[dforionstar]

ilko_t, on Feb 11 2009, 12:59 PM, said:

Did you miss my answer?

Yes, I did miss your answer, thank you, I will try again.

[ilko_t]

jacopo, on Feb 11 2009, 04:06 PM, said:

I will do.
But first, I would try to run WinSetup from XP and see if it is a Vista-related issue.

To save time- play directly with HP USB format tool + grubinst.exe and compare bootsectors with HDhacker.

This post has been edited by ilko_t: 11 February 2009 - 05:46 PM

[dforionstar]

ilko_t, on Feb 11 2009, 12:31 AM, said:

]Why are you entering step 2 (GUI mode) of the setup at all? Didn't you want to perform repair install?

I understand what you are saying and the diff between 1) and 2) GUI mode, but I was not deliberately selecting the GUI mode.

[jaclaz]

jacopo, on Feb 12 2009, 12:06 AM, said:

ilko_t, on Feb 11 2009, 11:59 PM, said:

I would post here for support from grub4dos developers, mentioning the error above, result of grubinst.exe -l (hd1), your OS you run grubinst under, partition is NTFS and that FAT32 works fine:
http://www.boot-land...hp?showforum=66

I will do.
But first, I would try to run WinSetup from XP and see if it is a Vista-related issue.

I would also try on another PC, or double check the BIOS, some (few) BIOS have a setting that to avoid Viruses tampering with MBR disable writings to it, as well some antivirus softwares have this feature.

Maybe this is the case.

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 12 February 2009 - 02:59 AM

[Sergo]

Have been playing with WinSetupFromUSB for a while worked ok so far, even on laptop.
But hit a snag today with Dell Optiplex 755 (ICH9)
with all drivers integrated (same install for on Dell E6400,also intel chipset)
I got a bSOD 0x7B only when boot from USB (when 32 bit setup starts)
booting the same image from CD is OK.

It seems setup considers USB drive a boot device but can't find a 32 bit driver for it?

Edit: Also tested on external USB hard drive - same result.

[ilko_t]

@Sergo

Look at FAQs, Q3/A3:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=116766

[Sergo]

ilko_t, on Feb 13 2009, 02:16 AM, said:

@Sergo

Look at FAQs, Q3/A3:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=116766

Thanks, ilko_t
hacked ntdetect.com fixed the problem
How did you figure out what code to correct?

[jaclaz]

Sergo, on Feb 14 2009, 12:36 AM, said:

How did you figure out what code to correct?

Basically, he didn't.

Read this post:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...12630&st=11

and links within it.

Dietmar Stoelting found out that the XP SP1 NTDETECT.COM is "more tolerant" than SP2 and (possibly ) later versions.

jaclaz

[hardywang]

Boomh4u3r, on Feb 8 2009, 11:48 PM, said:

Sorry,but i get this

grubinst.exe could not make a backup of MBR

How do i get a MBR on my sd card?

I have the same issue, I use 4GB USB drive to make bootable installation.

my log file has
2009/02/14 20:17:18- WinSetupFromUSB 0.1.1 started
2009/02/14 20:17:18- OS WIN_XP X86 ServicePack: Service Pack 3
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Getting USB drives information
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Found USB Physical Disk: Lexar JD FireFly USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Found USB Disk Partition: Disk #1, Partition #0
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Found USB Logical Disk: E: File system: FAT Bootable: -1
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Target drive selected- E:
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Drive letter of the active partition in selected disk- E:
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Total target size avialable- 3824 MB
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Checking sizes...
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Total source size- 0 MB
2009/02/14 20:17:18- Target space available- 3824 MB
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Checking sizes...
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Total source size- 554.4 MB
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Target space available- 3824 MB
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Windows source selected- D:
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Source version- Windows XP Professional
2009/02/14 20:17:22- Service Pack- Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2
2009/02/14 20:17:22- AMD64 flag- 0
2009/02/14 20:17:24- Removing TEMP folder
2009/02/14 20:17:24- Backing up MBR of disk #1
2009/02/14 20:17:24- C:\Temp\Install XP from USB\WinSetupFromUSB\files\grub4dos\grubinst.exe -s=mbrdisk1-20090214-201724.dat -t (hd1)
2009/02/14 20:17:28- grubinst.exe could not make a backup of MBR of disk #1
2009/02/14 20:17:28- ---------------------------------Program quited-----------------------------------------------

I got a "grubinst.exe could not make a backup of MBR" error when I try to launch the process.

My 4GB USB stick is already formatted to FAT32 (I also tried NTFS) with HP utility.

Any hints?

Thanks
Hardy

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 15 February 2009 - 12:12 PM

[ilko_t]

Try installing the program in path without spaces in it, e.g. C:\WinSetupFromUSB

[dforionstar]

ilko_t, on Feb 11 2009, 12:31 AM, said:

To perform the repair install you need an extra line in BOOT.INI on the internal disk.
For example if this is the current boot.ini:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

you need to add another line at the bottom:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="USB repair, NOT to start Windows

Then Setup will recognize the existing installation. This is if Windows is in the first partition.

Thanks ilko_t!

After adding the line to the boot.ini (on my C: partition), and restarting, I get into Setup, press ENTER on the first screen, get the EULA and press F8, then Setup should look for existing installations of Windows and offer to Repair. But instead it goes straight to the screen showing all my partitions on the Internal drive, + the Sandisk UFD and asks which partition I would like to install on. When I Boot from my very slow CD, I DO get the Repair screen with the two found Windows installations.

My boot.ini looks like this before the install:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"  /fastdetect /bootlog /sos /noexecute=optout
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=" XP #2 "  /fastdetect  /bootlog /sos /noexecute=optout
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="USB repair, NOT to start Windows"

On boot, I got the custom Multiboot menu, and select (1).

Thanks in advance.

This post has been edited by dforionstar: 15 February 2009 - 06:09 PM

[Xeijin]

I used WinSetupFromUSB for Windows XP on my 4GB SanDisk Cruzer.

When I boot from the USB, I get a line saying

Starting cmain()...

(or something along those lines)


Then I get something about loading menu.lst, three lines about different menu.lst

Finally I end up at a prompt:

grub> _

What do I need to do from here?

[ilko_t]

@dforionstar - will reply later, need to perform a few tests first.

@Xeijin- try replacing file GRLDR in USB stick root with the one from the latest grub4dos version:
http://nufans.net/grub4dos/

If no luck with the latest version try GRLDR from this version:
http://nufans.net/grub4dos/history/grub4do...-2008-05-14.zip

[ilko_t]

@dforionstar

Open up USB_stick\$win_nt$.~bt\winnt.sif in Notepad and comment out these two entries as shown:

;winntupgrade="no"
;win9xupgrade="no"

Does Setup now find the previous installation and offer repair?

[dforionstar]

ilko_t, on Feb 17 2009, 12:18 PM, said:

Open up USB_stick\$win_nt$.~bt\winnt.sif in Notepad and comment out these two entries as shown:

;winntupgrade="no"
;win9xupgrade="no"

Does Setup now find the previous installation and offer repair?

These two lines are not in my winnt.sif on USB stick.

[ilko_t]

Please post your winnt.sif file, removing any sensitive data you may have, such as productID etc.

[dforionstar]

ilko_t, on Feb 18 2009, 12:14 AM, said:

Please post your winnt.sif file, removing any sensitive data you may have, such as productID etc.

Here is my current winnt.sif from UFD:

; Generated by nLite 1.4.9.1

[Data]
MsDosInitiated=1
floppyless=1
AutomaticUpdates="No"
Autopartition=0
UnattendedInstall="No"

[Display]
Xresolution=1440
Yresolution=900
BitsPerPel=32

[SystemRestore]
MaximumDataStorePercentOfDisk=10

[GuiUnattended]
OemSkipWelcome=1

[Shell]
CustomDefaultThemeFile="%WinDir%\Resources\Themes\Luna.theme"

[Components]

[UserData]
ProductKey=

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale="0409"
UserLocale="0409"
UserLocale_DefaultUser="0409"
InputLocale="0409:00000409"
InputLocale_DefaultUser="0409:00000409"

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents="Yes"

[GuiRunOnce]
"binifix4.cmd c:"
"undoren.cmd"
;  
;  Changed by USB_MultiBoot for INSTALL XP from USB
;  
[SetupParams]
UserExecute = "ren_fold.cmd"

[ilko_t]

Sorry, I have no ideas. Maybe try removing UnattendedInstall="No"
Is the windows version the same as the one on the CD which repair install option worked?

I recall in the previous tests when Setup was performed from USB, repair install was possible, should the extra line in boot.ini was present. Maybe some entries in \windows\system32\$winnt$.inf, which differ from a CD install matter as well...

[wimb]

Repair of Existing Windows is enabled by Removing Unattended Section.

Well, I don't see an Unattended Section in his winnt.sif but could it be
that such section is added in the manipulation ?

[ilko_t]

@dforionstar

Try with only these entries in winnt.sif and nothing else:

[data]
floppyless="1"
msdosinitiated="1"

Make sure you are editing winnt.sif in ~BT folder.
Did you use USB_multiboot or WinSetupFromUSB ? If the latter, did you replace the modified by the program winnt.sif with your own, or created previously by USB_multiboot?