Create a multi boot rescue USB flash drive

By Si
in Essential Guides

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Neowinian

gfheiche

Posted
Posted
OK they've changed the way they include it.

Copy the ntpass folder to the root of your flash drive, and then use this entry instead of the above one for ntpass:

title ntpass
kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz /ntpasswd/scsi.cgz
initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

It at least booted for me, hope it works for you too (Y)

It worked.

Thank you for this elegant construction of a powerful program.

Can you recommend kind of a users' manual for it?

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Neowinian

Kevbert

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Excellent guide Si. I have a problem with the Windows PE boot manager. I get an error when I try this option: "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause." File: \Boot\BCD Status: 0xc0000225. Screenshot attached. I downloaded the files and installed on an AMD2X64 Desktop (running XP SP3 32 bit)and the laptop I'm using it on is an Acer Travelmate 803lci with Intel Centrino 32 bit.

post-269402-1226927483_thumb.jpg

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Grand Master

Panacik

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Can we have a screenshot of your folder layout and the files within there please. This may help us identify the problem. I have PE on a USB stick using this boot method and it works fine, so im guessing you may be missing some files.

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Neowinian

Kevbert

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Can we have a screenshot of your folder layout and the files within there please. This may help us identify the problem. I have PE on a USB stick using this boot method and it works fine, so im guessing you may be missing some files.

Here's a screenshot of my files. Everything else works fine apart from PE. I read somewhere that it could be a problem with chainloader /bootmgr but that was something like chainloader /(hd0,6) which gave exactly the same error. Please comment.

post-269402-1226941618_thumb.jpg

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Grand Master

Si Veteran

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Hi Kevbert.

All these new posts have inspired me to update my own recovery drive - and I have just followed my own instructions successfully.

I did do two things differently to the guide you followed:

A) I did my build within Windows Vista (with SP1). Not sure if this makes any difference at all.

B) I have used the WAIK 1.1 in order to get the newer Windows PE 2.1 as opposed to 2.0

Perhaps it is worth copying the PE files to the drive again, in case your \boot\BCD file is somehow corrupt?

I will update the original post with the ntpasswd and PE 2.1 details.

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Grand Master

Si Veteran

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It worked.

Thank you for this elegant construction of a powerful program.

Can you recommend kind of a users' manual for it?

Glad to hear it worked - unfortunately I don't have a link to a manual as such. I spent an evening working in Google to build this originally, sorry!

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Grand Master

Panacik

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Kevbert,

Can you try making a copy of you EFI folder that is currently on your drive root, and place it inside the BOOT folder please and then try again. I have an EFI folder on both my drive root and in the BOOT folder, so im wondering if this has anything to do with it.

This is the only difference i can see between the two.

Other than that, can you post a copy of your menu.lst please for us.

Rich

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Neowinian

Kevbert

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Thanks to everyone who's replied.

I've tried installing again to a new flash drive and get the same result.

I removed PE2.0 and installed 2.1 from DVD. Regarding WAIK, two comments. In the displayed example install on the APCMAG webpage it shows 18 files are downloaded via the command prompt (I only get 17 using PE2.0 and 2.1). Also the command OSCDIMG -bc:\temp\x86_pe\etfsboot.com -n -o c:\temp\x86_pe\iso c:\temp\x86_pe.iso

- does there need to be a space between -b and c:\temp\... ?

Unfortunately I don't have Vista, I'm using Windows XP SP3.

The amount of memory in my laptop approx 1.75Gb excluding video memory (not shared).

I've tried copying the EFI folder to BOOT and it makes no difference. I have a BCD file in \BOOT which is 262144 bytes. The md5sum for this is 603c405372fae16a89ec9f3b92a1aae5 (on a linux PC).

My menu.lst boot file was copied straight from the website using Notepad:

color black/cyan yellow/cyan

timeout 60

title SystemRescueCD

kernel /rescuecd initrd=initram.igz video=ofonly vga=0 scandelay=5

initrd /initram.igz

title Windows PE

chainloader /bootmgr

title DBAN

kernel /memdisk

initrd /dban.img

title ntpasswd

kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz /ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

initrd /ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

title Memtest86

kernel /memdisk

initrd /memtestp.img

Thanks in advance.

Kevin.

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Grand Master

Panacik

Posted
Posted (edited)

I think i see your problem now. In your menu.lst file, you ahve not set the correct root. Therefore the Windows PE is not looking in the correct place for the boot files.

Try this under your Windows PE option:

find --set-root /EFI/bootmgr

chainloader /EFI/bootmgr

Let us know how you get on! (Y)

Edited by Rich
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Neowinian

Kevbert

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I think i see your problem now. In your menu.lst file, you ahve not set the correct root. Therefore the Windows PE is not looking in the correct place for the boot files.

Try this under your Windows PE option:

find --set-root /EFI/bootmgr

chainloader /EFI/bootmgr

Let us know how you get on! (Y)

Thanks. I assume that this should be in my menu.lst file. Unfortunately I get an error 17: File not found. I've also tried this under bash. The bootmgr file is in the root directory. Can someone attach a copy of bootmgr and BCD (the one under /BOOT).

After all the USB stick can be used for any Windows PC (or am i wrong ?)

I've even tried changing the case in menu.lst as Grub is a linux thing (just in case it's case sensitive).

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Grand Master

Panacik

Posted
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Thanks. I assume that this should be in my menu.lst file. Unfortunately I get an error 17: File not found. I've also tried this under bash. The bootmgr file is in the root directory. Can someone attach a copy of bootmgr and BCD (the one under /BOOT).

After all the USB stick can be used for any Windows PC (or am i wrong ?)

I've even tried changing the case in menu.lst as Grub is a linux thing (just in case it's case sensitive).

The root i set needs to be change according to where your files are located. As far as i could tell you said you made a copy of the EFI folder to your BOOT folder so it should have worked.

The case should not be the problem. I have changed this also and it makes no difference.

Im out of suggestions myself to be honest. Im guessing there might be something wrong with the PE files you are using? :s

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Neowinian

Kevbert

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The root i set needs to be change according to where your files are located. As far as i could tell you said you made a copy of the EFI folder to your BOOT folder so it should have worked.

The case should not be the problem. I have changed this also and it makes no difference.

Im out of suggestions myself to be honest. Im guessing there might be something wrong with the PE files you are using? :s

Thanks Rich. It may be as Si suggested that I need to use Vista to set this up as I've tried both PE2.0 and 2.1 via the two versions of WAIK.

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Grand Master

Panacik

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Thanks Rich. It may be as Si suggested that I need to use Vista to set this up as I've tried both PE2.0 and 2.1 via the two versions of WAIK.

No problem mate, always happy to help where i can. However, i dont think that is the case. I use XP and dont have this problem.

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Apprentice

d3m0nb0y

Posted
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UPDATED 2008-11-17: Windows PE 2.1 update and ntpasswd fix.

******************************************************************

This is a neat little project for those of you that could be asked to help fix a PC at any moment in your life - the end result is a flash drive which when booted lets you pick from:

This was an informative post and I appreciate it. However, I prefer to use UBCD to burn a one time off disk. Because 1, a CD-R is cheaper. 2, USBs can be used for file transfer

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Grand Master

Panacik

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This was an informative post and I appreciate it. However, I prefer to use UBCD to burn a one time off disk. Because 1, a CD-R is cheaper. 2, USBs can be used for file transfer

However, a USB is:

1. More portable

2. Cheap enugh in price for a 1gig drive now

3. this allows you to still move things to and from the device, even when botted from it

Your argument does not really stand much ground to be honest.

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Grand Master

Panacik

Posted
Posted
Hi,

with ntpasswrd grub4dos doesn't work

->

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5433

There is a guide how to combine the two ramdisk files to one, but i'm a linux newbie and I cannot make the grub4dos compatible new ramdisk with scsi drivers.

Anyone could do this?

Thanks & br

Pat

title ntpasswd

kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz /ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

initrd /ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

Simple as that?

What error do you get when using the above?

Also, ensure that vmlinuz, initrd.cgz and scsi.cgz are in the ntpasswd folder on the root of your drive.

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Neowinian

mrpaddy81

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Posted
title ntpasswd

kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz /ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

initrd /ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

Simple as that?

What error do you get when using the above?

Also, ensure that vmlinuz, initrd.cgz and scsi.cgz are in the ntpasswd folder on the root of your drive.

ntpasswd is starting but it doesn't show any fixed harddisk in the pc, because grub4dos can't load scsi.cgz (it can only load initrd.cgz)

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Neowinian

mrpaddy81

Posted
Posted (edited)
Im guessing, but try initrd=/ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

Are you using SCSI, IDE or Serial drives?

I have ide & sata drives,.. but ntpasswd needs the initrd.cgz to run,..

Im guessing, but try initrd=/ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

ERROR: KERNEL PANIC

Edited by mrpaddy81
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Grand Master

Panacik

Posted
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I have ide & sata drives,.. but ntpasswd needs the initrd.cgz to run,..

Did you do it like this:

title ntpasswd

kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz initrd=/ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

initrd /ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

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Neowinian

mrpaddy81

Posted
Posted
Did you do it like this:

title ntpasswd

kernel /ntpasswd/vmlinuz rw vga=1 initrd=/ntpasswd/initrd.cgz initrd=/ntpasswd/scsi.cgz

initrd /ntpasswd/initrd.cgz

tryed it - it runs, but it shows ONLY the USB Stick from which I'm booting, no system disk!

multi cgz files not yet suported. As a workaround you need to combine these cgz files into one cgz file, for example, in these steps:

1. use gunzip and cpio to decompress /initrd.cgz and /scsi.cgz into a folder

2. run cpio in the folder to create a new cgz ball, called new_initrd.cgz

Then you would write the initrd line like this:

initrd /new_initrd.cgz

this is I think the only solution but I have no idea how to do it,..

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Grand Master

Panacik

Posted
Posted
tryed it - it runs, but it shows ONLY the USB Stick from which I'm booting, no system disk!

this is I think the only solution but I have no idea how to do it,..

Hmmm, strange. I see my drives on my machine regardless.

Im not much of a Linux guru, only a starter really. Hopefully someone else more Linux knowledged will see this and be able to assist further, but i have exhausted all my ideas.

Ill let people know about this thread for you though mate.

Sorry i couldnt help more (Y)

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