[Solved] NTLite crashes when mounting winre.wim after 'Reading data' step (v2.3.8.8890)

AeonX

Well-Known Member
Tested with Windows 7 and 10 with untouched ISO's getting the same issue so it doesn't seem to be something specific to the ISO used. Used NTLite 2.3.8.8890 (latest version).

With NTLite 2.3.7.8850 I don't get the crash.

2022-09-14 22_00_42-NTLite.png

PS: Forgot to mention but the same problem doesn't occur when mounting boot.wim index 2 (Windows Setup).
 

Attachments

  • NTLite-Win7.log
    5.4 KB
  • NTLite-Win7.dmp
    262.1 KB
  • NTLite-Win10.log
    5.1 KB
  • NTLite-Win10.dmp
    262.7 KB
Error 32 - The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
8.3 bug strikes again?
 
I don't know if it makes a difference but I disabled NTFS 8.3 short names.

I applied this reg tweak:

Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000001

I will test without the tweak.
 
Hmmmm...

https://schneegans.de/windows/no-8.3/
For whatever reason, the Windows 10 and Windows 11 WIM images (boot.wim and install.wim) contain 8.3 file names. This can be demonstrated e.g. using 7-Zip:

It turns out that Windows is installed with 8.3 file names exactly because the install.wim contains 8.3 file names. Therefore, if you strip all 8.3 file names from the install.wim, Windows will be installed without them.
 
This implies 8.3 disabling should be applied to WinPE, too.

Otherwise when unattended Setup is first copying files, it's creating 8.3 names by default until the first reboot -- after which the install.wim's reg settings take effect. During that short time, you're making 8.3 names even if the source install.wim doesn't have any.

I don't think people really thought about this...
 
Tested with Windows 7 and 10 with untouched ISO's getting the same issue so it doesn't seem to be something specific to the ISO used. Used NTLite 2.3.8.8890 (latest version).

With NTLite 2.3.7.8850 I don't get the crash.

PS: Forgot to mention but the same problem doesn't occur when mounting boot.wim index 2 (Windows Setup).
Thanks for the report, working on it, got another yesterday that started it.
Will reply here when done.
 
Using fsutil 8dot3name set 1 (disables 8dot3 name creation) or fsutil 8dot3name set 0 (enables 8dot3 name creation) the crash occurs.
 
Thanks :)

I didn't realize that install.wim contained 8.3 file names and that they can be removed.

I disable 8.3 file names mainly for performance reasons.

So this is one more thing that can be done to optimize Windows and drives on the system.

Using fsutil 8dot3name query <volumepath> I found that my external hard drive had 8.3 file names enabled.

So I used fsutil 8dot3name strip /s /v <directorypath> and many 8.3 file names were removed :)

Interesting article (taken from the posted link):
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/ar...le-8-3-naming-and-strip-those-short-names-too
 
OK, fixed this, didn't have anything to do with NTFS path names this time.
Will be release beginning next week when some other things are finished as well.
Sending PM with pre-release link.

Thanks.
 
Back
Top