BetaONE will rise again! - Winpe_plus

You are lucky if you have got Bart's PEBuilder v2: This Howto talks about how to use Bart's PE Builder v2 to make your own version of Windows PE, with a 32MB Ramdisk and the optional ERD Commander 2003 Features support. (ERD Commander 2003 by Winternals LP is not free and there is also no demo or trail version that can be downloaded you simply have to buy it!) Before you proceed with my Howto, please gotohttp://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ to learn more about Bart's PE Builder:

1. Extract Bart's PEBuilder v2.0 to your hard-drive, e.g. E:\PEBuilder_PLus
2. This step is optional: Backup the following files because we are going to edit/add more contents to them:
nu2menu.xml, default.inf, pebuilder.inf, setupreg.inf and software.inf
3. Make a new folder: E:\PEBuilder_PLus\addon\Program_Files
4. Move all other folders under E:\PEBuilder_PLus\addon to E:\PEBuilder_Plus\addon\Program_Files
5. Put the 2 files factory.exe and netcfg.exe to E:\PEBuilder_PLus in order to enable network support for PE Builder
6. Replace the default wallpaper from nu.bmp to your favorite:
- Name your favorite wallpaper as winpe.bmp and put it under E:\PEBuilder_PLus;
- Ascii Search in pebuilder.inf and default.inf for nu.bmp and replace with winpe.bmp
7. Add ram drive support for PE Builder:
- Put the 2 files ramdrv.sys and ramdrv.inf (in the MSA EDC Deployment Kit) to E:\PEBuilder_PLus
- Copy ramdrv.sys to ramdisk.sys, put the ramdisk to E:\PEBuilder_Plus
- Append the following lines to pebuilder.inf under [SourceDisksFiles]:

; --- Ramdrv ---
ramdrv.inf=1,,,,,,,,0,0,ramdrv.inf,1,20
ramdrv.sys=1,,,,,,,,0,0,ramdrv.sys,1,4
ramdisk.sys=1,,,,,,,,0,0,ramdisk.sys,1,4

- Append the following lines to setupreg.inf under [AddReg]:

; ----------------------------------------------------------------------
;
; START ENTRIES (Ramdisk Support)
;
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}","Class",REG_SZ,"MemDev"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}","",REG_SZ,"Memory Device"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}","Icon",REG_SZ,"-5"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","InfPath",REG_SZ,"ramdisk.inf"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","InfSection",REG_SZ,"RAMDisk_I nst"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","InfSectionExt",REG_SZ,".NT"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","ProviderName",REG_SZ,"Mixed"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","DriverDateData",REG_BINARY, \
00, c0, a1, c0, b2, 94, c1, 01
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","DriverDate",REG_SZ,"1-4-2002"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","DriverVersion",REG_SZ,"1.20.0 .1"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","MatchingDeviceId",REG_SZ,"ram disk"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000","DriverDesc",REG_SZ,"Mixed RAM Disk Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"ClassGUID",REG_SZ,"{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"Class",REG_SZ,"MemDev"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"HardwareID",REG_MULTI_SZ,"RAMDISK"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"Driver",REG_SZ,"{1EFCBBB4-8750-46D8-A754-92D9911DD587}\0000"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"Mfg",REG_SZ,"Mixed"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"Service",REG_SZ,"ramdisk"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"DeviceDesc",REG_SZ,"Mixed RAM Disk Driver"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"ConfigFlags",REG_DWORD,0x0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000" ,"Capabilities",REG_DWORD,0x0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\RAMDISK\0000\ Control","ActiveService",REG_SZ,"ramdisk"
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk","Type ",REG_DWORD,0x1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk","Star t",REG_DWORD,0x2
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk","Erro rControl",REG_DWORD,0x1
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk","Imag ePath",REG_EXPAND_SZ,"System32\DRIVERS\ramdisk.sys "
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk","Disp layName",REG_SZ,"Mixed RAM Disk Service"
; The current DriveLetter of the ramdisk is set at Z:
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","DriveLetter",REG_SZ,"Z:"
; The current DiskSize of the ramdisk is set at maximum of 32M (0x1ffffff); [64M=0x3ffffff; 32M=0x1ffffff; 16M=0x1000000; 8M=0x800000; 4M=0x400000]
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","DiskSize",REG_DWORD,0x1ffffff
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","BytesPerSector",REG_DWORD,0x200
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","SectorsPerTrack",REG_DWORD,0x20
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","TracksPerCylinder",REG_DWORD,0x2
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","ManualOverride",REG_DWORD,0x0
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","SectorsPerCluster",REG_DWORD,0x2
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","BootSignature",REG_DWORD,0x29
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","VolumeID",REG_DWORD,0xdeadbeaf
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","RootDirEntries",REG_DWORD,0x200
HKLM,"SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Ramdisk\Parame ters","VolumeName",REG_SZ,"RAMDISK"
;
; END ENTRIES (Ramdisk Support)
;
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Add ERD Commander 2003 features support to PE Builder:
- Put the following files (from the i386 folder of the ERD Commander 2003 CD) to E:\PEBuilder_PLus:
CommandShell.exe
common.dll
CompMgmt.exe
cs.cfg
DiskManagerAPIDLL.dll
dt.cfg
dunzip32.dll
dzip32.dll
explorer.exe
fauxshell.dll
fe.cfg
FileRestore.exe
FileSearch.exe
FileShare.exe
Locksmith.exe
logoff.exe
logon.exe (preferred a hacked version which does not check the License Information)
notepad.exe
SystemCompare.exe
SystemRestore.exe
TcpCfg.exe
WindowsShell.exe
pwdserv.exe
erdhelp.exe
erdcmdr2003.cnt
erdcmdr2003.rtf
ntfsver.exe
hpt3xx.sys

- Rename the 4 files (from the i386 folder of the ERD Commander 2003 CD) before put them to E:\PEBuilder_PLus:
ChkDsk_ERDC.exe
RegEdit_ERDC.exe
logon_ERDC.exe
regsvr32_ERDC.exe

- Append the following lines to pebuilder.inf under [SourceDisksFiles]:

; --- ERDC 2003 ----
CommandShell.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
common.dll=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
CompMgmt.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
cs.cfg=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
DiskManagerAPIDLL.dll=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
dt.cfg=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
dunzip32.dll=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
dzip32.dll=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
Explorer.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
fauxshell.dll=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
fe.cfg=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
FileRestore.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
FileSearch.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
FileShare.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
Locksmith.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
logoff.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
logon.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
notepad.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
SystemCompare.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
SystemRestore.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
TcpCfg.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
WindowsShell.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
pwdserv.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
erdhelp.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
erdcmdr2003.cnt=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
erdcmdr2003.rtf=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
ntfsver.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
hpt3xx.sys=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,4
ChkDsk_ERDC.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
RegEdit_ERDC.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
logon_ERDC.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
regsvr32_ERDC.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2

9. Add wordpad.exe (from Win2k), calc.exe, mspaint.exe (from WinXP)to to E:\PEBuilder_PLus and append the following lines to pebuilder.inf under [SourceDisksFiles]:

; --- Accessories ----
wordpad.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
calc.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
mspaint.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
setres.exe=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
startnet.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
starterd.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
bluebox.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
totalcmd.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
nu2menu.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
regimport.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
erdc.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
erdcshell.cmd=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2
regimport.reg=1,,,,,,,,0,0,,1,2

10. You can also make change to the loader prompt message of WinPE, this can be done by changing the loaderprompt under [InfChanges] of pebldr.inf.

11. Fill in folders under E:\PEBuilder_Plus\addon\Program_Files with your favorite optional WinPE programs and Recovery Tools, such as those from PowerQuest and/or avast!.

12. Edit nu2menu.xml accordingly to meet your addon programs and your need.

13. Run pebuilder.exe. Follow the instructions that PE Builder gives you. If some option is not clear hit the Help button.

Full text content of this howto can be downloaded from: /http://members.rogers.com/khauyeung/WinPE_Plus_Howto.txt

Screen Shot 1 of my WinPE_Plus: /http://members.rogers.com/khauyeung/WinPE_Plus_Nu2menu.jpg
Screen Shot 2 of my WinPE_Plus: /http://members.rogers.com/khauyeung/WinPE_Plus_Bluebox.jpg
Screen Shot 3 of my WinPE_Plus: /http://members.rogers.com/khauyeung/WinPE_Plus_Erdc.jpg

This howto serves solely for educational purpose, please kindly do not ask me where to get the related programs or tools.

Enjoy!

Edited on July 30: For whatever reason, I cannot reproduce the 96M Ramdisk?! The maximum size of the Ramdisk I can reproduce is 32M. I am sorry for the illusion I have made!