:: Windows NT 4.0 ::

Copying the CD Contents

Inside of your SETUP folder which should be in AIO-DVD create a folder called NT4.

eg. - D:\AIO-DVD\SETUP\NT4\

Inside of this folder create a folder for each edition of NT4 that you are including. For my DVD I have Server, and Workstation . Copy the entire NT4 cds into their corresponding folders.

Examples:
D:\AIO-DVD\SETUP\2000\Server\
D:\AIO-DVD\SETUP\2000\Workstation\

NOTE: For this guide, we will be using NT 4.0 Server for the examples. If adding the Workstation edition just change the necessary elements to fit your needs.

Creating the Boot Folder

If you've already gone through any of the XP sections on this site, you have probably used the method that I discovered from gosh to create the boot folders. However, when creating these boot folders from inside of any XP based OS, we cannot go that route.

So, there are a few things we can do:

  1. Find boot disk files for whichever Windows 2000 edition you are using with the right service pack, and extract all of the files into the right boot folders with WinImage.

  2. If you have Windows 98 or NT 4.0 already installed on a real computer, copy the entire CD to the desktop. Slipstream any servicepacks if you want (there are countless guides out there on how to do this). Then run winnt32.exe and follow the instructions in the 2nd paragraph of choice 3.

  3. This method is bit more complicated and time consuming, but it's the best way and worth it. We CAN use gosh's method as for the XP operating systems, however we must do it from a virtual Windows NT4 installation. I chose to install an ISO image of NT4 Server in VMware. I then copied the contents of the ISO into a folder on the virtual installation's desktop, and slipstreamed SP4 into the source files. (To move files or folder in or out of VMware and onto your PC, you will need to install VMware tools)

    Afterwards I ran winnt32.exe from the i386 folder. Windows NT 4.0 setup should come up.  Choose "New Installation" and go through the options as usual. Do NOT download updated setup files.  At the "Setup Options" screen, click on "Advanced Options" and make sure "copy all installation files from the CD" is checked. If it is grayed out don't worry about it. When it's done do NOT let it reboot.

    Setup should create 2 folders in the root of your main drive. They will be hidden so make sure "Show hidden files and folders" is enabled.

    $WIN_NT$.~BT - the boot folder
    $WIN_NT$.~LS - installation files folder

    Delete $WIN_NT$.~LS that was just created. All we're concerned with is the boot folder.

    Rename $WIN_NT$.~BT to NT4S and move the entire folder out of VMware and into our AIO-DVD folder.

    eg. - D:\AIO-DVD\2PRO\

    Now in the 2PRO folder delete the following files:
    BOOTSECT.DAT
    migrate.inf
    winnt.sif

IMPORTANT: If you used method 2, it expects us to be installing a new operating system the next time we reboot, so setup adds an extra boot option in the boot.ini file and changes the default boot choice to it. If you followed the instructions in "Getting Started", you should have made a copy of your boot.ini file. Take this copy, and copy it back over the boot.ini file in the C:\. Don't get rid of your original boot.ini, you will need it again if you plan on using other portions of this guide to add more operating systems.

If you don't have a backup of your boot.ini file, you can edit it yourself. This is what it normally looks like if you have NT4 installed on the first or only partition of your hard drive:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT4 Server " /fastdetect

Editing "setupldr.bin"

Let's start modifying some files. First in your NT4S directory open up the file setupldr.bin in Hex Workshop. Under Edit -> Replace (Ctrl+H) search for Type: "Text String." We want to find i386 and replace it with NT4S. The screenshot below is just for reference.

Click OK and then choose Replace All. It should say "2 Occurrences Replaced." If it does not find 2 occurrences, there may be a problem somewhere. When done, save the file and choose not to back it up.

Editing "txtsetup.sif"

In your 2PRO folder find the file txtsetup.sif and open it in NotePad. Choose Edit -> Find (Ctrl+F) and search for SetupSourcePath. You will need to change the default "\" to reflect the directory you copied your XP Pro cd to. In this case it is "\SETUP\NT4\Server\"

SetupSourcePath = "\SETUP\NT4\Server\"

Creating the Boot Sector

Now we will need to create the boot sector file that will actually load the text-mode setup for our operating system. Download the NT4S.zip file. Extract the file and then open NT4S.dat in Hex Workshop. Scroll down until you see the following text in the right hand side. The red text is what we will be replacing. Replace I386 with NT4S.

Save the file, choose not to back it up and then place it in the AIO-DVD folder.

NOTE: If the boot sectors I have provided for download to not work for you I have provided a section on how to create your own. Please check the "Boot Sectors" section under "Get Help".

Finishing Up

Navigate to your setup folder \AIO-DVD\SETUP\2000\Professional\ and copy (not move) the following files into the root folder, AIO-DVD.

  • CDROM_S.40 (NT4 Server)
  • CDROM_W.40 (NT4 Workstation)