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Issues on some machines with Small ISO method


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OK... I have a read as much as I could and I have spend hrs trying to get this to work but no luck so its time to ask for help lol... I have a a working DVD structure created with RyanVM and Driverpacks. I used a 16G USB and formatted it with a single NTFS partition (using the HDD option gives me a grub error when adding files). Laptop boots, loads initial files, reboots to start windows, then just hangs... what am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help...

WinSetupFromUSB.7z

Edited by Compstuff2
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Can you elaborate a bit more on these:

using the HDD option gives me a grub error when adding files
Using what program when formatting? What options?

Using 1.0 beta6 with a corsair 16g USB: RMPrepUSB: Run CLEAN, then XP,NTFS,Boot as HDD, prep drive, all OK

Select USB, Select XP source files, GO = grubinst.exe could not find a Master Boot Record and partition table on the selected disk disk #1

I have attached the log

WinSetupFromUSBerror.7z

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Laptop boots, loads initial files, reboots to start windows, then just hangs
Does that mean that first part of Setup, the text mode/file copy stage works alright, but for the second part, the GUI mode it hangs at some point? When exactly? What do you see on the screen? What did you see right before that? Please be as detailed as possible in order to understand your issue.

Correct me if I am wrong but the install stages should be:

Textmode/txtsetup (blue screen)

inspect hardware

setup - load files

"starting windows message" - format drive - copy files

Restart #1

DriverPacks extraction

PE mode (colorful screen, displays T-39 countdown timer {ie "36 minutes remaining"}

Restart #2

GUI mode (GUIRunOnce, RunOnceEx, first-user load, desktop load)

What I get is your load screen with the setup options 1 or 2 choices, then it starts the load files, then "setup is starting windows", then a black screen with nothing and just hanging not reading USB or anything

WinSetupFromUSB.7z

Edited by Compstuff2
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What I get is your load screen with the setup options 1 or 2 choices, then it starts the load files, then "setup is starting windows", then a black screen with nothing and just hanging not reading USB or anything

Windows XP setup dosn't like strange MBR. Read some Linux or manufacturer recovery partition may interfere.

Clean internal hard disk.

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What I get is your load screen with the setup options 1 or 2 choices, then it starts the load files, then "setup is starting windows", then a black screen with nothing and just hanging not reading USB or anything

Windows XP setup dosn't like strange MBR. Read some Linux or manufacturer recovery partition may interfere.

Clean internal hard disk.

Not sure I understand... are you saying to wipe the hard drive before the USB install?

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Not sure I understand... are you saying to wipe the hard drive before the USB install?

No, it should be enough to restore the "normal" 2K/XP MBR CODE:

http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm

MbrFix /drive <num> fixmbr

But can you run it?

Otherwise you can wipe completely (still just the MBR) from within grub4dos, using the dd command and overwriting the MBR sector with any of the hidden ones (that should be 00's).

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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No, it should be enough to restore the "normal" 2K/XP MBR CODE

Early setup may hang at strange MBR partition table.

"xp setup blank screen" is a general error.

This happens at XP install from CD, XP install from USB and PE 1 boot.

http://icrontic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39459

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-xp/839435-solved-blank-screen-when-booting.html

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/51554-35-windows-setup-blank-screen

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No, it should be enough to restore the "normal" 2K/XP MBR CODE

Early setup may hang at strange MBR partition table.

No prob. :)

MbrFix /drive <num> clean

But the question whether OP has aan actual NT OS in which to run the above remains valid.

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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I will blow out the MBR from the drive and try this but I'm not really understanding why this would be the issue... I can use the actual DVD and re-install this to the same system time after time after time with no errors so why would the USB made from that same DVD see a MBR problem?

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I will blow out the MBR from the drive and try this but I'm not really understanding why this would be the issue... I can use the actual DVD and re-install this to the same system time after time after time with no errors so why would the USB made from that same DVD see a MBR problem?

You are mixing possibilities with certainties. :w00t:

The behaviour you described may be caused by the problematic MBR.

Which does not mean it is the one and only possible cause of this behaviour.

Running the setup from USB is similar but obviously not EXACTLY the same as running it from CD/DVD, so while it is possible that the problem is elsewhere, the fact that installing from CD/DVD works allright is a sign, but not enough to exclude this problem with setup and MBR's as a cause.

It is well possible that the problem is your motherboard BIOS or even somewhere else, notwithstanding the fact that these USB methods have worked for several thousands if not tens of thousands of people, from time to time something is found that creates the need for a bug fix or a bettering.

jaclaz

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Thanks for the reply jaclaz... I waited to perform quite a bit of testing before I responded back so here goes:

First off let me say I am new to this tool and forum but very much looking forward to working with it. I am an active participant in other tech forums and now hoping to develop this into my bag of tricks :)

I have lots of systems I do my installs on so I never really only test on a single unit and from this point on I will provide greater details in my posts. The current systems I have been testing on are all late model Dell laptops. Specifically:

Latitude E6400

Latitude E5410

Vostro 3700

Vostro a860

Vostro 1015

Additionally I always make sure I have the latest BIOS update on every system before I start testing. Currently I am getting mixed results:

Latitude E6400 - FAILS

Latitude E5410 - FAILS

Vostro 3700 - OK

Vostro a860 - OK

Vostro 1015 - FAILS

I am still testing and each drive has DBAN run on it before each test....I will report further... thanks

Edited by Compstuff2
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In my normal DVD install I use quite a few RunOnceEX items such as:

IF EXIST %CDROM%\Software\O2K3SP3\O2K3SP3.cmd REG ADD %KEY%\600 /VE /D "Office_2003" /f

IF EXIST %CDROM%\Software\O2K3SP3\O2K3SP3.cmd REG ADD %KEY%\600 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\O2K3SP3\O2K3SP3.cmd" /f

How do I handle this with a USB? Is there an environment variable I can use or another way to do this?

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DBAN is definitely overkill.

At the most you have to write 00's to the MBR.

But wait a minute, are you running an (integrated/added/modified) source of some kind?

Can you try with a "vanilla" XP with SP 2 or SP3 integrated and NOTHING else but (if needed) mass storage drivers?

How do I handle this with a USB? Is there an environment variable I can use or another way to do this?

I'll keep this question for later. ;)

You can have a look at migrate.inf approach, in the meantime (google for keywords "migrate.inf cdob jaclaz" - without quotes)

jaclaz

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My laptop is also Latitude E6400, BIOS A20 and vanila 2003 SP2 hung the same way with blank screen right after "Setup is starting Windows", in both IDE and AHCI modes.

In AHCI only the USB light flashes, in IDE only the HDD light.

Windows 7 MBR on HD, Grub4dos MBR on USB stick, no other mass storage devices.

Will post later on after a few tests.

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DBAN is definitely overkill.

At the most you have to write 00's to the MBR.

But wait a minute, are you running an (integrated/added/modified) source of some kind?

Can you try with a "vanilla" XP with SP 2 or SP3 integrated and NOTHING else but (if needed) mass storage drivers?

jaclaz

I don't run a full DBAN since a few minutes are more than enough to wipe out a MBR

Yes my installations are heavily (integrated/added/modified), I run completely unattended installations... I use RyanVM to slipstream the monthly update packs plus about a dozen additional items, I use Driverpacks to integrate all drivers, I install software and other items from the DVD via RunOnceEX as well as many many custom tweaks and mods... just for clarification: give or take some driver issues I have been doing this with complete success for years on literally thousands of systems so all the general aspects work and it would be my goal to get this same level of custom installation on a USB if possible

Yes I can try a "vanilla" setup and report back...

Edited by Compstuff2
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