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Booting Windows CE using USB - The Simpler Way

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Keeping in continuation with my last post, here is a second way to use Windows CE with an USB drive. While this method is handy to use, it is also quick to configure the disk. Though it doesn't offer multiple boot options for booting with Ethernet or Serial, it is the best suitable option for a Local Boot of Win CE.

The utility used is called as DiskPrep/DiskPrep PowerToy. Works for Windows CE 6, 7 and 2013 too!!

Booting Windows Embedded Compact using DiskPrep

A. Software/Hardware Needed

1. USB Mass Storage Device of capacity 250 MB or large enough to accommodate NK.bin and additional files

2. DiskPrep PowerToy. Can be downloaded from "Downloads" tab on http://archive.msdn.microsoft.com/DiskPrep

Update: Seems like the link is no more active. Chris Tacke has provided an alternate download mirror here: http://blog.opennetcf.com/ctacke/binary/diskprep.rar . Paste this link in your browser and you are a Go!

B. Procedure

1. Insert the Mass Storage device in to the Host System.

2. Start the DiskPrep as “Administrator.”

3. In the “Disk Selection” drop-down, select your USB drive.

4. In the “Use File System Format” drop-down, select “exFAT.”

5. In the “BOOT.INI” section, select the radio button saying “Place a BOOT.INI file on the disk”.

6. In the “Physical Video Mode” drop-down, select “1024x768” (or a convenient setting), select “Display Size” to “<Same>” and “Bit Depth” to “32" (or a convenient setting).

7. Select the radio button saying “Load specific image file copied from:” and “Browse” to the “NK.bin” file generated after you have built your OSDesign. It will  be present in the release directory.

8. Click “OK” to start flashing the NK.bin to the Mass Storage device. Once flashing is done, plug the USB drive to the target system.

9. Change the boot options in the target system's BIOS settings so that the system boots through USB.

10. Boot the target system.

Note: If you have got an updated NK.bin, just replacing the NK.bin on the USB Disk with the updated one will work. It's not needed to follow the whole procedure.

C. Known Issues

1. If Windows CE image does not boot up, disable KITL in the OSDesign and Make a Run-Time Image. Copy the new NK.bin to the USB drive and boot.

KITL can be disabled as: "Project -> Properties -> Configuration Properties -> Build Options -> Enable KITL -> No (IMGNOKITL=1)."

Please comment below for suggestions or if you face any issues following the above.

Thanks!