Universal alternate Windows 11 install method


I think the idea of the thread is ( or was ) to try doing it without 3rd party tools. Then hsesetedt asked if a separate partition could also be created for installation media, and have a boot menu entry added to point at that.

If you want to use winnntsetup, it can be run from within windows, it doesnt necessarily need to be run in winpe.
 
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    gigabyte b365m ds3h
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    2x8gb 3200mhz
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    benq gw2480
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@NavyLCDR
Could the additional OS be added to the blue Windows OS selection screen as well? This just seems a bit more convenient to me.
Example of blue Windows OS selection screen taken from an ElevenForumTutorial

safe_mode_boot_options_menu-png.25438



I'm asking because I recently created a Windows11ToGo USB [M.2 disk in a USB3 enclosure] using your guidance in Create Windows to Go system - TenForums and am using it successfully with one particular computer [which is the only one I'm going to use it with].
I have been studying BCDEdit guides but I'd appreciate your guidance on the subject because there's a lot of ground to cover for somebody who is not familiar with BCD commands.
I wondered whether the final step of your post #5 in a TenForums thread would be, on its own, the correct form of command to add this option without anything else needing to be done i.e.
bcdboot E:\Windows /d /addlast
where the 'main OS' sees the 'additional OS' on the E:\ drive.



All the best,
Denis
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296
If there is a bcd entry for an os, it should be displayed on the menu, unless you remove it from display.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    pentium g5400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    1x8gb 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
There is no bcd entry for the additional OS yet.
The command I mentioned might be a method of adding it to the OS selection menu.
bcdboot E:\Windows /d /addlast


Denis
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296
I have not had time to research how to add a PE entry to the bcd store yet. I'm pretty sure EasyBCD will do it, but have not had time to figure out how to do it without third party software yet.
From @KYHI's posts

Copy the winPE files to a blank partition and note drived letter

Run this batch file from admin command prompt

Add a name and letter at prompts.

Then you get a nice boot entry.

UEFI Installation
Code:
@echo off

title Macrium UEFI BOOT MENU OPTION v17.01.24

rem ================================ YY.MM.DD

color 17

:start

cls

echo.

echo ===============================================================================

echo.  YOU HAVE CHOOSEN TO ADD A WINPESE BOOTABLE PARTITION TO YOUR HOST

echo ===============================================================================

echo.

set /p namepe= ^>ENTER NAME OF WINPE APP

set /p drvlttr= ^> ENTER THE DRIVE LETTER ASSIGNED TO THE WINPESE PARTITION:

if [%drvlttr%]==[] echo.&echo Invalid User Input&echo.&echo The Partition Drive Letter Can Not Be Blank&echo.&pause&goto :start

if not exist %drvlttr%:\sources\boot.wim echo.&echo Invalid User Input&echo.&echo The %drvlttr%:\sources\boot.wim Was Not Found&echo.&pause&goto :start

cls

echo.

echo Configuring UEFI Boot Option for WinPESE Recovery Tools

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

for /f "tokens=2 delims={}" %%g in ('bcdedit.exe /create /d "%namepe%" /Device') do (set deviceid={%%g})

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo DEVICE ID = %device

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

bcdedit /set %deviceid% ramdisksdidevice partition=%drvlttr%:

bcdedit /set %deviceid% ramdisksdipath \boot\boot.sdi

for /f "tokens=2 delims={}" %%g in ('bcdedit.exe /create /d "%namepe%" /application osloader') do (set guid={%%g})

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo GUID = %guid%

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

bcdedit /set %guid% device ramdisk=[%drvlttr%:]\sources\boot.wim,%deviceid%

bcdedit /set %guid% osdevice ramdisk=[%drvlttr%:]\sources\boot.wim,%deviceid%

bcdedit /set %guid% systemroot \windows

bcdedit /set %guid% path \Windows\system32\boot\winload.efi

bcdedit /set %guid% winpe yes

bcdedit /set %guid% detecthal yes

bcdedit /displayorder %guid% /addlast

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu False

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} timeout 10

echo.

echo DONE... Reboot your PC

timeout /t 5 >nul

Here is an mbr version - I have not tested it though.

MBR Installation

Code:
@echo off

echo.

echo Configuring MBR Boot Option for WinPESE Recovery Tools

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

set /p namepe= ^>ENTER NAME OF WINPE APP

for /f "tokens=2 delims={}" %%g in ('bcdedit.exe /create /d "%namepe%" /Device') do (set deviceid={%%g})

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo DEVICE ID = %deviceid%

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

bcdedit /set %deviceid% ramdisksdidevice partition=f:

bcdedit /set %deviceid% ramdisksdipath \boot\boot.sdi

for /f "tokens=2 delims={}" %%g in ('bcdedit.exe /create /d "%namepe" /application osloader') do (set guid={%%g})

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo GUID = %guid%

echo --------------------------------------------------------------------------


bcdedit /set %guid% device ramdisk=[f:]\sources\boot.wim,%deviceid%

bcdedit /set %guid% osdevice ramdisk=[f:]\sources\boot.wim,%deviceid%

bcdedit /set %guid% systemroot \windows

bcdedit /set %guid% path \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe

bcdedit /set %guid% winpe yes

bcdedit /set %guid% detecthal yes

bcdedit /displayorder %guid% /addlast

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu False

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} timeout 10

echo.

echo DONE... Reboot your PC

timeout /t 5 >nul
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Vivobook 14
    CPU
    I7
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
    PSU
    Yep, got one
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wired
    Internet Speed
    72 Mb/s :-(
    Browser
    Edge mostly
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0

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