Daily Blog #247: How to Build WinFE Lite for the USB Multiboot Image

Hello Reader,
         Last week we talked about how to build WinFE to put on our Multiboot Thumbdrive. Now let's show a step by step guide to building WinFE light in case you are tight on space or on a system with very little resources.

This is a visual guide to compliment Colin Ramsden’s guidance on building Windows FE Lite.  This is another great, light-weight tool to have around, especially if you’re not comfortable with the Linux environment when booting a device for imaging.

Get the Prerequisites:

11.       Windows 7 computer with 20 GB or more free space.

a.       Disable User Account Control (optional)

b.      32-bit is recommended for supporting older architecture.  64-bit can be used, just be consistent during the build.  These instructions and links will be for 32-bit.

c.       I installed a fresh, new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate SP 1 for this demonstration.

22.       Download Microsoft Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) ISO http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=5753

33.       Use your favorite ISO mounter or burn the WAIK ISO to disc.  http://static.slysoft.com/SetupVirtualCloneDrive.exe

44.       Windows 7 x86 ISO or Disc

a.       Ultimate or Enterprise

55.       Windows XP Professional SP3 x86 ISO or Disc (Optional)

66.       Explorer++ -- http://explorerplusplus.com/software/explorer++_1.3.5_x86.zip

77.       7-Zip -- http://downloads.sourceforge.net/sevenzip/7z920.exe

88.       Programmers Notepad -- http://pnotepad.googlecode.com/files/pn2342350_multilang.exe

a.       Optional, though as Colin notes, you can edit the build to suit your needs.

99.       HFS+ Drivers -- support.apple.com/downloads/DL1443/en_US/BootCamp_3.3.exe

a.       Optional.  However this is can add support for HFS+ volumes.

b.      Might as well include them.  Leaving them out requires editing the batch file.  Aside from not having HFS+ support.

110.   Download the WinFE Lite Full Package – Contains the rest of what you need.  Including the write protect script.  http://www.ramsdens.org.uk/repository/fullpackage/FE_Lite.zip

Now we Begin:

11.       Install WAIK from the ISO or burned Disc, to the default directory:

This is the KB3AIK_EN (WAIK install file) mounted via Virtual CloneDrive.

Simply select Windows AIK Setup to begin installation.

22.       Install Explorer++ and 7-Zip.

33.       Extract files from Windows 7 and XP (Optional) install Discs or ISO

a.       To keep things organized, create four folders to sort the files you will need.  Per Colin’s example, create a “Repository” folder, then within this folder create “Drivers”, “Windows7Files”, “WindowsXPFiles”

b.      Use 7-zip to access the Windows 7 Installation ISO or to access the Disc for Windows 7.

c.       Navigate to “Sources”

d.      Then find “install.wim” within the directory.

e.      Double clicking “install.wim” inside 7-Zip will open the file to reveal its contents.

f.        Export out the largest folder that appears, to the Window7Files folder created in step 3a.  In this case, folder 5.

g.       Optional – Use 7-Zip to access the Windows XP installation ISO or Disc.  Go into the I386 folder and export files, to the WindowsXPFiles folder, that can add some extra features.  Colin suggests the following list, just double click to find the executable.

                                                               i.      CALC.EX_ (calc.exe)

                                                             ii.      MAG_HOOK.DL_ (mag_hook.dll)

                                                            iii.      MAGNIFY.EX_ (magnify.exe)

                                                           iv.      MSPAINT.EX_ (mspaint.exe)

                                                             v.      MSSWCH.DL_ (msswch.dll)

                                                           vi.      MSTSC.EX_ (mstsc.exe)

                                                          vii.      MSTSCAX.DL_ (mstscax.dll)

                                                        viii.      OSK.EX_ (osk.exe)

h.      Optional – Use 7-Zip to extract drivers for HFS+ support by navigating to the “BootCamp_3.3.exe” file downloaded from step 9 of the prerequisites.  Right-click on the file and select “Open Inside”.  Now double-click entries in this order:

                                                               i.      .rsrc

                                                             ii.      0

                                                            iii.      MSP_RESOURCE

                                                           iv.      UPDATE32

                                                             v.      PCW_CAB_BootCamp

There are two files here to extract.  “AppleHFS.sys” and “AppleMNT.sys” Place these in the “Drivers” created in Step 3a.

44.       Extract the WinFE full package from step 10 in the prerequisites to the location of your choice.  I choose simply under the C: drive.  Do not alter the names of the files and directories extracted from the package, as they are needed for the batch script we will be using.

Let’s Build it:

Here is a little information about the folders from the extracted FE_Lite directory.

ISO – This is where our built ISO will be output. 

X – User files can be added to this folder and sub-directories

Other folders – used in the build process

Where to copy files:

\X\Windows\System32

ExplorerFrame.dll            (From \Repository\Windows7Files\5\Windows\System32)
calc.exe                                                (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
mag_hook.dll                    (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
magnify.exe                       (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
mspaint.exe                       (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
msswch.dll                          (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
mstsc.exe                           (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
mstscax.dll                          (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
osk.exe                                (From \Repository\WindowsXPFiles)
Explorer.exe                      (Renamed from Explorer++ which was downloaded earlier)

 

This is how the “\X\Windows\System32” directory should look now (assuming you show extensions, of course).  Updates to WProtect.exe (used for Write Protection and mounting) can be added to this folder prior to a rebuild.  Also you can adjust the wallpaper for the build by including a BMP file of choice named “winpe.bmp”

\X\Windows\System32\Drivers

         

      

AppleHFS.sys

                AppleMNT.sys

Press the button!

Open a command prompt and run the MakeFELite.bat file.  There will be a lot of information scrolling on the screen as it goes through the batch file.  Then it will be done.

You can copy the resulting image to a CD or thumbdrive, or just load it into a VM to check it out.  But this will give you a command prompt to play around in.  Add other tools and rebuild to you hearts desire.

Also Read: Daily Blog #248 - Adding the WinFE Image to the Multiboot Thumdrive Image (Video)