How to install XP Embedded via usb?

Hi!

I was wondering if anyone knows how to install XP Embedded via usb?

 

I'll just jump straight to the answer if you already know the basic steps of how to build an XP Embedded image (if you don't, watch http://download.microsoft.com/download/ ... d_100k.wmv):

Anyway, in Target Designer, add the USB Boot feature from the Embedded Enabling Features, do a Dependency Check, and build the image afterwards. You don't need to mess around with partition/drive settings in Target Designer for a USB boot since the USB drive will be the default C: and first partition.

Then use udfprep.exe (it's a tool that comes with XP Embedded) to format the USB flash drive and which will also make it bootable for an XPE image. Finally, just copy over the built XPE files to the USB flash and boot. It'll do all the setup etc. afterwards to get you an XPE running via USB. I did it the other day and it works fine on the AA1 although getting the exact settings right for what you need in Target Designer is a headache.

If you don't want it running off the USB and want to run XPE from the internal SSD, then you need to copy the pre-built files that Target Designer made to your SSD either via booting with some WinPE bootable image to copy the XPE files to C: or use some other method (such as remote boot).

P.S. If you were asking about how to do a general install of XPE via USB to the SSD, then you've misunderstood XP Embedded. XP Embedded is used to pre-build a ready to use OS for a specific set of hardware (that you provide to XPE) and specific drive/partition settings. There is no general "installer" for it (although you can include the Class Installer feature in Target Designer allowing you to install drivers for most of your hardware after XPE is up and running). However, WinFLP, a different product from MS is built using XP Embedded and can be installed to any computer (but you also need a MS Software Assurance license to access WinFLP).