www.xpefiles.com

I'm following the HowTo: Using Windows PE 2.0 and Image X to deploy Windows XP Embedded.  I've got WAIK installed.

I'm having trouble getting it to work with a USB flash drive.  I'm getting the error "Invalid sytem disk".  How would the steps be different to boot from USB flash drive instead of CD (I don't have a CD drive easily available)?  I know CD's and flash drives have different boot files.

 

Thanks,

John

Whew, found the answer.  The UFD (Microsoft speak for USB Flash Disk) needs to be prepared with Vista's diskpart utility before copying the files from Win Pe's ISO folder.

See more detail here: 

http://blogs.technet.com/jamesone/archive/2006/11/10/getting-started-with-windows-pe.aspx

 

John

Hi John,

Yep, you found it. Diskpart in XP doesn't see USB flash disks as fixed and so they can't be partitioned / marked active. So, you have to either use Vista to prepare the UFD or use VIsta PE from a CD-Rom since the diskpart on Vista PE is the same as Vista.

Let me know if you run into any snags.

Brad

Didn't wanted to create a new topic because may question is related. I used your tip to deploy an XPe image with help of imagex, but during first boot the system says that it can't find bootmng, which is Windows Vista boot manager. Should it not be XP boot manager? What is causing the system to look for it?

Helt:

Didn't wanted to create a new topic because may question is related. I used your tip to deploy an XPe image with help of imagex, but during first boot the system says that it can't find bootmng, which is Windows Vista boot manager. Should it not be XP boot manager? What is causing the system to look for it?

 

Hello Helt,

So that I am clear, is the USB Boot to WinPE asking for bootmng or is the XPe system asking for it after you deploy the image?

Brad

 It is the XPe system which is asking for bootmng during the boot after deploying the image.

Like I understod it is format tools in Vista (and PE 2.0) which replaces an old bootsector with a new one which in turn is asking for bootmng.

//Helt 

Helt:

 It is the XPe system which is asking for bootmng during the boot after deploying the image.

Like I understod it is format tools in Vista (and PE 2.0) which replaces an old bootsector with a new one which in turn is asking for bootmng.

//Helt

Hello Helt,

Sorry for the late reply, I just noticed your post in this thread. So, if you copy the runtime image to the disk that is complaining abourt bootmng does it not start FBA. You are correct that if you just diskpart and format without copying the files you'll get this message. Otherwise it should be able to support both Vista or XP / XPe. How are you transfering the pre-FBA files to the disk after preparing it?

Brad

Hi,

As stated in the original post, I'm booting PE from a UFD.  WOW, it's incredibly slow to boot!!  Any tips to speed up the boot process?

Thanks,

John