How To Make A Bootable Windows USB Flash Disk

1. Does your computer support booting from USB?

Usually, if its an option in your BIOS boot sequence menu, the answer to this is yes. If its not there, look for BIOS updates. If you are not sure, proceed and see what happens

2. Sorting out the "Bootability" of your USB-Drive

Connect your USB drive to your computer, directly, without a Hub. Then, shut down your computer, disconnect any other hard disk drives from it, and insert your original Windows XP CD into the drive. Start the installation, and proceed to the section where you are allowed to pick a hard drive. If it goes beyond the partition selection, your drive is already fine for booting Windows XP. If not (seems to be the cases with many of the Freecom USB HDDs for example), you will get an error like "Windows is unable to find your drive, partition, data etc bla". This is usually not a big problem.


All you need to do is "properly" format the drive. Reboot into your normal Windows, and get this HP tool , and use it to format your HDD completely. I chose NTFS format, worked fine everytime i tried. After this, my drives are recognized as valid installation devices by the Windows XP installer.
(In fact, i did not manage to create a USB primary partition with FAT32 that was recognized as being installable)


3. Dumping the original Windows CD into an ISO File

Pretty easy one. Simply open WinISO, and select Actions -> Make ISO from CDROM, and save your CD image.

4. Extracting the files we need to work on

After the CD dump is done, close and reopen WinISO. Then, open the ISO file you just created using File -> Open.
Now, click the I386 folder, and select the following files (Ctrl key to multi-select)

TXTSETUP.SIF
DOSNET.INF
USB.IN_
USBPORT.IN_
USBSTOR.IN_

Select Actions -> Extract and put the resulting files into some folder to work on them.

5. Unpacking IN_ files

Use the Cab SDK (from the command line) for extracting the contents of the .IN_ files. Each of them contains exactly one .inf file. If you are unsure how to use the Cab SDK, here is an example command line:

cabarc x USBSTOR.IN_

You should end up with three new files in the folder, called:

usb.inf
usbport.inf
usbstor.inf

You can now delete the .IN_ files.

6. Editing the files

This is the main job. i ll also try to explain a bit whats happening. Use a simple Texteditor like Notepad.

TXTSETUP.SIF

This file is loaded on the initial install step by the Windows XP CD installer. In this file, we will change the way Windows treats USB devices during system setup -- the default is to only treat them as input devices during installation -- we will change this to include mass storage driver support (which needs to be loaded into the installer much earlier in order to work).

First, move the following entries from [InputDevicesSupport.Load] to the [BootBusExtenders.Load] section , as shown here


    [BootBusExtenders.Load]
    pci = pci.sys
    acpi = acpi.sys
    isapnp = isapnp.sys
    acpiec = acpiec.sys
    ohci1394 = ohci1394.sys
    usbehci = usbehci.sys
    usbohci = usbohci.sys
    usbuhci = usbuhci.sys
    usbhub = usbhub.sys
    usbstor = usbstor.sys

    [InputDevicesSupport.Load]
    usbehci = usbehci.sys
    usbohci = usbohci.sys
    usbuhci = usbuhci.sys
    usbhub = usbhub.sys
    usbccgp = usbccgp.sys
    hidusb = hidusb.sys
    serial = serial.sys
    serenum = serenum.sys
    usbstor = usbstor.sys


... now the same for [BootBusExtenders] and [InputDevicesSupport]


    [BootBusExtenders]
    pci = "PCI-Bustreiber",files.pci,pci
    acpi = "ACPI Plug & Play-Bustreiber",files.acpi,acpi
    isapnp = "ISA Plug & Play-Bustreiber",files.isapnp,isapnp
    acpiec = "Integrierter ACPI-Controllertreiber",files.none,acpiec
    ohci1394 = "IEEE-1394-Bus-OHCI-konformer Anschlusstreiber",files.ohci1394,ohci1394
    usbehci = "Erweiterter Hostcontroller",files.usbehci,usbehci
    usbohci = "Open Hostcontroller",files.usbohci,usbohci
    usbuhci = "Universeller Hostcontroller",files.usbuhci,usbuhci
    usbhub = "Standard-USB-Hubtreiber",files.usbhub,usbhub
    usbstor = "USB-Speicherklassentreiber",files.usbstor,usbstor

    [InputDevicesSupport]
    usbehci = "Erweiterter Hostcontroller",files.usbehci,usbehci
    usbohci = "Open Hostcontroller",files.usbohci,usbohci
    usbuhci = "Universeller Hostcontroller",files.usbuhci,usbuhci
    usbhub = "Standard-USB-Hubtreiber",files.usbhub,usbhub
    hidusb = "HID-Parser",files.hidusb,hidusb
    serial = "Treiber fur seriellen Anschluss",files.none,serial
    serenum = "Enumerator fur seriellen Anschluss",files.none,serenum
    usbstor = "USB-Speicherklassentreiber",files.usbstor,usbstor
    usbccgp = "USB Generic Parent Driver",files.usbccgp,usbccgp


        Next, we also have to write several keys into the registry. Convieniently, the txtsetup.sif allows you to specify files that are parsed and instered into the registry at install time. Insert the following in the [HiveInfs.Fresh] section:


    [HiveInfs.Fresh]
    AddReg = hivedef.inf,AddReg
    AddReg = hivesys.inf,AddReg
    AddReg = hivesft.inf,AddReg
    AddReg = hivecls.inf,AddReg
    AddReg = hiveusd.inf,AddReg
    AddReg = dmreg.inf,DM.AddReg
    AddReg = usbboot.inf,usbservices


and also in [SourceDisksFiles]


    [SourceDisksFiles]
    usbboot.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,3,,3
    bootvid.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2
    kdcom.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2



Finally, save and close TXTSETUP.SIF. We are done with it.

DOSNET.INF

Now, open DOSNET.INF , and change the second [Files] section to look like this:


    [Files]
    d1,usbboot.inf
    d1,_default.pif
    d1,12520437.cpx
    d1,12520850.cpx


usb.inf

Change the bolded lines in the [StandardHub.AddService] and [CommonClassParent.AddService] sections:


    [StandardHub.AddService]
    DisplayName = %StandardHub.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbhub.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender

    [CommonClassParent.AddService]
    DisplayName = %GenericParent.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbccgp.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender



usbport.inf

Change the bolded lines in the [EHCI.AddService], [OHCI.AddService] , [UHCI.AddService] and [ROOTHUB.AddService] sections:


    [EHCI.AddService]
    DisplayName = %EHCIMP.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbehci.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender

    [OHCI.AddService]
    DisplayName = %OHCIMP.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbohci.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender

    [UHCI.AddService]
    DisplayName = %UHCIMP.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbuhci.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender

    [ROOTHUB.AddService]
    DisplayName = %ROOTHUB.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
    StartType = 0 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
    ServiceBinary = %12%\usbhub.sys
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender


usbstor.inf

Change / Add [USBSTOR.AddService] section to this:


    [USBSTOR.AddService]
    DisplayName = %USBSTOR.SvcDesc%
    ServiceType = 1
    StartType = 0
    Tag = 3
    ErrorControl = 1
    ServiceBinary = %12%\USBSTOR.SYS
    LoadOrderGroup = Boot Bus Extender


new file: USBBOOT.INF

Create a new file called USBBOOT.INF in the same directory as your other changed files, and put the following content into it:


    [usbservices]

    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB Mass Storage Driver"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Start",0x00010001,0
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR","Type",0x00010001,1

    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller Miniport Driver"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbehci.sys"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Start",0x00010001,0
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbehci","Type",0x00010001,1

    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","DisplayName",0x00000000,"USB2 Enabled Hub"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Start",0x00010001,0
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbhub","Type",0x00010001,1

    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"Microsoft USB Universal Host Controller Miniport Driver"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbuhci.sys"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Start",0x00010001,0
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbuhci","Type",0x00010001,1

    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","DisplayName",0x00000000,"Microsoft USB Open Host Controller Miniport Driver"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","ErrorControl",0x00010001,1
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Group",0x00000000,"System Reserved"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","ImagePath",0x00020000,"system32\DRIVERS\usbohci.sys"
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Start",0x00010001,0
    HKLM,"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usbohci","Type",0x00010001,1



7. Repack the inf files into their original IN_ format

If you have not already deleted your extracted .IN_ files, do so now. They need to be replaced. Open a DOS shell again, and navigate to the folder with your changed files. Then exceute the following commands:


    cabarc n USB.IN_ usb.inf
    cabarc n USBPORT.IN_ usbport.inf
    cabarc n USBSTOR.IN_ usbstor.inf


The three IN_ files should now exist again.

Congratulations. All out modifications are done.

8. Inject the changed files into the ISO

Open your Windows CD image again with WinISO. Navigate to the I386 folder, and delete the following files from the ISO, saving the changes to the ISO afterwards:

DOSNET.INF
TXTSETUP.SIF
USB.IN_
USBPORT.IN_
USBSTOR.IN_

Just to be sure all is updated in the ISO, cloase and repoen the ISO in WinISO. Now, again go to the I386 folder and select "Add Files". Now add your changed files, in detail:

USBBOOT.INF
DOSNET.INF
TXTSETUP.SIF
USB.IN_
USBPORT.IN_
USBSTOR.IN_

Save the ISO. You are done.

9. Burn the ISO back to CD

Feel free to use any burning package you want. I used the free and simple Burnatonce

10. Install Windows XP from the CD

Shut down your computer. Disconnect ANY internal and external hard drives (so Windows cannot find them during installation and mess up their Master Boot Records hehe). Some computers will have trouble to boot without an internal HDD attached, check in your BIOS and, if possible, remove the HDD from the boot sequence and set the USB Harddisk as the first boot device, and the CDROM as second.

Also, now connect your USB Harddrive directly to the computer, without any Hubs in between.

Windows should install just fine, with the exceptions noted below.

Issues you will encounter during installation:

During driver installation, the USB drivers will prompt you, as they are "not certified" - This is normal. Our changes invalidated the checksum, and therefore the driver is no longer signed. Just press "yes" a couple of times.
Upon completion of the install, the system will complain once on the first bootup that the pagefile does not exist. You can ignore this for now, as Windows will work fine without it. People are looking at fixing this issue, but its not critical for now.

Once everything is up and running , shut down and reconnect all your drives.



Posted by btvideo at 11:23 PM 0 comments
Labels: usb windows, windows hack, windows tweak, windows xp hack
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Windows XP SP3 TCP/IP Patcher
This patch is designed only for all versions of WIndows XP SP3. By increasing the number of TCP/IP connections allowed at one time, your internet speeds up, especially when you are downloading stuff or playing online games.


I recommend you to set the limitation to 500 to 600. Before applying the patcher, remember to unplug internet connections and restart computer to make sure the TCP/IP file is not in use.

Download this patcher at Here.

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