Create a Bootable Windows PE USB Flash Disk

Step 1: Set up a Windows PE build environment

In this step, you create a required directory structure that supports building a Windows PE image.

1. On your technician computer, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Windows OPK or Windows AIK, right-click Deployment Tools Command Prompt, and then select Run as administrator.
   
   The menu shortcut opens a command-prompt window and automatically sets environment variables to point to all of the necessary tools. By default, all tools are installed at C:\Program Files\<kit>\Tools, where <kit> can be Windows OPK or Windows AIK.
2. At the command prompt, run the Copype.cmd script. The script requires two arguments: hardware architecture and destination location.
   
   
   copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86

3.      Running the script creates the following directory structure and copies all of the necessary files for that architecture. For example,

\Winpe_x86

\Winpe_x86\ISO

\Winpe_x86\Mount

4.      Copy the base image (Winpe.wim) into the \Winpe_x86\ISO\sources folder, and rename the file to Boot.wim.

5.      copy c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim c:\winpe_x86\ISO\sources\boot.wim

Step 2: Add additional customizations

This step is optional but recommended.
You can use ImageX to add applications and scripts to your Windows PE image that you might need while working in Windows PE. ImageX is a tool for capturing and applying images during deployment scenarios. For example, type the following command to copy the ImageX tool to the Windows PE image.

copy "c:\program files\<version>\Tools\x86\ImageX.exe" c:\winpe_x86\iso\

Step 3: Prepare the UFD

Before you can place Windows PE on a UFD, you must format the UFD using the version of DiskPart from Microsoft Vista, Windows 7 or Windows PE 2.0 or higher.

1.      From a running valid operating system or Windows PE session, insert your UFD.

2.      At a command prompt, use Diskpart to format the UFD as FAT32 spanning the entire UFD, and set the partition as active. For example,

3. diskpart

4. select disk 1 (usb disk number)

5. clean

6. create partition primary

7. select partition 1

8. active

9. format quick fs=fat32

10.   assign

exit

above commands are also use for creating bootable usb disk for windows 7,windows8 and server 2008 etc also just run above mentioned and copy setup file to usb disk

·  The example above assumes Disk 1 is the UFD.

·  On your technician computer, copy all of the content in the \ISO directory onto your UFD. You can manually create the directory structure or use the xcopy command to automatically build and to copy the appropriate files from your technician computer to your UFD. For example,

xcopy C:\winpe_x86\iso\*.* /e F:\

Thanks 

Regards

Blog admin

VMWARE ESXI 5.5 Installation & Configuration

Here is a guide I put together on installing ESXi 5.5 on your host. I have begun testing it out in my lab. I know I have read about some bugs with missing network drivers. If this happens and your network adapters driver is no longer available to install you will need to install 5.1 and upgrade to 5.5 as a work around for now.

You also download customize iso image from vendor website as per your hardware requirement.For dell Power Edge

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/driverdetails?driverid=5YC4T
customize iso preventive for drivers related issues.

Once the ISO has been downloaded burn to a DVD or if creating a nested version off ESXi select the Iso file location on your machine.

Insert the DVD into the machine and boot off of that device

Once boot up has begun you will see a screen shown below that will automatically load up into the esxi 5.5 installer. You can Hit “Enter” or wait the 10 second time out to begin loading up the installer.

After the setup has finished loading you will be able to start the installation, Hit “Enter” to being installing ESXi 5.5

Accept the User Agreement by hitting “F11”

Now your system will be scanned for hardware and storage

In my lab I’m installing ESXi on a VM, On this next window you can select the storage to install ESXi on. If you’re installing on a physical server you may want to consider using a 4GB usb flash disk. Once you have selected the proper storage hit “Enter” to continue

Next select your language and hit “Enter” to continue

Next we will be setting the Root password. This is your only way of accessing the host until it has been joined vCenter. Make sure you do not forget this password. Once you have created your password hit “Enter” to continue

The system will once again scan for additional system information making sure your system meets the minimum requirements. For my lab here it told me I did not have enough Ram and I had to add more before continuing.

Before continuing with the install you will get a warning message that the selected storage will be repartitioned meaning all data will be destroyed. Hit “F11” to continue

Now the installation has begun copying files to your storage location

You are finished, Make sure to remove the installation DVD or unmounts it from your VM before rebooting. Hit “Enter” to finish and reboot the host.

Once rebooted the ESXi host will load up and you can now begin to configure and administer this host

Thanks

Regards

Blog Admin