ilko_t

A few quick tests: Dell OEM XP Pro SP3, came with the laptop, setup from CD works with USB stick connected. Same source does not work from USB and beta6. No floppy drives reported by grub4dos. Newer grub4dos version does not make any difference, neither did AHCI/IDE mode, nor Standard HAL, nor the modified ntdetect.com. In IRRT (Inter Rapid Restore Technology) mode (SATA options are DISABLED, IDE, AHCI and IRRT) grub4dos reports the internal disk mapped in a funny way: To test with older grub4dos version, WinSetupFromUSB 0.2.3, cdob's firadisk ISO setup, newer/older BIOS and check if some seemingly unrelated BIOS options matters. Out of town for the weekend so updates most likely will be after Monday. @cdob To clarify- in Text mode, when partitions are supposed to show up screen goes completely black/blank. And guys, please, no jokes about Dells

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.

Here are a few links to get you started:http://www.msfn.org/board/SOLVED-Install-Multiple-XP-USB-t114543.html http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/139654-install-windows-from-iso-after-booting-to-winpe-30-from-usb-hdd/ http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=ru&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbbs.wuyou.com%2Fviewthread.php%3Ftid%3D148722%26extra%3Dpage%253D1&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&history_state0= http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10126 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10138 Can you elaborate a bit more on these: Using what program when formatting? What options? 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.

Comment out this line in winsetup.lst (put # at front) or just delete it: checkrange 0x00,0x01 read 0x8280 && configfile /BOOTWS/fd.lstand try again. Can you also post result of: geometry (fd0)

Glad you got it working : )

Hmm, do you see empty file usbdrive.tag in root of the flash drive? Create such if doesn't exist and try again.

Make sure you have integrated the appropriate SATA drivers or set SATA mode in BIOS to IDE. I'd also try the same source with the latest 1.0 beta6 version of WinSetupFromUSB (no need to play with boot.ini) and with another, unmodified source. BTW partition count starts from 1, logical partitions are counted last, thus D: should be partition 5, but that's not relevant to the problem you are experiencing right now.

The point is if the same source from the second partition, placed on the first partition can see the HD. Can it?

Where did you put the modified ntdetect.com? You have 2 options: 1) Put it in your source and then run WinSetupFromUSB to prepare the USB stick 2) If stick is already prepared replace the original one in the small ISO file in \WINSETUP folder on your USB stick

Could it be machine/SP related Have a look, a few old tests: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8804&view=findpost&p=83680

It's generated by the setup routine itself, right at the end of text mode part.The file responsible should be setupdd.sys, but it's just a guess. I doubt with hex editing you can achieve what you need. Idea- you may copy using txtsetup.sif for example the files needed as well as a file boot.ini with default entry for PLOP, but setup will add a new line and will change the default entry to continue GUI part. Semi-automatic way would be to do the above even with timeout 1, but after restart at end of Text mode quickly press F8 several times to get in the extended menu, select back to OS choices and then select PLOP. Added: What did you use to prepare your USB stick with Windows setup?

Does the same source put on the first partition see the HD?

Are you installing from, or on USB stick? Why does it have to be partitioned and why are you using the second partition but not the first one? Does your hardware require AHCI/SATA drivers and is BIOS set to AHCI/SATA or IDE mode if that's the case?

Thanks cdob

Glad you liked it. txtsetup.sif in the small ISO. The fake setup.exe which executes setup.cmd in system32 folder should be modified for this purpose. What's your idea, why from USB?

QEMU is just for testing purposes, do not attempt to go past the partitioning screen where write operations will start. As for the Toshiba USB drive- can you reformat it from Windows disk management and prepare it with Windows 2000? Then test it in QEMU and report whether you get to the partitioning screen without BSOD. Do not continue past that point in QEMU.

Sorry, I saw no single clue in your reply that QEMU did not start at all, only the log file based on which I assumed it did not. Anyway, the error is weird, maybe the file is broken. Download the latest 1.0 beta6 and try with it. Let me know if QEMU starts and how far you get in it.

How far did you go in QEMU? Did it start at all? Did you reach the partitions screen without BSOD? Have you modified WinSetupFromUSB folders?

Did deploy same image of installed Windows on many machines? Why would you need to change SID? Anyway, have a look at this article: http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2009/11/03/3291024.aspx If you still need NewSid and it would work for you, just google for download links, it's still available on many sites.

Re-reading your first post. Are you installing from USB to USB disk? This is not yet supported, internal disk must be present or you will get BSOD 0x7B. If installing to internal disk- is it SATA? Is the controller in IDE or AHCI/SATA mode? If the latter do you have the needed drivers slipstreamed? Run the program with the USB disk attached, select "test in QEMU" only, hit "GO". Do you get to the partitioning screen without BSOD? What's the error code on the BSOD you are getting?

It would be possible but tricky without WMI, just much easier using it, all required information about the disks is pulled easily. Could be done using external applications or maybe corresponding dll calls, avoiding WMI, but will require some coding and experiments. If anyone wants to contribute- source code of 0.2.3 is included in the installation. In later versions that module is just about the same. What information is pulled- PNPId of the selected disk, number of partitions, partition type- primary/logical, file system, free space, total space, disk/partition number.

Seems good. Now format the USB stick and us the program to place this source, with the modified txtsetup.sif in it. Please report how it goes.