Windows PE

[Mushin]

I have never built a Windows PE Disc from scratch using Windows AIK but while I was on Tech Net looking through their Solution Accelerators I found the Malware Removal Starter Kit accelerator that talks about builting a Win PE disc. So I want to make my own so disc with my own software on it... and do it from scratch.

The thing that I am having trouble understanding is.... (Probably becasue I have not actually installed AIK yet)...

How do you modify the image file to include something like PC Tools and Malware Bytes. I guess that I am just not understanding the concept of "installing" software to the image.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[PC Problems]

This can only be done if the software you are using is PE compatible.
Very few software is, generally only bespoke software uses PE.

I see what you are trying to achieve, but you are going about it the wrong way, there are plenty of free boot discs that can achieve this, they have already spent years perfecting them...

 

[Mushin]

Before trying to tell me I am going about this the wrong way you have to realize that I am 100% famliliar will all the option avaiable.vI am not after a free disc as I already have a tone of these. This is more of a learning exercise. According to all the Tech Net documentation there is a way to do it. There are programs on UBCD, the geek squad MRI and others that have similar programs.

Maybe I am missing something... Perhapse I have to create a base image file from a computer that already has the software installed rather than integrate the program into an existing image file.

Here is the Solution Accelerator link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=6cd853ce-f349-4a18-a14f-c99b64adfbea&displaylang=en

and the steps that I am referring to in particular....

7. Create a directory for the malware-scanning tools under the Mount folder (for example, you could use the name “Tools” for this folder).
mkdir c:\WinPE\mount\Tools
8. Copy the tool files that you downloaded in Task 2 to the tools directory that you just created. Example:
copy <tools from the Task 2 directory> c:\WinPE\mount\Tools.
9. At the command prompt, type the following, press ENTER, and then type Yes and press ENTER again to continue the process:
peimg /prep c:\WinPE\MountThe software that we would like to integrate is Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus by PC Tools as well as other programs that are not stand alone apps. Can anyone provide insight on what the above actually does and how to install non stand alone programs to the PE Disc.

'

It is these steps that I am trying to learn more about. I want to know exactly what they do to the image file.

 

[14049752]

If I understand correctly, what you're asking is "How to add to an existing image?"

You're not really doing that. You're compiling a set of folders, with tools in them in their appropriate folders, then using a utility to combine those folders into a burnable image.

The only image I see MS mentioning is the AIK image, which they're basically just telling you to burn the image, then install it.

I agree with the above member, you should look into UBCD4Win and the others. If you're "100% familiar with them", I'm sure you would have been able to figure out how the Microsoft PE works from their relatively simple instructions (Specifically "Task 3" in the document you linked to.) That's not an insult or a slight in any way, so don't take it as such.
The reason that most people tend to go with things like UBCD4Win is because you already have a library of programs converted to work on that build, and you can still highly customize and brand your image, including putting purchased commercial software in it, having better shell features, etc. You also have the benefit of using the gui to update your virus definitions and things like that, as opposed to MS's guide which is mostly command line driven and more work each time you build a disc.

 

[Mushin]

I understand what you mean about UBCD but this is NOT the point of the post. The point is that I am doing this for the learning and testing.

Here is the question that I was trying to figure out which is... how is software added to an image and based on the information in the Solution Accelerator it looked as if this somehow would "install" the software into the image.

If something like what I want to do is to be accomplished I think that my own image file will need to be created. Anohter method is to find a way to make the program portable.

You mention the library of programs with ubcd. Well, I want to make my own library for the sake of knowledge and experience. With UBCD someone sat down at one point in time much like I am doing and started from scratch. That is what I am doing because I like what they did and I want to know how they did it. Plus... I am not fond of being dependant on UBCD for updates and revisions.

 

[14049752]

Here is the question that I was trying to figure out which is... how is software added to an image and based on the information in the Solution Accelerator it looked as if this somehow would "install" the software into the image.

I answered that. You're not adding it to an image. You're putting in folders, then building the image based on the folders.

Edit: Ok, maybe this is what you're missing. Some programs need to be installed, after the PE boots, to work. You use the installer to install the files to the ram drive, but you don't install them to the image. That's why MSI dependant installers won't work. Does that help?


I know the purpose is to learn. Again, that's why I suggested building your own UBCD4Win and then learning through that. I DON'T mean downloading the PE builder and clicking "Go". I mean actually customize it, add in programs per the instructions, customize the boot menu, etc. It'll make understanding Microsoft's PE a little easier, I think.

It's the same concept, just made easier to understand. Once you go through all of that, I think you'll find your questions will be answered through your experience.

 

[ATTech]

Think of the PE image as an offline hard drive.

Most portable applications work, although you may have to add in dome DLLs to get some of them working. If the applications are not portable, you need to load the registry hive from the image and add the appropriate keys.

As far as I know, there is no simple program that lets you install to a WinPE image (although that would be amazingly useful if available). You have to find out what the program needs as far as DLLs, files, registry settings, etc, and manually add them.

 

[studiot]

Have you ever tried to do a Bart PE disk - they are easier.

 

[KompuKare]

Customizing a Winbuilder project (I was going to base it on Win7PE) to my needs (programs, logos, start menu etc) is a something I've been meaning to do for a while mainly so I can finish my SARDU disc with a decent PE image.

I got as far as building the default (some of the Winbuilder scripts are a bit sensitive on what you have installed on your machine etc., so I ended up making a virtual machine just for Winbuilder) and adding a few items. The Win7PE project doesn't use a normal start menu and adding entries to the one it uses is a bit cumbersome so I decided to a AutoHotKey script for my start menu. This turned out to be good idea since I made a script to find the CD letter and the WIM drive letter so I can also run tools on the root of the CD (like computer repair tools with PStart & Ketarin) and have my usual keyboard shortcuts for programs and drives etc.

I haven't finished my project (busy doing other things) but I hope to finish it the next time I get a chance.

For the Ubuntu section of my SARDU disc I intent to use the guides of how to turn a linux install into a liveCD. In other words install Ubuntu to a VM, customize it the way I want and then make a liveCD from that. A far more sensible way of doing things but not possible in Windows...

... Or at least not possible as far as I can find out. I come across a few disambiguate stuff about WAIK and images which seem to imply something similar being possible with Windows (I forget where though...).

Such a method would be ideal though: just make a vm of Windows PE, keep it up to date and set up the way you want and then turn it into a bootable WIM. But like I said, I think that's a dream for now.