can i install vista from a virtual dvd-drive ? UPD: success :)

[flexy]

i have contradicting information..some say it works.

Problem is you have to reboot after the install...how do you do that w/o having vista on dvd ?

Please only replies of people wwho actually *DID* install it that way and not just based on hearsay 🙂

 

[Noema]

I have installed 2 different Vista builds (BETA 2 and RC1) without having burnt the image on DVD. It's easy.

1.- Use Daemon tools to mount the image.

2.-Copy the contents of the iso (which should now be a mounted drive) into a folder that is NOT in the partition you are planning to install Vista into. It's necessary that you copy the files into your HDD because trying to install from the mounted image will fail since the installer will reboot several times, and thus, Daemon tools won't load during those reboots and the mounted drive won't be found.

3.-Run the installer from Windows XP from the folder you copied the files into.

It should install in 20-30 minutes depending on your PC. Hassle free, burn free installation 🙂

You can delete the original installation folder after you are done installing.

 

[flexy]

thanks....will try 🙂

 

[flexy]

noema,

i cant run the installer either from daemon or from my folder on HD.

When i click "setup.exe" it always says "is not a valid win32 application"

looking thu there whether there is another setup-file somewhere

Edit: ok..further research....i am positive i have to do that from dos. I cant run this 64 bit application from my Win XP 32 bit as i read around on google.

 

[flexy]

ok, DOS is a no-go... (should've guessed that earlier 🙂

Right now i have the 64bit install/vista folder on HD...cant run fro within XP, but also not under DOS.

Now looking how i can somehow "boot" onto this folder (or boot in an iso)...there SHOULD be a way because i can
boot onto a PE-builder win32 install too...and the PE-builder install is nothing else than folders on my HD with the right bootsector.

Still loooking...

 

[Noema]

Ah, well. I installed the 32-bit version of Vista...I didn't know you were planning on installing the 64-bit version, which likely cannot be run from XP-32. Maybe you could try copying the image into an USB drive so you boot from there and try to install it. It can be done with XP so it would likely work with Vista. Worth a shot, at least.

 

[flexy]

it's actually a biatch to do that without a dvd-burner, *IF* you want to install the X64 version.

The only method(s) found is

------------ snip --------------
- Create a temporary folder on your secondary NTFS partition (D:\ henceforth) labeled VISTA_TMP
- Extract Vista ISO image (e.g. with WinRAR) into temporary directory.
- Delete DRIVERS\, DOCS\, SUPPORT\ folders.
- Delete SOURCES\INSTALL.WIM image.
- Extract the boot sector from original ISO image and save in temporary location (e.g. Desktop)
- Create an ISO with the contents of the temporary folder and import the boot sector. The title of this ISO is irrelevant.
- Burn the ISO image to CD-R/CD-RW media.
- Empty but do not delete the temporary folder.
- Create a SOURCES\ folder inside the temporary folder.
- Re-extract INSTALL.WIM and BOOT.WIM into newly created SOURCES\ folder.
- Boot machine off of newly created Vista Preinstallation Environment CD, holding the CTRL key once the old Longhorn logo appears.
- Within' the command prompt, execute: xcopy X:\ D:\VISTA_TMP. NOTE: X:\ in the command above is not to be changed, it's the temporary RAM disk!
- After the copy process finishes, execute: D:\VISTA_TMP\SETUP.EXE
- Continue the setup process as if you had booted from DVD media. Enjoy!

------------------- snip -----------

or another way (i guess) would be creating a WinPE bootable CD with the Vista WinPE2.0 kit (WAIK)...and install from there since it would boot into a minimal 64bit vista on CD and then would allow to execute the setup.

Anyway i do it as mentione above, preparing my HD right now and resizing partitions 🙂

As you see its defintly "a bit" involved, extracting bootsector, making a bootable CD (!) and copying around stuff.

X32 version would be so much easier...just mount with daemon and click setup 🙂 But i want to see 64bit in action on my A64 just out of curiosity.

Btw . took me XYZ attempts to download the ISO from MS again...the first one i deleted after i depacked all to a folder - JUST to read i NEED the bootsector....so had to dl the 3GBsomething ISO *again(. MS/akamai dl-manager doesnt work at all....so it aborted a few times downloading with FireFox, then let it go for a few hours over night and it aborted at 99% and NO WAY to resume the download ....ANOTHER attempt..etc..etc....now i finally have the ISO again just because i needed the **** bootsector.

 

[flexy]

the above information did not 100% work..eg the "ctrl-key" which actually should be "Shift-F10" etc.

So..i just made a WinPE2.0 64bit boot CD....booted on it...and then started the "setup.exe" on my HD where i extracted the whole ISO.

Went like a charm.

ALternative method would be just use above method, press shift-F10 when the GUI comes up...and then CD to a folder on HD where the whole ISO is extracted and start the setup.

I am posting from 64bit Vista right now and i OMFG freaking LOVE IT 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

ANd i didnt even have any drivers installed yet, still need my nforce drivers, ati drivers, audigy etc...but i am VERY IMPRESSED already. NICE NICE...love it ! Especially like the little, but not overdone 3d-effects. Otherwise still lots to explore i am sure.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: flexy

audigy

Good luck with that one!

 

[flexy]

actually works !

I had problems first..but then figured out how to disable that stupid "driver singning" thingy. If i disable driver signing in bios i dont get any exclamation marks in device-manager....looks fine.

 

[flexy]

UPDATE
********************

Well i think it's already time i can make some statements regarding Vista, talking about the 64bit version here (5728).

Since i really didn't see any point in the 32bit version - and i also am pushing to get the latest "beta" 64bit drivers/programs wherever i can find them.

THE GOOD:

* Nforce 4, ATI Radeon etc <--- all work out of the box

* Audigy 2 Value actually WORKS with latest beta 64bit drivers and that stupid "disabling of unsigned driver warning" at start-up
(Further testing required still)

* All other devices seem to work fine.

* installed FireFox mmoy build 64bit, installed an extension (fasterfox)

* I VERY MUCH like IE 7.0, even if it's a very obvious rip-off of FF, still more testing required. Running both browsers right now.



NOW THE BAD
*******************

Some of my favorite and VERY important programs wont run, even some ESSENTIAL things

* JAVA (!) doesn't work, i d/l the latest JRE 1.6.something beta for 64bit, but it doesn't work in either browser, FF or IE7.0

* ATI Tray Tools doesn't work. Which is VERY bad since i dont install CCC and need Ati Tray Tools for a LOT, starting with fixing my refreshrate
at 1360/1024, overclocking, etc..etc....

* some other tools, eg. rmclock which i use doesn't work.

BASICALLY a lot "3rd party" programs installing 64bit drivers either dont work at all or give big hassles.

* network tweaking, i still dont know if there's programs wich work (eg. for setting MTU etc.) Cablenut does NOT work and other tools
seem not to work either.

* The constant popping up of VISTA "warnings" for whatever reason is annoying. I am sure there are ways to disable ist...but basically almost every click to some program/download, more advanced setting etc. brings some stupid pop-up up and "asking for permission".

* Network settings i figured out, even ICS sharing works with notebook of GF, but the network settings/descriptions are..uhm.."weird".
(Private network, public network etc.) I just set things manually w/ settings i know which work. I STILL dont know whether my "internet" connection is supposed to be "public" or "private" neither do i know what my LAN is suposed to be.

* LOTS of "helpful" information left and right..but sometimes just too much. I am a big tweaker and do stuff on deeper level al the time 🙂

CONCLUSION
***********************
I *think* that Vista, the OS, *itself* is very nice and 5728 actually looks polished. I like the new GUI and i am sure there are many more features to discover which i didnt even see yet.

The big PROBLEM is that it's not about the OS, but MAINLY about all the 3rd party software/drivers. An OS without your favorite programs working is worthless 🙂

I see there at least 6months+ going by until all bigger vendors have MATURE *signed* drivers and all "smaller" 3rd party utility-programmers etc. "catch up" with Vista, especially the 64bit version.

I mean, even Sun/JAVA obviously just has a BETA jre 1.6 out right now which doesn't even work right.

It's on the 3rd party programmers now to catch up - but then i am not complaining since the "RC1" of vista is pretty new still and it would be weird to expect any tool/program working perfect already 🙂

 

[XBoxLPU]

Originally posted by: Noema
I have installed 2 different Vista builds (BETA 2 and RC1) without having burnt the image on DVD. It's easy.

2.-Copy the contents of the iso (which should now be a mounted drive) into a folder that is NOT in the partition you are planning to install Vista into. It's necessary that you copy the files into your HDD because trying to install from the mounted image will fail since the installer will reboot several times, and thus, Daemon tools won't load during those reboots and the mounted drive won't be found.

.

This is incorrect. I just mounted the image in D-tools and ran the setup.exe . Vista Setup copies the installation files and everything for you.

 

[flexy]

i am talking about vista 64 bit. There is no way to load "setup.exe" from withing a win32 install <---
You *have* to boot into a 64bit preinstall environement first...thats why i made a Vista Boot CD.