✎ winpe_memdisk - Etherboot/gPXE Wiki

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======Overview======
This method of booting WinPE uses Memdisk to boot a hard disk image containing a WinPE WIM file and the support files necessary to load and boot the WIM. This is done in order to bypass the traditional (read: Microsoft) way of network booting WinPE over TFTP, and all the inherent problems with using TFTP, specifically, scaling to any significant number of clients on cheap hardware.

======Requirements======
You will need the following:
  * [[http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=60a07e71-0acb-453a-8035-d30ead27ef72&displaylang=en|Windows AIK]]
  * [[http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/|Vista Recovery CD]]
  * A VM of some kind, I used [[http://www.virtualbox.org/|VirtualBox]]
  * A way to get a dd of the Virtual Machine Hard Drive. I use [[http://www.knoppix.net/|Knoppix]]
  * Memdisk out of [[http://syslinux.zytor.com/|Syslinux]]
  * A program for making ISOs, I used [[http://www.imgburn.com/|ImgBurn]]

======Setup=======
Download and install the Windows AIK
Create an ISO containing WinPE.wim from C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%\WinPE.wim (Processor_architecture is most likely x86)
Create a new VM with a 200MB HD. Boot the VM from the Vista Recovery CD.

======Boot Vista Recovery CD======
Next -> Repair -> Next -> Command Prompt

At the CMD Prompt:
  diskpart
   select disk 0
   create partition primary
   select partition 1
   format fs=ntfs quick
   active
   detail partition (Verify active)
  c:
  mkdir boot
  copy d:\bootmgr c:\
  copy d:\boot\boot.sdi c:\
  attrib +s +h +r c:\bootmgr
  bcdedit -createstore c:\boot\BCD
  bcdedit -import c:\boot\BCD
  bcdedit -create {bootmgr} /d "Boot Manager"
  bcdedit -create -application osloader /d "WinPE"
  bcdedit -create {ramdiskoptions} /d "Ramdisk Options"
  bcdedit -set {bootmgr} device partition=C:
  bcdedit -set {bootmgr} default %WinPE GUID%
  bcdedit -set {default} device ramdisk=[C:]\winpe.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
  bcdedit -set {default} osdevice ramdisk=[C:]\winpe.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
  bcdedit -set {default} path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
  bcdedit -set {default} systemroot \windows
  bcdedit -set {default} detecthal yes
  bcdedit -set {default} winpe yes
  bcdedit -set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdidevice partition=C:
  bcdedit -set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdipath \boot.sdi

Now, without restarting the VM, and still booted from the Recovery CD, unmount the Recovery CD and mount the ISO you created with WinPE.wim from the Windows AIK
  copy d:\winpe.wim c:\
Unmount the CD and reboot the VM. It should boot the WinPE.wim. Once this is verified as working, mount and boot Knoppix.

======Boot from Knoppix======
Once booted into Knoppix, DD the Virtual Machine Hard Disk
  dd if=/dev/hda of=~/winpe.dd

Throw winpe.dd up on the server of your choice and with gPXE and memdisk, boot it.

  #!gPXE
  dhcp net0
  kernel http://webserver/memdisk
  initrd http://webserver/winpe.dd
  boot

======Customizing WinPE.wim======
Once you have winpe.dd which is just a 200MB Hard Disk Image, you can use Linux, fdisk, losetup, and ntfs-3g to exchange the WinPE.wim file inside winpe.dd with a customized WinPE.wim to suit your needs. This section will be filled out at a later date.[[Internal Link]]

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