Non-bootable Windows ISOs

[JonnyTech]

I was trying to create a pull request and somehow failed...

63781e0

Added the ability to boot Windows PE ISO files that require locations of boot files to be specified ie Symantec_Ghost_BootCD_12.0.0_Win11_x64.iso and others.

# Windows PE ISO's that do not boot normally

iso_pattern="win-noboot/*Win1*.iso"

for isofile in $iso_dir/$iso_pattern; do
	if [ -e "$isofile" ]; then
		regexp --set=isoname "$iso_dir/(.*)" "$isofile"

		menuentry "$isoname" "$isofile" --class=windows {
			if [ "${grub_platform}" != "efi" ]; then
				rmmod iso9660
				drivemap -s (hd0) (hd1)
			fi
			echo Loading boot.wim... This may take some time
			iso_path="$2"
			save_env iso_path
			LOOPBACK "$iso_path"
			$wimboot_kernel /MultiOS-USB/tools/wimboot-*/wimboot.x86_64
			$wimboot_initrd \
							newc:BCD:(loop)/boot/bcd \
							newc:boot.sdi:(loop)/boot/boot.sdi \
							newc:boot.wim:(loop)/sources/boot.wim \
							newc:mountIso.exe:/MultiOS-USB/tools/mountiso/mountiso64.exe \
							newc:grubenv:($dev,1)/grub/grubenv
			echo Loading boot.wim complete, booting...
		}
	fi
done

See the commit message for addition info. Feel free to cherry pick whatever you like.

[Mexit]

Thanks! I will test as soon as I have the opportunity

[JonnyTech]

Some thoughts on expanding this to fit in with the existing Windows ISO configuration file:

Grub has the test command (https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub/html_node/test.html#test)

17.4.74 test
Command: test expression
Evaluate expression and return zero exit status if result is true, non zero status otherwise.
expression is one of:
...
-d file = file exists and is a directory
-e file = file exists
-f file = file exists and is not a directory
-s file = file exists and has a size greater than zero
...

If script tests for the existence of the following files within boot.wim

/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/BCD
/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/boot.sdi

or

/Windows/Boot/DVD/PCAT/BCD
/Windows/Boot/DVD/PCAT/boot.sdi

then boot the WIM, else extract from the ISO as per OP.

[JonnyTech]

Not sure how to look inside the .wim for a file.

This is untested: [ -s (loop)/sources/boot.wim/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/BCD ] - ie look for the BCD file within the wim within the iso.

Then one script can do both:

# Windows 10, Windows 11
# https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/
# Incuding Windows PE ISO's that boot from USB drive only

iso_pattern="*Win1*.iso"

for isofile in $iso_dir/$iso_pattern; do
	if [ -e "$isofile" ]; then
		regexp --set=isoname "$iso_dir/(.*)" "$isofile"

		menuentry "$isoname" "$isofile" --class=windows {
			if [ "${grub_platform}" != "efi" ]; then
				rmmod iso9660
				drivemap -s (hd0) (hd1)
			fi
			echo Loading boot.wim... This may take some time
			iso_path="$2"
			save_env iso_path
			LOOPBACK "$iso_path"
			$wimboot_kernel /MultiOS-USB/tools/wimboot-*/wimboot.x86_64

			if [ -s (loop)/sources/boot.wim/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/BCD ] && [ -s (loop)/sources/boot.wim/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/boot.sdi ]; then
						echo Loading bootable boot.wim...
						$wimboot_initrd newc:boot.wim:(loop)/sources/boot.wim \
									newc:mountIso.exe:/MultiOS-USB/tools/mountiso/mountiso64.exe \
									newc:grubenv:($dev,1)/grub/grubenv \
									newc:Winpeshl.ini:/MultiOS-USB/config/windows/Winpeshl.ini
			else
						echo Loading ISO assisted boot.wim...
						$wimboot_initrd \
									newc:BCD:(loop)/boot/bcd \
									newc:boot.sdi:(loop)/boot/boot.sdi \
									newc:boot.wim:(loop)/sources/boot.wim \
									newc:mountIso.exe:/MultiOS-USB/tools/mountiso/mountiso64.exe \
									newc:grubenv:($dev,1)/grub/grubenv
			fi

			echo Loading boot.wim complete, booting...
		}
	fi
done

[Mexit]

Not sure how to look inside the .wim for a file.

As far as I know this is handled by wimboot.

This is untested: [ -s (loop)/sources/boot.wim/Windows/Boot/DVD/EFI/BCD ] - ie look for the BCD file within the wim within the iso.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. From GRUB there is no access to the wim image.

[JonnyTech]

Is see, so my original approach for now. If I get time then shall look at wimboot code and see if it is possible to make a grub module to list wim file content.