Does not UEFI-boot from WinPE ISOs

[steve6375]

WinPE ISOs have a \sources\boot.wim but no install.wim

as a quick test I changed win_test.sh like this:

#set win_prefix=(loop)/sources/install;
set win_prefix=(loop)/sources/boot;

and now I get a 'Install Windows' option and it successfully UEFI boots WinPE ISOs :-)

if \sources\boot.wim but no \sources\install.wim then show 'Boot WinPE' menu text instead of 'Install Windows'?

No XML List is wanted though.

It will not hurt to leave in start.bat and mount_x64.exe etc. because some WinPEs will need a mounted ISO (Usually mounted on Y:).

[steve6375]

[a1ive]

After commit 917b53f67ea586f168c133d3a586c026ce30d560 there is no 'win_test.sh'.

[steve6375]

Sorry, thought this was fixed but it appears not.

iso/loop_detect.sh only detects windows install iso's but not winpe ISOs with \sources\boot.wim.

Also, if I copy loop_test.sh to my local rules/iso folder, it contains source ${prefix}/rules/iso/loop_detect.sh; so I need to change this to source (${user})/boot/grubfm/rules/iso/loop_detect.sh;

Can it be changed to check for a user version first please?

[a1ive]

Sorry I don't understand. Are you trying to boot winpe.iso and inject iso drivers into wim?

[steve6375]

Most WinPE ISOs ignore the winpeshl.ini anyway so they boot to WinPE just fine. If I change loop_detect.sh to detect /sources/boot.wim instead of /sources/install.* then most WinPEs boot OK.

However, some WinPEs do run the injected winpeshl and start.bat but the current start.bat fails and when the cmd window is closed by the user, then the WinPE shuts down.

Ideally, I would like to inject winpeshl.ini and start.bat but the start.bat loads the ISO as drive Y: and then allows WinPE to continue. This is because many WinPEs expect the ISO to be mounted as Y:.

Otherwise simply changing the /sources/install. to /sources/boot. in loop_detect.sh will be fine for now.

[a1ive]

Most WinPE ISOs ignore the winpeshl.ini anyway so they boot to WinPE just fine. If I change loop_detect.sh to detect /sources/boot.wim instead of /sources/install.* then most WinPEs boot OK.

Where to download these WinPEs for testing? (e.g. 'Hiren's Boot CD'?)

[steve6375]

I have tested some common WinPEs (UEFI64) using the Install Windows win.sh script. Most work OK and the winpeshl does not run. However, start.bat does need some changes:

1. If no install.* file is found then do not run Setup.exe

2. If Y: drive does not already exist - run ImDisk and attach ISO to Y: drive letter - else attach ISO to next available drive letter.

---

BobOmbs - OK (does not run winpeshl) (https://mega.nz/#!gywx3Ihb!cNTwL_IC2RcfCJzga_4JOJnhHiNGF9omWBKeMcp03eM) https://drive.google.com/file/d/12iOULllhRHNmoW5ItGQWRB04Pp7YhHk3/view

HBCD PE - OK (does not run winpeshl) (https://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/)

WinPESE-x64 - OK - (does not run winpeshl)

WinPE 2019 (ChrisPE ISO) - WinPeshl runs - Windows could not collect information for (OSImage) because X:\Windows\system32\:\sources\install.wim does not exist - start.bat needs changing so does not run setup.exe if no install.* found

Gandalf https://usersdrive.com/wp0ro5w4x6k3.html - requires ISO mounted as Y: (autorun.cmd) http://d1.usersdrive.com:182/d/z6jz5zim2as5ln23gtj7jwzzedq5dfdxrdq4j5lbkzswi236nippphkyqrf4mipkhd3zbomg/Gandalfs.Win10.PE.07-28-2019.win64.rar https://usersdrive.com/wp0ro5w4x6k3.html

Strelec - agFM map menu entry boots - but SSTR folder needs extracting - no Windows option

[a1ive]

downloaded, plz delete @steve6375

[a1ive]

If no install.* file is found then do not run Setup.exe

If don't run setup.exe, what exe should we run (ChrisPE ISO)?

[steve6375]

don't run any exe.

[a1ive]

I tried but it will reboot if no exe runs after mounting iso.

[steve6375]

maybe do not end batch file with exit ???

[a1ive]

yes, no exit

[steve6375]

Sergei Strelec WinPE - https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/sergei_strelecs_winpe.html Not typical WinPE!

[a1ive]

Gandalf https://usersdrive.com/wp0ro5w4x6k3.html

I can't boot this pe using wimboot (could not patch boot.wim)

[steve6375]

Here is grubfm file for Sergei Strelec. WinPE10_8_Sergei_Strelec_x86_x64_2017.10.03_English.grubfm.zip

With current releae of agFM you have to press ENTER to exit the cmd shell.

[steve6375]

I use slightly different version and it boots OK using win.sh

Have you set enough RAM in VM?

[steve6375]

https://archive.org/download/gandalfswin10pex64redstone307102018

[a1ive]

Have you set enough RAM in VM?

yes (8GB), and this stage won't use RAM.

[steve6375]

If wim file has been made using non-dism (maybe wimlib) then wimboot has problems patching it. Sorry! Try the gandalfswin10pex64redstone307102018 version (only 5GB!).

[a1ive]

Try the gandalfswin10pex64redstone307102018 version

This wim boots ok, but it can't find iso drive (I can't mount iso to Y:)

[a1ive]

HBCD PE and WinPESE-x64 are also ok if use 'map' menu entry, no need to use wimboot (to bypass secure boot).

[a1ive]

I think we need to write .grubfm menu for every winpe ISO, rather than use win.sh.

[steve6375]

OK. I am trying to change start.bat mount_%arch%.exe -m:r "%isodrive%%isopath%" now mount_%arch%.exe -m:y "%isodrive%%isopath%"

but in both cases the ISO is always mounted on the next available drive letter (not r: or y:). http://www.yubsoft.com/imgdrive/portable.htm#command_line

Is this a bug in the exe?

[a1ive]

but in both cases the ISO is always mounted on the next available drive letter (not r: or y:). Is this a bug in the exe?

maybe. Or we could switch to imdisk? (Is there a portable version?)

[steve6375]

I dont think it is worth the trouble. Thanks for testing. As Secure Boot won't work, using map is a better option.

[a1ive]

I found that some Chinese WinPE use Y: when initializing. if Y: exists, it can't load external programs. (Y: was occupied by CD or external drive, will boot without external programs.) Maybe we should use B:

[steve6375]

Maybe that type of WinPE does not need the ISO mounted at all? What is it trying to mount on Y:?

Y: is expected by many popular WinPEs. They wont work if B: is used. Only Y: will work. Using A: or B: can also cause problems because some WinPEs don't search A or B (it thinks they are floppy disks).

[a1ive]

Maybe that type of WinPE does not need the ISO mounted at all? What is it trying to mount on Y:?

No, they need the ISO mounted. I'm not an expert in WinPE, maybe it uses Y: to load some large programs e.g. Chrome.

[a1ive]

They use Y: to mount 32-bit large programs. MS Office, PotPlayer, Opera, IE, Virtual PC.

[steve6375]

Maybe WinPE ISOs could have some sort of optional INI config file

\iso\winpexxx.iso \iso\winpexxx.ini

[ISO_LOAD] Letter=Y (load as Y: - default if no INI found)

Letter=ANY (load as first free letter)

Letter=NONE (do not load ISO as virtual DVD)

WinPESHL=NO (do not add winpeshl.ini or batch file into boot.wim)

[steve6375]

also could contain entry for name of .bat file to run ???

[a1ive]

No. Most of Chinese WinPE use PECMD, and scripts are encrypted.

[steve6375]

I mean an entry for the grubfm_startbat variable so it will run a users own batch file from winpeshl.ini.

[a1ive]

https://github.com/a1ive/grub2-filemanager/commit/0aa9b5ed9f36585d22e23e3b52dbf02054574099 now we can use grubfm_startpebat

[a1ive]

If wim file has been made using non-dism (maybe wimlib) then wimboot has problems patching it. Sorry! Try the gandalfswin10pex64redstone307102018 version (only 5GB!).

This wim uses xpress-huffman compression, which is not supported by wimboot. I've added xpress compression support in wimboot module (https://github.com/a1ive/grub/commit/8c1ccc0c04a93cc6167f4de0b2263cfa998d372a), so wimboot could patch it now.