Hi all!
I searched wherever but found nothing to solve my problem.
I edit win setup with nlite to assign "Doc&Settings" and "Program Files" folders to the second partition D.
When I create the USBstick to install windows I choose to assign drive letter U (modded migrate.inf) anyway in the textmode setup my USBstick take always letter D.
So if I continue setup, some folders are created in my usb.
When I'm in textmode I see this table:

476938 SCSI disk, Id 0, bus 0, on iaStor [MBR]
C: Partition1 (XP) [NTFS]
E: Partition2 (XP_data) [NTFS]
F: Partition3 (Vista) [NTFS]
G: Partition4 (Share) [FAT32]

1962 disk [MBR]
D: Partition1 (XP_USB) [NTFS]

What can I do to have this instead?:
476938 SCSI disk, Id 0, bus 0, on iaStor [MBR]
C: Partition1 (XP) [NTFS]
D: Partition2 (XP_data) [NTFS]
E: Partition3 (Vista) [NTFS]
F: Partition4 (Share) [FAT32]

1962 disk [MBR]
U: Partition1 (XP_USB) [NTFS]

Can you help me??
Thank you!

Assigning Drive Letter U: using migrate.inf only works for Removable Devices.

Is your USB-stick in My Computer presented in the List of Fixed Local Drives ?

What Drive Type (Option 0 in USB_MultiBoot_10.cmd) did you use: USB-stick or USB-Harddisk ?

Can you give your migrate.inf as produced by USB_MultiBoot_10.cmd in the $WIN_NT$.~BT folder on USB-stick ?

Hi wimb and thanks for your reply. Let me say USB_MultiBoot_10 is a wonderful piece of code.
Yes, my USB-stick is a Verbatim Store-n-go (2gb) and is listed as Removable Devices in MyComputer.
I always use USB-stick as drive type at option 0 in USB_MultiBoot_10.
Here's my migrate.inf:


Thank you very much for your help!

Similar problem described here and the following posts:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=824348

Can you try with another USB stick? This was the resolution in that case.

Ops! I bought a 2gb usb-drive just for xp setup..
Anyway ok. I will try with another stick as soon as I find one.
Thanks!

Also I noticed another thing.. In my nlited winnt.sif there is this section:

..that is not present in the version modded by USB_MultiBoot_10.
Note that I specify to use partition D for the "Program files" folder and for "Documenti and Settings" too.
Is it correct to miss that part?

Unfortunately, the procedure of USB_MultiBoot_10.cmd does NOT allow to make use of [Unattended] Section.

However, there are two very good solutions which can handle the [Unattended] Section as you wish:

WinSetupFromUSB of ilko_t
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=120444

Install XP from USB AFTER Booting with PE from HDD or USB
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5306


ilko_t indicated already that your USB-stick Make is may be NOT willing
for getting Drive letter U: during XP Setup ....

Changing default directories paths is not yet supported in WinSetupFromUSB. In my last tests I noticed that "program files" and "documents and settings" were not created during Text mode part, which gives pretty good chances to find a workaround by using presetup.cmd for example. However, I was after something else and did not pay much attention, the above statement could be wrong.

Thank you both wimb and ilko_t.
I will make some test and post results here. Maybe it could be useful for someone... stay tuned!

I tested another usb pendrive (Imation Nano 4gb) and it's quite the same. Now I have:

3892 disk [MBR]
D: Partition1 (XP_USB) [NTFS]

476938 SCSI disk, Id 0, bus 0, on iaStor [MBR]
C: Partition1 (XP) [NTFS]
E: Partition2 (XP_data) [NTFS]
F: Partition3 (Vista) [NTFS]
G: Partition4 (Share) [FAT32]

So I think it's impossible for me to install Windows from usb.
Furthermore when I try to include the [Unattended] section in both winat.sif and winnt.sif I get an error just before the partitioning screen in txtsetup. Some of this:
"Impossible to copy \WINDOWS folder. Impossible to find the folder..."

So I'm coming back to the classic cd(nlited) setup. I'm sorry.
Setup after booting with WinPE is too much complicated to use and to update.
Maybe I will try later with Vista on my second partition.

Anyway if any of you has a workaround to my problems please let me now.
Thank you!!

I have to correct myself- using WinSetupFromUSB 0.2, which will be published in a few days and custom directories, defined in winnt.sif DOES work. Seems the trick with merging back the unattended section to $winnt$.inf using presetup.cmd does the trick. The directories entries are parsed from $winnt$.inf after start of GUI mode, after presetup.cmd was launched and actually a few minutes after T-39, when the directories are created as well.

winnt.sif:


setuplog.txt:


setupapi.log:

As far as I remember 0.1.1 should work fine with those entries as well.

In other words pretty much everything in winnt.sif has been covered

This is great! I'll try when you release it and when I complete my WinXPsp3 cd with nLite.
Anyway I have to find a workaround for the missing U:\ driveletter..
As soon as I can I'll make other test.
Thanks ilko_t for the advice

Can you test the same stick on another computer? This would be harmless- just get to the partitioning screen in Text mode and see drive letters, no need to continue with installation. Then you can shut down the PC or use F3 to abort Setup.

Hello and sorry for late...
I tested your GUI apps with my first usb key (Verbatim) but now I get just this line:
3892 disk [MBR]
C: Partition1 (XP_USB) [NTFS]

So all of my other partition are invisible and I can't continue with setup.
Unfortunately I don't have another USB boot compatible computer so I can't try...

Then I tried to use FAT for the USB_drive and at boot I have black screen with only this entry:
Second part XP professional setup from hd 0 part 1

In the boot.ini I have entry for the 2nd part only. Nothing for the first part so I can't start txtsetup.

You most likely do not have the appropriate mass storage (SATA) driver included, or in BIOS SATA mode was on IDE and now is in AHCI/SATA/RAID mode. Did you use the same windows source?

Don't use FAT on this large drive, try FAT32 instead, but be warned- file copy part in Text mode could be painfully slow. NTFS is much faster.

The windows source is the same with sata drivers nlited, working on cd.
Bios settings are the same.
I know FAT could really slow but I thought to make a try and see if there was some chance to get U letter for my usb stick.
Thanks for advice

Can you attach your txtsetup.sif from USB disk root?
What computer is this, brand/model if is laptop? Motherboard model if desktop? Do you know by any chance the HardwareID of the SATA controller?
I see iastor used, can you try setting up SATA controller in IDE mode and try again?

Yes, of course!
CPU: Intel i7 920
MotherBoard: Asus P6T

Sata controller is Intel ICH10R
HWID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A22&SUBSYS_82D41043&REV_00

Here's my txtsetup.sif
Click to view attachment

Let me make another test in NTFS to try in IDE mode because in FAT I got the same, just 2nd part in black screen...

Made other tests using NTFS format on the Imation Nano 4gb.
I tried:
1. BIOS AHCI mode both with original presetup.cmd or with some change in the beginning lines:

I simply moved D from first group of letters to the 2nd.
I get the same entries as my other post 9

2. BIOS IDE mode with original and modded presetup.cmd and get the same

Anyway I think that change in presetup has no effect on anything...
I really don't know what I can do right now

You have no entries for iaStor, neither for PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A22 in the txtsetup.sif posted.

What is broken? In your first post I see iaStor loaded. You are saying that you have used the same source. Where did iaStor driver come from in your first post and why it is not present in the posted txtsetup.sif? Something must have been changed meanwhile.

Presetup.cmd is loaded at start of GUI mode and does not play any role during Text mode where you problem is. No need to play with it at all.

I would advice you to start with clean, original, not modified in any way XP SP3. If you cannot find such source use for the tests the trial Server 2003, freely available from MS:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows...r/bb430831.aspx

Since you will be testing Text mode only you won't need a serial number, just get the first English img file from here, extract it somewhere and use it as a source.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/1...F/X13-04874.img
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003...llinstruct.mspx

Use WinSetupFromUSB with Copy Setup boot/RC files only option checked. This will let you test Text mode only without copying the whole source. Files put on USB stick are 6-12MB total size and preparation takes seconds.

1. Try to prepare the USB stick in NTFS, and BIOS in IDE mode. If no luck go to 2. Do not touch anything with nLite yet.
2. Integrate BTS mass storage drivers, selecting Text mode drivers too. Format and rebuild the USB stick with the same option checked, put BIOS in AHCI/SATA mode. Do not touch anything with nLite yet.

Is your USB stick now U:? Do you see the internal hard disk(s) now?

Please follow the advices blindly, do NOT introduce any changes, which in your opinion may be irrelevant.

I'm sorry . That was not the correct version of txtsetup.sif.
Here's it:
Click to view attachment
With this sif sata driver load succesfully and setup goes right with the nlited cd.

I tried with my original XPsp2 cd source loading iaStor by F6 but is always the same, both in AHCI and IDE mode. USB gets partition D:
Now I'm downloading XP 2003 sp2 as you said me, because I don't have a not modified XP SP3. Thank you!

XP 2003 sp2 both AHCI (with F6) and IDE mode failed. I always get the same:
476938 SCSI disk, Id 0, bus 0, on iaStor [MBR] <--this change by IDE or SATA mode
C: Partition1 (XP) [NTFS]
E: Partition2 (XP_data) [NTFS]
F: Partition3 (Vista) [NTFS]
G: Partition4 (Share) [FAT32]

1962 disk [MBR]
D: Partition1 (XP_USB) [NTFS]

I'll try to integrate BTS mass storage. Do I have to use DP_base or nLite integration?
Now I'm trying with DP_base...

No news.. XP 2003 sp2 with BTS Mass Storage integrated with DP_base failed too. Both in IDE and AHCI.
So I think there's no chance for me to install via USB.
Maybe it's the Asus P6T BIOS (v.0403) or the USB controller... I don't know

Ok, now missing SATA disk problem is resolved, you can use either source you have as it should not be the problem. USB stick getting D: might be something to do with BIOS or the USB stick

Try in BIOS-->Advanced-->USB configuration to change values of BIOS EHCI Hand off to Disabled and maybe Legacy USB support to Enabled if it is Auto. Just random ideas...

Another one- open up Regedit, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices, right click on it and export it in a reg file.
Attach this file along with the latest migrate.inf in ~BT folder on the USB stick.

Tryed... again D:
Also I tried in "BIOS-->Advanced-->USB configuration--> USB Mass Storage Device Configuration" to force Emulation type to "CDROM" and to "Hard Disk" but nothing...



I'm sorry..
Where do I have to export that key? Do I have to log in windows on the machine on which I'm trying to boot with USB U: and take that registry?

On the machine you used to prepare the USB stick. Please also mention what drive letter was the USB stick last time you prepared it with Windows setup. All this is on the same machine, where you run WinSetupFromUSB or USB_multiboot. Leaving the remote machine alone for a while.

Both the sticks take letter H.
Here is the files you asked me:
Click to view attachment

Win 2003 is on the Verbatim 2gb
XP pro sp3 nlited with apps, driver, hotfixes and tweaks is on the Imation Nano 4gb

I'm sorry but now I have to leave because I have to take a 9 hours bus to go to my parents in the south of Italy for the Easter. I'll take all the sticks with me and I'll try with my father pc.
I will give you more feedback in the next days.

Thank you very much for your support. You are very kind.

Hello, I tried both my usb sticks on other 2 computers: a brand new HP dv5 1120 laptop and a P4 3Ghz (MoBo = Gigabyte GA-8IPE775-G) but I get always and always letter D. It seems it's impossible to get U letter in any way.
Maybe are really the sticks...
Any news by reading at the files reg and migrate?

Hi, everything seems correct in the posted files. I am really clueless as of what maybe causing this behavior. It still could be the USB stick(s)...

I find improbable that the stick is the problem.

Try reading these:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=125945
http://www.msfn.org/board/profiles-directo...me-t125819.html

and use the MakeMigrateInf.exe:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=at...st&id=23940

Run it TWO times, one with the stick inserted and mounted:



and one without it:


Attach the two resulting files, together with the output of mkmigrateinf.cmd.



jaclaz

Hi, sorry for late.
Ciao Jaclaz,
here's the files you requested.
migrate_inf.txt is the output of MkMigrateInf2.cmd (the only that I found in the USB_MultiBoot_10 pack)
Thanks for your support.
Click to view attachment

Did you run it with options?

To keep things together use MkMigrateInf2.cmd from WinSetupFromUSB folder\files\winsetup\.
Use in command line:



Where H: is drive letter of the USB stick. Re-attach c:\migrate_inf.txt.

Yep, right now the migrate.inf you produced with mkmigrateinf2.cmd is that of your Hard disk (normally C:\).

I'll check the output files of MakeMigrateInf.exe, anyway.

The only other (similar but not exactly the same) problem related with not working migrate.inf I can remember is on this thread:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21682

Though I don't think you are in ANY of the situations that caused the problem, have a look at it, and see if you can spot any similarities with your setup/harware/whatever.

jaclaz

No, without options. Now I used your command to run it. Here it is:
Click to view attachment


Hi Jaclaz and grazie. I read the thread you linked but it's too much complicated for me to understand... I'm sorry
Anyway now I posted the migrate.inf produced by running the ilko_t's command.
Hope can be useful, but I think it's just the same as the previous I posted..

No, it's not the same.
This last one is "right".

I see no reasons why it shouldn't work, unless something else prevents it to be working.

Are you using some "unattended" settings?

Your "complete" output from MakeMigrateInf.exe lists a great number of removable devices, do you have one of those multi-card readers?

Sometimes they can be a royal PITA.


However, I am attaching a "right" one for your "H:\" device, try using this one.

For the sake of experimenting, you should (momentarily) forget about "unattended" and ANY other "custom" setting you may have introduced, my guess is that you added/modify "something" which is simply escaping all of our current ideas/checks and that causes the migrate.inf not to be applied.

jaclaz

Yes, for both the questions.
I use unattended settings made with nLite and RunOnceEx. These are my nLite configs:
Click to view attachment

And Yes, I use a multi-card reader but only on the notebook on which I'm working to make the usb stick bootable.

Anyway these are the settings for my 4gb usb key (Imation Nano).
Ilko_t suggested me to try with a clean Windows with just BTS mass storage drivers slipstreamed. I tried that on another 2gb Verbatim drive but it didn't work too..

Same problem with your migrate.inf Jaclaz. I'm sorry, what can I try now?

I am short of ideas.

Clearly there must be a reason.

It is simply escaping us.

I mean, this feature worked for several thousands of people, thus it can be considered "fully tested".

If you used a "clean" UNMODIFIED source WITHOUT unattended, it cannot be anything connected with mods like nlite (which however was never reported as causing problems or other similar "source modifying" apps/scripts).



jaclaz

Does anyone have a fine MountedDevices explanation?
How does windows build RemovableMedia string?


Lets investigate:

MountedDevices value contains at XP machine RemovableMedia:
I'm used to RemovableMedia#7.
There is a example http://www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/USB_History_Viewing

RemovableMedia#8 and RemovableMedia#9 is strange.
Does a notebook multi-card cause this?

Another idea:
USB serial number may cause this.

Windows does use USB serial number. The USB hardware or a windows setting maybe involved.
Read section 'USB serial number' http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html

@pipster
Does your hardware use a USB serial number?
USBDeview http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
UWe does offer a tool too.

What about your setting HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\UsbFlags\GlobalDisableSerNumGen ?

Did you made a windows full install?
Which MountedDevices goes to USB stick at new installed windows?

Thanks cdob, quite interesting, as usual.

Reading http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html it appears that if no serials are present upon change of USB port stick will be detected as a new one. This would explain why getting another USB stick helped the other user with the same problem- the second one had USB serial number.

Maybe OP had bad luck with the second stick he tried, not having serial number as the first one

Will be waiting for pipster's results from USBDeview, hopefully this will reveal the mystery.

Good catch!

I have a Desktop with a multicard reader and everything is #7 type.

@pipster
You may want to try running this thingie:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/usbhistory/
as follows:


and post the USB_rep.txt

jaclaz

Yes, I see serial number in USBDeview.
GlobalDisableSerNumGen doesn't exist in my registry.



Here it is:
Click to view attachment


Here it is:
Click to view attachment


Thank you all guys for your great support. Hope we can find the trick...

I guess we could have saved a lot of bandwith if pipster just listed the only USB device available in a 2.43 Km radius from the PC he NEVER connected to it.



23rd October 2008 must have been a busy day.

I would try to disconnect all USB devices and delete all keys under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\

Then try reconnecting one stick and see what happens.

Maybe something made the 7& being available and start with 8& and 9&....

jaclaz

At first glance USB serial stick dosn't cause the behaviour.
Maybe there is another windows setting?

Does windows install files contain a ignore USB serial setting.
Hence new installed windows ignore MountedDevices?


migrate_XPproSp3.inf
\??\STORAGE#RemovableMedia#8&141a0a73&0&RM#{53f5630d-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

migrate_Win2003.inf
\??\STORAGE#RemovableMedia#8&157ad62&0&RM#{53f5630d-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

RemovableMedia#8 is very seldom used.
Does this relate to hardware or windows?

If you boot windows at another machine, does windows use RemovableMedia#7 or RemovableMedia#8 for the USB stick?

@pipster
Can you install windows again?
Which MountedDevices goes to USB stick at new installed windows?

If new installed windows use RemovableMedia#7 then a adjusted migrate.inf should work.

@jaclaz
Uwe offers DriveCleanup to remove USB devices from registry.
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/drivetools_e.html

Eheheh!
I have tested 3-4 mouses, and everyone coming here is plugging their usb stick.
I have 3 sticks, 1 external hd (dead some days ago with his 320gb of data ), webcam, card reader, ... so many devices
But is such a strange thing 95% of that have born on 23rd October 2008!!



No, please don't ask me to install windows again... I did it for about 10 times in a few days and I don't have my new pc fully working yet. I bought it 2 months ago... . Now I would just to use it.
Anyway I have Windows installed from just 2-3 days on that new pc so it has just few usb devices already mounted.
Here is the reports:
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

I'm sorry but I lost all of you in the technical details... Where do I can find the strings RemovableMedia#8, RemovableMedia#7, ....???

And... what devices I have to sweep with DriveCleanup?


EDIT----------------------------------------------------------
Ok cdob, maybe you are in the right way. I think this can be useful:
On the notebook, where I prepare the stick:

On the new PC, where I'm trying to use that stick:

And finally it works! WOW!
I replaced the old migrate.inf: Click to view attachment
with this one: Click to view attachment
The second one cames from the new PC, exported \DosDevice\H: from the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices
I just copied the value of that key \DosDevice\H: into the migrate.inf.

I want really to thanks all of you for your continuos support. I learned so many new things just reading your posts.
Thank you!

Quite interesting, thanks for all the reports.
So RemovableMedia#8 made the difference. In old windows it's 8, in the new install it's 7.
Reading this and cdob's link reveals the bolded part is ParentIdPrefix.
\??\STORAGE#RemovableMedia#8&141a0a73&0&RM#{53f5630d-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

Cdob raised the question:
Search at microsoft.com shows no clues for the changing number, a lot to be read from Google results.

Another interesting quite from the links above:


So by detecting the latter we may know that migrate.inf drive lettering may not be applied and by putting in it multiple entries for RemovableMedia#7 , 8 (any others used for USB mass storage devices?) we might get around similar issues.

@pipster
Does the new PC have any card readers?
As far as I remember you tried the USB stick on other computers, did any of them have USB card reader or any similar USB mass storage device- USB MP3 player, printer with card reader, phone connected via USB etc. etc. ?
Do you have on the old computer an USB hub or PCI USB card? Where do you connect the USB stick to?

Yep, but the "ID" is not the "ParentIDPrefix".

I would say that the issue at hand is not related to Serial (or lack of it) or maybe by something connected to it but not really "it".

There are a number of entries in the USB_rep.txt that look suspicious, as they have no "ParentIDPrefix", some have "autogenerated-second-letter-&" ID's, some don't.




Thanks for the reminder.



We also learned something new, so I guess we are even.

jaclaz

The new pc has no card reader. Just the USB on top of the case, connected on the mb. As you can see here: http://techgage.com/article/cooler_master_cm_690/
But on the old notebook I connected an external Hama multi card reader, maybe it is the culprit.
On my father PC there's another external multi card reader but I didn't look at registry..




Di questo non posso che essere contento

So how do you think I can fix that usb entries on the notebook?
I have to use DriveCleanup?
What command I have to use?
-h only USB hubs
-u only USB mass storage devices
-d only Disk devices
-c only CDROM devices
-f only Floppy devices
-v only Storage Volume devices
Maybe -h -u -v ??

Sorry, my bad, a lot of information after midnight...

(list all devices that will be "affected" by the command - just to be sure)
then

(without parameters), that will get rid of:




jaclaz

Thanks
Did it. It removed a lot of things..
Then I plugged the Nano stick and... it gets parentID similar to the previous one (8&141a0a73&0):
8&141a0a73&1

With 1 at the end but always starting with 8&
I have to format this notebook when I have some time...

Which means obviously that the proggie did not remove the "something" that makes it get the "wrong" ParentID.

Can you do a Regedit search on that machine Registry for string:

And post results, or better yet, get Regfind.exe
http://www.petri.co.il/download_free_reskit_tools.htm

and run:


You should get something similar to this (I used "7&2c889678&"):


It is possible that the tool only clears the \USBSTOR\?

jaclaz