[cpuwhiz11]

Hello everyone, I have been having some particularly vexing issues with my Windows XP (SP3) Professional install as of late and I want to do a repair install to see if that can fix some of my issues. On my original Windows XP (SP2) disc, the repair install is available after agreeing to the license and selecting my install partition. However, on the slipstream disc I made using Nlite (including SP3) there appears to be no option to do a repair install. The only option is to reformat the partition I want to keep intact, which I do not want to do. Again, all I want is for the original system files to be replaced while retaining all my files and programs. I would have done this with my SP2 disc yet it complains that some files cannot be read. Thus after my somewhat lengthy and rambling discussion my question is this: Is there a way to make a slipstreamed disc using Nlite that will allow me to do a repair install?

I hope my question and the information leading to it is clear enough to illicit help. Any assistance anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. If I have missed a post already about this issue that I humbly beg forgiveness, and of course I can always provide more information if someone requests it. Cheers.

[Fernando 1]

cpuwhiz11, on Jul 15 2009, 09:05 AM, said:

Is there a way to make a slipstreamed disc using Nlite that will allow me to do a repair install?

Yes, boot of the CD/DVD and hit the F10 button while seeing the F6 driver integration message at the bottom of the display. Then you will get the repair option.

Update: My answer was not totally correct.
You can get the Recovery Console (for fixing the MBR etc.) by hitting F10, but probably will not be able to do a "Repair Install", if you are booting off an "Unattended Install" XP CD.
For further details you may look here.

This post has been edited by Fernando 1: 18 July 2009 - 04:28 AM

[Ponch]

cpuwhiz11, on Jul 15 2009, 09:05 AM, said:

If I have missed a post already about this issue that I humbly beg forgiveness

There is an entry about that in nLite's FAQ (this is not on the forum unfortunately), but more obvious, there is a thread about same subject from 3 days ago, still on the 1st page.

[cpuwhiz11]

Quote

there is a thread about same subject from 3 days ago, still on the 1st page.

Wow sorry about that epic fail there on my part. I blame my intense frustration. In other news thank you for your quick and speedy advice I shall attend to my repairs quickly.

P.S. I just noticed how poorly I framed my last quoted sentence.

[johnhc]

Hey guys, I have been telling people they cannot use Repair unless they install using 'Prompt Repair' mode under Unattended Mode of the General tab of the Unattended Section. The Help text for Unattended Mode seems to support this. If F10 really works when 'Fully Automatic' is chosen, that would be great and I will respond accordingly. One thing I do know is I learn something from Fernando 1 almost every day.
@cpuwhiz11, please let us know if this solves your problem and tell us what Unattended Mode you used (could just attach (not paste) your Last Session.) Thanks and enjoy, John.

[-X-]

F10 loads the Recovery Console, not the repair function ("press R to repair highlighted item" or something to that effect)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295116

Microsoft's page is wrong by thy way. It's like fernando says, when F6 prompt appears. I don't think I've ever seen "Welcome to Setup" appear.

[g-force]

To get a XPCD-SP3 for Repair start from scratch and integrate SP3 in your XP-SP2.

Only integrate SP3 and burn ISO - nothing more!

[cpuwhiz11]

Problem fixed (sorta): I was able to do exactly what I desired by selecting to slipstream just the system pack and then using the "Prompt Repair" mode (duh, rtfm for my part) option when the "unattended mode section" came up. This worked and allowed me to use the repair mode as I wanted. Yet life not content to let well enough be has sought to plague me with the same file errors the harassed the original disc. I am confidant I shall be able to figure this out eventually though.

Below is attached my last session with the setup that worked for me. Thanks for all the help

Attached File(s)

•  Last_Session.ini (2.08K)
  Number of downloads: 22

[johnhc]

cpuwhiz11, you did not comment on using F10 to get the repair option. Did you try that as Fernando 1 suggested? I tried it on my VMware VM and got no response at all. I have the Unattended Mode set to Fully Automatic. I may have missed something Fernando 1 said about using F10. I also tried F2, to get to Automatic Recovery, but that did not give any response either.

@Fernando 1, have I missed something? Would you expect this to work under a VM? Would you expect to see the Repair option ever when the Unattended Mode is set to Fully Automatic?
Thanks and enjoy, John.

[-X-]

john, I don't know why it's not working for you but I just retested all the function keys and they work fine on my end. I just nlited a full unattended and tested again.

This is what I came up with a while back after many key bashings during different times in textmode setup...
http://windowsx.blogspot.com/2009/04/windo...ction-keys.html

[johnhc]

-X-, thanks for your response and the link. Did you test under a VM and if so, which one? I hope to hear from Fernando 1 about the F10 post of his. It also seems like there was a key (F8??) during Setup that would product the Task Manager. I'll look some more. Thanks and enjoy, John.

[cpuwhiz11]

I did try the f10 option on my previous slipstreamed discs and all it did was bring me to the recovery console and I was unable to figure out how to do a repair install from there.

[-X-]

Yeah VM. Sun Virtual Box 2.1.4. When you see F6, press F10. Setup will run a bit longer after that and you should be in the recovery console.

Edit: Just adding a note to myself.

Recovery Console loads right after...
"Setup is loading files (Kernel Security Provider)..."
"Setup is loading files (FAT file system)..."
"Setup is loading files (Windows NT file system (NTFS))..."
"Setup is starting Windows"

This post has been edited by -X-: 16 July 2009 - 12:49 PM

[johnhc]

-X-, I just tried it a couple more times with no luck. Sometimes my host (real machine) gets the F10 and opens the Control Panel. This is not really important to me, I was just hoping to test Fernando 1's suggestion. Perhaps VMware Server does not do a good F-key emulation at this time (Setup). Thanks, John.

EDIT, OK, figured it out. I had my fancy KB in 'Enhanced F Keys' mode. Now all the F keys work as in the link -X- provided (thanks). F5 and F7 yield the same results in my VM.

This post has been edited by johnhc: 16 July 2009 - 01:40 PM

[Fernando 1]

johnhc, on Jul 16 2009, 07:47 PM, said:

I hope to hear from Fernando 1 about the F10 post of his.

Here is my enhanced statement after having tested it again myself:
If you are booting off an nLited XP CD by having chosen any unattended install option except the "Prompt repair" one, you will not see the Recovery Console during the XP installion, but you will get it, if you press F10 while seeing the F6 textmode driver loading option.
You have to wait until all in-box textmode drivers have been loaded, but then you will get the opportunity of doing repair and recovery tasks.

Best wishes
Fernando

[-X-]

I did some more testing to be sure what prompt repair yields. The only file modified is winnt.sif. The unattended section is left out so you will have to live without any of these settings.

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
UnattendSwitch="Yes"
OemPreinstall="Yes"
OemSkipEula="Yes"
FileSystem=*
WaitForReboot="No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
Hibernation="No"

With the addition of the recovery console prompt you will also get this screen allowing you do to a repair install.

[g-force]

@Fernando

1. You will see the Repair-Option without pressing any key when you choose "Prompt Repair".
2. You will see the Repair Option after pressing F10 when you choose any other Unattended-Option in nLite.

Is that right?

[Fernando 1]

g-force, on Jul 17 2009, 01:19 AM, said:

@Fernando
1. You will see the Repair-Option without pressing any key when you choose "Prompt Repair".
2. You will see the Repair Option after pressing F10 when you choose any other Unattended-Option in nLite.
Is that right?

I can only certify the second statement, because I didn't try the "Prompt Repair" option myself.
After pressing F10 you don't see the screen posted by -X-, but you get a Recovery Console with the options to recover or repair your system.
Then you can decide (by editing a number), which of the listed detected partitions should be recovered (or repaired).

This post has been edited by Fernando 1: 16 July 2009 - 05:57 PM

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, I finally understand what is being said. In the case of the ISO created with any Unattended option other than Prompt repair, I must press F10 when the F6 prompt occurs. This will take me to the Recovery Console. I was thinking about "Repair Install" not trying to recover from some problem that rewriting the MBR (e.g.) will correct. I looked through all the Recovery Console commands available, and found none that would allow me to do a Repair Install. I conclude from all this that I cannot preform a Repair Install if I originally installed Windows from an ISO built with any Unattended option other than Prompt Repair. If I am wrong, please correct me! I understand that the Recovery Console can be useful (I have used it) to recover from some problems (perhaps viruses, etc), but I cannot do an install that will preserve my current machine state, replacing only Windows files. Thanks Fernando 1 and thanks all, John.

[GrofLuigi]

Let's try to clear it up.

You get three chances to perform some kind of Repair when booting from the XP CD. In order of appearance:

1. You get prompted to press F2 in order to do ASR (Automatic System Recovery), which people rarely use because you need to prepare floppies(?) when the system is working and there are much better backup solutions.

2. Press R to get Recovery Console. In nLite, you lose it if you chose anything else than Prompt Repair on the Unattended page. But, regardless of your choice, you get it when you press F10 at the prompt for F6 during booting from XP CD.

3. Press R (much later) to get Repair Install of your Windows. In nLite, you lose it if you remove "Manual install and upgrade" <- what to put here?

Did I get it right?

GL

* Edit: clarified (I think? )

This post has been edited by GrofLuigi: 17 July 2009 - 05:14 PM