locked
Script for setting up the Vista or Win-7 BCD to boot WinPE from hard disk files. No partitioning required. RRS feed

 > 

  • General discussion

  • Discussion
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    I find it very convenient to boot WinPE from the HD instead of finding the thumb-drive or CD to boot from. So, I've worked up this cmd.exe script to assist me with setting up WinPE to boot from hard disk files. It is fairly robust, works for me on many different machines, so thought it would be good to share it. Use it, dissect it, borrow parts for other tasks - shucks. Have a ball. 

    @echo off

rem   Note: This script for WinPE for Windows Vista sp1
rem
rem   For adding entries into the BCD store to set up WinPE to load from a HDD location.
rem   The boot files are copied from a working WinPE bootable CDrom disk.
rem   The point is to be able to boot WinPE from the HDD without needing to find the
rem    bootable CD disk. 
rem
rem   For safety this script exports the system BCD store to a temporary store
rem    then edits the temporary store. After success, the temporary store is
rem    imported into the system BCD store.
rem
rem   As scripted here, the WinPE boot files must exist on this drive and path:
rem     drive   D:        ( variable WPDrv )
rem     folder  \wpeboot  ( variable WPPth )
rem   The Drive and Path to the WinPE boot files can be changed by
rem    modifying two cmd.exe set statements (below) before executing this script.
rem   To change the location later, run the 'delete' script, move the files,
rem    modify this script and add the settings again.
rem
rem   Typically there will be two WinPE boot files 
rem     boot.Wim          ( variable WimNm )
rem     boot.Sdi          ( variable SdiNm )
rem   You will copy them manually from the working Winpe boot cd rom disk
rem    \sources\boot.wim and \boot\boot.sdi locations into the D:\wpeboot folder.
rem   Assuming that the WinPE boot CD was created normally the .wim
rem    file is named boot.wim and the .sdi file is named boot.sdi 
rem    If you rename them you must fix the set statements (below) appropriately.
rem
rem   This script creates the osloader entry and the device options entry for it,
rem     obtaining the randomly created GUIDs (variables guid1 and guid2).
rem   This script also creates 'DelWinpe.cmd' command file for you to use if
rem     required to remove those two entries from the BCD store. This also gives
rem     you a permanent record of the two ramdomly generated GUIDs.

echo Exporting the system BCD store to BcdTemp
bcdedit /export BcdTemp
if errorlevel 1 echo Error - we need to have admin privileges.
if errorlevel 1 goto Endit

rem Set the name of the Winpe .wim file
set WimNm=boot.wim

rem Set the name of the WinPE .sdi file
set SdiNm=boot.sdi

rem Set the drive where the two WinPE boot files are located ( x: with no \ )
set WPDrv=D:

rem Set the folder path to the WinPE boot files ( no drive letter, no trailing \ )
set WPPth=\wpeboot

rem Description that shows up in the boot menu
set WPDes="WinPE 6.0.6001 (Vista sp1)"

rem Create the osloader and device options entries in the bcd store.
rem Get the randomly created GUID numbers that uniquely identify our two entries.

For /F "tokens=3 delims= " %%1 in ('bcdedit.exe /store BcdTemp /create /application OSLOADER /d %WPDes%') do set guid1=%%1
echo Osloader entry id is %guid1%

For /F "tokens=3 delims= " %%1 in ('bcdedit.exe /store BcdTemp /create /device /d %WPDes%') do set guid2=%%1
echo Device options entry id is %guid2%

echo Setting items in the osloader entry

bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% device ramdisk=[%WPDrv%]%WPPth%\%WimNm%,%guid2%
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% osdevice ramdisk=[%WPDrv%]%WPPth%\%WimNm%,%guid2%
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% locale en-US
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% inherit {bootloadersettings}
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% systemroot \windows
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% detecthal Yes
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% winpe Yes
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid1% ems No

echo Setting items in the device options entry
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid2% ramdisksdidevice partition=%WPDrv%
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set %guid2% ramdisksdipath %WPPth%\%SdiNm%

echo Setting bootmgr to include the WinPE entry in the boot display list
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /set {bootmgr} displayorder %guid1% /addlast

rem Create an undo cmd file to delete the entries directly from the system bcd store.
echo Creating the DelWinpe.cmd undo command file
echo bcdedit /delete %guid1% >>DelWinpe.cmd
echo bcdedit /delete %guid2% >>DelWinpe.cmd

echo Display bootmgr and the two new entries
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /enum {bootmgr}
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /enum %guid1%
bcdedit /store BcdTemp /enum %guid2%
echo.

If errorlevel 1 echo Error - something went awry. Not importing the temporary store.
If errorlevel 1 goto Endit

echo Ready to import the temporary store into bcd system store...
pause

echo Importing BcdTemp into the system BCD store.
bcdedit /import BcdTemp

:Endit
set guid1=
set guid2=
set WpDrv=
set WPPth=
set WimNm=
set SdiNm=
set WPDes=

echo done
    Friday, July 31, 2009 11:00 PM

All replies

  • Discussion
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi Bit fiddler,

    I could really do with your help.  I have been working on this for weeks and it looks like you seem to know what your doing in order for you to have written a script to automate the task. :)

    So, straight to the point...

    I have a system with XP already installed.  I have a "Bootable Windows PE RAM Media" (A bootable WinPE 3.0 enviroment aka boot.wim, and i also have it as boot.iso).

    I am simply trying to figure out a way of making a change (or a few changes) to switch the system so that when it is restarted it is booted into the WinPE (no dual  boot options).  Then making another change (or a few), the system will be back to normal when it is next restarted.

    I've looked the 2 most popular examples on lots of boards,

    1) Copy a win2003-sp2 setupldr.bin and rename it to ntldr, and copy the ntdetect.com files along with a little winnt.sif file and my winpe.iso to the c: drive

    2) Using bcdedit, change the bootsector loader information.

    Results:

    1) It boots the new loader, following the instructions in the winnt.sif to virtually load the winpe.iso but stops at an error "File \$WIN_NT$.~BT\biosinfo.inf could not be loaded..." (this is weird, I've searched through the files and this requied file is nowhere to be found).

    2) The has not changed affect and still shows the results of the attempt above. Also, I wouldnt know how to reverse this step in order to go back to having the normal boot sequence.

     

    Could you shed any light at all on this please?

    Thanks in advanced.

    Neil

    Sunday, July 11, 2010 2:54 AM
  • Discussion
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    i have a problem, for some reason i deleted my Bootable Recovery Partition, and i dont know how to recover it. please i need help, sory bad english
    Monday, August 9, 2010 4:08 PM
  • Discussion
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Bitfiddler,

    I recently cannot enter the recovery environment after rebooting and pressing F8. When I select "repair my computer." it just boots to my desktop normally, instead of entering recovery mode. I am including my bcdedit /enum all below. Could you please take a look and see if you can identify what the problem might be?

    Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
    Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

    C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /enum all

    Windows Boot Manager
    --------------------
    identifier              {bootmgr}
    device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
    description             Windows Boot Manager
    locale                  en-us
    inherit                 {globalsettings}
    default                 {current}
    resumeobject            {2d1020e0-9b28-11df-a002-a4badbfacbd8}
    displayorder            {current}
    toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
    timeout                 30

    Windows Boot Loader
    -------------------
    identifier              {current}
    device                  partition=C:
    path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
    description             Windows 7
    locale                  en-us
    inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
    recoverysequence        {2d1020e2-9b28-11df-a002-a4badbfacbd8}
    recoveryenabled         Yes
    osdevice                partition=C:
    systemroot              \Windows
    resumeobject            {2d1020e0-9b28-11df-a002-a4badbfacbd8}
    nx                      OptIn
    bootstatuspolicy        IgnoreShutdownFailures

    Windows Boot Loader
    -------------------
    identifier              {7a17869d-c7c3-11df-92d7-a4badbfacbd8}
    device                  ramdisk=[\Device\HarddiskVolume2]\Recovery\WindowsRE\Win
    re.wim,{7a17869e-c7c3-11df-92d7-a4badbfacbd8}
    path                    \windows\system32\winload.exe
    description             Windows Recovery Environment
    inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
    osdevice                ramdisk=[\Device\HarddiskVolume2]\Recovery\WindowsRE\Win
    re.wim,{7a17869e-c7c3-11df-92d7-a4badbfacbd8}
    systemroot              \windows
    nx                      OptIn
    winpe                   Yes

    Resume from Hibernate
    ---------------------
    identifier              {2d1020e0-9b28-11df-a002-a4badbfacbd8}
    device                  partition=C:
    path                    \Windows\system32\winresume.exe
    description             Windows Resume Application
    locale                  en-US
    inherit                 {resumeloadersettings}
    filedevice              partition=C:
    filepath                \hiberfil.sys
    debugoptionenabled      No

    Windows Memory Tester
    ---------------------
    identifier              {memdiag}
    device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
    path                    \boot\memtest.exe
    description             Windows Memory Diagnostic
    locale                  en-US
    inherit                 {globalsettings}
    badmemoryaccess         Yes

    EMS Settings
    ------------
    identifier              {emssettings}
    bootems                 Yes

    Debugger Settings
    -----------------
    identifier              {dbgsettings}
    debugtype               Serial
    debugport               1
    baudrate                115200

    RAM Defects
    -----------
    identifier              {badmemory}

    Global Settings
    ---------------
    identifier              {globalsettings}
    inherit                 {dbgsettings}
                            {emssettings}
                            {badmemory}

    Boot Loader Settings
    --------------------
    identifier              {bootloadersettings}
    inherit                 {globalsettings}
                            {hypervisorsettings}

    Hypervisor Settings
    -------------------
    identifier              {hypervisorsettings}
    hypervisordebugtype     Serial
    hypervisordebugport     1
    hypervisorbaudrate      115200

    Resume Loader Settings
    ----------------------
    identifier              {resumeloadersettings}
    inherit                 {globalsettings}

    Device options
    --------------
    identifier              {7a17869e-c7c3-11df-92d7-a4badbfacbd8}
    description             Ramdisk Options
    ramdisksdidevice        partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
    ramdisksdipath          \Recovery\WindowsRE\boot.sdi

    C:\Windows\system32>

    Sunday, October 10, 2010 1:14 PM