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Live Windows Bootable CDs for Sysadmins
WhoDaresWins writes "Ever wonder how to make a Knoppix-like live Windows bootable CD (or DVD)? Well its now possible using Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD. It's basically an expansion of the Microsoft's own Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) idea which is a minimal Windows (XP/2K3) based bootable live CD with a command prompt and the ability to run some basic Windows GUI. Bart's PE allows anyone to make a bootable CD using their own Windows XP/2K3 media with Bart's PE Builder. What's more many people have contributed quite a few plugins that allow you to use the BartPE discs as quite a nifty system administration tool and with some work an almost usable quick system."
Read subject.
Like, 8 years ago?
5) It's Windows... is it legal?
6) It's Windows... does it have a virus that could spread?
7) It's Windows... so you already have it preinstalled on the network (94% of the times)
8) It's Windows... does the license allow you to use it on other machines?
9) It's Windows... can you use share it?
unfinished: (adj.)
Needless to say, this is good news for Microsoft as it may increase the acceptance of Windows as an alternative to Linux on the desktop ;-)
"i think if you read the eula, you can use my software on only one comptuer at a time. you can not install it on one computer and boot it into memory on another. i would like to introduce you to our team of lawyers. don't let their horns or fangs fool you. they are really nice. (ha ha ha ha). i might also remind you that there are specific ways in which you may use my software, all of which you agreed before you even opened the CD (thinks to himself: damn, i'm clever). if it isn't specified, and you don't have a license to do this, then you may not."
and this is another reason i use linux.
My problem? I was perfectly gruntled, until some numbnuts came by and dissed me.
News to me indeed. :/
First of all, lets understand you're talking about Windows in general and not WinXP eight years ago. Well, the answer is you could. I saw a number of write-ups on how to make a CD that would win Win95 right from the CD. Let me add that, because of the driver issues and such you did have to build it for the system you were configuring for (at least if you wanted to use anything other than the minimal VGA drivers) and you might have to ignore a few error message that it spit out while it booted, but it could be done. You wouldn't be able to make a CD you could carry anywhere, but some people were making CD"s that could boot like Knoppix for a classroom environment (without the obvious "cheat" of just installing from CD to hard drive and then running from hard drive). Finding the information is proving a bit tricky, but I should have it somewhere. When and if I find it, if someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll post what I have or a link to same.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
Way to go MS - stifle creativity, advancement, technology.
I'm choosing to reply instead of moderate, because this is a *huge* pet peeve of mine. I've always thought NT-the-kernel was pretty elegant (especially compared to some *cough* Unix clones).
Actually, the actual Nt_ interfaces *are* documented, but (afaik) incompletely, and without source it's really of very limited utility.
In their quest for One True API (Win32 and now WinFX) they do seem to have killed off all innovation on top of one of their most technically impressive assets.
I had hoped the MSDN academic alliance and shared source licensing would encourage some work, but as long as MS adopts a more liberal download-from-website model for source licenses, innovation on top of the NT kernel is likely to remain a pipe-dream. (When the competition (Linux) is available nicely cross-referenced, you'd have to be crazy to fill out the paperwork for an NT source license.)
Go somewhere random
Not everyone wants to give Winternals $300. Especially since the capability should be supplied with Windows XP, without having to pay more.
Re 1:Who gives a fuck [about openness]
I could have agreed with you if we were talking different versions of "free" beer/libre. When using a closed product like MS Windows, you dont know from one day to another if the whole licensing process will change, whether they will extend support or just quit an entire product line etc. If they do quit, there is no way you can continue to patch your systems.
Re 3:drivers come on CDs these days
The grandparent poster did not say anything about floppys, and I totally agree with him. I have two PC systems, on with an Asus A7V and one with an ABit KT7 mainboard. NEITHER are usable without the latest versions of VIA 4in1-drivers. The built-in drivers that ships with Windows are old and outdated already at the time of shipment.
I wouldnt score your trolling much higher than grand-parent.
Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.
Aristotele
Lessee...
Only programmers care about that shit, and at least 99% of computer users are not programmers.
I've had managers who wouldn't touch closed-source apps because they didn't trust them and/or couldn't extend them. I've had non-developer colleagues who wouldn't touch closed-source apps because they cost money whilst open-source was a free-download away (and "why pay for something you'll only use once?", and "if it's closed source will people develop plug-ins for it?")
Ah, the joys of being able to choose your own hardward. I told my boss I wanted a beowulf-cluster of SPARC-stations. She laughed at me. Seriously, back in the real-world, some of us don't get any choice about the hardware we use. Seriosuly, back in the real-world most of us don't get any choice about the hardware we use. If open-source software can be stable on the same hardware as a closed-source BSOD-generator, which should I choose?
I run XP at home on the GF's laptop. I've got numerous driver install CDs. Strangely, I never received the one magic CD you hint at, the one with all the drivers for the hardware I've not bought yet. OK, XP comes with a lot of generic drivers, but every new piece of hardware I buy comes with a driver CD for Windows. Strangely, Linux typically "just works".
A. I assume you're joking. Firstly, MS didn't license (eg. with the GPL) their leaked source code, so no one legit will touch it lest they "contaminate" themselves or open themselves up to prosecution. Secondly, it's only a fraction of the complete source.
B.See statements regarding #1.
I've installed very few apps on XP that didn't edit the registry. Sure, I didn't do it by hand - the installer did it, and I pray that the uninstaller will also do it (I live in hope...) Fixinf Registry foul-ups after botched uninstallers run amok terrifies me because like many Windows users I don't feel comfortable editting the Registry. Firing up vim (or Emacs, I suppose...
Yup, a pretty weak troll attempt. Try harder.
This is where the serious fun begins.
Think about that for just a moment. If you compare the Knoppix variant that came out when Windows XP came out, were there drivers for todays hardware in it? I guess not. Knoppix is very well maintained version of Linux, where the maintainer takes time to integrate as many drivers as there are.
If you have the time, you can build your own Windows CD with all of todays drivers already built-in (to do this, search for Sysprep and PNPDriversPath or smth like that) and you won't ever have to insert a disk or download a driver from the net.
5) It's Windows... most apps won't run without registry editing and all kinds of other crap.
Huh? What are you talking about? I have set up my new box 2 months ago, and until now, have managed quite well without ever doing any manual registry tweaks. By the way: The only reason I use Windows and not Linux as my primary OS is Cubase SX, which does not run on Linux.
Man this is near pathetic...
Windows wasn't able to do this before? I thought it was only because I never cared to actually tried it and that it was actually doable but, man, we are in 2004! This feature as been built into the Mac OS since system7 (or 7.1, not sure), this feature as been accessible to some Linux distributions for quite a while now (since I do not know Linux as well as the Mac I don't know exactly since when...), just think Knoppix...
You know what is bad in all this, most Win ITs and other dumb human will still suggest Windows as the "only viable" OS to their boss so they keep their job. Some will even "believe" that the next version will be stable and secure, like they stupidly did for the past 9 years, Windows might be running on more than 90% of the worlds computer and that just tells me that there are a majority of people in the world that are undereducated or mentally very feeble. I mean, CEOs of fortunne 500 companies, who are considered business gurus are still believing their IT after all those years, they think it's normal to have 5-10 guys to manage your email and your incredible database using bandwith of MB per seconds. The same guys dissmiss anyone telling them that they run their studios, entirely, using more than 10 protocols from over 30 companies, managing GB of data per second 24 hours a day with NO IT, because the studio guy owns Macs and their IT told them Macs were not good, now tell me those CEOs are intelligent beings... all they have is money and a lot of people to tell them what to do with it,
puppets...
They care if they can edit the word processor docs. They care if they can use their spreadsheets and read their email. They want to browse web. Office secretaries don't want to change the world. They want to get their job done.
Open Source is a Good Thing but end users care about SOLUTIONS not TECHNOLOGY. Change your tactics.
Don't tell your friend that this is better cuz it's 'open'. Tell them it's better cuz it's free, it's portable and it's faster on the same hardware.
Agile Artisans
Well... Knoppix runs a full-blown Linux with a full-blown desktop. Windows just can't compete... *lol*