OS in RamDisk

[randytsuch]

I started a from scratch installation last night

Figuring out how to use the winntsetup tool to build a vhd.

I'll post updates as I progress.

Server 2016 sounds promising, but since I have a "real" license for 2012 R2, I'll try that first.

Randy

[randytsuch]

So following the German translated to English instructions, I am able to make a VHD that I can boot into, and run from :)

I also figured I must have installed more than I thought on my existing Server 2012 SDD.

A new install, with updates and nothing else installed, was just under 10G.

So, I am going to use a 12G VHD, leaving me 2G for anything I need to install, and 4G of RAM to use.

Randy

[Octagon]

A new install, with updates and nothing else installed, was just under 10G.

Hi Randy,

Great you made it! :)

I did not know that you were updating R2, I could have told you about the follow up trouble nor only about size, sorry. I do not update R2 because of that. In case needed you can download the latest ISO which includes all major updates without keeping all of the old information.

From powershell you can use "dism" with the argument "start component cleanup" to clean your updated installation.

Take care
Thomas

[randytsuch]

A new install, with updates and nothing else installed, was just under 10G.

Hi Randy,

Great you made it! :)

I did not know that you were updating R2, I could have told you about the follow up trouble nor only about size, sorry. I do not update R2 because of that. In case needed you can download the latest ISO which includes all major updates without keeping all of the old information.

From powershell you can use "dism" with the argument "start component cleanup" to clean your updated installation.

Take care
Thomas

I always update when I do a new install. I have the install disk for the licensed version, and all the ISO's I can download are the eval versions, and I'd have to convert it. I know I can convert, but running the update is easy, it's just takes a while.

Thanks for the tip on dism, I'll try that after I make a 12G VHD.

[randytsuch]

Figured out that easyBCD has it's own version of grub, they call it NeoGrub. It's really easy to add NeoGrub to the startup menu with easyBCD.
https://neosmart.net/wiki/easybcd/neogrub/
NeoGrub does look a little different from grub4dos.

Now I think I just need to add the following to the menu.lst file, if server2012.vhd is the name of my vhd file.

title server2012.vhd - FiraDisk RAMDISK
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /server2012.vhd
map --mem /server2012.vhd (hd0)
map --hook
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr

Does that look right?

[randytsuch]

So neogrub, when I added the stuff from my previous post, works :)

I was able to boot from RAM last night, using neogrub.

It was actually pretty easy, just had to install firadisk and add neogrub to my boot menu in easyBCD, and then configure neogrub by adding those lines.

My only problem now is even though I did this
"bcdedit -set Testsigning on"

I still have to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement when I boot up the ramdisk vhd.

I'm going to create a blog page with instructions for what I did, most of it is done, I've been writing it as I go along.

Randy

[Octagon]

I still have to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement when I boot up the ramdisk vhd.

Hi Randy,

well, I understand you made RAMOS working again, great! :)

Maybe a stupid question, but just to be sure: When you are using the bcdedit command you have booted the VHD, not booted the VHD into RAM? There is nothing stored if you have booted the VHD into RAM, the moment you close RAMOS all is gone ;)

If you have normally booted the VHD it should work. You might use "Visual BCD", a tool which offers a GUI for bcdedit.

Good luck
Thomas

[randytsuch]

I still have to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement when I boot up the ramdisk vhd.

Hi Randy,

well, I understand you made RAMOS working again, great! :)

Maybe a stupid question, but just to be sure: When you are using the bcdedit command you have booted the VHD, not booted the VHD into RAM? There is nothing stored if you have booted the VHD into RAM, the moment you close RAMOS all is gone ;)

If you have normally booted the VHD it should work. You might use "Visual BCD", a tool which offers a GUI for bcdedit.

Good luck
Thomas

So yes, I did do the bcdedit command in VHD booted from VHD, and it does look like it works, and I can boot into that VHD with no problems, even with firadisk installed. And it has the correct message in the bottom right of the screen (test mode?)

But when I boot from RAM, it won't work unless I do the F8 and disable signatures.

I think I figured out why.
Using Neogrub, I'm getting two startup menus. I get the first startup menu, that was made using easyBCD. Then I select Neogrub, and get a second startup menu, the Neogrub one. I call my ram booted VHD from here. But I don't think the 2nd menu is a "real" bootup. It must be something that easyBCD adds, and is calling. So, what I do with the bcdedit command is not working in the 2nd menu. At least that's my theory.

So, I am going to give up on neogrub, and figure out how to install grub4dos, and use that instead.

Thanks for the visual bcd tip, that looks like it might be useful to help me figure this out.

I also found a tool called bootice that is supposed to install grub4dos for you, so I plan to try that.

Randy

[Octagon]

think I figured out why.
Using Neogrub, I'm getting two startup menus. I get the first startup menu, that was made using easyBCD. Then I select Neogrub, and get a second startup menu, the Neogrub one. I call my ram booted VHD from here. But I don't think the 2nd menu is a "real" bootup. It must be something that easyBCD adds, and is calling. So, what I do with the bcdedit command is not working in the 2nd menu. At least that's my theory.

Randy,

guess you are right. The "Boot BCD" folder is elsewhere stored also with Grub4Dos. And that is where the change needs to be stored. Not in the one which is part of the VHD.
Suggestion: Why don't you try to verify from within RAMOS with Visual BCD where the folder is located? You might need to understand that MS changes drive letters if booted from different OS. Please check Visual BCD's webside, if I remember right you should use an older version with R2.

Cheers
Thomas

[randytsuch]

After spending a fair amount of time working with grub4dos and some other stuff, I figured out what I was doing wrong.

I missed a few instructions from
http://tech.outcult.com/tutorials/winra ... kattempt=1

mostly at the end.

I should have a blog in a couple of days with my version of the instructions.

Using easyBCD and NEOgrub, it's really not that hard to do, and fairly "safe".

Randy