Does Windows XP have EFI?

[Beta12]

You would like to try with the first Longhorn which has a 64bit EFI Bootmanager/Loader. I know Beta2 already has it. Just don't forget to disable module signature verification at boot time using F8 menu or something like that, as seems like these WINLOAD versions already check for that thing.

What version it is about - Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (x64 beta) ???
How disable module signature verification?

[Hyoenmadan86]

What version it is about - Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (x64 beta) ???
How disable module signature verification?

Beta 2 == 6.0.5384.4
Press F8 at boot time and when the Windows Boot Manager menu appears select "Disable driver signature enforcement" on it (not required anymore if you supply the nt5.cat beta renamed to nt6.cat in the respective location, details later).
-----



It works! Windows XP 64bit booting from VMware UEFI 64bit implementation!
Is interesting... While in 32bit EFI Windows 2003 BSoDs with VMware SVGA drivers installed, in 64bit EFI Windows XP 64Bit (Win2003 Workstation) will not boot unless VMware drivers are installed in place. You also have to use "/noguiboot" switch to prevent BOOTVID to load in the system, as VMware 64bit UEFI doesn't like what that module does in its 64bit version. In UEFI 32bit there is no problem at all, and BOOTVID works as expected along with the boot animation.

[Beta12]

It works! Windows XP 64bit booting from VMware UEFI 64bit implementation!

How did you do that?
1. What partitions on the disk 100FAT32 + rest NTFS ?
2. Which EFI loader you used - from Beta2 6.0.5384.4 ?
3. What version VMware?
4. VMware Workstation or Player?
5. Which Host's operating system

I am using VMware Workstation 8 and bootmgfw.efi from Beta2 6.0.5384.4 but have error:
BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb

[BetaNewbie]

What version it is about - Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (x64 beta) ???
How disable module signature verification?

Beta 2 == 6.0.5384.4
Press F8 at boot time and when the Windows Boot Manager menu appears select "Disable driver signature enforcement" on it.
-----



It works! Windows XP 64bit booting from VMware UEFI 64bit implementation!
Is interesting... While in 32bit EFI Windows 2003 BSoDs with VMware SVGA drivers installed, in 64bit EFI Windows XP 64Bit (Win2003 Workstation) will not boot unless VMware drivers are installed in place. You also have to use "/noguiboot" switch to prevent BOOTVID to load in the system, as VMware 64bit UEFI doesn't like what that module does in its 64bit version. In UEFI 32bit there is no problem at all, and BOOTVID works as expected along with the boot animation.

How did you get it working? I tried winload from 5384 and it just rebooted every single time.
But I use BCD for bootmgr instead of setting NOBCD and using boot.ini.

[Beta12]

I'm trying to get WinXP x64 out on a real machine with EFI - Lenovo ThinkPad x220. I have two partitions FAT32 100MB and NTFS ~10GB. EFI loader is from 64-bit Vista Beta2 5384 (files bootmgfw.efi and winload.efi).

• Instal WinXP x64 with BIOS mode on D:NTFS partition (boot files will be on C:FAT32)
  
• disable automatic restart if system failure:
  
• Copy bootmgfw.efi to C:\EFI\Boot as bootx64.efi and winload.efi to D:\WINDOWS\system32. Edit C:\boot.ini file like this:

  Code: Select all

  [boot loader]
  timeout=30
  NOBCD
  default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
  [operating systems]
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usenewloader /disable_integrity_checks /noguiboot

  Loader work but error 0xc000000d:
  

I tried different switches in the boot.ini file and if add /maxmem=1024 (I tried also 2048), then have other error: 0xc0000017:

[Hyoenmadan86]

How did you do that?
1. What partitions on the disk 100FAT32 + rest NTFS ?
2. Which EFI loader you used - from Beta2 6.0.5384.4 ?
3. What version VMware?
4. VMware Workstation or Player?
5. Which Host's operating system

1.- MBR Partition scheme, done with Partition Magic v8. 1024MB active fat32 partition + rest NTFS (20GB VDisk).
I don't think sizes have to do, as long as you have a small FAT32 partition to place the files and the rest as NTFS. This also allows you to do BIOS booting normally if the EFI boot procedure fails.

Note: Both primary partitions have to be unhidden. There are partition tools which set the hide partition flag on one of them when you set active flag in the other, as DOS doesn't know how to manage multiple primary partitions. THIS CONFIGURATION WILL NOT WORK IN EFI MODE. If your partition tool hides all the primary partitions except the active one, you will have to unhide the rest manually. For better results, just use the diskpart tool which comes with XP, Vista or Win7. PtMagic allows you to unhide manually individual partitions too, without altering the Active flag of the bootable one.

2.- All the loader and certain extra files for the loader taken from Beta2 6.0.5384.4. My structure of the files taken from beta media is the following one:

Code: Select all

C:
   EFI
      Boot
         bootx64.efi (renamed bootmgfw.efi, taken from ..\Microsoft\Boot folder)
      Microsoft
         Boot (Folder taken as it is from boot.wim:\Windows\Boot\EFI)
            en-US
            Fonts (Folder taken as it is from boot.wim:\Windows\Boot)
            bootmgfw.efi
            bootmgr.efi
            bcd (dummy BCD file taken from ISO:\Boot)
   Boot.ini (original created by XP64 setup, modified with nobcd parameter and "/noguiboot /usenewloader" in Os option entries)

D:
   Windows
      System32
         Catroot
            {F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
               nt6.cat (taken from boot.wim in the same relative location and renamed nt5.cat to avoid collisions with the XP64 nt5.cat signature catalog. Bootmgfw and Winload don't care in the catalog name as long as the files have MS or an MS approved signature, and the file ends with the .cat extension)
         en-US
            winload.efi.mui (taken from boot.wim in the same relative location)
         winload.efi 

The en-US folder, with the bootmgfw, bootmgr and winload mui files, along with the Fonts folder and its files are required for this version of the UEFI loader. Bootmgfw and Winload will give you errors if them don't find these files in their proper locations. The beta nt5.cat file is necessary to make Kernel Module Signature Verification happy, and makes "/disable_integrity_check" unnecessary, as Bootmgfw and Winload will load and use both NT5.cat from XP64 and NT6.cat copied from the beta files to verify all the boot file chain (NT6.cat verifies Bootmgfw, Bootmgr and Winload files, NT5.cat verifies all the rest).

3. VMware 12, with Hardware v8 profile. With its original builtin firmware (without ntfs support).

4. Workstation. But works fine with the player included in Workstation too.

5. Windows 10 10.0.16299.547

I am using VMware Workstation 8 and bootmgfw.efi from Beta2 6.0.5384.4 but have error: BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb

Because you didn't supply the MUI and the Font files in the locations expected by the loader modules. Check my file structure.

[Beta12]

Is a folder Fonts is from Boot.wim\Windows\Boot ?

Nothing helped, no changes and the same errors. I tested with original firmware EFI64 6021 and modified (added NTFS driver), but it does not matter because it's the same on both.

• VMware 8 HW8, HW7 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X61 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• VMware 10 HW10, HW9, HW8 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X220 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• real machine ThinkPad X220 - 0xc000000d

What PC do you have? Laptop? Which version exactly VMware 12?

[Hyoenmadan86]

Is a folder Fonts is from Boot.wim\Windows\Boot ?

Nothing helped, no changes and the same errors. I tested with original firmware EFI64 6021 and modified (added NTFS driver), but it does not matter because it's the same on both.

• VMware 8 HW8, HW7 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X61 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• VMware 10 HW10, HW9, HW8 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X220 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• real machine ThinkPad X220 - 0xc000000d

What PC do you have? Laptop?

Yes, and it is inside of the Boot.wim, in \Windows\Boot. The rest is in \Windows\Boot\EFI. Copy all the stuff in the respective locations.

• VMware 8 HW8, HW7 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X61 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• VMware 10 HW10, HW9, HW8 on Host WinXP x64, ThinkPad X220 - BlInitializeLibrary failed 0xc00000bb
• real machine ThinkPad X220 - 0xc000000d

What PC do you have? Laptop?

0xc00000bb is because the loader can't find the Fonts folder and its content in its respective location.
I dunno what 0xc000000d means. Supposedly this appears when Bootmgr can't read the catalog or Boot.ini from the disk.

And yes, my host is a Laptop, but i dunno it matters, as i'm using a VM for this experiment. VMware 12.

[Beta12]

OK. It WORKS on VMware 8 with NTFS updated EFI64 firmware 6021 on one partition MBR NTFS!

You made a mistake by writing instructions. The Microsoft folder should be in C:\EFI and not on C:

For me it is better to use the switch /disable_integrity_checks in Boot.ini because I am using other no digitally signed drivers and have 0xc0000428 error.

Unfortunately, on the X220 still does not work although there are changes - now there is a black screen with a white loader bar at the top and the cursor (_) at the bottom left corner of the screen. I'm posting a screenshot of AMT KVM:

[Hyoenmadan86]

Unfortunately, on the X220 still does not work although there are changes - now there is a black screen with a white loader bar at the top and the cursor (_) at the bottom left corner of the screen. I'm posting a screenshot of AMT KVM:

Try to launch Bootmgfw from the EFI shell instead normal boot procedure. Also, don't forget to disable in BIOS "UEFI Fast Boot", or anything which can make Video GOP UEFI modules to get enabled. Older Bootmgfw and Windows display drivers don't like UEFI GOP video environment.

Finally, install the drivers of your graphics adapter before attemping boot from UEFI. In x64, UEFI doesn't like what Windows XP 64 default display drivers and BOOTVID do with the display.

If nothing of this works, your machine firmware doesn't like what this version of Bootmgfw does, and probably the only way to know what happened would be connect a nullmodem serial cable to the machine and enabling Bootmgr debug mode, to see what really happened. That, or test the files of the last version of longhorn which supported EFI boot on x64 mode, just before they removed the files for final product... Dunno, maybe UEFI handling in latest version got improved, or the bug prevents it running in your physical target got fixed.

[Beta12]

Try to launch Bootmgfw from the EFI shell instead normal boot procedure.

Did not help.

Finally, install the drivers of your graphics adapter before attemping boot from UEFI. In x64, UEFI doesn't like what Windows XP 64 default display drivers and BOOTVID do with the display.

I have all the drivers installed.

That, or test the files of the last version of longhorn which supported EFI boot on x64 mode, just before they removed the files for final product... Dunno, maybe UEFI handling in latest version got improved, or the bug prevents it running in your physical target got fixed.

Last Vista Beta2 which support Boot.ini is 6.0.5384.4. Next versions Vista Pre-Release Candidate 1 no longer have support boot from Boot.ini (no NOBCD and USENEWLOADER strings in bootmgfw.efi

I also tested VMware and it turns out that WinXP x64 also boots when we copy only those files and folders:

Code: Select all

EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi
EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Fonts with only one wgl4_boot.ttf font
WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi

and Boot.ini on NTFS partition (EFI64 firmware have NTFS driver):

Code: Select all

[boot loader]
timeout=30
NOBCD
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usenewloader /disable_integrity_checks /noguiboot

or Boot.ini on C: FAT32 partition + Windows on D: NTFS partition:

Code: Select all

[boot loader]
timeout=30
NOBCD
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usenewloader /disable_integrity_checks /noguiboot

Probably WinXP x64 will also boot in EFI if we install it on the one FAT32 partition.

[Beta12]

In this post -> link <- I try boot WinXP SP3 x86 but have BSOD 0x00000050. I've tested WinXP SP2 x86 now and also the same error. The solution to the problem is to install VMware Tools in BIOS mode. Boot.ini for OS installed on NTFS partition and EFI32 with NTFS driver integrated should look like this:

Code: Select all

[boot loader]
timeout=30
nobcd
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usenewloader

[Hyoenmadan86]

Last Vista Beta2 which support Boot.ini is 6.0.5384.4. Next versions Vista Pre-Release Candidate 1 no longer have support boot from Boot.ini (no NOBCD and USENEWLOADER strings in bootmgfw.efi

Probably we could use the files Bootmgfw and Winload of the least RC candidate includes the UEFI loader, even if we need to generate a valid BCD in order to use them.

https://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewt ... 66#p129266
He says is possible to boot WinXP and Win2003 with the Winload and BootMgr versions from all the betas, rc, and retail releases of Vista up to SP2... So the code to boot legacy Windows kept there up to Vista SP2, with Win7 removing it finally (that's why you can't use win7 efi loader to boot WinXP and Win2003). But that experiment was with BIOS loader files. MS removed the EFI loader from retail Vista, so the only thing we can do is, test with the least release candidate build of Vista which offered them as i said before.

In any case, test in your real machine first with the last Bootmgr which offers Boot.ini support, then try with the versions which don't offer it. OFC you will have to build a valid BCD to use them. Now we know is possible thanks to VMware, let's see what is the one allows you to boot your laptop.

[Beta12]

I noticed an interesting thing. If no file C:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Fonts\wgl4_boot.ttf then have error 0xc000000d but if font present - is black screen with white bar at top - it looks like the loader does not load completely:

Maybe it's a font problem on X220. I'm trying to change fonts e.g. Courier New (TrueType).ttf from Windows Fonts folder and rename to wgl4_boot.ttf but still black screen. If the file name is different than wgl4_boot.ttf then error 0xc000000d

[Hyoenmadan86]

Maybe it's a font problem on X220. I'm trying to change fonts e.g. Courier New (TrueType).ttf from Windows Fonts folder and rename to wgl4_boot.ttf but still black screen. If the file name is different than wgl4_boot.ttf then error 0xc000000d

I don't think there is any problem with files integrity, as them work as they are in VMware. My thinking is that the beta version of BootMgr does something with the EFI firmware of your laptop which your laptop firmware implementation doesn't like so it just hangs in such way. It can be anything, from a screen handling routine, to a disk-io routine, or a Memory Management routine... Remember the files are from a time UEFI wasn't even a thing in pc retail space, and the code wasn't completely standarized. Seems VMware EFI implementation is more or less neutral, but maybe your laptop's isn't. Ofc this may be considered a bug in the Bootmgr code.

That's why i'm recommending you to use the least UEFI code your can from the Vista build timeline. Maybe the bug got solved later, or maybe not. Unfortunately i don't have right now a physical target with UEFI boot mode to test myself.

The other way would be to connect both test machine and host with a serial nullmodem cable, enable "/bootdebug" flag in boot.ini and attach a windbg session to bootmgfw, to see were it really fails.

[Beta12]

You do not need to use a SCSI hard disk controller - it can be an IDE. After installation, you need to manually edit the .vmx file and change the boot order in EFI NVRAM. It's enough to remove all lines scsi and add such:

Code: Select all

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "x64xp.vmdk"

Of course, we put our name in the .vmdk file

This applies to WinXP x86, x64 or Win2k3R2 x86

[jedixo]

I created an account to share this with you. I think this is really interesting getting xp to boot using EFI

I am trying xp64 on hardware too (hp 6530b laptop that has an early EFI implementation) and I can get windows to start loading but it hangs on something I haven't figured yet with a black screen. booting in safemode shows the vista beta 2 loader loads past crcdisk.sys then hangs. I tired to boot with boot logging enabled but it doesn't get far enough to create a ntboot.log file.

I will continue experimenting

[Hyoenmadan86]

I am trying xp64 on hardware too (hp 6530b laptop that has an early EFI implementation) and I can get windows to start loading but it hangs on something I haven't figured yet with a black screen. booting in safemode shows the vista beta 2 loader loads past crcdisk.sys then hangs. I tired to boot with boot logging enabled but it doesn't get far enough to create a ntboot.log file.

At least boot process goes one step past bootloader stage in your specific configuration. You have to install the drivers for the graphic card before attempting an EFI boot, and disable BOOTVID/windows animation banner with "/noguiboot" switch in Boot.ini. UEFI doesn't seem to like what these older versions of Windows VGAPNP default video driver and BOOTVID do with the display.

If it doesn't boot, then you will need to connect a WinDBG session to your machine via Serial, or Firewire if you laptop has Firewire ports, to see where it stops really and why.

[Beta12]

That's why i'm recommending you to use the least UEFI code your can from the Vista build timeline. Maybe the bug got solved later, or maybe not. Unfortunately i don't have right now a physical target with UEFI boot mode to test myself.

So which version? Before 5384.4 is 5308.17 and has a 32-bit EFI loader and after is 5456.5 and no switch U S E N E W L O A D E R in bootmgfw.efi

P.S. In the boot.ini file, you can skip the option NOBCD.

• In WinXP 32-bit all you need is the /usenewloader option.
• In WinXP 64-bit all you need is the /disable_integrity_checks /noguiboot /usenewloader options.

[Hyoenmadan86]

So which version? Before 5384.4 is 5308.17 and has a 32-bit EFI loader and after is 5456.5 and no switch U S E N E W L O A D E R in bootmgfw.efi

To test 5456.5 you don't need "/usenewloader" as it is only for Bootmgr loaders which can read Boot.ini file.
You only need, additional to the steps we have listed before, create a valid BCD with an option entry pointing to our XP installation containing the equivalent BCDedit option to "noguiboot", and in case of x64, adding DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS with BCDEdit too.

Boot.ini steps aren't required at all with 5456.5 and upwards.

[Beta12]

OK,

I managed to run WinXP SP2 x64 on VMware in EFI64 using BCD. You need this files from Vista Beta2 5384 x64:

Code: Select all

bootmgr, bootmgfw.efi (renamed to bootx64.efi), winload.efi, nt5.cat (renamed to nt6.cat), wgl4_boot.ttf, BCD

Files should be copied to the locations indicated in previous posts. You must edit the BCD file in the same running WinXP x64 in BIOS mode like this:






P.S. I use VMware8 EFI64 with NTFS integrated driver and have WinXP x64 installed on one NTFS partition. If you install the system on the D: NTFS partition and the boot files are on C: FAT32 then you have to change two elements in the BCD: ApplicationDevice and OSDevice need change from [boot] to [D:]

I do not know why but the DisableIntegrityChecks option does not work in BCD or when press F8 from menu and after select Disable Driver Signature Enforcement. Only nt6.cat work.

Unfortunately, the X220 is still the same problem as with ntldr + boot.ini files but if I use EFI files from Vista Business x64 (sw_dvd5_windows_vista_business_64bit_polish_full_int_sp2_mlf_x15-40074.iso) WinXP x64 start load but problem with signature ntoskrnl.exe:


If we add an option LoadOptionsString DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS then error:

Code: Select all

ntkrnlmp.exe 0xc000000f

[jedixo]

At least boot process goes one step past bootloader stage in your specific configuration. You have to install the drivers for the graphic card before attempting an EFI boot, and disable BOOTVID/windows animation banner with "/noguiboot" switch in Boot.ini. UEFI doesn't seem to like what these older versions of Windows VGAPNP default video driver and BOOTVID do with the display.

If it doesn't boot, then you will need to connect a WinDBG session to your machine via Serial, or Firewire if you laptop has Firewire ports, to see where it stops really and why.

seems like I will have to hook up a debugger then. graphics drivers were installed. I re-installed windows just to make sure and it got caught again. luckily the laptop has a firewire port so ill just have to find a cable.

I couldn't get the BCD boot process to do anything besides tell me that \WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi was not found or is corrupt, even though it is there and the osdevice and applicationdevice parameters are set to D: (I have the fat32 + ntfs partition as the firmware has no built in ntfs driver).

[Beta12]

I found it:

So I started to test EFI files from versions Windows Server 2008 Longhorn on WinXP x64 on X220 and:

• 6001.16406 - last version which causes white bar
• 6001.16497 - first version which causes ntoskrnl.exe 0xc0000428 Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file

Maybe the signatures are in a different file than nt5.cat ??? How do I check in which .cat file is the signature for ntoskrnl.exe?

[Beta12]

Yes, signature for ntoskrnl.exe is in other location:

• WinVista Beta2 5384 - ntexe.cat
• WinXP x64 - NT5.CAT

Why does it work with the nt6.cat file? After all, there is no such file in Vista Beta 5384 or in WinXP x64 ?

[Beta12]

It seems that this is not a problem for my X220 laptop. In VirtualBox 5.2.18 in EFI64 WinXP x64 behaves the same as on X220:

• EFI files from Vista 5384 - black screen with a white bar at the top
• EFI files from Server Longhorn 6001.16497 - ntoskrnl.exe 0xc0000428

Thanks to this I could run Debug in a virtual machine instead of X220 (DebuggerEnabled True in BOOTICE option in BCD file).

Windows Debug does not work with 5384 EFI files:


Windows Debug for files from Server Longhorn 6001.16497 it does not show more than the Windows loader - ntoskrnl.exe error:

but after use WinDbg g (Continue) command displays subsequent system files for which it can not check signatures: