Windows PE Ram Boot SDI Image Error

Jonathan Mims · Apr 15, 2004

When using the ram boot to boot a sdi image I get this error after it loads the image in ram and tries to load windows pe.

<Windows root>\System32\hal.dll is missing

I Don't know what the windows root folder its looking for. I have tried the following folders.

Windows\System32
Minint\System32
System32
I386\System32

Any clue what <Windows root> is?

The boot.ini has this in it

ramdisk(0)\windows="XPE RAM" /fastdetect /rdpath=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\image.sdi /rdimageoffset=245760

I'm booting off of an usb hard drive. The drive has the following files on it.
BOOT.INI
image.sdi
NTDETECT.COM
NTLDR

The SDI image is just a copy of the WinPE cdrom.

Thanks

Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\) · Apr 15, 2004

The SDI image is just a copy of the WinPE cdrom.
Are you sure that you know what you are doing? You should not (can not) make
working SDI from WinPE CD.

Check your PART blob offset to see if it really matches 245760 or it is 4096

Regards,
Slobodan

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Jonathan Mims said:
When using the ram boot to boot a sdi image I get this error after it

loads the image in ram and tries to load windows pe.

<Windows root>\System32\hal.dll is missing

I Don't know what the windows root folder its looking for. I have tried the following folders.

Windows\System32
Minint\System32
System32
I386\System32

Any clue what <Windows root> is?

The boot.ini has this in it

ramdisk(0)\windows="XPE RAM" /fastdetect

/rdpath=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\image.sdi /rdimageoffset=245760

Brad Combs · Apr 15, 2004

In addition, make sure your boot.ini looks like this....

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=ramdisk(0)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
ramdisk(0)\windows="XP Embedded RamDisk" /fastdetect
/rdpath=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\ramdisk.sdi /rdimageoffset=4096

Beware the wrap!

I've noticed that if you have no default set, and a timeout of zero it can
sometimes do weird things. (Like hal.dll missing)

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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KM · Apr 15, 2004

Jonathan,

I am not sure how you made an SDI file off the WinPE disk ? Did you use XPe/SP1 1-st CD? If you did, it shouldn't just a simple
copy.
First of all, the WinPE (XPe/SP1) system root would be something like "D:\i386". So, your may try ramdisk(0)\i386 instead.

I'd suggest you to switch off from WinPE, make your own XPE image, deploy it, FBA it and copy over a golden image. Then you can make
an SDI file off the golden image and try the RAM boot.

Jonathan · Apr 15, 2004

Whats the proper way to setup the hard drive for creation of the sdi image?
In addition, make sure your boot.ini looks like this....

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=ramdisk(0)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
ramdisk(0)\windows="XP Embedded RamDisk" /fastdetect
/rdpath=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\ramdisk.sdi /rdimageoffset=4096

Beware the wrap!

I've noticed that if you have no default set, and a timeout of zero it can
sometimes do weird things. (Like hal.dll missing)

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
Microsoft!
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Jonathan · Apr 15, 2004

The drive structure is layed out like this.
**Watch out for word wrap

D:\
I386
FONTS
HELP
INF
MSAGENT
INTL
SYSTEM32
CONFIG
DRIVERS
ETC
WINSXS
MANIFESTS
X86_MICROSOFT.TOOLS.VISUALCPLUSPLUS.RUNTIME-LIBRARIES_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0.0_X-WW_FF9986D7
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0.0_X-WW_1382D70A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X-WW_F7FB5805
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.0.0_X-WW_2726E76A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_X-WW_D8862BA3
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.0.0_X-WW_8D353F13
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_712BEFD8
X86_POLICY.1.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_7EF38638
X86_POLICY.6.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X-WW_3B30EA6A
X86_POLICY.7.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_X-WW_F586DE6B

Jonathan,

I am not sure how you made an SDI file off the WinPE disk ? Did you use XPe/SP1 1-st CD? If you did, it shouldn't just a simple
copy.
First of all, the WinPE (XPe/SP1) system root would be something like "D:\i386". So, your may try ramdisk(0)\i386 instead.

I'd suggest you to switch off from WinPE, make your own XPE image, deploy it, FBA it and copy over a golden image. Then you can make
an SDI file off the golden image and try the RAM boot.

Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\) · Apr 15, 2004

And I always though that WinPE it was eltorito based (non ram boot support
at all) (well I actually never thought about it ).

You never answered my question: "Are you sure that you know what you are
doing?"

Nevertheless if you can do this, have you considered if this solution would
be legal?

Regards,
Slobodan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
Microsoft!
https://www.windowsembeddedeval.com/community/newsgroups
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Jonathan said:
The drive structure is layed out like this.
**Watch out for word wrap

D:\
I386
FONTS
HELP
INF
MSAGENT
INTL
SYSTEM32
CONFIG
DRIVERS
ETC
WINSXS
MANIFESTS
X86_MICROSOFT.TOOLS.VISUALCPLUSPLUS.RUNTIME-LIBRARIES_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0
..0_X-WW_FF9986D7
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0.0_X-WW_1382D70A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X-WW_F7FB580
5
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.0.0_X-WW_2726E76
A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_X-WW_D8862B
A3
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.0.0_X-WW_8D353F13
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_712BEFD8
X86_POLICY.1.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_7EF3
8638
X86_POLICY.6.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X
-WW_3B30EA6A
X86_POLICY.7.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_
X-WW_F586DE6B
Jonathan,

I am not sure how you made an SDI file off the WinPE disk ? Did you use

XPe/SP1 1-st CD? If you did, it shouldn't just a simple

copy.
First of all, the WinPE (XPe/SP1) system root would be something like

"D:\i386". So, your may try ramdisk(0)\i386 instead.

I'd suggest you to switch off from WinPE, make your own XPE image, deploy

it, FBA it and copy over a golden image. Then you can make

Jonathan · Apr 15, 2004

"Are you sure that you know what you are doing?"
This is my first attempt with windows pe. I managed to get the cd side working easily but trying to get it running off of a usb hard drive is getting me the inacessible_boot_drive bsod.

"Nevertheless if you can do this, have you considered if this solution would be legal?"
Why not? I have came across a company that uses this method to boot a usb hard drive they sell.
And I always though that WinPE it was eltorito based (non ram boot support
at all) (well I actually never thought about it ).

You never answered my question: "Are you sure that you know what you are
doing?"

Nevertheless if you can do this, have you considered if this solution would
be legal?

Regards,
Slobodan

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

Jonathan said:
The drive structure is layed out like this.
**Watch out for word wrap

D:\
I386
FONTS
HELP
INF
MSAGENT
INTL
SYSTEM32
CONFIG
DRIVERS
ETC
WINSXS
MANIFESTS
X86_MICROSOFT.TOOLS.VISUALCPLUSPLUS.RUNTIME-LIBRARIES_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0
..0_X-WW_FF9986D7
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.0.0_X-WW_1382D70A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X-WW_F7FB580
5
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.0.0_X-WW_2726E76
A
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_X-WW_D8862B
A3
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.0.0_X-WW_8D353F13
X86_MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_712BEFD8
X86_POLICY.1.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.GDIPLUS_6595B64144CCF1DF_1.0.10.0_X-WW_7EF3
8638
X86_POLICY.6.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.COMMON-CONTROLS_6595B64144CCF1DF_6.0.10.0_X
-WW_3B30EA6A
X86_POLICY.7.0.MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.CPLUSPLUSRUNTIME_6595B64144CCF1DF_7.0.10.0_
X-WW_F586DE6B
Jonathan,

I am not sure how you made an SDI file off the WinPE disk ? Did you use

XPe/SP1 1-st CD? If you did, it shouldn't just a simple

copy.
First of all, the WinPE (XPe/SP1) system root would be something like

"D:\i386". So, your may try ramdisk(0)\i386 instead.

I'd suggest you to switch off from WinPE, make your own XPE image, deploy

it, FBA it and copy over a golden image. Then you can make

KM · Apr 15, 2004

"Nevertheless if you can do this, have you considered if this solution would be legal?"

Why not? I have came across a company that uses this method to boot a usb hard drive they sell.

Do they boot WinPE? Or did they create their own XPe image (and therefore purchased XPe licenses from MS)?

--
KM,
BSquare Corporation

"Are you sure that you know what you are doing?"
This is my first attempt with windows pe. I managed to get the cd side working easily but trying to get it running off of a usb

hard drive is getting me the inacessible_boot_drive bsod.

Brad Combs · Apr 15, 2004

Jonathan,

I think you may be confusing a few products. WinPE is "Windows
Preinstallation Environment" used by the XP Pro folks to deploy XP
Professional. It's used by XPe guys to deploy XP Embedded runtimes. WinPE
itself is not the product that is shipped in an embedded solution.

SDI can be used for several scenarios. To remote boot a diskless XP Embedded
client. You can also boot an SDI from a local device such as a USB flash
device, USB HDD, CD-Rom, ,etc..

The SDI should contain an XP Embedded image, not a WinPE image. If your just
trying to prove a theory by all means continue investigation, but if your
trying to experiment with SDI local boot your headed down the wrong path.

Try this.....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnxpesp1/html/ram_sdi.asp

And....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/xp/deploy/sdi/default.aspx

And...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../xpehelp/html/xerefsdimanagerblobcommands.asp

And....

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...24qJpRGDHA.1656%40TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl&rnum=3

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

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

Jonathan said:
"Are you sure that you know what you are doing?"
This is my first attempt with windows pe. I managed to get the cd side

working easily but trying to get it running off of a usb hard drive is
getting me the inacessible_boot_drive bsod.

Jonathan · Apr 15, 2004

Im trying to get ERD Commander running of a usb hard drive, or just get into an xp environment from a usb hard drive.
Jonathan,

I think you may be confusing a few products. WinPE is "Windows
Preinstallation Environment" used by the XP Pro folks to deploy XP
Professional. It's used by XPe guys to deploy XP Embedded runtimes. WinPE
itself is not the product that is shipped in an embedded solution.

SDI can be used for several scenarios. To remote boot a diskless XP Embedded
client. You can also boot an SDI from a local device such as a USB flash
device, USB HDD, CD-Rom, ,etc..

The SDI should contain an XP Embedded image, not a WinPE image. If your just
trying to prove a theory by all means continue investigation, but if your
trying to experiment with SDI local boot your headed down the wrong path.

Try this.....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnxpesp1/html/ram_sdi.asp

And....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/xp/deploy/sdi/default.aspx

And...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../xpehelp/html/xerefsdimanagerblobcommands.asp

And....

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...24qJpRGDHA.1656%40TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl&rnum=3

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

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

Jonathan said:
"Are you sure that you know what you are doing?"
This is my first attempt with windows pe. I managed to get the cd side

working easily but trying to get it running off of a usb hard drive is
getting me the inacessible_boot_drive bsod.

Doug Hoeffel · Apr 15, 2004

Hey Brad:

What other strange things have you seen when the boot.ini timeout value is
0?

TIA... Doug
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
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Brad Combs said:
In addition, make sure your boot.ini looks like this....

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=ramdisk(0)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
ramdisk(0)\windows="XP Embedded RamDisk" /fastdetect
/rdpath=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\ramdisk.sdi /rdimageoffset=4096

Beware the wrap!

I've noticed that if you have no default set, and a timeout of zero it can
sometimes do weird things. (Like hal.dll missing)

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

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

Slobodan Brcin (eMVP) said:

Are you sure that you know what you are doing? You should not (can not) make
working SDI from WinPE CD.

Check your PART blob offset to see if it really matches 245760 or it is 4096

Regards,
Slobodan

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

loads the image in ram and tries to load windows pe. tried
the following folders.

Click to expand...

files

on

Click to expand...

Jonathan · Apr 16, 2004

Im using SDI loader to create and add to the image.
I was wondering does "ramdisk(0)\windows" reflect the windows directory on the image?
Jonathan,

I think you may be confusing a few products. WinPE is "Windows
Preinstallation Environment" used by the XP Pro folks to deploy XP
Professional. It's used by XPe guys to deploy XP Embedded runtimes. WinPE
itself is not the product that is shipped in an embedded solution.

SDI can be used for several scenarios. To remote boot a diskless XP Embedded
client. You can also boot an SDI from a local device such as a USB flash
device, USB HDD, CD-Rom, ,etc..

The SDI should contain an XP Embedded image, not a WinPE image. If your just
trying to prove a theory by all means continue investigation, but if your
trying to experiment with SDI local boot your headed down the wrong path.

Try this.....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnxpesp1/html/ram_sdi.asp

And....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/xp/deploy/sdi/default.aspx

And...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../xpehelp/html/xerefsdimanagerblobcommands.asp

And....

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...24qJpRGDHA.1656%40TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl&rnum=3

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

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

Jonathan said:
"Are you sure that you know what you are doing?"
This is my first attempt with windows pe. I managed to get the cd side

working easily but trying to get it running off of a usb hard drive is
getting me the inacessible_boot_drive bsod.

Brad Combs · Apr 19, 2004

ramdisk(0)\windows = The windows directory contained within the SDI file
that is specified in the arc path. In this case it's ramdisk.sdi.

HTH,
--
Brad Combs
Imago Technologies, LLC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
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Keith S. Garner · Apr 26, 2004

Please do not mix WinPE components with Windows XP Embedded Components. You
can't use SDI from WinPE.

Either you are on the beta program for Windows 2003 SP1 Beta, and have the
ability to create RAM Disks, or you have Windows XP Embedded, and you have a
specific platform you wish to use.

I have gotten WinPE to boot from a USB Flash Drive before, and I *may* be
able to help you, if you wish.

Keith S. Garner (keith.garner at comcast dot net)

Jonathan said:
Im trying to get ERD Commander running of a usb hard drive, or just get

into an xp environment from a usb hard drive.

USB Booting a SDI Image of WinPE	2	Nov 24, 2004
Error while loading SDI image from USB flash drive	2	Feb 12, 2005
boot sdi ----- HELP !!!	1	Aug 5, 2004
SDI image ram boot.	1	May 27, 2004
Boot WinPE from CD using SDI image	3	Feb 4, 2005
Black Screen - Booting SDI via USB	1	Jul 9, 2007
Problem Booting SDI Image from Hard Drive	1	Mar 15, 2004
SDI Ramdisk Image with DOS	3	Oct 27, 2003

Windows PE Ram Boot SDI Image Error

Jonathan Mims

Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)

Brad Combs

KM

Jonathan

Jonathan

Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)

Jonathan

KM

Brad Combs

Jonathan

Doug Hoeffel

Jonathan

Brad Combs

Keith S. Garner

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