[Patosan]

I have ben trying for over a week to install an nLited version of XP, in Virtual PC 2007 sp1, without luck. Actually I can install a version after XPsp3 integration, however if I try to do anything else at all there's trouble ... even a single hotfix, keyboard or applic removal. Each time install gets to regional language, keyboard settings ... often this menu box is scrambled symbols not words at all.

I'm in Japan and using localised XP, all the hotfixes I've tried have already been installed in my pc ... so they do work in reality. This is my first time to grapple with nLite though I've been planning to do so for some time, as I'd love to be rid of such things as outlook express, security center, remote registry, etc. Lucky I've been trying in vpc or less I'd truly be in a pickle.

nLite is so well tested so there must be some really basic thing that I'm stuffing up, so any helpful advice for this newbie would be a blessing.

 LAST_SESSION.INI (2.13K)
Number of downloads: 17
s*** don't know how to DISPLAY the session.ini

This post has been edited by Patosan: 15 November 2009 - 03:10 AM

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

YOur Service Pack 3 is a pre-release (5.1.2600.3311); the correct version is 5.1.2600.5512, so first get the latest version of SP3, not a BETA version.
Also, look at THIS

This post has been edited by Sp0iLedBrAt: 15 November 2009 - 04:53 AM

[johnhc]

Patosan, well, I hope you don't give up. Thanks for the attached Last Session. The one update you include, KB954459, is for Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML). I am not familiar with this. Is it automatically installed? If it is not there, no telling what the update is doing. You might try removing it and see what happens. I think this is the SP3 you need - can't read (or even see most of) the text on my system. I need to give you my inculcation: Please make sure to always start with a fresh copy of your CD files/folders, do all your work in one nLite session and integrate only one SP. Please report when you have a solution, so others can benefit. Enjoy, John.

[Patosan]

Sp0iLedBrAt I so hoped the issue of not using the final sp3 release was the problem ... alas it wasn't. I tried integrating final sp3 only, both by pc and nLite, both install fine. Then final sp3 and a single companent removed, then again with a single hotfix ... both failed at the same place again - the regional setting menu. At last I tried a single change in sp2 ... it also failed at the same place in the install.

Though it is a good thing that I DO have the proper sp3 now ... thanks.

As extra info I have nLited an english ver of XP Pro and it installed just fine. Why is the Japanese version giving me so much trouble ?
Here are one of the latest sessions and one of the scrambled menus, this menu is better than others as there are actually buttons to progress ... though I didn't.
 newSp3_SESSION.INI (2.69K)
Number of downloads: 9
 nlite_error_regional_still_s.jpg (32.76K)
Number of downloads: 15

Thanks johnhc for the link and encouragement.

This post has been edited by Patosan: 15 November 2009 - 10:05 AM

[johnhc]

Patosan, I recognize only one character (origin, root) in your error message. Could you please provide more detail? Have you tried it without the one update? If not, please do. One of the powers of nLite coupled with a virtual system is being able to run quick tests. Be sure to start with a fresh source copy of your CD file/folders. The next area I would like to explore is the source of your Japanese Windows CD. Is it OEM, Retail or something else? Has it been altered by anyone using any program before? Did it come with an SP and if so, which one? Please look in file SETUPP.INI (probably in your I386 folder) and post what the value for the Pid is. I know any number of people have successfully used nLite against a Japanese version of Windows. Thanks and enjoy, John.

[Patosan]

Hi again johnhc, yes I have successfully integrated sp3, the beta and now final ver, both installed in VPC w/o trouble as I didn't make any other changes. I bought the windows XP sp2 from a pc repair shop here, in Japan, it was intended for install with sale of new pc, so I got some discount ... I guess that means OEM, as I just did a search for the meaning.

I still have the install with final sp3 and no other change in vpc, so I will be able to run any tests needed.
From SETUPP.INI the Pid=76492OEM ... well there it is OEM ! What are my options now ?

This post has been edited by Patosan: 15 November 2009 - 12:15 PM

[johnhc]

Patosan, OEM is fine, that is what I use (XP x64) with no problems. Just wanted to make sure that something suspicious was not going on with the source. So, does the Japanese version of Windows install in VPC, no errors, with the XML hot fix NOT there? Enjoy, John.

[Patosan]

Yes the Jpn version loads in vpc just fine, as sp2 or with sp3, importantly without any hotfix. The hotfix trial I posted here used KB954459 MSXML, but I get the same trouble with many other hotfixes too, or even just removing something innocent like calculator, games or a single keyboard.

Good to hear OEM is ok for nLiting ... I'm still in with a chance.

[johnhc]

Patosan, I am still a little suspicious of your source. Please post a screen shot of a Windows Explorer view of the CD. You did not answer my question about the source being altered previously or what SP it came with. Thanks, John.

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

msxml6-KB954459-enu-x86.exe can be properly integrated into nLite; I know this because I have done it. Can't say anything about the Japanese version, but it shouldn't make any difference, right?
I'm a bit confused as to why Patosan is choosing nLite for XP modification, and not taking advantage of all those beautiful Unattended features, Regional settings being one of them.

[Patosan]

johnhc the source should be ok, the CD dust cover was sealed inside a seal-wrapped XP Home booklet. Additionally the shop and owner are reputable. It is a sp2 "version 2002". Here is a view of CD contents :
 XpJpCd_view.jpg (87.39K)
Number of downloads: 11

Sp0iLedBrAt I use Japanese windows since my wife is Japanese. I however install all additional software as English versions, which causes no problems. e.g. ms office, Ie8, wmp, Foxit, the list is quite long. As it turns out I've been thinking of doing some trials of setting windows defalt language to English ... so far though all messages and dropdowns are still in Japanese. Could you educate me about "all those beautiful Unattended features" ?

Being a foreigner in a small city of Japan, I have nobody to ask such things about, even when I pose such questions to the pc kit shops here I get different answers ... few people want to do what I desire. Thus every small change I try takes 5x longer due to a lack of advice. I feel that I'm at the RIGHT place at the moment though.

This post has been edited by Patosan: 15 November 2009 - 06:12 PM

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Well, here is a guide from the official site (available even in Japanese) HERE It includes photos, so it will make things much easier for you. This one is even better (more recent photos).

[johnhc]

Patosan, I am not sure what you have there in your CD, but it is not an OEM CD that I am used to seeing. The VALUEADD, BOOTFONT and DOTNETFX folders are not present in my OEM CD files/folders. There are a couple more files I have you do not have and vice versa. I bought mine Online at newegg.com and they are Microsoft official OEM for system builders. Yours looks more to me like a recovery CD - one that ships with a new computer used to recover the OS in case of a bad crash. If the BOOTFONT folder is not too large, please compress it (Zip or 7-Zip) and attach it. You should look at the folders I mentioned and see what if anything you can learn. I could be mistaken about this, and hopefully someone else with more knowledge than I will comment. Some people here have been successful running nLite against a recovery disk and some not. If it is truly a recovery CD, then the shop should not have sold it to you. In any case, at this time, I am now very suspicious of your source. Please try posting some or all of BOOTFONT and VALUEADD folders (compressed) for us to peruse. According to Google, VRMHOEM_JA, at least the English version (_ENU) is XP Home Edition with SP2. One more thought: please search for a WINNT.SIF file and if you find it please attach it. Before you attach it, please open it (I use notepad) and see if it contains a product key and/or account id/passwords. If so, please obscure these. Enjoy, John.

EDIT: Here's an idea for information on the Unattended section of nLite - or any section. Open nLite and go to the Unattended section. Select each tab and the each Help item on the tab - click the ? in a circle. Enjoy.

This post has been edited by johnhc: 15 November 2009 - 07:28 PM

[Patosan]

I have some trouble with the last request :
BOOTFONT is a small bin file not a folder (129k)
VALUEADD is too big to post isn't it ? (10.4M), after zipping with winrar still 4.9M
I can't find WINNT.SIF file, I ghave WINNT as .exe
 XpJpCd_WINNT.jpg (89.71K)
Number of downloads: 5

[johnhc]

Patosan, just a guess on my part about winnt.sif. Since nLite creates this file, I was concerned that you already had one, but you do not. I mistakenly thought BOOTFONT was a folder, so forget about that one. Please post a screen shot of a Windows Explorer view of the VALUEADD folder. Maybe we can determine what is in it from that. It is way too large to attach (200kB max). Have you asked the shop whether yours is a recovery CD? I suspect you have 'Hide extensions for known file types'. I suggest you go into Folder Options (Control Panel) and uncheck this item on the View tab. Sorry we are having so much trouble trying to figure out what is going on here. I am not sure what can be done if my suspicions are confirmed. It may be to return to the shop and see if you can get a real OEM CD or just install what you have. There are some options during install which allow some customizing of Widows such as leaving out components. I have not used it and think it may well be much harder to use than nLite. Enjoy, John.

[Patosan]

I will have a chance to visit the shop Tuesday.
I did a bit of searching on the net on XP OEM for sale, some of the booklets have a white sticker on them while others don't. Mine does and looks the same as them, though the pics are too tiny to zoom up and read, perhaps you know what the sticker is for.

I'm sure that I wouldn't be able to remove security Center and Outlook Express during installation, so nlite is my preferred method. Here is a tree of the ValueAdd folder.

 XpJpCd_ValueAdd_2a.jpg (33.83K)
Number of downloads: 1

[johnhc]

Patosan, still not sure what you have there. It seems to have some data base stuff and netBIOS type application for business networks. I am not sure what you are talking about with respect to the white sticker, but I have scanned the front of my latest OEM purchase. On the back is the official MS sticker with my license key - must have item. This document was inside the case with the CD and they came in a mailing envelope and nothing else. I attach the image and a screen shot of the contents. I suggest you should take the CD to the shop and look at the contents with the techs there and get them to tell you what it is. Enjoy, John.

[5eraph]

In your second screenshot, johnhc, what theme is that? And where can I get it? I like it.

[Kurt_Aust]

Actually, that looks like an XP (32-bit) OEM CD's directory structure to me.

John, I think you might be confusing yourself and Patosan by comparing to the base directory structure of an XP (64-bit) OEM CD, they do not have the same files and folders.


On another note, that's a weird name for that particular hotfix, the English version is called: msxml6-KB954459-enu-x86.exe

EDIT: Disregard the above line, there is a version for XP sp3 English that looks like yours.

This post has been edited by Kurt_Aust: 17 November 2009 - 12:53 PM

[johnhc]

Patosan, first, I need to apologize. Kurt_Aust is correct, and I am wrong. I attach a screen shot of my XP Pro (32 bit) OEM CD. As you can see it is almost the same as yours. I think yours is a real OEM CD and probably not altered. So, we are back at the start with why you cannot get a good ISO out of it. Kurt_Aust also points out that your hot fix looks weird. Have you ever build an ISO without this hot fix, but with other changes, such as removing components and obtained a good ISO that would install in your VPC? Again, I am sorry to have mislead this hunt.

Kurt_Aust, thanks much for coming to the rescue.

5eraph, the theme is called Haemo. I need to do some research and will post later at where I got it.

Patosan, sorry! Kurt_Aust, thanks! Enjoy, John.

EDIT: I found this link to the Haemo theme. It looks like it has been updated since I played with it. At the time, it took some work because the Logoff and Shutdown dialogs had to be hacked into shell32.dll and msgina.dll, as I recall. I had to use the Uxtheme and SFC Options of nLite, then turn SFC back on after install. I originally found the theme on this forum when a poster included a screen shot and it caught my eye. Black and red seem to go together so well and I really like red. Enjoy, John.

This post has been edited by johnhc: 17 November 2009 - 01:17 PM