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Custom WinPE build

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ichimitch:
Using the Win10PE SE tool (available here: http://win10se.cwcodes.net) I have been trying with frustratingly little success to create a custom WinPE build to act as a lightweight OS for an arcade cabinet.

I experimented a little with someone else's custom WinPE build called "Bob.Omb's Modified Win10PE" (available here: https://goo.gl/bs3rUA). Using that build and a few downloaded .dll files I was able to run frontend Launchbox (available here: www.launchbox-app.com) as well as a number of emulators.

The problem with using Bob.Omb's build is that it was intended to be used as recovery media and is loaded with a tonne of applications for recovery purposes; but it did show me that what I want to achieve IS possible. Seemingly though, I'm very out of my depth :( Which is why I am here. If anyone out there would be willing to take on this WinPE build for me I would pay for your efforts, if I'm able to match what you think it's worth.

Shades:
It must be Windows? If emulation of games is the only thing required, I think you can get much more quickly a linux-based bootable environment where you can select the type of emulator (Amiga, MegaDrive, SNES, etc.) and then use the emulator software to look for the ROM you want to play.

This is a LifeHacker link with instructions on how to create such a system with Lakka.

Another simple (but time-consuming) way to attack this problem is to create the PE environment that did work for you onto a pendrive, strip that one from all the apps/tools you don't think you need and recreate an iso file from what remains. A tool called: Folder2Iso could be of help.

Or get a Raspberry Pi device (about 30 USD) and use the emulation station software with it. This works also with Linux and Windows machines, but those kinda  defeat the whole purpose.

In any case, what you want has been done already and can be attained for a relatively small amount of money and a bit of (hobbying) time. There are worse ways to spend a Saturday :)

ichimitch:
I'm set on Windows for one reason only: to use Launchbox as the frontend for my cabinet.

Launchbox is by far the best frontend out there IMO (https://youtu.be/Wdp9IB5pl2Y) however it's only available for Windows. The devs say they will create a Linux version one day but they've been saying that for years now so I won't hold my breath.

The problem with using a full OS for a dedicated arcade cabinet is the amount of unwanted background processes. So I set out to create a WinPE build which contains only the essential framework for Launchbox and emulators.

After nearly 40 hours of wrestling with it I had a breakthrough today. Now I have an OS which is light on resources and has absolute minimal chance of some background task ever interfering while the emulators are running. Next step: add Launchbox.

I dare say this cabinet will be one of a kind :)

Ath:
You seem to run it on a quad-core CPU with HT. What horrible amount of media do you need to run simultaneously that can't be handled by a normal Windows? Or is it a whoofully inefficient/old system?
And there are ample recipes for stopping any unneeded Windows services, might that be a bottleneck.
IMHO, you are hunting for ghosts.

Btw, do you have a solution for the (free and forced, but usually undesired) reboot after running Win PE for 72 hours?

wraith808:
I'd not heard of the Launchbox project!  I'll have to look into that.  Are you making your WinPE build public?  I'd love to take a look at what you've done.

You seem to run it on a quad-core CPU with HT. What horrible amount of media do you need to run simultaneously that can't be handled by a normal Windows? Or is it a whoofully inefficient/old system?
And there are ample recipes for stopping any unneeded Windows services, might that be a bottleneck.
IMHO, you are hunting for ghosts.

Btw, do you have a solution for the (free and forced, but usually undesired) reboot after running Win PE for 72 hours?
-Ath (August 07, 2018, 09:06 AM)
--- End quote ---

It seems to me that he's running games.  In a console cabinet.  Which means he's probably running one of those book sized machines.

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