I went into trouble of finding a solution to format my old PC which uses Intel D865PERL motherboard. The only option left is to format using USB Flash Disk method which the motherboard supports, though it does not recognises flat file structures of the USB Flash Disk. I had 2 failed DVD drives so the only option left is through USB.

However, turns out that with Production 21 (P21) version of BIOS, the motherboard cannot understand a normal Windows Preinstalled Environment (WinPE) structure and it keeps giving a Boot Error as it does not understand how to read the bootmgr normally.

Therefore, after couple of days figuring it out, I managed to use FreeDOS to boot up a WinPE ISO image stored in the USB Flash Disk, installed Windows 7 on it, and let manage to get all components to work and successfully completed my Windows 7 32bit installation on the old PC.

I have detailed out the ways and method to prepare and install your WinPE on old motherboards (which mostly affects Intel boards) should you encouter unable to read boot file error when attempting to perform normal Windows boot from USB installation.

This workaround works well and once it is able to install the simple setup files it will ask for Media files to be loaded and gives an error that it cannot detect the necessary media to load drivers (your USB Flash Disk with winpe.iso Image file), you will need to switch to the normal USB Flash Disk with all the bootable flat file structure files (prepared using WintoFlash or RMPrepUSB, called PD2 in this guide).

Here is the guide and good luck.

I am back from a long 14 months of inactive blogging. Many things happen thoughout this period, some ups and some down. But the fact is, I’ll continue to write up on what I like. Exams are over and I can finally get a real break from studies. Now is a good time for to contine my on-and-off blog.

For starters, I’ll be detailing back my travel adventures over the 4 months while i was in United Kingdom last year. I will write them up into a series of posts.

Next, I’ll be setting myself up to write up 1 or 2 post per week on socio-political and corporate matters.

Last but not least, it’s my blog, I’ll follow my timeline Hope you enjoy your stay

Below here is the business plan that we had been working on in August 2009. It’s a Business Plan of Secret Recipe which we were required to write to bankers/venture capitalists.
I attach it to this post for future references. Have a look at it.