When I started working on XP Embedded and preaching this thing to our customers, one of the drawbacks I have is to demonstrate copying the image into a system which is already packed. I mean, the system is already inside a chassis and you can never remove the hard disk to copy the image of XP Embedded to it.
So I have to search for tools and software that allows me to deploy the image or analyze the system without the need to open up the chassis.
Along the way, I have resorted first doing the old ways of boot diskettes. And I learned a lot of stuff from bootdisk.com.
But I hit the wall of old school floppy booting when the size of the harddisk expands to more than 32GB as this is the limit of FAT32. And the NTFS nightmare started.
Man, why did windows introduce such file system within giving the primitive people some primitive-like tools (DOS -based) to around with it.
Later on I found out about Pre-installation environment. WinPE (by Microsoft) and BartPE (by Bart not Simpsons). Of the two, I leaned too much on Bart as it is more customizable and provides a much easier interface compared to the scripting I have to do for WinPE.
Both of these applications will allow you to create an ISO file that you can burn to a CD bootup the system.
But the thing with CDs is that it just seem obsolete and bulky these days.
It took me at least 2 days to finally use PEtoUSB to deploy this Pre-installation Environment to a USB Flash for a more comfortable and portable way.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
[XP Embedded] HORM and EWF on multiple Partitions
HORM is a very good feature of XP Embedded. It speeds up the boot up time of XP Embedded. This features only works with Enhanced Write Filter. However, there are some cases where the system has multiple partitions. Basically for HORM to work well all these partitions must be protected with Enhanced Write Filter. But if of these partitions you wanted to have some data in a specific partition to be persistent and not filtered? Will this be an issue with HORM? Yes it will be since but their is a tricky work around for this, which is by dismounting the volume where the persistent data is located before the system goes to hibernation.
A good documentation is found in MSDN.
I also came upon a tool that addresses this same issue.
This is known as HORM Manager Lite.
A good documentation is found in MSDN.
I also came upon a tool that addresses this same issue.
This is known as HORM Manager Lite.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Windows XP Scheduler
Tired of manually launching, and exiting applications your everyday? Or irritated for needing to manually power OFF and ON your system everytime?
Actually, you can skip all these hassles by using the Task Scheduler in Windows XP.
Example:
1. Here's a way to defrag your system everyweek, automatically. (See this link.)
2. And some cool way to Hibernate the system: (Thanks to this cool site)
1.
Ensure hibernation mode is enabled. Click Control Panel, Power Options, and under the Hibernate tab tick the Enable Hibernation check-box.
2.
Click Start, All Programmes, Accessories, System Tools, Scheduled Tasks, double-click Add Scheduled Task.
3.
click Next to start the New Task Wizard, select Command Prompt from the drop-down list, click Next.
4.
Check the Daily radio-button (assuming you want the task to run each day) and click Next.
5.
Choose the time you want the task to be executed, click Next.
6.
Now you see a box with your username. Type your password once and once again to confirm it, click Next.
7.
Check the box labelled "Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish", click Finish.
8.
Now you see a window titled Command Prompt or Command Prompt Advanced Settings in XP-Pro. Delete all the text in the box labeled Run.
9.
In the box labeled Run type rundll32 powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState. Note the space between the first 2 words and the comma followed by space between the 2nd and 3rd words. Click OK.
10.
Enter your password once and once again to confirm, click OK.
11.
Now you are back at the Scheduled Tasks window. You will see your new scheduled hibernation task and it will be named Command Prompt. Let's give it a better name. Right-click on it, click Rename, type Scheduled Hibernation or something similar, hit Enter to save the new name.
12.
Right-click the renamed scheduled hibernation task again. Notice one of items on the menu is Delete. You can delete the scheduled hibernation at anytime by opening the by opening the list of Scheduled Tasks, right-clicking the task and clicking Delete. Clicking properties opens the window where you set the time for the scheduled event. Theree you can change the time at which the task runs. Now close the Scheduled Tasks window.
13.
You're done!
At the chosen time each day your PC will hibernate, saving the status of all running programs to the hard drive. When you start it up again it will resume from the precise point paused and went into hibernation.
If it does not hibernate at the time you specified then you either set the time incorrectly or you did not enter the same password twice. It will not warn you if you make a mistake entering the passwords. In either case you must open the Scheduled Tasks window as described in steps X to X above, right-clicking the scheduled task and clicking Properties. Change any item and then change it back. That seemingly ridiculous task forces it to ask for the password again.
You may also need to edit the value of the When I press the sleep button on my computer setting found in the Power Options section of the Control Panel, and also on the power functionality available to your computer (ACPI).
Actually, you can skip all these hassles by using the Task Scheduler in Windows XP.
Example:
1. Here's a way to defrag your system everyweek, automatically. (See this link.)
2. And some cool way to Hibernate the system: (Thanks to this cool site)
1.
Ensure hibernation mode is enabled. Click Control Panel, Power Options, and under the Hibernate tab tick the Enable Hibernation check-box.
2.
Click Start, All Programmes, Accessories, System Tools, Scheduled Tasks, double-click Add Scheduled Task.
3.
click Next to start the New Task Wizard, select Command Prompt from the drop-down list, click Next.
4.
Check the Daily radio-button (assuming you want the task to run each day) and click Next.
5.
Choose the time you want the task to be executed, click Next.
6.
Now you see a box with your username. Type your password once and once again to confirm it, click Next.
7.
Check the box labelled "Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish", click Finish.
8.
Now you see a window titled Command Prompt or Command Prompt Advanced Settings in XP-Pro. Delete all the text in the box labeled Run.
9.
In the box labeled Run type rundll32 powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState. Note the space between the first 2 words and the comma followed by space between the 2nd and 3rd words. Click OK.
10.
Enter your password once and once again to confirm, click OK.
11.
Now you are back at the Scheduled Tasks window. You will see your new scheduled hibernation task and it will be named Command Prompt. Let's give it a better name. Right-click on it, click Rename, type Scheduled Hibernation or something similar, hit Enter to save the new name.
12.
Right-click the renamed scheduled hibernation task again. Notice one of items on the menu is Delete. You can delete the scheduled hibernation at anytime by opening the by opening the list of Scheduled Tasks, right-clicking the task and clicking Delete. Clicking properties opens the window where you set the time for the scheduled event. Theree you can change the time at which the task runs. Now close the Scheduled Tasks window.
13.
You're done!
At the chosen time each day your PC will hibernate, saving the status of all running programs to the hard drive. When you start it up again it will resume from the precise point paused and went into hibernation.
If it does not hibernate at the time you specified then you either set the time incorrectly or you did not enter the same password twice. It will not warn you if you make a mistake entering the passwords. In either case you must open the Scheduled Tasks window as described in steps X to X above, right-clicking the scheduled task and clicking Properties. Change any item and then change it back. That seemingly ridiculous task forces it to ask for the password again.
You may also need to edit the value of the When I press the sleep button on my computer setting found in the Power Options section of the Control Panel, and also on the power functionality available to your computer (ACPI).
GOM Player
If your tired of same old Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Realtime, etc, I found one very useful and free player that comes with these features:
GOM Media Player Features
Codec Finder
GOM Player includes many codecs (XviD, DivX, FLV1, AC3, OGG, MP4, H263 and more) so you won't need to install separate codecs for most videos. For those videos that require a separate codec, GOM Player will find one and direct you to a place where you can download an open source version of the codec. That way, you won't get stuck with unnecessary codecs on your system.
Play Broken AVI Files (Patented)
AVI files can't be played if the index is broken, or if the file isn't completely downloaded. This is because the index is located at the end of the file. GOM Player's patented technology enables users to view files with broken indexes or that are still being downloaded.
Powerful Subtitle Support
GOM Player supports SMI, SRT, RT, SUB(with IDX) files for subtitle. You can specify margin, location, size, resolution, font and others. You can also enable shadow, view ASF files with subtitle, karaoke subtitle mode. You can even synchronize subtitle and video if there's any mismatch.
Convenient Playlist
If you run a video file and there is already a file with a similar name in the directory, it will be automatically added to your playlist. GOM Player has a similar playlist format as M3U, PLS, ASX and you can also include and edit different media formats on that playlist as well. It's easy to create and edit your own multimedia playlist with GOM Player.
Support Different Media Types
Along with different media format such as AVI, MPG, MPEG and DAT, GOM Player also supports streaming Windows media format (WMV, ASF, ASX). You can also watch DVD-quality videos with 5.1 channel audio output.
Screen Capture
Screen capture allows you to take a screenshot of your video directly from GOM Player. Using the Burst Capture feature, you can take continuous screenshots up to 999 shots.
Advanced Features
There are an endless number of advanced features. Customize brightness, contrast and saturation. Sharpen and add noise to your video. Try the audio equalizer. Repeat a section of your video with our A-B Repeat feature. Fast forward/rewind a few seconds using left/right keys. And much more for you to discover!
If your interested, the software can is available from Gomlab.
GOM Media Player Features
Codec Finder
GOM Player includes many codecs (XviD, DivX, FLV1, AC3, OGG, MP4, H263 and more) so you won't need to install separate codecs for most videos. For those videos that require a separate codec, GOM Player will find one and direct you to a place where you can download an open source version of the codec. That way, you won't get stuck with unnecessary codecs on your system.
Play Broken AVI Files (Patented)
AVI files can't be played if the index is broken, or if the file isn't completely downloaded. This is because the index is located at the end of the file. GOM Player's patented technology enables users to view files with broken indexes or that are still being downloaded.
Powerful Subtitle Support
GOM Player supports SMI, SRT, RT, SUB(with IDX) files for subtitle. You can specify margin, location, size, resolution, font and others. You can also enable shadow, view ASF files with subtitle, karaoke subtitle mode. You can even synchronize subtitle and video if there's any mismatch.
Convenient Playlist
If you run a video file and there is already a file with a similar name in the directory, it will be automatically added to your playlist. GOM Player has a similar playlist format as M3U, PLS, ASX and you can also include and edit different media formats on that playlist as well. It's easy to create and edit your own multimedia playlist with GOM Player.
Support Different Media Types
Along with different media format such as AVI, MPG, MPEG and DAT, GOM Player also supports streaming Windows media format (WMV, ASF, ASX). You can also watch DVD-quality videos with 5.1 channel audio output.
Screen Capture
Screen capture allows you to take a screenshot of your video directly from GOM Player. Using the Burst Capture feature, you can take continuous screenshots up to 999 shots.
Advanced Features
There are an endless number of advanced features. Customize brightness, contrast and saturation. Sharpen and add noise to your video. Try the audio equalizer. Repeat a section of your video with our A-B Repeat feature. Fast forward/rewind a few seconds using left/right keys. And much more for you to discover!
If your interested, the software can is available from Gomlab.
Windows XP Hibernate vs. Standby
It's nice to be back. I just got my MCP for Windows Embedded CE 6.0 last Dec 2008. So from, I may start blogging again.
Here's a start.....
Wondering the difference between Hibernate and Standby mode?
Using Standby:
Your machine recovers quickly as your data is stored in RAM. The slower part is waking up the peripherals. Although your machine is in "standby" the power has been cut to items such as your hard drive and monitor. You're running your machine in a very low power mode, but it is still on. This mode can be useful if you're on a notebook and need to conserve your battery while you step away.
With Hibernate:
The big difference is that your PC has shut down and is not pulling power. Another difference is that your data is saved to your hard disk and not RAM. This makes it a safer, but slower option for shut down and resume.
Not all PCs have the capability and are configured to Hibernate. If yours is, to see the Hibernate option on your XP shutdown screen, hold down the Shift key when you shut down.
Got this tip from another cool site.
Anyway, Hibernate is an implementation which is taken advantage of by one of the XP Embedded Features known as Hibernate Once Resume Many (HORM). This allows your computer to boot fast when running with XP Embedded and if you combine this with EWF, the results binds fast booting and security.
Here's a start.....
Wondering the difference between Hibernate and Standby mode?
Using Standby:
Your machine recovers quickly as your data is stored in RAM. The slower part is waking up the peripherals. Although your machine is in "standby" the power has been cut to items such as your hard drive and monitor. You're running your machine in a very low power mode, but it is still on. This mode can be useful if you're on a notebook and need to conserve your battery while you step away.
With Hibernate:
The big difference is that your PC has shut down and is not pulling power. Another difference is that your data is saved to your hard disk and not RAM. This makes it a safer, but slower option for shut down and resume.
Not all PCs have the capability and are configured to Hibernate. If yours is, to see the Hibernate option on your XP shutdown screen, hold down the Shift key when you shut down.
Got this tip from another cool site.
Anyway, Hibernate is an implementation which is taken advantage of by one of the XP Embedded Features known as Hibernate Once Resume Many (HORM). This allows your computer to boot fast when running with XP Embedded and if you combine this with EWF, the results binds fast booting and security.
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