I've been working on it a bit, and hit upon an interesting method to make the CD. I can write a batch file to determine if a file (the setuip program for the OS) exists on the CD, and then automatically create (or extract from a cab) batch files to start them. This way, you can put whatever you want on the CD and make a customized version.
That's what I always do when I'm installing some NT on a system that doesn't let you boot from the CD. 98EBD, E:\, cd \i386, winnt /whatever and awayy we go!
Yes. NT won't take the CD if it can't find those files. Why it doesn't do a version/datestamp comparison on something like WINNT32.EXE, I don't know...
I've been working on the menu on and off since Saturday. It's written in VB4/16-bit and runs on Mini-Windows. So far, I've been working on what is probably the hardest part of development: the modularity. Right now, I have it scanning by group of OS (DOS, really old, 9x, old Nt, new NT). Now, I need to implement per-OS scanning. I can use mostly the same code. However, after about 45 minutes or so of coding each day, I hit a kind of "coder's block" - I can't code. I can put stuff in, but it doesn't make sense in my mind. So, I won't be working on this again until tomorrow afternoon, but from then, it will be relatively quick. I have yet to move into VMware and actually develop under MiniWin. This will enable me to test in a mostly realistic environment. When I get it wokring off of the emulated HD, I can compress it into the cab and build the CD. Speaking of the CD, I'll use the Win98 startup disk. This will load SCSI drivers and I will place the WinCD cab inplace of EDB.CAB, and automagically start the menu after startup. Full documentation will be included on how to produce your own CD.
Actually, I found a highly customized DOS 7.10 bootdisk, it includes USB mouse and drive, NTFS drivers, long filename support, and a bunch of other nifty stuff. There's also a mini Windows 3.1 I can use.
I've had to make some changes. First, screw Windows. It would be too much of a hassle, what with the setups thinking an upgrade was going to happen. So, I'm down to the uberdisk (which nicely frees up 786k). I'll be porting what I have so far to VBDOS.
Actually, I just realized something - since one is going to have to lay out the CD, why not just build a list of OSes present *before burning*? The mastering program would also to have to be a frontend to mkisofs. The DOS program would simply read the data that the masterer outputs.
Actually, I just realized something - since one is going to have to lay out the CD, why not just build a list of OSes present *before burning*? The mastering program would also to have to be a frontend to mkisofs. The DOS program would simply read the data that the masterer outputs.
Comments
But NT 3.1 Hybrid is much better than original cuz the original one has tons of missing crap, and so on...
-Q
Actually...yes. You just have to lay out the CD in a specific manner. AFAIK, they don't mind being started from DOS.
-Q
-Q
Nov. 15, 2004
7:49PM EST
I've been working on the menu on and off since Saturday. It's written in VB4/16-bit and runs on Mini-Windows. So far, I've been working on what is probably the hardest part of development: the modularity. Right now, I have it scanning by group of OS (DOS, really old, 9x, old Nt, new NT). Now, I need to implement per-OS scanning. I can use mostly the same code. However, after about 45 minutes or so of coding each day, I hit a kind of "coder's block" - I can't code. I can put stuff in, but it doesn't make sense in my mind. So, I won't be working on this again until tomorrow afternoon, but from then, it will be relatively quick. I have yet to move into VMware and actually develop under MiniWin. This will enable me to test in a mostly realistic environment. When I get it wokring off of the emulated HD, I can compress it into the cab and build the CD. Speaking of the CD, I'll use the Win98 startup disk. This will load SCSI drivers and I will place the WinCD cab inplace of EDB.CAB, and automagically start the menu after startup. Full documentation will be included on how to produce your own CD.
-Q
-Q
-Q
PS. OMFG ANOTHER NJER!