Newbie problems - No programs on start menu

Hi All and apologies for these newbie questions but I worry that this is all to complicated for me :-(

Getting the basic Win8.1 ISO built and loaded on a USB stick with Easy2Boot was very straightforward thanks to some excellent instructions and examples on both sites

Booted from the USB no problem but . . . . . Yellow triangle on desktop

Says it cant find CDusb.Y or ISO file in the allotted directory
I am using Easy2Boot.
ISO is in H:\_ISO\WINDOWS\WIN8 with standard name Win8.1SE_x86.ISO
MountPEmedia.ini (in system32 on the booted PC) has this same name
but it seems CDUSB.Y is not on the USB


So after reading a few posts, I created an empty file CDUSB.Y in the root directory of the USB rebooted and the yellow triangle went away.

Why did I have to create CDusb.Y by hand? What have I missed out?


So now to try to add some programs. I have a number of 'portable' apps that I want to add so I tried Pstart and Papps. Seemed easy enough as in http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=837.0

I'll try Ghost 11.0, WinRar and Paragon
(Minor problem with PStart script - the column headings don't always display and 4 lines of instructions don't appear until you edit)

So I copied the app files to L:\Software\OS\Win8.1PE SE\Projects\Win8.1SE\Apps\Portable\Pstart\AppDir 
next to the explorer++ directory
WinBuilder has target directory set to [Drive]\Programs\Pstart.exe

and ran Winbuilder

Booted from the USB just fine (no yellow triangle)
but there are no programs - not even explorer++

Looking elsewhere and checking I Find Imdisk is not running. Its ticked under tweaks in Winbuilder but not executing on the booted system

So please what steps have I missed out?
Why is CDusb.Y not automatically put on the USB
Do I need ImDisk and if so why is it not running

Thanks for any help

Welcome Rincewindwiz,

I will try to respond as far as I know 

So please what steps have I missed out?
Why is CDusb.Y not automatically put on the USB

If ??? You use one of plugins:

WriteMedia\Copy to USB-Device
WriteMedia\Copy to USB-Device BCD BootMGR

Than there is something missing to be fixed ?! Chris knows better....


ps:
I prefer using .iso directy ( via \ISO\Win8.1SE.ini ) ......

Do I need ImDisk and if so why is it not running

No you don't need ImDisk, it only helps you have a better ( & bigger) Temp folder ( +Temporary space )

Why is not running, it should be !!!!! test with default settings using emulator ( \VirtualTest ), it should be working !!

This would be useful for your tests
http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=1210.0


**
As pointed at http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=837.0

Another, to me easier way to add applications is using
Utils\PC Packed

Q: How Can I add a Program ?

--Q: How to create simple Application Plugin ?
A: All projects have Utils\"PC Packed" plugin available,
  ( http://TheOven.org/index.php?topic=178.0 )
    follow plugin instructions, you will be able to create hundreds of simple plugins easily.

I don't know Apps\Portable\Pstart well, if Explorer++.exe shortcut working on your tests, than there is something missed from eyes !

Minor problem with PStart script - the column headings don't always display and 4 lines of instructions don't appear until you edit)

Well, yet another winbuilder bug,
I move mouse over plugin interface,
or re select at from left (tree view) by using keyboard up-down ;)



**
There is Ghost11 plugin at Yomi, Winrar Plugin at Gena,
 Some old Paragon plugins that would help at Yomi and a here is a topic http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=1057.0

Yomi
http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=175.0

Gena:
Gena\Utils\"Share Plugins" --> button "Share Plugins with" --> Select WinXSE

**
Keep in mind, you can put all projects to same Folder and Share plugins side by side easly,


++++
Well till Chris come around to check Imdisk and CDUSB.Y, I hope above helps 

If you boot from the ISO with E2B, you need to copy Win8.1SE.ini in the root of your USB.
For ISO boot, imdisk is required also to mount the ISO file in drive Y: and thus be able to access apps Inside ISO and outside of boot.wim (ex: pstart).

The original Win8.1SE.ini flag file is created at build time in ISO folder next to Win8.1SE_x86.ISO.
If the ISO is moved to a folder, _ISO\WINDOWS\WIN8 in your case, to be sought and mounted, you must specify the path and filename of your ISO in Win8.1SE.ini : 

[IsoInfo]
IsoName=_ISO\WINDOWS\WIN8\Win8.1SE_x86.ISO


FYI, CdUSB.Y is at root inside the ISO, and for the ISO boot it can not be used to search the USB key/disk.
CdUSB.Y is used by cons for the "standard" boot (sources\boot.wim in USB) to search the USB key/disk. It is the case if you use WriteMedia\Copy to USB-Device or WriteMedia\Copy to USB-Device BCD BootMGR.

http://www.easy2boot.com/add-payload-files/winbuilder-and-winpe-isos/

Nice tuto Steeve on how to use WinPE, WinPESE ISOs with your nice E2B USB multiboot solution