Vista can run on FAT32

[AirmanPika]

And this is a good thing. Since the EFI can only see Apple and FAT partitions (no NTFS) this means that ultimately we can get vista going without worying about an NTFS driver. The catch is its tricky to get vista onto a FAT32 drive....

 

-Install Vista normally on a PC in an NTFS formatted drive

-Remove the Hard Drive and hook it up to a USB enclosure

-Connect the drive to the iMac via USB and copy the contents to a directory in OSX (I personally could not get windows to copy the hard drive contents as I kept getting access denied errors).

-Connect the USB Drive to a PC and reformat as FAT32.

-Connect the drive back up to the iMac and transfer the files from the directory you put the hard drive contents in back onto the newly formatted FAT32 Drive.

-Remove the drive from the enclosure and hook back up to the PC

-Startup from the Vista install DVD and run the recovery tools from the main install screen.

-Run the repair utility and reboot (you may have to start the DVD again, go to the repair tools, start a console, and run bootsect.exe in the boot dir of the install DVD to fix the bootsector)

 

If all went well you'll have a fully functional vista install on a FAT32 drive which the EFI can see if hooked back up to the imac. Of course tweaking that install to run on the imac is another story...

 

 

Also I am now at the same point that NAK managed where he could access the Vista boot menu and try and boot into safe mode. Just as in his case I reached the point where crcdisk.sys loads and vista is supposed to boot into the desktop but instead the iMac reboots entirely. I'm gonna try to run sysprep on the vista install and see if that helps any.

[AirmanPika]

Well after further playing I think its safe to say that booting Vista via EFI works. I don't think the reboot is really EFI releated now (though you never know I could be wrong). I doubt that the lack of UGA support is the cause of windows rebooting right before it reaches the desktop but there's no way of really knowing at this time and its definitely not the file system causing the problem as it boots on a regular PC fine. SO what could it be....

[gucky17]

Well after further playing I think its safe to say that booting Vista via EFI works. I don't think the reboot is really EFI releated now (though you never know I could be wrong). I doubt that the lack of UGA support is the cause of windows rebooting right before it reaches the desktop but there's no way of really knowing at this time and its definitely not the file system causing the problem as it boots on a regular PC fine. SO what could it be....

 

I looked at crcdisk.sys description: "Disk Block Verification Filter Driver" But I don't know what ii verifies.

 

But I read after a search on google that a couple of people had a problem with that file on their windows machines too. I will look into when I have more time.

 

I also found a list of the files vista 6.0 5270 boots before a first screen init with a mouse (the guy had a different problem) Maybe that might help to determine the driver which is causing the problem:

 

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\ntkrnlmp.exe

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\halmacpi.dll

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\kdcom.dll

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\BOOTVID.dll

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\CLFS.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\PSHED.dll

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\acpi.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\WMILIB.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\mpio.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\msisadrv.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\pci.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\drivers\mountmgr.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\volmgr.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\drivers\volmgrx.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\drivers\partmgr.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\aliide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\PCIIDEX.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\amdide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\cmdide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\compbatt.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\BATTC.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\intelide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\msdsm.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\pciide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\pcmcia.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\viaide.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\hpcisss.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\storport.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\adpu160m.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\SCSIPORT.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\adpu320.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\djsvs.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\arc.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\arcsas.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\atapi.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\ataport.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\elxstor.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\i2omp.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\iirsp.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\lsi_fc.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\lsi_sas.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\lsi_scsi.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\megasas.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\mraid35x.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\msahci.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\nfrd960.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\ql2300.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\symc8xx.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\sym_hi.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\sym_u3.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\fltmgr.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\fileinfo.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\CI.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\PEAUTH.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\ndis.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\msrpc.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\NETIO.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\ksecdd.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\wd.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\volsnap.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\spldr.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\System32\Drivers\Mup.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\disk.sys

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\CLASSPNP.SYS

Loaded driver \Windows\system32\drivers\crcdisk.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\Wdf01000.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\intelppm.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\uagp35.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\cdrom.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\usbuhci.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\usbehci.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\fdc.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\parport.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\serial.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\serenum.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\usbhub.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\flpydisk.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\clusdisk.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Fs_Rec.SYS

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Null.SYS

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Beep.SYS

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\i8042prt.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\kbdhid.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\mouclass.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\kbdclass.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\vga.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\DRIVERS\RDPCDD.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\rdpencdd.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Msfs.SYS

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Npfs.SYS

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\DRIVERS\rasacd.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\tcpip.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\afd.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\ws2ifsl.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\smbali.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\smbhc.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\DRIVERS\termdd.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\tdx.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\rdbss.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\%systemroot%\system32\drivers\nsiproxy.sys

Did not load driver \SystemRoot\%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\ndisuio.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\csc.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\dfsc.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\usbccgp.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\hidusb.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\kbdhid.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\mouhid.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\cdfs.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\udfs.sys

 

I myself don't have an intel iMac (yet) but I would like to see some windows booting on one before I get one myself .

So thanks for the help of you guys who try this...

[Yaniv]

crcdisk.sys error can also happen when multiple OS are installed on the same computer, for example, if you install winServer2003 and after you install winXP (even on another driver) , it will freeze when it will try to load crcdisk.sys (like you have) because winXP is older than winServer2003 ...

don't ask me why , i dont know ...

 

then to test correclty you have to totaly erase OSX , and put winVISTA on the primary hard driver (the one where is OSX i mean) and try to boot again...

to do that i dont know how because i dont have an iMac here ...

but try to start the iMac as a external harddriver and connect it to your windows box to erase every thing and put WinVISTA ..

like that you will have only vista on it .. and it will be more clean to test like this ...

 

sorry for my bad english

[Swad]

Great news! Keep up the good work and keep us updated on your progress!

[nevermind1331]

crcdisk.sys error can also happen when multiple OS are installed on the same computer, for example, if you install winServer2003 and after you install winXP (even on another driver) , it will freeze when it will try to load crcdisk.sys (like you have) because winXP is older than winServer2003 ...

don't ask me why , i dont know ...

 

then to test correclty you have to totaly erase OSX , and put winVISTA on the primary hard driver (the one where is OSX i mean) and try to boot again...

to do that i dont know how because i dont have an iMac here ...

but try to start the iMac as a external harddriver and connect it to your windows box to erase every thing and put WinVISTA ..

like that you will have only vista on it .. and it will be more clean to test like this ...

 

sorry for my bad english

 

 

would that really change anything. windows cant see hfs partitions, so would it matter? Anyone else know, just trying save someone some time of reinstalling if it will make no difference.

 

Keep up the good work. Cant wait to open my new imac and try to get vista going.

[kday]

Great work! I can't wait to see Windows booting on a Mac. I think people (like you) are starting to get over the greed and share their progress. Windows for gaming, and OS X for (just about) everything else.

[eobet]

would that really change anything. windows cant see hfs partitions, so would it matter? Anyone else know, just trying save someone some time of reinstalling if it will make no difference.

 

Keep up the good work. Cant wait to open my new imac and try to get vista going.

 

Just a small notice: I've bought MacDrive 6 and using it, Windows can see, read and write to HFS partitions just fine (and it's all transparent... it looks and works just like any harddrive).

[nevermind1331]

i was referring to during boot up. also, i really dont believe that osx is on the drive that is creating the problem. i used to have xp and vista on the same disk, never had a problem.

[REVENGE]

This may have to do with the SATA driver Vista is using for the iMac's drive. Recent Vista builds have had buggy/broken SATA support. Try loading an XP SATA driver from i386 and make sure that it works with your iMac's SATA drive first.

 

EDIT: Actually, Vista Beta 1's SATA drivers should work well, try them?

EDIT2: Actually, if 5270's EFI loader works, try using it to load a copy of Vista Beta 1 using the procedure you used before. GL!

[goli]

Hi Airman Pika

Can you please try this another small idea ? How knows !!!?

( all steps are you'rs except two last )

-Install Vista normally on a PC in an NTFS formatted drive

-Remove the Hard Drive and hook it up to a USB enclosure

-Connect the drive to the iMac via USB and copy the contents to a directory in OSX.

-Reformat the USB Drive on HFS+ ( Disk Utility )

-Retransfer the files from the directory you put the hard drive contents in back onto the newly formatted Drive.

-Reboot iMac on this USB drive

[AirmanPika]

You think windows would work on an HFS+ Partition? I've not tried it as I didn't think it would but I might try it here if some other things I am doing don't work.

 

Also I've hit a new snag that I just started working with. I discovered that vista reboots even if you try and boot it via the USB drive on a regular PC so I repartitioned the iMac and created a 2nd 20GB FAT32 Partition BUT now the loader is complaining it can't find /windows/system/winload.efi even though it IS there. I'm thinking this may be because it was hunting for an install located on the first partition of a drive (if I leave the USB drive connected and load the bootmgfw.efi file off the iMac partition it still tries to load windows off the USB drive.) I have Vista installed on the second partition on my laptop so I'm gonna edit the BCD file off that and see if that works as its pointing at partition #2.

 

UPDATE: OK that didn't work....I realize though now that the iMac really has 3 partitions (the EFI Hidden FAT, OSX HFS+, and Vista FAT32) so I need a matching BCD that says its on partition 3. Will try reinstalling using this combination and see where I get.

[AirmanPika]

As a heads up here is where I am stuck at while I wait for XP and Vista to be reinstalled on the HD.

[REVENGE]

I still suggest that you load the beta 1 SATA driver when you install to avoid seeing the damned crcdisk.sys error. This has been the general consensus with Vista 5270 in the beta community.

[AirmanPika]

Yea thats on my list on things to try also. Thanks for the tip.

 

Still not having any luck on booting from the FAT32 partition though. I can't figure out how to get the BCD to point at it. Still keeps trying to load off the USB drive. I noticed it only loads off the USB drive if its the first drive listed in the EFI menu (USB drives are always listed first if connected at startup)

[mr. pink]

hi, i'm a real noob when it comes to this stuff, but i found two interesting kexts in the 10.4.3 installation disc. one whas ntfs.kext, the other msdosfs.kext. i'm guessing that they are responsible for being able to read windows partitions on the dev kit. what i was wondering is this: can these be used/modified so that the efi shell can use them to boot directly into nfts/msdos style partitions, and so perhaps provide udf compatiblity?

 

please don't attack me for this, if its a stupid idea just say

[goli]

hi, i'm a real noob when it comes to this stuff, but i found two interesting kexts in the 10.4.3 installation disc. one whas ntfs.kext, the other msdosfs.kext. i'm guessing that they are responsible for being able to read windows partitions on the dev kit. what i was wondering is this: can these be used/modified so that the efi shell can use them to boot directly into nfts/msdos style partitions, and so perhaps provide udf compatiblity?

 

please don't attack me for this, if its a stupid idea just say

 

Hi, for me its not a stupid idea. A couple days ego, I noticed that on the other site but nobody took it over.

I'm a real noob too on Mac Intel system, comming from PC world. I got an iMacTel but have ne faintest idea what could be a "kext" file.

[mr. pink]

i think its like a device driver kind of like a .dll . that's what i've gathered

[goli]

Hi mr.pink

Can you please re-post your post on this thread :

http://nak.journalspace.com/?cmd=displayco...407&entryid=407

 

 

 

I meant your first idea

[AirmanPika]

Unfortunately those wouldn't work. The problem is that the EFI uses a completely different driver system than what OSX or Windows would use. Like I mentioned earlier EFI supports FAT32 so booting from it isn't an issue. Thanks for trying to help though.

 

As a heads up I seem to have gotten to make the machine boot off the local Hard Drive finally (though I'm not exactly sure what I did as I was just fuddling at that time. I'll have to look in detail later) but it still reboots and at least in this config I lost the ability to use F8 on that partition too. On a side to that I also discovered that once the bootmanager is loaded it can read NTFS drives even if the EFI doesn't see it as I put vista back on an NTFS partition on the USB drive and it started loading. Also and this may be a bit more significant....I had installed XP on another partition on the drive and so it showed up on the bootloader. It started do...well..SOMETHING as I had hard drive activity when I selected the Legacy OS boot option. Problem is I couldn't see anything on the screen and the PC rebooted itself after which it told me it couldn't find NTLDR anymore.

[mr. pink]

hmm i see. oh well! i wish i had something more too add look airman, if there is anything at all i can do to help plz don't hesitate to ask, i'll try my best.

 

o, i have had an idea in my head for sometime, after doing some research on bios. i came across a file that pretty much outlines the CMOS chip and whats stored in it for a pc bios. would it be possible to write a program that simply takes all calls from ntldr and makes it retrieve values from a file containing all the cmos info? sort of like a compatibility layer...

[AirmanPika]

Yea thats what the EFI CSM is supposed to take care of but unfortunately apple decided to go and leave that part out of it. Otherwise we'd have Vista, XP, and a sleu of other OSs going by now. Supposedly people are trying to figure out how to rig something similar up but I haven't seen much beyond the rumors.

[mr. pink]

oh right. well i have no more ideas... again if you need any help with anything... just tell me i'll do it

[xterm]

This is nothing new? somone posted about this a month ago:

 

http://nak.journalspace.com/?entryid=412

[smartin53]

True BUT NAK never really said much more beyond that and tried to say that EFI was completely removed from 5308 which it is not from what I've seen here. Besides at least here we are getting a bit more discussion so we might get a bit farther which already looks to be happening. Keep up the work.