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Blank screen when wimboot starts
2013-12-27, 08:13
Post: #3
RE: Blank screen when wimboot starts
I would like to share my experience as:

Preparation:
1. Download the source and complie ipxe.pxe (for WINPE - it is slow, not GbE in my case, but it works) and undionly.kpxe (for booting WIN7).
2. Integrate the corresponding network driver to the WINPE & WIN7 source (using dism & imagex).
3. Disable the corresponding interface in the BIOS if there is another internal harddisk in the target computer which has Windows installed.
4. Low level format the iSCSI LUN (I use HDDErase to wipe the MBR and partition info.). DO NOT format at this point.

Boot to WINPE:
1. Use WINPE 3.1 for installing WIN7, if using WINPE 4 or above, the WIN7 installer will ask for WIN 8 network card driver - which I think is based on the version of WINPE, and to maintain the network connectivity, and thats why have to use WINPE 3.1 for installing WIN7SP1 (unless the WINPE and WIN7 do have the driver by default - which I have no experience).
2. Network boot using ipxe.pxe, perform "dhcp", "set keep-san 1" & "sanboot" (whould give error, and to preserve the drive instead of using "sanhook") command.
3. "chain" the WINPE Boot script - remember to imgfree the script itself (check using "imgstat") before booting to WINPE.

In WINPE:
1. perfrom format of the iSCSI LUN using diskpart, i.e.
diskpart
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit
2. Connect to the share folder which contains the WIN 7 setup files using "net use" (use option /persistent:NO)
3. execute the setup.exe

Reboot to continue WIN7 installation:
1. I switched back to use undionly.kpxe such that it boots faster.
2. sanboot the iSCSI LUN where the WIN7 is installed.
2. I did experience BSOD during the first reboot. I did boot into safe mode, and it state that WIN7 cannot continue the installation, I did reboot again (normal) and it just works fine and continue the installation.

I am still working on how to get ipxe.pxe to have my network card to connect at Gb speed. The onboard network card is i217-lm, i did modify "intel.c" in order to recongnize this card, but not yet able to connect at Gb speed.

Equipment I use:
Synology DS713+ as DHCP, TFTP, HTTP & share folder.
Lenovo M93p Tiny.
Apple Airport Extreme & Dlink GbE switch.

Hope this helps. Smile
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RE: Blank screen when wimboot starts - qnix - 2013-12-27 08:13



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