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Use PEBuilder to build a live WinXP CD

Submitted by jli on Fri, 2006-03-10 08:25

It's called "Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD" but it's actually a tool to create live cd out of your windows xp installation files. The native NTFS support and live cd approach make it a best candidate to do virus cleaning, rescure files etc.
The created basic live system is a little bit too simple but the tool give you the power to add applications by plugin into this live cd so it's really up to you to extend the usage of your live cd.

There are a lot plugin repositories available with applications from hard disk partitioning to wireless hacking. So you can create a Anti-Virus/Spyware, Rescure CD as well as a network security cd.
I created one live xp with firefox, explor2fs and putty. Good enough for my daily work.

Tips: You need to enable "RpcSS needs to launch DComLaunch Service first - SP2 only" in plugin, otherwise disk management will not work.

Submitted by jli (not verified) on Sat, 2006-03-11 07:36.
The size of new live cd went from 180M to 550M now. What a shame as I don't have much stuff installed yet. Once again, proved Linux is still a better platform for customization.

Submitted by jli (not verified) on Sat, 2006-03-11 07:08.
The XPE plugin is to make BartPE closer to Windows XP. There is a document on how to install them together at http://xpe.collewijn.info/index.php It's a long and painful process but the result is good. I now have more tools to play with. :-) The potential usage of this can also be a live cd with vpn client software bundled so user can have a clean/safe working XP to connect back to corporate network via VPN tunnel as you can bundle AV, the latest patch, anti spyware, end point security control software etc into this live cd. I have this idea a while ago but with live linux cd. The biggest concern is if end user is willing to accept it as most of them are more familar with windows and they may need to access their files in NTFS file systems. The linux support to NTFS is not very mature yet. This BartPE can definitely address those concerns.

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