up my screen and reported that it
successfully copied 1304 out of 1304 files.

I then ran the following command (after creating an 'iso' folder on the
c-drive):
'c:\build_x86\winpe\oscdimg.exe -bc:\build_x86\winpe\etfsboot.com -n
c:\pe_img c:\iso\pe_img.iso'

This successfully created an iso image, and I copied this iso file onto
a machine with a CD-Writer, which I have successfully burnt to a CD-RW
using Nero6.6.

When I try to boot from it (BIOS is set to CD first in start order), I
press a key at the appropriate time, it says Setup is inspecting
hardware configuration, then it says Starting WIndows PreINstallation
Environment, with a bar going across down the bottom, then almost
immediately I get the error message.
It appears that I dp have a bootable WinPE CD, but it is missing
something(s).

Does anyone have any ideas??

 

[Guest]

Never actually tries this route, but BartPE works very reliably.

 

[Stu]

Never actually tries this route, but BartPE works very reliably.

Ian,

Thanks for the reply; I have seen BartPE mentioned a lot in newsgroups
as a reliable alternative, but I must use WinPE.

 

[Johan Arwidmark]

Don't put the Windows XP SP2 i386 folder on the C:\ drive, the
mkimg.cmd might pick up the wrong boot loader files.. put it in a
folder like c:\winxp and then point mkimg.cmd to that

Try using a non-slipstreamed media, eg a image with Windows XP SP2
included from scratch...

I do recommend you using a WIndows Server 2003 SP1 media when building
WinPE 2005 images, allows you to use all new features in WinPE 2005


regards

Johan Arwidmark
Microsoft MVP - Setup/Deployment

 

[Stu]

Johan,

I did what you suggested, and used non-slipstreamed media, and left it
on CD, and this worked a treat!!
Thanks very much to the end of hours of frustration!

I am still using XP sp2, however; what is the additional functionality
if I use W2K3sp1?

 

[Guest]

I'm having a similar issue. I created an iso image using disc 1 of Server
2003 R2 enterprise (which is the same as server 2003 with Sp1 integrated).
When the media was on the network, I received the same message you were
running into.(Please insert the disc labeled ....)

When I created the image with the same media that I had copied to the
network share in the CD drive, the iso boots properly.

I cannot understand why copying the media from the network versus locally
should make a difference. Does any one know why? I'm trying to make a
batch-scripted build of the image, so it would help to get this working off
the network share.

Also, when my image boots up, it shows the XP splash screen before booting
into Windows PE. Since I created the image using server 2003 SP1, I was
expecting the server 2003 splash screen. I hope this is by design, and not an
indication of a problem with my image.