ilko_t

Was the USB write protected? I guess at that stage windows attempts to write on it, and since it's protected dumps the error message.Thus I went in catch 22- need to write protect USB for the text mode stage, but can't because it's seen as a hard disk now, and Windows will try to place the boot files on it.

Compare USB_stick\~LS\I386\setup.ex_ with \WinSetup\files\winsetup\setup.ex_, are they the same? If not- copy the latter to the USB stick. The program checks presence of BTS OEM folder and does not copy the modified setup.exe (which launches presetup.cmd) in such case, assuming it had been already replaced by BTS integrator. Maybe you still have the original setup.exe, curious why it was not the fake one, if that's the case. WinSetupFromUSB log files may help revealing what has happened. Check the first post in this thread for the latest and the backed up logs location.

Did it work on a different machine or on the same one? If it's on another machine: Have you tried the modified NTDETECT.COM (look at the FAQs thread for link)? Beware- most likely it will not work if we talk about 64 bit versions. Do you have the needed mass storage driver if the controller is SATA? If it's on the same machine- what did you change? Try to remember the last actions you made, even if they seem completely irrelevant.

dforionstar- sorry we couldn't make it work from USB, but glad you made it from a CD Xeijin- well, you should provide more details, like what are contents of presetup.cmd, is $OEM$ on the USB stick etc. etc. Try to read your own post, how much useful information you could gather to help troubleshooting your problem?

@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?

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...

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

@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?

Can you try with another USB stick? Those messages are from Windows itself, seems like this USB stick is failing on long file copy operations. BTW look at this thread as well: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=125116

Please do a little search in this subforum first. This has been answered numerous times already. For example : http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=128303 and the links within.

@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

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

@Sergo Look at FAQs, Q3/A3: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=116766

Missing mass storage (hard disk controller) drivers. Options: - see in BIOS if you can disable AHCI/SATA and run the controller in IDE mode. - integrate the driver using nLite and rebuild the USB stick - integrate BTS mass storage drivers pack and rebuild the USB stick: http://www.driverpacks.net/ http://www.driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/DriverPack.php?pag=m

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

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.net/forums/index.php?showforum=66 For some reason grubinst fails to write the bootsector, I cannot troubleshoot any further.

Did you miss my answer? Can you try formatting it again in NTFS and place UBCD4Win files, then run manually this and post the output: D:\MULTIBOOT\WinSetupFromUSB\files\grub4dos\grubinst.exe -v --pause (hd1,0)Assuming the other USB disk is still not plugged in. Before doing the above, please look at this, after grubinst.exe do it again: Select the USB stick drive letter and click on Read Sector from Disk. Do you see 'grldr' string before and after launching grubinst.exe? Could it be the same issue as here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5059 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ost&p=38845 Maybe NTFS triggers write cache usage (optimize for performance) as described here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ost&p=38935 Does Vista has an option "optimize for removal"? Can you try switching to it and test?

Good By using an account with admin rights, or right click->run as administrator? Try the latter please. Where did this one come from? Found USB Physical Disk: Hitachi HTS541280H9AT00 USB Device -- \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1 Please open up command prompt as administrator and type: D:\MULTIBOOT\WinSetupFromUSB\files\grub4dos\grubinst.exe -l (hd1) D:\MULTIBOOT\WinSetupFromUSB\files\grub4dos\grubinst.exe -l (hd2) devcon.exe find USB*Please copy-paste the output. You may get devcon.exe if missing from this package, copy it to \windows\system32: http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/1...0240/devcon.exe

@jacopo In the log file grub4dos part seems fine: Did you run it with administrator rights? I see you have another USB mass storage device: When you booted from USB did you unplug this device? Are you sure that you booted from "Ut163 USB2FlashStorage USB Device"?As for the QEMU- I don't have Vista to test it under. You may try to replace it (\winsetupfromusb\files\qemu\) with a newer version: http://bellard.org/qemu/ edit: the version included is 0.9.1, try 0.9.0 or the latest snapshot: http://homepage3.nifty.com/takeda-toshiya/...229-windows.zip This also may help: http://qemu-forum.ipi.fi/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4363

Did you run WinSetupFromUSB under Vista? HP format tool makes Vista bootsector in this case, which is looking for BOOTMGR. WinSetupFromUSB is supposed to replace this bootsector with grub4dos one, which executes GRLDR.What are contents of the USB stick? Can you post also your WinSetupFromUSB.log file, zipped and attached? Look at the previous post of mine where to find it. Or did you run only HP format tool, without copying UBCD4Win contents? 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 WindowsThen Setup will recognize the existing installation. This is if Windows is in the first partition. You may add that line using UBCD4Win for example. Why are you entering step 2 (GUI mode) of the setup at all? Didn't you want to perform repair install?

It's been done already Need a test machine around to do some test before releasing the next version.

Should be fine, with 2 notes: - use the first partition, set as active - USB drive letter won't be U, most likely will be D.

WinSetupFromUSB log file would help. You could find the last one in program directory, or the previous ones in \backups\date-time-log.cab.

To fix boot- allow showing hidden and protected OS files (control panel->folder options->view), open up BOOT.INI in C:\ in Notepad and post it here. What message do you get when you boot without the USB stick?

You need to integrate SATA drivers source. Either use nLite or BTS mass storage driver pack and select Text mode option: http://driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/DriverPack.php?pag=b http://driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/DriverPack.php?pag=m Another way around is to switch to IDE (AHCI off) mode in your BIOS, if it has such option. Then rebuild your USB stick.