DILEMMA! UEFI, NTFS, SWM and Windows 8.1

[TorQue]

I have a Dilemma....

 

-UEFI doesn't support NTFS USB Boot

-Windows 8.x Doesn't support swm files

-My Install.wim weight around 8 GB

 

 

 

Any solution for this?

Edited April 26, 2014 by TorQue

[crashfly]

Yes, you really should try google sometime.  No you cannot use ntfs on your usb for install.  Has to be FAT32 (and likely a GPT partition scheme for UEFI computers).  Your other limitation is the OS needs to be 64-bit.  32-bit does not install on UEFI from USB.

[ricktendo]

YES YOU CAN use ntfs for usb install, its what is I used by the USB DVD Download Tool to format my bootable USB installer

[TorQue]

YES YOU CAN use ntfs for usb install, its what is I used by the USB DVD Download Tool to format my bootable USB installer

 

 

The problem is that i used multiple images inside install.wim...

 

And FAT32 doesn't support more than 4 Gb file..

 

Edited April 26, 2014 by TorQue

[ricktendo]

I know, I was talking to crashfly who said you cant make a ntfs bootable usb... I have the same EXACT problem as you do, wim too big to fit on fat32 usb

Have you tried autounattend.xml automatically formating your drives?

There are sample scripts in wsim

[TorQue]

I know, I was talking to crashfly who said you cant make a ntfs bootable usb... I have the same EXACT problem as you do, wim too big to fit on fat32 usb

Have you tried autounattend.xml automatically formating your drives?

There are sample scripts in wsim

 

 

The problem is that i want use my USB multiboot... XD

 

why MS remove swm support? extrange...

Edited April 27, 2014 by TorQue

[bphlpt]

@Rick, the problem apparently is not using NTFS with a USB install, yes that works.  But NTFS with a USB install with UEFI seems to be a problem.
 
@Torque, have you tried what was suggested here, from crashfly's Google link, (I have not tried this) -
 

To install windows 8 in UEFI with a file over 4GB is simple,you just need two usb sticks,first one FAT32 with all windows setup files on it except install.wim,second NTFS with all windows setup files including over 4gb install.wim,boot from the FAT32 one,and when you are prompted to press the big INSTALL button,swap the stick with the NTFS one,simple and noob friendly ,just make sure you have the windows setup files on a FAT32 stick to boot into UEFI,then swap and install from the NTFS stick.

 
Cheers and Regards

[ricktendo]

Woa, that trick may work

[crashfly]

@Rick, the problem apparently is not using NTFS with a USB install, yes that works.  But NTFS with a USB install with UEFI seems to be a problem. 

 

Sorry about that guys.  This is what I meant to convey.  NTFS and UEFI does not play nice together.  (must use FAT32)

Edited April 27, 2014 by crashfly

[TorQue]

Yes... i don't understand why new bootloaders are more castrated than older

[bphlpt]

Please let us know if you find a solution that works for you.  I'm sure that others would appreciate the info.

 

Cheers and Regards

[SteveSi]

Hi

Win8 CAN install from split WIMs from FAT32 under UEFI (or MBR mode). If you try however, you will receive a 'microsoft licensing' error message.

The problem is that Win8 does not use a \sources\ei.cfg file (unlike Win7).

If you add a \sources\ei.cfg file which bypasses the prompt to ask for the Product Key and specifies VL or Retail, then you can install from .swm files.

As this is my first post in this forum, I won't give more details or links, but this has been tested and proven independently and works.

[SteveSi]

P.S. If you are interested, you can also install from a >4Gb install.wim under UEFI by using a FAT32+NTFS USb stick. It is easy to set this up!

[CyberDe@th]

SteveSi - Can you write some more about this?

[Joca Wheeling]

My Script for deploy in uefi;

 

rem These commands copy the selected image file to

rem predefined hard disk partitions on a UEFI-based computer.

 

rem Usage:   ApplyImage WimFileName 

rem Example: ApplyImage E:\Images\ThinImage.wim

 

rem === Copy the image to the recovery image partition =======================

rem ==== copy %1 R:\install.wim

\Waik_4_1\amd64\imagex.exe /ref \8.1_x64_custom\install*.swm /check /export \8.1_x64_custom\install.swm 1 R:\install.wim "8.1X64 Custom"

 

rem === Apply the image to the Windows partition =============================

dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile:R:\install.wim /Index:1 /ApplyDir:W:\

 

rem === Copy the Windows RE Tools to the Windows RE Tools partition ==========

md T:\Recovery\WindowsRE

attrib W:\windows\system32\recovery\WinRE.wim -h -s -r

copy W:\windows\system32\recovery\winre.wim T:\Recovery\WindowsRE\winre.wim

 

rem === Copy boot files from the Windows partition to the System partition ===

bcdboot W:\Windows /s s: /f ALL /l pt-br

 

rem === In the System partition, set the location of the Windows partition ===

W:\Windows\System32\reagentc /setosimage /path R: /target W:\Windows /index 1

 

rem === In the System partition, set the location of the WinRE tools =========

W:\Windows\System32\reagentc /setreimage /path T:\Recovery\WindowsRE /target W:\Windows

[Tuesday77]

Yea i have (and had) the same problem.

Its very ridiculous that ntfs dont support UEFI, btw.

 

My solution is to split these mega wim, into one-by-one wim with just ONE image.

For example i would split x64/x86 and Win7/Win8 to different ISO-images.

 

Or you create a multi-boot-disk that start the choosen install-wim with one image.

Exist different solutions for multiboot, just google it, here is a mount-iso-thing:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/162640-install-all-windows-install-isos-from-1-multiboot-usb-drive/

 

Another thing is to reduce the image-size by removing/paging unneeded stuff.

 

P.S. If you are interested, you can also install from a >4Gb install.wim under UEFI by using a FAT32+NTFS USb stick. It is easy to set this up!

 

Interesting, i think you mean to split the USB-Stick into 2 partitions or? Anybody experience with that stuff?

 

To install windows 8 in UEFI with a file over 4GB is simple,you just need two usb sticks,first one FAT32 with all windows setup files on it except install.wim,second NTFS with all windows setup files including over 4gb install.wim,boot from the FAT32 one,and when you are prompted to press the big INSTALL button,swap the stick with the NTFS one,simple and noob friendly ,just make sure you have the windows setup files on a FAT32 stick to boot into UEFI,then swap and install from the NTFS stick.

 

That can also work, but in my case its a no-go  - chaotic stick handling...

Yea official clean solution is needed....

Edited August 17, 2014 by BrokenZer0