Windows XP Pro SP2 DOES have EFI Support

ReanimationLP · 11:14 PM

So, yeah, I unhid all the OS files on my XP box. And guess what I found

Theres a folder on the HD called Boot.

Inside of that is a folder called EFI.

Inside of that is all the Windows XP boot files encoded to boot on a EFI based machine.

Someone try a SP2 Pro disc on their Mac and lemme know what happens!

EDIT : Added a picture to show that I'm not crazy.

Steve1496 · Jan 14, 2006, 01:02 AM

So does Home SP2 also have EFI support?

Nermal · Jan 14, 2006, 01:03 AM

That screenshot is from Media Centre Edition. I've never seen a hidden Boot folder before, it might only be in MCE.

dornoforpyros · Jan 14, 2006, 01:05 AM

eh I think someone's gonna have to get their grubby little hands on an intelMac before we know for sure if Windows can install. I give it less than 2 weeks.

homerjward · Jan 14, 2006, 01:07 AM

must be an mce thing. my install of xp pro sp2 doesnt even have a folder called "boot." and are efi files really for booting with efi or just some other file?

iMeowbot · Jan 14, 2006, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerjward

must be an mce thing. my install of xp pro sp2 doesnt even have a folder called "boot." and are efi files really for booting with efi or just some other file?

Yes, those look like the right boot mangler files for Windows, if that screen shot is real.

dotdotdot · Jan 14, 2006, 01:29 AM

Windows XP Professional SP2 here, and no C:\Boot folder when I unhide all the files.

MCE might boot on EFI because EFI is the way to go for a Media Center type machine, but not for Professional.

And since you can't buy Media Center Edition (MCE)...

Steve1496 · Jan 14, 2006, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dotdotdot

Windows XP Professional SP2 here, and no C:\Boot folder when I unhide all the files.

MCE might boot on EFI because EFI is the way to go for a Media Center type machine, but not for Professional.

And since you can't buy Media Center Edition (MCE)...

As far as I know, Microsoft is selling a Media Center Edition package with remote?

http://tinyurl.com/ds2dr

http://tinyurl.com/cvthq

homerjward · Jan 14, 2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dotdotdot

Windows XP Professional SP2 here, and no C:\Boot folder when I unhide all the files.

MCE might boot on EFI because EFI is the way to go for a Media Center type machine, but not for Professional.

And since you can't buy Media Center Edition (MCE)...

yes, you can. it's about the same price as pro (oem edition at least)
check out newegg/tigerdirect/whatever

ReanimationLP · Jan 14, 2006, 02:00 AM

Its quite real.

I cant say if its in Pro or not. I honestly dont know/remember.

You have to uncheck the option that says "Hide protected operating system files. (Recommended)"

You can buy MCE 2005 at newegg.

Its like 140.

Even if it is MCE, all MCE really is is Professional with the Media Center add-on built on top.

Hell, maybe someone will even develop a way to use the Apple Remote with MCE.

Spanky Deluxe · Jan 14, 2006, 01:22 PM

I just checked Vista Beta 1 and there is a boot folder there too with efi files in it there too:

mcmadhatter · Jan 14, 2006, 01:34 PM

Happy Days - now all I need is to get a copy of MCE - oh and £939 for an imac - ah well there goes that idea.

Though when i do get the money ...........the possibilities are endless

After G · Jan 14, 2006, 02:07 PM

Cool. One step closer to dual-boot.

MacRumorUser · Jan 14, 2006, 02:24 PM

Cool I have a copy of MCE 2005, I'll have to give it a try when my new macbookpro arrives sometime in Feb.

ArnehWB · 02:10 PM

ReanimationLP,

Did you have any version of Vista installed before or still have a version installed? I've got the exact same files right here in my \boot\efi\ folder and have never installed XP or MCE on the system. I've only got 2003 Server and Vista installed and those files didn't come from my 2003 install.

Reason I'm also asking is because your files are the exact same size as my Vista \boot\efi\ files, which they wouldn't be since Vista is newer and constantly changing, and windowscodeintegrity.luacdf is not a part of XP/MCE, rather its from Vista.

I also noticed your $RECYCLE.BIN in the main dir and the boot.bak. $RECYCLE.BIN is also a feature from Vista and boot.bak implies you've had more than 1 OS installed since it's made a backup of the boot.ini .

--There is one very easy way for you to check. Take for example the bootmgr.efi , RIGHT-click on it, go to properties, then go to the Version tab, if the version is some form of 6.0.5xxx.x , then its from Vista. Ie. my bootmgr.efi, which is also 374 KB, has this file version number: 6.0.5270.9 , which is from the latest December CTP release of Vista.

Also, though I'm not 100% sure on this part since its been a while since I haven't had a system with Vista installed on it, but the \boot\ folder in general is not even a part of XP/MCE/2003 booting. All the files that I have in the general \boot\ folder are all related to Vista booting.

-Arneh

Laser47 · Jan 15, 2006, 02:32 PM

I have MCE 2005 and no boot folder, so I wonder how Reanimation got it. I cant wait til someone tries installing xp on their mac.

ArnehWB · Jan 15, 2006, 02:39 PM

Yea that's what I thought Laser47. I'm 99.999% sure that his \boot\efi\ and his \boot\ folder in general are from Vista since I've been testing Vista for a long time and the various things in his screenshot seem to prove that at one point or even at the moment he has a version of Vista installed.

I'm not saying that MCE or XP won't work on an Intel Mac. EFI may in fact support legacy BIOS based OS booting, that we'll have to wait and see. However, MCE is just XP SP2 with the MCE app added and nothing else has been changed between the two in regards to boot etc. so we shouldn't expect MCE to have something that XP SP2 doesn't.

MacRumorUser · Jan 15, 2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laser47

I have MCE 2005 and no boot folder, so I wonder how Reanimation got it. I cant wait til someone tries installing xp on their mac.

Are you viewing Hidden Files. If not enable it folder preferences. Any luck now?

DOUGHNUT · Jan 15, 2006, 02:50 PM

according to this article:
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News...px?NewsId=8628

Gateway Media Center 610 does in fact use EFI

"Gateway, which uses EFI in its all-in-one Gateway 610 Media Center desktop, said it chose to do so because EFI proved a more efficient way to code preboot software and can also help to improve the product from a long-term development perspective, a company representative said."

maybe reanimation runs that specific system?

howesey · Jan 15, 2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerjward

yes, you can. it's about the same price as pro (oem edition at least)
check out newegg/tigerdirect/whatever

Tut tut. You are not allowed to sell WMC, like you are not allowed to sell Windows XP-64. They are all OEM and must be sold with a computer.

ArnehWB · Jan 15, 2006, 03:00 PM

Maybe DOUGHNUT, but then I think his screenshot would've been widescreen since the Gateway Media Center 610 has a widescreen monitor.

What the Gateway computer proves is one of 2 things:
a) EFI does indeed support legacy BIOS based OS booting, whether Apple kept that feature or not we don't know
OR
b) OEM's are able to modify current Windows versions to load on EFI systems

I really hope that its the first case, it'll simplify matters greatly.

-Arneh

Laser47 · Jan 15, 2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

Are you viewing Hidden Files. If not enable it folder preferences. Any luck now?

Of course I enabled hidden files. Its just not there.

ArnehWB · 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

Are you viewing Hidden Files. If not enable it folder preferences. Any luck now?

MacRumorUser, anyone who hasn't installed Vista at one point or another won't have the \boot\ folder unless they create it themselves for some other use.

The windowscodeintegrity.luacdf in ReanimationLP's screenshot is enough to prove that. Its part of the limited user account or UAP protection that is only part of Vista.

MacRumorUser · Jan 15, 2006, 03:33 PM

Ok guy's dont flame me; I wasn't being patronising, I was just asking

I can't test myself as I swapped my pc (with mce 2005) for my cousins macmini, because i wasn't using it

Spanky Deluxe · Jan 15, 2006, 03:52 PM

Maybe it'll be possible to get XP to work on an EFI machine by simply copying over that Boot folder.

The ntldr file in my Vista Boot folder is of a different size than the ntldr file from Windows.

XP SP2 ntldr = 250,032 bytes
Vista nltdr = 304,992 bytes
XP SP2 NTDETECT.COM = 47,548 bytes
Vista NTDETECT.COM = 47,564

I just thought I'd add that in case anyone can use this info. Damn, I wish I could afford an Intel iMac right now. I would have tried this out days ago!

Jan 13, 2006, 11:04 PM	#1
ReanimationLP macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: On the moon.	Windows XP Pro SP2 DOES have EFI Support So, yeah, I unhid all the OS files on my XP box. And guess what I found Theres a folder on the HD called Boot. Inside of that is a folder called EFI. Inside of that is all the Windows XP boot files encoded to boot on a EFI based machine. Someone try a SP2 Pro disc on their Mac and lemme know what happens! EDIT : Added a picture to show that I'm not crazy. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Corei7 920 @ 4GHz, Radeon 4850X2 2GB, 2TB, 6GB DDR3 July 17, 2009 can't come soon enough. Last edited by ReanimationLP : Jan 13, 2006 at 11:14 PM.

Jan 14, 2006, 01:05 AM	#4
dornoforpyros macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Calgary, AB	eh I think someone's gonna have to get their grubby little hands on an intelMac before we know for sure if Windows can install. I give it less than 2 weeks. __________________ www.JasonDorn.com \| this looked better on paper

Jan 14, 2006, 01:07 AM	#5
homerjward macrumors 68030 Join Date: May 2004 Location: fig tree	must be an mce thing. my install of xp pro sp2 doesnt even have a folder called "boot." and are efi files really for booting with efi or just some other file? __________________ Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.

Jan 14, 2006, 02:00 AM	#10
ReanimationLP Thread Starter macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: On the moon.	Its quite real. I cant say if its in Pro or not. I honestly dont know/remember. You have to uncheck the option that says "Hide protected operating system files. (Recommended)" You can buy MCE 2005 at newegg. Its like 140. Even if it is MCE, all MCE really is is Professional with the Media Center add-on built on top. Hell, maybe someone will even develop a way to use the Apple Remote with MCE. __________________ Corei7 920 @ 4GHz, Radeon 4850X2 2GB, 2TB, 6GB DDR3 July 17, 2009 can't come soon enough.

Jan 14, 2006, 01:22 PM	#11
Spanky Deluxe macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK	I just checked Vista Beta 1 and there is a boot folder there too with efi files in it there too: Attached Thumbnails

Jan 14, 2006, 01:02 AM	#2
Steve1496 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Massachusetts	So does Home SP2 also have EFI support?

Jan 14, 2006, 01:03 AM	#3
Nermal Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Whakatane, New Zealand	That screenshot is from Media Centre Edition. I've never seen a hidden Boot folder before, it might only be in MCE.

Jan 14, 2006, 01:29 AM	#7
dotdotdot macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jan 2005	Windows XP Professional SP2 here, and no C:\Boot folder when I unhide all the files. MCE might boot on EFI because EFI is the way to go for a Media Center type machine, but not for Professional. And since you can't buy Media Center Edition (MCE)...

Jan 14, 2006, 01:34 PM	#12
mcmadhatter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bath, UK	Happy Days - now all I need is to get a copy of MCE - oh and £939 for an imac - ah well there goes that idea. Though when i do get the money ...........the possibilities are endless

Jan 14, 2006, 02:07 PM	#13
After G macrumors 68000 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California	Cool. One step closer to dual-boot.

Jan 14, 2006, 02:24 PM	#14
MacRumorUser macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: tickling a leprechaun's naughty bits	Cool I have a copy of MCE 2005, I'll have to give it a try when my new macbookpro arrives sometime in Feb. __________________ “Hell is a place, a time, a consciousness, in which there is no love.” MacRumor:User mac community contributor

Jan 15, 2006, 01:38 PM	#15
ArnehWB macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2006	ReanimationLP, Did you have any version of Vista installed before or still have a version installed? I've got the exact same files right here in my \boot\efi\ folder and have never installed XP or MCE on the system. I've only got 2003 Server and Vista installed and those files didn't come from my 2003 install. Reason I'm also asking is because your files are the exact same size as my Vista \boot\efi\ files, which they wouldn't be since Vista is newer and constantly changing, and windowscodeintegrity.luacdf is not a part of XP/MCE, rather its from Vista. I also noticed your $RECYCLE.BIN in the main dir and the boot.bak. $RECYCLE.BIN is also a feature from Vista and boot.bak implies you've had more than 1 OS installed since it's made a backup of the boot.ini . --There is one very easy way for you to check. Take for example the bootmgr.efi , RIGHT-click on it, go to properties, then go to the Version tab, if the version is some form of 6.0.5xxx.x , then its from Vista. Ie. my bootmgr.efi, which is also 374 KB, has this file version number: 6.0.5270.9 , which is from the latest December CTP release of Vista. Also, though I'm not 100% sure on this part since its been a while since I haven't had a system with Vista installed on it, but the \boot\ folder in general is not even a part of XP/MCE/2003 booting. All the files that I have in the general \boot\ folder are all related to Vista booting. -Arneh Last edited by ArnehWB : Jan 15, 2006 at 02:10 PM.

Jan 15, 2006, 02:32 PM	#16
Laser47 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maryland	I have MCE 2005 and no boot folder, so I wonder how Reanimation got it. I cant wait til someone tries installing xp on their mac. __________________ iBook G4 14" 1.42ghz, 1.5gb RAM, 100gb 7200rpm Travelstar, 4G iPod 40gb

Jan 15, 2006, 02:39 PM	#17
ArnehWB macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2006	Yea that's what I thought Laser47. I'm 99.999% sure that his \boot\efi\ and his \boot\ folder in general are from Vista since I've been testing Vista for a long time and the various things in his screenshot seem to prove that at one point or even at the moment he has a version of Vista installed. I'm not saying that MCE or XP won't work on an Intel Mac. EFI may in fact support legacy BIOS based OS booting, that we'll have to wait and see. However, MCE is just XP SP2 with the MCE app added and nothing else has been changed between the two in regards to boot etc. so we shouldn't expect MCE to have something that XP SP2 doesn't.

Jan 15, 2006, 02:50 PM	#19
DOUGHNUT macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2006	according to this article: http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News...px?NewsId=8628 Gateway Media Center 610 does in fact use EFI "Gateway, which uses EFI in its all-in-one Gateway 610 Media Center desktop, said it chose to do so because EFI proved a more efficient way to code preboot software and can also help to improve the product from a long-term development perspective, a company representative said." maybe reanimation runs that specific system?

Jan 15, 2006, 03:00 PM	#21
ArnehWB macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2006	Maybe DOUGHNUT, but then I think his screenshot would've been widescreen since the Gateway Media Center 610 has a widescreen monitor. What the Gateway computer proves is one of 2 things: a) EFI does indeed support legacy BIOS based OS booting, whether Apple kept that feature or not we don't know OR b) OEM's are able to modify current Windows versions to load on EFI systems I really hope that its the first case, it'll simplify matters greatly. -Arneh

Jan 15, 2006, 03:33 PM	#24
MacRumorUser macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: tickling a leprechaun's naughty bits	Ok guy's dont flame me; I wasn't being patronising, I was just asking I can't test myself as I swapped my pc (with mce 2005) for my cousins macmini, because i wasn't using it __________________ “Hell is a place, a time, a consciousness, in which there is no love.” MacRumor:User mac community contributor

Jan 15, 2006, 03:52 PM	#25
Spanky Deluxe macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK	Maybe it'll be possible to get XP to work on an EFI machine by simply copying over that Boot folder. The ntldr file in my Vista Boot folder is of a different size than the ntldr file from Windows. XP SP2 ntldr = 250,032 bytes Vista nltdr = 304,992 bytes XP SP2 NTDETECT.COM = 47,548 bytes Vista NTDETECT.COM = 47,564 I just thought I'd add that in case anyone can use this info. Damn, I wish I could afford an Intel iMac right now. I would have tried this out days ago!

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