Re: XPe El-Torito bootable CD

From: simon (simon_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 01/17/05 

Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 09:45:04 -0800

Hi Slobodan,

I am still having trouble with the 'Delayed Write Failed' message when
trying to boot from CD.

I have rebuilt the image and copied it to a second hard drive on my
development machine. That drive is then installed in the target machine and
HD2ISO is used to create the iso image on the second partition of that drive
(D:).
The drive is then replaced in the host machine so Nero can burn a PreFBA
El-Torito CD. This is where the first doubt comes in. Why doesn't Nero
Burning Rom (v.6.6.0.5) report that the image is bootable in the Info panel?
Otherwise the CD is burned successfully. The HDD and CD is moved back over
to the target PC and booted to the first partition which invokes First Boot
Agent. This completes and reboots to "Machine resealed! Click OK.' Target
is rebooted into Command Shell. Using ewfmgr I see that EWF volume is
configured. ewfmgr c: shows that State is Disabled. Checking FBALOG.TXT the
El-Torito driver is loaded.

Then etprep -all is run which is where the first error arises. The ewf
volume is deleted but error 0x01 is reported 'Failed to swap drive letters.'
However, it reboots into f:\.

This allows me to check a few things.
C: holds the image that just booted through FBA,
D: currently holds the PreFBA iso image,
E: holds the preFBA El-Torito CD,
F: this has the same name as C: and holds a slightly smaller version of the
bootable image (the Boot.ini file is missing).

Running EWFMGR C: results in 'Failed getting protected volume configuration
with error 1'
Running EWFMGR F: results in:
Protected volume configuration, Type: RAM, State: DISABLED, Device:
"...Volume1" [F:], etc.

Shut down target, boot into Win PE, deleted PreFBA.iso and used HD2ISO to
create Post FBA.iso on 2nd partition (D:). Replaced drive in host machine to
burn final E-T CD (again, no info stating whether bootable in NERO 'Info'
tab). Burn runs ok but booting target from the CD gives 'Delayed write
failed' message.

The procedure is from XPe Advanced by Sean Liming.

HELP.

Simon.

> > > > "Slobodan Brcin (eMVP)" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi Simon,
> > > > >
> > > > > > I must be making a fundamental error somewhere.
> > > > >
> > > > > Please read link that I gave you. You must make one pre FBA El-torito CD in a same way that you will use later to make a
> final
> > > CD.
> > > > > This is important since you need this CD with exact signature and size during the FBA.
> > > > > Also using floppy or other partitions will not work.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > > Slobodan
> > > > >
> > > > > "simon" <simon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:34DB49A9-48DA-412B-B400-4D6F42BAA0A2@microsoft.com...
> > > > > > Hi Sean, Slobodan,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks for the feedback.
> > > > > > I went through the process again with different results and have a question
> > > > > > about the burning process for both the Pre FBA cd and the final cd:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Nero Express prompts:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 'Select Boot Image - Select a floppy drive which contains a bootable floppy
> > > > > > disk. Please insert a bootable disk... to make your medium bootable the same
> > > > > > way your floppy is.'
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I used an MS-Dos startup floppy created with XP's 'format' tool.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Is this a suitable boot image?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Regarding my second attempt at a final E-T cd; it booted as a floppy system
> > > > > > disk might, i.e. to the a:\ prompt and only the 14 files (<0.5MB) you would
> > > > > > see on a floppy system disk, no XP files at all. Though when the cd is
> > > > > > viewed in My Computer it is the full XPe image size (213MB).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I must be making a fundamental error somewhere.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Any ideas?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Sean Liming (eMVP)" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Creating CD ROMs is tricking. You startout with RAM overlay when the image
> > > > > > > goes through FBA, then EWF RAM-REG gets created (RAM overlay volutme gets
> > > > > > > deleted) when you run ETPREP -all. I sometime find that the HD2ISO utlity
> > > > > > > doesn't make a good copy and I have to create the ISO image again.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Regards,
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Sean Liming
> > > > > > > Managing Director
> > > > > > > SJJ Embedded Micro Solutions
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > www.sjjmicro.com / www.seanliming.com
> > > > > > > Author: Windows XP Embedded Advanced and Windows NT Embedded Step-by-Step
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "Slobodan Brcin (eMVP)" <sbrcin@ptt.yu> wrote in message
> > > > > > > news:eeLYBGB9EHA.1404@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > > > > > > Hi Simon,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >> Thanks very much for your speedy response.
> > > > > > > >> Though I must admit, I'm puzzled by your second comment.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> > This options are not used by RAM EWF they are used with disk overlay
> > > > > > > >> > only :-(
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Following S.Liming's XPe Advanced book, chapter 11 'Booting XPe from
> > > > > > > >> CD-ROM'
> > > > > > > >> page 296, step 8 specifically instructs to set the Optimization Option
> > > > > > > >> for
> > > > > > > >> EWF with RAM Overlay. Perhaps you could expand on your comment?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Sorry pages do not mean to much to me since I do not have Sean's book (I
> > > > > > > > never needed books on this subject) although I heard that
> > > > > > > > it is good.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Let me clarify (please note that this is from my head as I remeber it and
> > > > > > > > also I did not tested it on SP2 EWF revision).
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > 1. In order for RAM EWF to work on CD it can't use small EWF config
> > > > > > > > partition.
> > > > > > > > 2. What ever that you set in Optimization Options is during the FBA copied
> > > > > > > > from registry to small config partition.
> > > > > > > > 3. Since on CD you don't have config partition these settings are lost.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I do not know if it can be enabled from registry so that EWF driver can
> > > > > > > > use it, but in any case it should stay disabled default
> > > > > > > > (Optimal Performance).
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Optimization is intended to work in follwoing way. When you write new data
> > > > > > > > to overlay clump before data reach overlay EWF will check
> > > > > > > > if data stored on disk is same and in case that it is this clump will not
> > > > > > > > be stored in overlay, also it should release already used
> > > > > > > > clump in case that new data matches data on disk.
> > > > > > > > As you can see this check would significantly slow down operation when
> > > > > > > > booting from CD.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >> To clarify your first point:
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> > Your Reg configured RAM EWF after copying image to CD is not working.
> > > > > > > >> > (You did not followed complete instruction for making it
> > > > > > > >> > work.)
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Are you saying that the RAM EWF -as configured by the registry- was
> > > > > > > >> burned
> > > > > > > >> to CD incorrectly or did the problem originate before this? I am using
> > > > > > > >> Nero
> > > > > > > >> Express v.5.5.10.6. which is entirely Wizard driven but does give the
> > > > > > > >> option
> > > > > > > >> of burning an El-Torito CD.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I'm saying that you should prepare XPe as intended for burning, but
> > > > > > > > instead of burning in on CD, try again to boot from HDD. (NOTE
> > > > > > > > THAT REG ENTRY MountedDevices MUST BE EMPTRY)
> > > > > > > > If you can boot to XPe from HDD and you have working EWF then problem is
> > > > > > > > something else.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > One more thing that could be a problem is if you have not used first
> > > > > > > > partition on boot disk.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Regards,
> > > > > > > > Slobodan
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >> Thanks for the link. Look forward to hearing from you,
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Simon.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> "Slobodan Brcin (eMVP)" wrote:
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> > Hi Simon,
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > > 'Windows - Delayed Write Failed
> > > > > > > >> > Your Reg configured RAM EWF after copying image to CD is not working.
> > > > > > > >> > (You did not followed complete instruction for making it
> > > > > > > >> > work.)
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > > In the EWF component settings in Target Designer I selected
> > > > > > > >> > > 'optimised' - I
> > > > > > > >> > > can't believe that selecting 'Use less overlay space and less writes'
> > > > > > > >> > > will
> > > > > > > >> > > make enough of a difference on RAM of this size - unless you can
> > > > > > > >> > > suggest
> > > > > > > >> > > otherwise? However, I will rebuild the image and create the CDs with
> > > > > > > >> > > the
> > > > > > > >> > > latter option whilst waiting for a kind soul to make some
> > > > > > > >> > > suggestions.
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > This options are not used by RAM EWF they are used with disk overlay
> > > > > > > >> > only :-(
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > Read this is might give you some more info:
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > http://groups-beta.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.embedded/browse_frm/thread/8a66ee9cd63d679b#f1d6f3ff641cf6e1
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > Regards,
> > > > > > > >> > Slobodan
> > > > > > > >> >
> > > > > > > >> > "simon" <simon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > > > > > >> > news:158FB2AE-680E-454C-BD6C-C4F836BE08AC@microsoft.com...
> > > > > > > >> > > Hi,
> > > > > > > >> > > Having created the final El-Torito CD in accordance with Sean
> > > > > > > >> > > Liming's book,
> > > > > > > >> > > I keep getting an error message when trying to boot from it:
> > > > > > > >> > >
> > > > > > > >> > > 'Windows - Delayed Write Failed
> > > > > > > >> > > Windows was unable to save all data for this file...'
> > > > > > > >> > >
> > > > > > > >> > > I am using a RAM overlay (RAM is 0.5GB so I don't think its short of
> > > > > > > >> > > space)
> > > > > > > >> > > Background disk defrag is turned off
> > > > > > > >> > > The image is a basic XP OS for test purposes and so I wouldn't expect
> > > > > > > >> > > writes
> > > > > > > >> > > to be over the top - but, if you can suggest how to minimise writes,
> > > > > > > >> > > please
> > > > > > > >> > > do.
> > > > > > > >> > >
> > > > > > > >> > > In the EWF component settings in Target Designer I selected
> > > > > > > >> > > 'optimised' - I
> > > > > > > >> > > can't believe that selecting 'Use less overlay space and less writes'
> > > > > > > >> > > will
> > > > > > > >> > > make enough of a difference on RAM of this size - unless you can
> > > > > > > >> > > suggest
> > > > > > > >> > > otherwise? However, I will rebuild the image and create the CDs with
> > > > > > > >> > > the
> > > > > > > >> > > latter option whilst waiting for a kind soul to make some
> > > > > > > >> > > suggestions.
> > > > > > > >> > >
> > > > > > > >> > > Thanks,
> > > > > > > >> > >
> > > > > > > >> > > simon

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