How to Boot Windows XP from a Fat32 Formatted a USB Flash Drive

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Get the following things: HP USB Disk Storage Format Utility PEbuilder Windows XP(SP2 or SP3) setup/installation CD or XP setup files located on local drive.

   srsp1.zip "http://users.atw.hu/livexptuning/Plugins.html" (2 files inside) Windows 98SE Bootable Floppy Disk pe2usb-f32.cmd "http://usb.smithtech.us/pe/plugins/pe2usb-f32.zip" (A replacement for BartPE's default "pe2usb.cmd file) GRUB4DOS
   0.4.4 "http://sourceforge.net/projects/grub4dos/files/GRUB4DOS/"
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   Step 2: Insert your USB key and your Windows 98SE Bootable Floppy.

   [Note: if your PC does not have a floppy drive then you may use virtual Floppy Disk along with a win98 floppy image ,, 2- Download "http://jdfoxmicro.com/resource-center/articles/logging-off-windows/WindowsXP_Start_button.bmp".
   
   Save it as "nu2go.bmp" in "\plugin\nu2menu" subdirectory in PE Builder installation directory. , Note:
   If you want to add applications to your BartPE, then you have to do it at this point.
   
   It is not very easy step for a beginner, specially creation of the menu tree. , If you don't have your windows XP setup/installation files on your system you must insert the original Microsoft Windows XP installation/setup CD at this point.
   
   Select "Source" path to XP(SP2) setup CD or setup files location.
   
   Leave "Custom:" location empty. "Output:" field must be filled as "BartPE" (without quotes) Click "Build" button.
   
   PE Builder will now start building BartPE.
   
   This will take a few minutes. , Open command prompt in PE Builder installation directory. run command "pe2usb-f32 J:" ("J:" is just example, it should be your USB Key drive letter) It will take a while, and create an iso file in your USB key. , (Because grub will search all drives for this file name and will boot from the first drive where it finds the bootloader, so we change the name to avoid conflict with one on hard disk) , Open config.sys and edit the second line to read: device=grub.exe
   --config-file="color black/cyan yellow/cyan;timeout 0;default 0;title find and load NTLDR of Windows NT/2K/XP;find
   --set-root /usbntldr;chainloader /usbntldr" delete himem.sys and emm386.exe lines "Wow, DONE!" Boot from your USB key!!! (Note:
   You would have to either specify USB as first boot device in CMOS/BIOS, or manually select USB device while bypassing the default boot sequence/order by pressing appropriate key e.g.
   
   F12/F10/F2/F1 or Del etc. at beginning of boot.)
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   Step 3: Run the "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool" Select your USB key Set the file system to FAT32 Check "Create a DOS startup disk" Select win98 Floppy (or Virtual-Floppy) drive location A: or B: Click "Start"

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   Step 4: Install PE Builder If you like to have same look and feel as XP then you have to replace two files: (otherwise skip to Step4) 1- Take your favourite wallpaper file

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   Step 5: convert it to bmp and save it as "bartpe.bmp" in your PE Builder installation directory.

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   Step 6: Extract srsp1.zip to PE Builder installation directory.

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   Step 7: Start PE Builder (pebuilder.exe).

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   Step 8: Extract pe2usb-f32.cmd out of pe2usb-f32.zip to PE Builder installation directory.

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   Step 9: Rename the "ntldr" file to "usbntldr" in root of USB.

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    Step 10: Step-8: Select all the files for GRUB4DOS and copy them to the root of the USB key.

Detailed Guide

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