I am building a new PC from old spare parts. The new PC will be used mainly for the Internet, so a hard drive won't be necessary unless there's a need to download music and movies. I'm going to put together a computer with no internal storage, but use a USB stick as the main storage. Windows XP Professional will be installed on the USB stick, and the computer will boot up from the USB stick. Here I show how to install XP onto a USB stick and boot the PC from it. You should have the following ready.
- PC running Windows for carrying out the task
- USB flash/hard drive with at least 1.5 GB capacity
- genuine Windows XP CD
- bittorrent: Windows XP Pro SP3 VL MSDN
- ed2k: en_windows_xp_professional_with_service_pack_3_x86_cd_vl_x14-73974.iso
- bittorrent: Windows XP Pro SP3 VL MSDN
- cabarc.exe from Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools
- ImgBurn, CDBurnerXP or similar tool
- PowerQuest Partition Table Editor
- HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3
Let's begin.
Get your Windows XP installation CD and copy its contents to an empty folder on the hard drive. If you don't have the CD, use utorrent or emule to download the ISO file.
- bittorrent: Windows XP Pro SP3 VL MSDN
- ed2k: en_windows_xp_professional_with_service_pack_3_x86_cd_vl_x14-73974.iso
Then, use 7-zip to extract the contents of the ISO file into an empty folder.
- bittorrent: Windows XP Pro SP3 VL MSDN
Start the Command Prompt, go to the I386 subfolder and type the following commands to uncompress the USB driver files:
CD I386
EXPAND -I USB.IN_
EXPAND -I USBPORT.IN_
EXPAND -I USBSTOR.IN_We'll get 3 new files: USB.INF, USBPORT.INF and USBSTOR.INF. Remove the original .IN_ files.
ERASE USB.IN_ USBPORT.IN_ USBSTOR.IN_
- Edit TXTSETUP.SIF to include USB storage support at the initial stage of Windows XP installation. The highlighted entries were copied from the [InputDevicesSupport.Load] section to the [BootBusExtenders.Load] section:
[BootBusExtenders.Load]
pci = pci.sys
acpi = acpi.sys
isapnp = isapnp.sys
acpiec = acpiec.sys
ohci1394 = ohci1394.sys
usbehci = usbehci.sys
usbohci = usbohci.sys
usbuhci = usbuhci.sys
usbhub = usbhub.sys
usbstor = usbstor.sysLikewise for [BootBusExtenders] and [InputDevicesSupport]:
[BootBusExtenders]
pci = "PCI Bus Driver",files.pci,pci
acpi = "ACPI Plug & Play Bus Driver",files.acpi,acpi
isapnp = "ISA Plug & Play Bus Driver",files.isapnp,isapnp
acpiec = "ACPI Embedded Controller Driver",files.none,acpiec
ohci1394 = "IEEE 1394 Bus OHCI Compliant Port Driver",files.ohci1394,ohci1394
usbehci = "Enhanced Host Controller",files.usbehci,usbehci
usbohci = "Open Host Controller",files.usbohci,usbohci
usbuhci = "Universal Host Controller",files.usbuhci,usbuhci
usbhub = "Generic USB Hub Driver",files.usbhub,usbhub
usbstor = "USB Storage Class Driver",files.usbstor,usbstorInsert the following in the [HiveInfs.Fresh] section:
[HiveInfs.Fresh]
AddReg = hivedef.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivesys.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivesft.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivecls.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hiveusd.inf,AddReg
AddReg = dmreg.inf,DM.AddReg
AddReg = usbboot.inf,usbservicesThen, in the [SourceDisksFiles] section:
[SourceDisksFiles]
usbboot.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,3,,3
bootvid.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2
kdcom.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2Save and close TXTSETUP.SIF.
- Edit DOSNET.INF so that the second [Files] section looks like this:
[Files]
d1,usbboot.inf
d1,_default.pif
d1,12520437.cpx
d1,12520850.cpx Edit USB.INF as follows:
[StandardHub.AddService]
DisplayName = %StandardHub.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbhub.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender
[CommonClassParent.AddService]
DisplayName = %GenericParent.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbccgp.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus ExtenderModify USBPORT.INF like this.
[EHCI.AddService]
DisplayName = %EHCIMP.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbehci.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender
[OHCI.AddService]
DisplayName = %OHCIMP.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbohci.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender
[UHCI.AddService]
DisplayName = %UHCIMP.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbuhci.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender
[ROOTHUB.AddService]
DisplayName = %ROOTHUB.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbhub.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus ExtenderEdit USBSTOR.INF:
[USBSTOR.AddService]
DisplayName = %USBSTOR.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1
StartType = 0
Tag = 3
ErrorControl = 1
ServiceBinary = %12%\USBSTOR.SYS
LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus ExtenderCreate a new file USBBOOT.INF with the following contents:
[usbservices]
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB Mass Storage Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Start",0x00010001,0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Type",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller Miniport Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbehci.sys"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Start",0x00010001,0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Type",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB2 Enabled Hub"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Start",0x00010001,0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Type",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"Microsoft USB Universal Host Controller Miniport Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbuhci.sys"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Start",0x00010001,0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Type",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"Microsoft USB Open Host Controller Miniport Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbohci.sys"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Start",0x00010001,0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Type",0x00010001,1If you haven't erased the original .IN_ files, do so now.
erase USB.IN_
erase USBPORT.IN_
erase USBSTOR.IN_Compress the modified files with cabarc.
cabarc n USB.IN_ usb.inf
cabarc n USBPORT.IN_ usbport.inf
cabarc n USBSTOR.IN_ usbstor.infYou'll get 3 compressed files with IN_ extension.
- Put these files back into the I386 subfolder of the Windows XP installation folder.
- DOSNET.INF
- TXTSETUP.SIF
- USB.IN_
- USBBOOT.INF
- USBPORT.IN_
- USBSTOR.IN_
- DOSNET.INF
You'll need this boot sector (w2ksect.bin) to make your new CD bootable. Put w2ksect.bin inside the main folder containing XP files.
Now, let's burn a new CD containing Windows XP files. Start ImgBurn and select Write files/folders to disc. Click the Browser for a folder... icon and select the folder containing Windows XP files. Then, set up options as follows.
Insert a blank CD into your optical drive and burn it.
Plug in your USB flash drive or USB hard drive to your computer and run the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. On Windows Vista or Windows 7, run it as administrator.
From the I386 folder of XP installation CD, copy the following files to the USB drive:
- ntldr
- ntdetect.com
Then, create a new file boot.ini with the following contents. Put it on the USB drive.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect- ntldr
Run the Partition Table Editor (PTEDIT32.EXE) as administrator. Select your USB drive from Hard Disk pulldown menu.
Change the type of primary partition on the USB drive from 00 to 80. Click the Save Changes button.
Partition Information should read FAT16X, Bootable
Remove your hard drive from the computer. Then, connect your USB flash drive directly to your computer.
Change the boot order in the BIOS so that your computer can boot from a USB drive. Typical BIOS options are as follows:
- USB HDD
- USB Hard Drive
- USB HDD
Insert your new Windows XP CD your burned above and boot your computer with it. During installation, don't format the USB drive. Just leave it as is.
After successfully installing Windows XP on your USB drive, install the EWF or FBWF filter.
“Install Windows XP on a USB flash/hard drive”
ReplyDeleteGreat idea but I am not there yet.
Ran into a problem with the newly edited Windows Xp CD.
I get this:
"inf file txtsetup.sif is corrupt or missing. Status 14"
I used ISO Commander to put the edited files back into the I386 subfolder
It seems that ISO Commander changed the location of txtsetup.sif , and windows is unable to find it.
I don't have a fix yet. All suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
jolytroter@gmail.com
I boot my computer with the cd but when selecting disk this message appeared.
ReplyDeleteYour computers startup program cannot gain access to the
disk containing the partition or free space you chose.
Setup cannot install windows XP on this hard disk.
This lack of access doesn't necessarily indicate an error
condition.
For example, disk attached to a SCSI adaptor that wasn't
installed by your computer manufacturer or to a secondary
hard disk controller, are typically not visible to the
startup program unless special software is used. Contact
your computer manufacturer for more information.
On x86 - based computers, this massage may indicate a
problem with the COMS drive type settings.
See your disk controller documentation for more
information.