Boot Windows OS from Syslinux

[Dave-ee Jones]

Hey,

This is something I have been trying to get my head around for a while now.

I have a Windows OS folder (extracted Windows 7 iso, basically) which has a bootmgr and things. However, whenever I start it up from Syslinux (chain boot from Linux), it doesn't like it because it wants bootmgr (and all files it refers to) to be in the root folder of the USB (because Windows loves being the center of attention).

However, I don't want this because I want multiple Windows OS' on the USB (Windows 7, 8.1 and 10), in there own separate folders I can launch.

Does anybody know how I could do this?

Here's how I am booting it (using wimboot and linux.c32):

COM32 linux.c32 wimboot
APPEND initrd=win7pro64/bootmgr@bootmgr,win7pro64/boot/bcd@bcd,win7pro64/boot/boot.sdi@boot.sdi,win7pro64/sources/boot.wim@boot.wim

I did try a bunch of other ways but none worked out (including chain.c32 the bootmgr).

[Dave-ee Jones]

By the way, for those interested, you can use YUMI multiboot to load OS images onto your USB, and add more later on. It's pretty good - and I've customised the menu a bit as well. Looks quite nice.

Mix that in with Hiren's Boot CD (HBCD) and you have a pretty powerful multiboot USB. 

Just thought I would post this as this forum post has almost 4000 views - so people may be looking for an answer or something..

[MB60893]

On 7/17/2017 at 10:17 AM, Dave-ee Jones said:

By the way, for those interested, you can use YUMI multiboot to load OS images onto your USB, and add more later on. It's pretty good - and I've customised the menu a bit as well. Looks quite nice.

Mix that in with Hiren's Boot CD (HBCD) and you have a pretty powerful multiboot USB. 

Just thought I would post this as this forum post has almost 4000 views - so people may be looking for an answer or something..

Almost thought this part of the forum was dead! I check it from month-to-month... 

 

Let me be clear: I don’t have the answer at this stage. But I have an idea of what you can do.

 

Search for booting an ISO or mounting a file system folder as the root directory and then booting like that. It may potentially work. I know Hirens had some clever work arounds for the Mini Windows XP Distribution. I’d start there.

 

 EDIT: I also see that pirating groups such as (Generation2 from a quick web search) have managed to get multiple Windows installations to work off of an “All In One” USB ISO image. I imagine this could potentially have a solution for what you are trying to do... Although I cannot endorse downloading the ISO for the more than questionable legality of what such a group is doing.

 

Hope you find a solution... will be very interested to hear if you do!

(and yes, I know this was posted in 2017. Multipass usbs are just so great though!)

[naruthomas41]

Hi guys !!

I am very interested about this post because i search to do the same thing !

I would like to make a bootable USB stick with SYSLINUX but i'm having difficulties to have two Windows and PE distribution on it and make it work fine..

 

@MB60893, can you send me the link of your google research about what you said about " Generation2 " please ? 

[preatorian]

In Windows 10, Microsoft has provided a feature called "Windows Subsystem for Linux" (WSL) that allows users to run Linux applications directly on Windows. If this is your first time using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), you need to enable this optional Windows feature before getting Linux. 

Follow these simple steps to enable WSL:

• Navigate to Control Panel and go to "Apps and features"
• Select "Programs and Features" from the right panel
• Click the "Turn Windows features on or off" from the left menu
• Select the "Windows Subsystem for Linux" and save it
• Reboot your system

You can even do the same by opening PowerShell as Administrator and running the following command and restart your computer.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

Now search for Kali Linux on Windows Store, download it with just a single click. Once you launch the application, it automatically completes Kali installation and will open the console window.
That's it! You can also check Kali Linux documentation for more information.

Take notice however that if you have disabled the majority of Spyware in Windows 10 with a nobloat or DWS Lite version installation, powershell (unicorn pwnage shell) may not function as expected!