BootThatISO!

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Videos

• Hirens Boot — No USB Needed — Boot ISO Directly (No USB Required)
• Install Windows 10/11 Without USB | BootThatISO (No Flash Drive Needed!)

BootThatISO! is an innovative Windows tool that allows booting operating systems from ISO files without needing a USB drive. Ideal for situations where you don't have a USB device handy, such as during travel, borrowed equipment, or emergencies. It automates the creation of EFI and data partitions on the internal disk, direct ISO reading and file extraction, and BCD configuration, offering an intuitive graphical interface and support for unattended execution.

This utility is especially useful for:

• Quick Installations: Direct boot from ISO for Windows, Linux installation, or recovery tools without preparing USB.
• Testing Environments: Test OS ISOs or utilities without modifying external hardware.
• System Recovery: Access repair tools like HBCD_PE or live environments without depending on external media.
• Automation: Integration in scripts for mass deployments or automated configurations.

Developed by Andrey Rodríguez Araya.

Note: Tools like Ventoy or Rufus work very well with USB drives, but BootThatISO boots ISOs directly from the internal disk, without needing a USB or formatting anything. Additionally, it can load the environment into RAM (for example, with Hiren's everything runs from memory). From an NVMe, booting is much faster than from a USB, for example, installing Windows is also faster. If you don't have a USB handy, you could also install Windows for example. The software has an option to delete the used partitions and leaves the disk as it was originally, assigning the space back to Windows.

Website: English | Spanish

Key Features

• Creates or reforms ISOBOOT (data) and ISOEFI (EFI) partitions on the system disk, with FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS format options.
• Supports two boot modes: full ISO loading to disk or RAMDisk mode (boot.wim in memory).
• Detects Windows ISOs and automatically adjusts BCD configuration; non-Windows ISOs boot directly from the EFI partition.
• Runs optional integrity checks (chkdsk), generates detailed logs, and allows cancellation or space recovery.
• Provides unattended mode for script integrations via command-line arguments.
• ISO hash cache (ISOBOOTHASH): Compares the ISO MD5, selected boot mode, and format against values stored in the ISOBOOTHASH file on the target. If they match, it skips formatting and content copy to speed up repeated runs.
• Self-contained executable: Includes embedded GRUB EFI bootloader (~652KB) for Linux ISO booting, eliminating external dependencies.

Tested ISOs

RAM Mode (Boot from Memory)

• ✅ HBCD_PE_x64.iso (FULLY FUNCTIONAL - Load all programs from RAM)
• ✅ Win11_25H2_Spanish_x64.iso (FULLY FUNCTIONAL - Boot and Install)
• ✅ Windows10_22H2_X64.iso (FULLY FUNCTIONAL - Boot and Install)

EXTRACT Mode (Full Installation)

• ✅ HBCD_PE_x64.iso (falls back to ISOBOOT_RAM)
• ✅ Win11_25H2_Spanish_x64.iso (falls back to ISOBOOT_RAM)
• ✅ Windows10_22H2_X64.iso (falls back to ISOBOOT_RAM)

Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11 64-bit with administrator privileges.
• At least 12 GB of free space on drive C: to create and format partitions (the tool attempts to shrink 12 GB).
• PowerShell, DiskPart, bcdedit, and available Windows command-line tools.
• For compilation: Visual Studio 2022 with CMake. No external package manager required; the 7‑Zip SDK is vendored under third-party/.

Compilation

# Configure and build (VS 2022, x64)
cmake -S . -B build -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64
cmake --build build --config Release

The final executable is located at build/Release/BootThatISO!.exe. Also included is compilar.bat with equivalent steps.

Quick compilation with compilar.bat (recommended)

# In the repository root
./compilar.bat

Code signing

• To skip signing (useful on dev machines without a certificate):

$env:SIGN_CERT_SHA1 = "skip"
./compilar.bat

• To sign, set SIGN_CERT_SHA1 to your certificate's SHA1 thumbprint or make sure signtool.exe can find a suitable certificate in your store.

Code formatting

The compilar.bat script automatically formats all source code using clang-format before building:

• Formats all .cpp and .h files in src/, include/, and tests/ directories
• Uses the project's .clang-format configuration file
• If clang-format is not found, a warning is displayed but the build continues

Note: The project now uses the 7‑Zip SDK (vendored) for ISO reading/extraction; no vcpkg or libarchive is required.

Build notes

• Release binaries are linked with the static MSVC runtime (/MT) for a self-contained EXE (no VC++ Redistributable required).
• 7‑Zip SDK is compiled as a static library and linked whole-archive to retain handler registration.
• Included handlers: UDF, ISO, Ext container, and MBR. The reader prefers UDF and can unwrap Ext to reach the inner UDF/ISO stream.

Diagnostics and tests

The following console utilities are built alongside the app to validate behavior:

# List supported handlers and try opening via UDF/ISO
build/Release/ListFormats.exe

# List ISO contents and auto-extract all *.wim/*.esd to %TEMP%\EasyISOBoot_iso_extract_test
build/Release/TestISOReader.exe "C:\Users\Andrey\Documentos\EasyISOBoot\isos\Win11_25H2_Spanish_x64.iso"
build/Release/TestISOReader.exe "C:\Users\Andrey\Documentos\EasyISOBoot\isos\Windows10_22H2_X64.iso"
build/Release/TestISOReader.exe "C:\Users\Andrey\Documentos\EasyISOBoot\isos\HBCD_PE_x64.iso"

# Detect Windows ISO heuristics
build/Release/TestISODetection.exe "C:\path\to\some.iso"

# Space recovery demonstration (uses same routines as the app)
build/Release/TestRecoverSpace.exe

# INI replacer demo
build/Release/test_ini_replacer.exe

Notes:

• The test preserves internal ISO paths when extracting (e.g., writes to %TEMP%\EasyISOBoot_iso_extract_test\sources\boot.wim).
• Windows ISOs may use install.wim or install.esd; the test discovers and extracts all .wim and .esd files it finds.
• Hybrid Windows ISOs expose few items via the ISO handler; opening through UDF yields the full file list (handled automatically).

Run unit tests with CTest:

cd build
ctest -C Release --output-on-failure

Install image copy validation

• When copying the Windows image from the ISO (sources/install.wim or sources/install.esd), the app now verifies:
  • Size match: compares the size inside the ISO with the extracted file size on disk.
  • Image integrity: runs DISM /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:"<dest>" and checks for valid indices.
• Results are written to logs/iso_extract_log.log and shown in the UI. Any mismatch or DISM failure is flagged so you can retry extraction.

Usage

Graphical Interface

1. Run BootThatISO!.exe as administrator (the manifest already requests it).
2. Select the ISO file and choose the file system format for ISOBOOT.
3. Define the boot mode:
   • Full Installation: copies the entire ISO content to disk.
   • Boot from Memory: copies boot.wim and dependencies to boot from RAM.
4. Decide whether to run chkdsk (unchecked skips verification to speed up the process).
5. Click Create Bootable Partition and monitor progress via the main bar, detailed bar, and log panel.
6. Upon completion, a restart confirmation will appear. Use the Recover Space button if you need to remove ISOBOOT/ISOEFI partitions and extend C:.
7. The Services button opens the support page https://agsoft.co.cr/servicios/.

Unattended Mode

Run the binary with elevated privileges and the following arguments:

BootThatISO!.exe ^
  -unattended ^
  -iso="C:\path\image.iso" ^
  -mode=RAM|EXTRACT ^
  -format=NTFS|FAT32|EXFAT ^
  -chkdsk=TRUE|FALSE ^
  -autoreboot=y|n ^
  -lang=en_us|es_cr

• -mode=RAM activates Boot from Memory mode and copies boot.wim/boot.sdi.
• -mode=EXTRACT corresponds to Full Installation.
• -chkdsk=TRUE forces disk verification (omitted by default).
• -lang sets the language code matching files under lang/.
• -autoreboot is available for future automations; currently just logs the preference.

The process logs events and exits without showing the main window.

Internal Flow Summary

1. Validation and Partitions (PartitionManager): checks available space, runs optional chkdsk, reduces C: by ~10.5 GB, creates ISOEFI (500 MB FAT32) and ISOBOOT (10 GB), or reforms existing ones, and exposes recovery methods.
2. Content Preparation (ISOCopyManager): reads ISO content using the 7‑Zip SDK (ISO handler), classifies if Windows, lists content, copies files to target drives, and delegates EFI handling to EFIManager.
3. Boot Processing (BootWimProcessor): orchestrates the extraction and processing of boot.wim, coordinates with specialized modules:
   • WimMounter: handles DISM operations for mounting/unmounting WIM files
   • DriverIntegrator: integrates system and custom drivers into the WIM image
   • PecmdConfigurator: configures Hiren's BootCD PE environments
   • StartnetConfigurator: configures standard WinPE environments
   • IniFileProcessor: processes INI files with drive letter replacement
   • ProgramsIntegrator: integrates additional programs into the boot environment
4. Copying and Progress (FileCopyManager/EventManager): notifies granular progress, allows cancellation, and updates logs.
5. BCD Configuration (BCDManager + strategies): creates WinPE entries (RAMDisk) or full installation, adjusts {ramdiskoptions}, and logs executed commands.
6. Win32 UI (MainWindow): manually builds controls, applies style, handles commands, and exposes recovery options.

Modular Architecture

The project follows a clean, modular architecture with clear separation of concerns:

• Facade Pattern: BootWimProcessor provides a simple interface to complex boot processing operations
• Strategy Pattern: Driver integration uses categories (Storage, USB, Network) for flexible configuration
• Observer Pattern: EventManager notifies multiple observers (UI, Logger) of progress updates
• Chain of Responsibility: Programs integration attempts multiple fallback strategies
• Single Responsibility: Each class has one clear purpose (mounting WIMs, integrating drivers, etc.)

For detailed architecture documentation, see ARCHITECTURE.md.

Logs and Diagnostics

All operations generate files in logs/ (created alongside the executable). Among the most relevant:

• general_log.log: general event timeline and UI messages.
• diskpart_log.log, reformat_log.log, recover_script_log.txt: partitioning and reformatting steps.
• iso_extract_log.log, iso_content.log: details of extracted ISO content.
• bcd_config_log.log: BCD configuration commands and results.
• copy_error_log.log, iso_file_copy_log.log: file copying and errors.

Review these logs when diagnosing failures or sharing reports.

Security and Recovery

Limitations

• Operates on Disk 0 and shrinks volume C: by ~10.5 GB; other disk layouts are not currently supported.
• Requires administrator privileges and Windows PowerShell availability.
• Language files under lang/ are required; the app shows an error if none are found.

Security and Recovery

• The operation modifies the system disk; back up before executing the tool.
• During the process, avoid closing the application from Task Manager; use the integrated cancel option.
• Use the Recover Space button to remove ISOBOOT/ISOEFI partitions and restore the C: drive if you decide to revert the configuration.

Repository Structure

BootThatISO!/
|- build/                      # CMake/Visual Studio generated files
|- include/                    # Shared headers
|  |- models/                  # Model interfaces (HashInfo, etc.)
|  |- version.h.in             # Version template
|- src/
|  |- boot/                    # Boot coordination (BootWimProcessor)
|  |  |- BootWimProcessor.cpp  # Main orchestrator for boot.wim processing
|  |  |- BootWimProcessor.h
|  |- wim/                     # WIM/DISM operations
|  |  |- WimMounter.cpp        # WIM mount/unmount with DISM
|  |  |- WimMounter.h
|  |  |- WindowsEditionSelector.cpp  # Windows edition selection logic
|  |  |- WindowsEditionSelector.h
|  |- drivers/                 # Driver integration
|  |  |- DriverIntegrator.cpp  # System + custom driver integration
|  |  |- DriverIntegrator.h
|  |- config/                  # PE configuration
|  |  |- PecmdConfigurator.cpp # Hiren's BootCD PE configuration
|  |  |- PecmdConfigurator.h
|  |  |- StartnetConfigurator.cpp  # Standard WinPE configuration
|  |  |- StartnetConfigurator.h
|  |  |- IniFileProcessor.cpp  # INI file processing
|  |  |- IniFileProcessor.h
|  |- filesystem/              # Filesystem operations
|  |  |- ProgramsIntegrator.cpp  # Programs folder integration
|  |  |- ProgramsIntegrator.h
|  |- controllers/             # Flow orchestration
|  |  |- ProcessController.cpp
|  |  |- ProcessController.h
|  |  |- ProcessService.cpp
|  |- models/                  # Domain models
|  |  |- ISOReader.cpp         # 7-Zip wrapper for ISO reading
|  |  |- IniConfigurator.cpp   # Drive letter replacement in INI files
|  |  |- FileCopyManager.cpp   # Progress tracking for file operations
|  |  |- EventManager.h        # Observer pattern for events
|  |  |- ContentExtractor.cpp  # ISO content extraction
|  |  |- HashVerifier.cpp      # Hash verification (MD5)
|  |  |- efimanager.cpp        # EFI partition management
|  |  |- isomounter.cpp        # ISO mounting operations
|  |  |- DiskIntegrityChecker.cpp
|  |  |- VolumeDetector.cpp
|  |  |- SpaceManager.cpp
|  |  |- DiskpartExecutor.cpp
|  |  |- PartitionReformatter.cpp
|  |  |- PartitionCreator.cpp
|  |- services/                # Application services
|  |  |- ISOCopyManager.cpp    # ISO copying orchestration
|  |  |- BCDManager.cpp        # BCD configuration
|  |  |- PartitionManager.cpp  # Partition operations
|  |  |- PartitionDetector.cpp # Partition detection
|  |  |- VolumeManager.cpp     # Volume management
|  |  |- isotypedetector.cpp   # ISO type detection (Windows/Linux)
|  |- utils/                   # Utilities
|  |  |- Utils.cpp             # General utilities
|  |  |- Logger.cpp            # Logging system
|  |  |- LocalizationManager.cpp  # Multi-language support
|  |- views/                   # Win32 UI
|  |  |- mainwindow.cpp        # Main application window
|  |  |- EditionSelectorDialog.cpp  # Edition selection dialog
|  |- main.cpp                 # Application entry point
|  |- SevenZipGuids.cpp        # 7-Zip GUID definitions
|- tests/                      # Unit tests
|  |- utils_tests.cpp
|  |- test_recover_space.cpp
|- tools/                      # Build and validation tools
|  |- validate_translations.cpp
|- third-party/                # 7-Zip SDK
|  |- C/                       # C implementation files
|  |- CPP/                     # C++ implementation files
|  |- DOC/                     # License and documentation
|- lang/                       # Localization files
|  |- en_us.xml                # English (US)
|  |- es_cr.xml                # Spanish (Costa Rica)
|- isos/                       # Test ISOs directory
|- release-assets/             # Release assets
|- res/                        # Resources (icons, images)
|- test_ini_replacer.cpp       # INI replacer test
|- test_iso_detection.cpp      # ISO detection test
|- test_iso_reader.cpp         # ISO reader test
|- test_list_formats.cpp       # Format listing test
|- CMakeLists.txt              # CMake build configuration
|- compilar.bat                # Windows build script
|- .clang-format               # Code formatting configuration
|- LICENSE                     # GPL 3.0 License
|- README.md                   # This file
|- ARCHITECTURE.md             # Architecture documentation
|- release_notes.md            # Release notes

Credits

Developed by Andrey Rodríguez Araya in 2025.

License

This project is under the GPL 3.0 License. See the LICENSE file for more details.

Third-party notices

• 7‑Zip SDK: Portions of this product include code from the 7‑Zip SDK by Igor Pavlov.
  • Licensing summary (per third-party/DOC/License.txt):
    • Most files are licensed under the GNU LGPL (v2.1 or later).
    • Some files are public domain where explicitly stated in headers.
    • CPP/7zip/Compress/LzfseDecoder.cpp is under the BSD 3‑Clause license.
    • CPP/7zip/Compress/Rar* are under GNU LGPL with the “unRAR license restriction”.
  • We vendor a minimal subset (ISO handler and common utilities). No RAR code is used by this project.
  • Full texts: see third-party/DOC/License.txt, third-party/DOC/lzma.txt, and third-party/DOC/unRarLicense.txt.