ilko_t

You must have changed something else, originally BOOT.INI was pointing to C:\SETUPLDR.bs too. Good that it worked though

I am puzzled, bootsectors seems fine, however Jaclaz should confirm that.The only reason I can see is that your USB stick is NOT getting C:\ or first HDD during boot. It could be seen as superfloppy or something, but not hard drive. This way NTLDR passes boot routine to wrong path, producing this "HAL.DLL is missing...." or "NTLDR is missing" with the old guide. . Probably that's why the other method failed too. You may try to update your BIOS from HP site, and test with USB Legacy Mode Support option in Advanced Menu. We may try a few tests to confirm that. Once the stick is prepared change BOOT.INI on it to : [Boot Loader] Timeout=10 Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS [Operating Systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="GUI Mode Setup Windows XP" /FASTDETECT A:\SETUPLDR.bs="TEXT Mode Setup Windows XP 1" C:\SETUPLDR.bs="TEXT Mode Setup Windows XP 2" D:\SETUPLDR.bs="TEXT Mode Setup Windows XP 3" E:\SETUPLDR.bs="TEXT Mode Setup Windows XP 4" and see which option (1-4) will start Text Mode Setup. If it doesn't start we may try Grub4Dos will report a marker file is, wich will be placed on USB stick, but thats for later.

@happyusers That's the latest file, yes. I believe something is wrong with the boot order, or USB stick is seen as fixed. 1. Could you attach these files from the root of papered USB stick with your next post: BOOT.INI BackupBS.ori SETUPLDR.bs 2. What options in BIOS do you choose in order to boot from USB? 2.1 Do you have an option in BIOS boot menu to emulate USB-ZIP, USB-HDD etc. ? 2.2 Do you boot from USB entering a temporary boot menu, e.g. F12 and choose USB something? 3. Did you have any other USB mass storage devices attached? Card readers, digital camera, MP3 players, printer with card reader...? 4. What version of windows are you running while preparing USB stick? 5. Which tool did you use to make stick bootable?

@happyusers We could troubleshoot it, but I see no point to do it since a lot has been changed since that guide. NTLDR is missing most of the times it's not where it's expected to be. More interesting for us is why it was not there. My guesses: 1. USB stick was seen as fixed drive and boot files were (attempted to be) written there. That's why I asked you where was it in the list of available hard drives. 2. Grub4Dos didn't like your BIOS and mapping was wrong, try newer/older version. It happened to me already. Check for BIOS updates too. For simplicity and compatibility in the latest batch file Grub4Dos is no longer used. 3. Anything else... The batch file is open and customizable, I had no experience in batch scripts making it (wonder how it even worked ) but it's so simple so can barely call it script at all, wimb polished it a lot and there is nothing to mess with the other scripts used within (binifix.cmd and makeBS.cmd). So I suppose even if you have no experience with batch files you will see all the steps which it performs, and do them manually if you wish so. If you don't get something just ask. I did not intend to write another guide, for now I am waiting a response in a few forums to get dummydisk.sys redone in the way we need it, then try to use it during TXT setup, test how it works and finally add comments to the BAT file, which can be used instead of a guide. Regards, ilko

@happyusers You have used the very first guide, a lot has been improved since then, there is also a batch script preparing USB sticks, have you tried the last guide or the batch file? I'd rather use the batch file. How many partitions you have on the destination hard drive? Were menu.lst and boot.ini amended accordingly? Is your source on USB stick? Is it seen at bottom when TXT Setup lists hard drives to be installed on? Is the message about missing NTLDR coming from Grub4Dos?

The routine to install XP from USB flash drive does NOT work for now with USB hard drives, last 2 pages are all about that problem. For your case you better read these threads: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16713 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=19745 Deletion of $win_nt$... folders is because they are considered as TEMPORARY, and as such SETUP deletes them on few stages when launched from them. This has nothing to do with USB, IDE, SATA... These temp. folders are used when prepared by WINNT.EXE or WINNT32.EXE hard drive is started. M$ decided that when SETUP is launched from hard disk this must be one-off installation, and implemented it that way. I386 is used for CD drives and setup files detect install media. Back to the temp. folders- if they are write protected or renamed when SETUP attempts to delete, them they survive ==> you can use the same prepared disk (usb flash drive) for another install. Basically during the posts here we learned how to invoke installation from new for XP SETUP media, how to trick it NOT to delete temp. files and folders, and how to fix the results of strange for SETUP environment (wrong boot.ini etc.). I hope that clears a bit whats all about in this long thread.

Iceangel89, latest step-by-step guide is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/boot_install_USB...636#entry659636 Latest batch file, which does 95% of the work is just a couple of posts above yours, think you can find it yourself From your post I see very little usable information, need to know what exactly you are trying to achieve, what's the installation media (why talking about internal drive and NTFS? ), what version of Windows, how many partitions on the target hard drive, how many hard drives you have, SATA or ATA, and so on... Backup of boot.ini WAS needed with the earlier guides, because winnt32.exe whit those parameters (in the early guides) adds an entry in the existing boot.ini so on next restart TXT setup is launched. With the latest batch file this is no longer needed. To preserve NLite customization simply add /unattend:winnt.sif winnt32 /makelocalsource /noreboot /unattend:winnt.sif and don't forget to delete the whole unattended section after that. Applies again ONLY for the step-by-step guide, NO need to do that if using the batch file, which checks if winnt.sif is found, /unattend:winnt.sif is used in order to preserve customizations. You really missed where all troubles come from when installing this way Probably a little effort like reading at least pages 2 and 3 you will get why and what.

Here are some options: 1. Sysprep the installation on the old MB adding the relevant entries for your new SATA driver in sysprep.inf /massstorage section 2. Find the option in BIOS (if any) to run the SATA controller in IDE compatible mode, for better result look at this article, apply the reg fix and add the drivers needed: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082 3. Add manually the entries needed in registry and copy the driver You need and entry with the proper Hardware ID of the controller in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase , pointing to the service for it, which you will need to add manually too, or use the inf file of the driver to do it. Without the proper record in CriticalDeviceDatabase you will get BSOD 0x0000007B. That's why the way suggested by IcemanND actually has unpredictable result, depends whether there is compatible HID in CriticalDeviceDatabase or not. If you need any further information just ask, I wrote a complete guide a while ago, but it's in Bulgarian language, so will need to do some translation.

And for the short summer nights, we've made a batch script updated constantly, doing 99% of the work, could be found on the last couple of pages of that thread

Thanks for correction. Your suggestion is to modify driver to return the opposite result and use it during Text mode right? In this case wouldn't it be difficult to use it at that stage? How do we load lowerfilter drivers via txtsetup.sif? I did another search in registry for clues, cannot find a single entry which may override the result returned during Text mode. I am still hoping that something is written in registry and programs query that key to get removable status, rather than querying and getting result from usbstor.sys on-the fly. Find that key(s) and use migrate.inf to add it, if possible at all. BTW source code of Hitachi microfilter driver is included in the download.

That's a lot better, nice job wimb A small suggestion- when searching for BTS drivers I think would be better to use another marker, not the directory OEM, as it might be some OEM custom folder. Use DPsFnshr.7z in \OEM\bin or some other file, which definitely belongs to BTS pack. I believe if that file exist, presetup.cmd will exist too. @all- any ideas how to make USB hard drive to look as removable? My idea- the removable flag should returned as result by disk.sys or usbstor.sys. If it is written somewhere in registry and we use migrate.inf we may override this result and trick TXT Setup to think that USB disk is not fixed, thus giving it proper letter and position. I have used similar technique to remove unwanted devices from safely remove hardware by setting device capabilities to 80, from default 64. On restart this setting is lost, because the driver returns the flag, but use reg file to change it on startup and it's fine. In my case I wanted to remove some hard drives from safely remove list- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\SCSI\Disk&Ven_SATA&Prod_HDS72251&Rev_\5&b721abc&1&010 http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa491648.aspx http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms792967.aspx http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298504 I was thinking would it be possible similar approach to be used. Any detailed information what exactly Hitachi microfilter does, or Dietmar's dummy.sys? We need the opposite result, but not using filter driver, or if it easy to use such at this point why not...

Lexar 1GB WinHex- fill whole drive with F6 Unplug stick, plug it back in and format FAT32 using XP format. Copy ntldr, ntdetect.com and valid boot.ini- "disk error, press any key to restart" Change 00 to 80- goes in a loop, showing briefly "invalid boot.ini, booting from c:\windows" then restarts. To play with the hidden sectors and boopart seems to take much time for my very little knowledge in this matter, giving up (grrr) with this MBR/bootsector puzzle. 3 MBRs for FAT32 formated by XP and stick removable, produced 3 different MBRs- one after F6, another if stick is formated before by PEtoUSB and the third don't even remember how was it formated before to result in another different MBR. That makes for me too many unknowns in the equation. As far as I remember this makes the stick bootable again.Thanks for your guidance so far

Hi jaclaz I hope you had/having a good holiday. Here are a few more pieces to the bootsectors puzzle. Stick set as fixed using Hitachi driver. Formated with PEtoUSB FAT16X. After Winnt32 stick boots fine. Formated with XP format FAT16. Winnt32.exe used- stick won't boot. Put MBR made by PEtoUSB, leave bootsector (which has been changed by WINNT32.EXE) alone- stick becomes bootable again. Another interesting (at least for me) thing- the only difference in bootsector apart from volume serial if stick is formated by XP and seen as removable (won't boot) or fixed by Hitachi driver (will boot) is seen here. MBRs are the same. Change the 00 to 80 on seen as removable stick and it boots fine. No need to use Hitachi driver anymore. It might be helpful for your lovely scripts to make any stick bootable while formated as removable, as long as this can be confirmed in other setups. I also can 99% confirm that XP format doesn't always rewrite MBR, as I see it it checks just some parts of MBR and if they are fine skips rewriting. See the differences between F6_FAT32_fixed_XP MBR and FAT32_Fixed_XP MBR. Please find attached MBRs and bootsectors made using HP tool FAT16 and 32. Both boot fine before WINNT32, only FAT16 boots fine after WINNT32. No error messages at all when it doesn't boot, just blinking cursor in the top left corner of screen. Regards, ilko edit: mistyped MBR/bootsector FAT16_32_HP_Tool.zip

donkiekong55, your motherboard uses VIA KX133 chipset which is too old and even doesn't support USB2.0, I doubt you can do anything. Even if you make it boot from USB stick it will be painfully slow. On a MB with slightly newer chipset- VIA KT266 I had no luck booting from USB.

Hi, please read these links:http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...aded&start= http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...SB/USBfaqs.html FAQs 4,5 and 10 http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...B/USBstick.html If you don't get your answer please post here your Motherboard model, USB stick model and details, BIOS settings you've tried, files system and tools you've tried. As you know USB boot is still very badly implemented in different BIOSes/Motherboards, so it will be impossible to rely only on one or another tool or file system. In my opinion one needs to find out what suits his needs and makes stick bootable.What we can do is just to include several tools in the archive (as long as T&C allow) and possibly add some info in the script or here as short guide, the rest is improvising and experimenting. edit: @Hitman47- seems you edited your post while I posted mine- about question 3- please read post #306, it is on this page, short answer is no (yet), at least not using the methods described here. You could have Bart PE on USB hard disk and start setup from there, or just use DOS and WINNT.EXE, without modifying the source at all. Don't forget smartdrv.exe for faster transfer. Good info how to install from DOS is in this thread.

Glad it worked for you. If this delay is at start you might update your BIOS and/or disconnect any other USB devices, try on different USB ports (use the ones on the back of the motherboard), play with the BIOS setting about USB- legacy support, USB 1.1/2.0 etc. Q1- usb_prepare.cmd has nothing to do with SATA/IDE drivers, it just transfers your SOURCE to the USB stick in suitable format. If the source has drivers for the SATA controller- it will install properly. BTS mass storage drivers pack is advisable to be used. Q2- in the tests so far REPAIR works fine, as long as the installation was made using the methods described here and binifix.cmd. The only way to break that function is if BOOT.INI on hard drive doesn't have the required line. Example: Typical 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 Professional" /FASTDETECT Repair won't work, because it points to rdisk(0), when launched from USB stick the hard disk installation will appear as rdisk(1), rdisk(0) is the USB stick. If you simply add that will be enough for TEXT mode setup to find the installation and display repair option. Naturally if installation is on the first hard disk, first partition.This functionality is present in binifix.cmd, which is used when SETUP is done using the method, described here- no need to add the line.

That's the important part, how did you format it, from within XP using XP format? What file system? Try formatting it using PEtoUSB or HP Format tool, links are in this thread or use GOOGLE. In the archive attached in post #294 PEtoUSB is included. When you format it copy on USB stick ONLY ntdetect.com, NTLDR from your XP source, and create BOOT.INI in USB stick root: BOOT.INI [Boot Loader] Timeout=10 Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS [Operating Systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="TEST" /FASTDETECT multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="TEST 1" /FASTDETECT Start the PC and if you see the menu, your stick is ready- format it again and use usb_prep.cmd PEtoUSB has an option for LBA, use it first, if doesn't boot use without that option. HP format too can format in FAT16 and FAT32- find which one works for you.

Hi cdob, Can you think of simple way to adjust boot.ini on stick to match everyone's needs? May be if we include in usb_prep.cmd questions like "do you plan to install XP in folder other than default \WINDOWS?", "do you plan to install it on partition/disk other than first hard disk, first partition" and amend BOOT.INI on stick accordingly? My opinion is this way of installing Xp from USB requires some user intervention, adjusting to one's specific needs. May be some info could be displayed about this issue in usb_prep.cmd. Another way is to revert back to Grub4Dos and invoke NTLDR on hard disk, in this case mapping should be used, which restricts us in the same way, because of the different drive/partition numeration. So we'd need to amend menu.lst, instead of BOOT.INI on stick. Can't think of any other way to avoid that. Is binifix4.cmd in the same folder as cmdlines.txt? Did it start at all? Any backup files in C: of boot.ini? As long as BOOT.INI on USB stick points to that path. I don't foresee issues with that, other than adjusting BOOT.INI on stick to partition(2) and changing WINDOWS to whatever it would be. BOOT.INI on hard disk is created by TXT Setup and only rdisk value adjusted by binifix.cmd to -1. In addition there is a undocumented 'format /Y' as YES. A end user dosn't have to confirm format.Contrary a end user might select a false drive by accident. Don't use 'format /Y'. A end user has to confirm format always. Nice to see that option in fsutil.exe Thanks My point was that seeing that stick gets C is clear indication to abort SETUP, if it's preset you won't see that, it's not about available drive letters. Your point about non partitioned hard disk is valid, on first though what about if we delete MountedDevices key during GUI SETUP, thus forcing XP to re-enumerate the letters at first logon? Need to study this option further, or just use migrate.inf as you say, and find another indication that something is wrong- abort setup. Sorry, I didn't get that. You changed mkmigrate.inf to include an option what letter to be given? Would you attach it please if it is so.@wimb- good job

Hi wimb Here are some results in my tests: It's tricky, if :all is not used some folders are not copied, e.g. when preparing MCE and GUI setup will complain about missing files/folders. If it is used some files cannot be found by WINNT32 as it is looking at the wrong place for them, for example test with DELL XP Home SP2: Here is part of TXTSETUP.SIF: Part of LAYOUT.INF: And part of DOSNET.INF startoc.cab is the only file, not found by WINNT32, and it's the only 1, which differs from others in it's source description. Why they did it like that I have no idea, however I'd rather make a note of the files not found and manually copy them after _prepare.cmd, than not copying whole folders (:all switch). On generic XP SP2 situation is fine, no funny files or folders, but with different sources we can expect all kind of errors, because of the many ways OEMs integrate their stuff and WINNT32 fails to replicate the exact CD structure. That was xcopy before, forgot to remove redundant switches Told you I am newb with scripts, didn't know how to avoid that Thanks. Here is tricky too, please read the results with USB hard disk bellow. USB stick getting C: is a good indication that something is wrong and stick will be rendered non bootable during TXT Setup because is seen as first disk- abort setup. If it's preset to U: you will not get that. Better fix drive letters later. Would you attach the edited files please.I also added simple check if winnt.sif don't exist on source not to use /unattend switch: IF EXIST %instpath%\i386\winnt.sif ( %instpath%\i386\winnt32.exe /noreboot /makelocalsource:all /syspart:%tempdrive% /tempdrive:%tempdrive% /unattend:%instpath%\i386\winnt.sif ) ELSE ( %instpath%\i386\winnt32.exe /noreboot /makelocalsource:all /syspart:%tempdrive% /tempdrive:%tempdrive% ) If you can make it better please add it as well in the files to be attached. ------------------------------- Some results with USB hard disk- unfortunately I couldn't make it work without deleting source files. USB hard disk is seen as first disk and gets letter C:, dispite the fact it's listed as second in list and TXT Setup attempts to place boot files on it. If it's write- protected by migrate.inf SETUP complains about damaged hard drive D: Same behavior was desribed in post #130 , when in mixed SATA/IDE environment USB stick is seen as first bootable device, this was fixed by disabling IDE controllers or removing attached devices from them, but here I had only 1 IDE hard disk and the USB one.Remove the write- protection form migrate.inf- no more complains, but all boot files go on USB disk and the files being copied to destination are deleted from source. Make USB disk U:- same story. Tests made with 2 different USB-IDE adapters and IDE disk as destination- same results. Because the files deleted during TXT Setup are from ~LS folder I tried to keep ~BS for the TXT part and force Setup to look for source files in other folder- I386 copied on USB disk. This articles give some clues: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/150497 http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserve...3.mspx?mfr=true I have tried to change TXTSETUP.SIF to [SetupData] SetupSourcePath = "\" SetupSourceDevice = \device\harddisk0\partition1 MajorVersion = 5 MinorVersion = 1 Also \ to \i386, with and without quotes and spaces to no avail- "Setup cannot format the hard drive- CD is damaged" meaning cannot find files on source destination. TXTSETUP.SIF is in root and in I386. WINNT.SIF: [Data] Autopartition=0 UnattendedInstall="Yes" floppyless = "1" msdosinitiated = "0" OriSrc = "\device\harddisk0\partition1\i386" EulaComplete="1" winntupgrade="no" win9xupgrade="no" Win32Ver="a280105" uniqueid="C:\WINDOWS\JAL" OriSrc="\device\harddisk0\partition1" OriTyp="3" unattendswitch=yes sourcepath = \device\harddisk0\partition1\i386 floppylessbootpath=\Device\HardDisk0\partition1 [SetupData] OSLoadOptionsVar="/noexecute=alwaysoff" SetupSourceDevice = "\device\harddisk0\partition1"floppyless = "1" and msdosinitiated = "0" were tried in all combinations, some funny lines were added to experiment, actually in over 20-30 attempts to change/remove lines I had no luck. No idea if it's by design like that or am missing something. May be Setup detects that has not been started from RIS ignoring paths and keeps searching for files in ~LS folder. Another dumb idea- copied the contents of CD on USB disk, leave boot files to invoke SETUPLDR.BIN and amend WINNT.SIF and TXTSETUP.SIF(copied on root and I386) for other source paths- no luck again- BIOSINFO.INF cannot be found in ~BT folder, so it's either hard coded when booted from hard disk to search there, or I am missing something. I am taking a break from USB hard disks for now, at least until someone gives better ideas. May be a way to make USB hard disk seen as removable? AFAIK this could be done by using driver patching on the fly the removable bit which seems too hard for the purpose, or I am wrong? Regards, ilko

Have a nice holiday jaclaz, enjoy it

Could I help with anything else? Give me any ideas what I could do on my side. What else could matter for bootability? Could it be something beyond MBR/bootsector? Thanks for it, prepare.cmd is redone, now it creates a virtual disk, formats it, makes WINNT32 to place all files there, amends the needed files and copies all on USB stick. Tested it with 2 XP sources- worked fine. A lot is to be polished, step by step. An archive containing all needed files is attached. Thanks, the information coming from you is usually like a waterfall, one can hardly drink that much at a time edit1: _prepare.cmd updated, now deletes the whole [unattended] section in winnt.sif prepare2.zip

Totally agree with you. What I tried in the previous post is to make the steps as few as possible. The way could be always extended to meet specific needs- use HP format tool or whatever makes the stick bootable, usage of virtual disks to avoid winnt32 change of bootsector and messing with the local BOOT.INI etc. Just need more tests to get the most simple, reliable and universal way, your remarks are always on spot. I believe Jaclaz's analysis of the attached boot sectors will give more light on what is happening and what could be done. Here is my short "to do" list: 1. Find a virtual disk program, simple to use and not residing in RAM, but rather in a file. Manage this program by prepare.cmd to automate the process. 2. A script, deleting the whole [unattended] section in WINNT.SIF 3. Tests with USB hard disks, I don't have any bootable enclosures to play with. Issues I foresee: -Text Setup will see it as fixed, list as first, before SATA/IDE disks, rewrite bootsector, possibly render it nonbootable(worst case) -boot files will be placed on USB disk, instead of the local hard disk, need additional checks in binifix.cmd, for proper entries in the local boot.ini and ntdetect.com/ntldr. -drive letters may get messed 4. Merge some of the scripts for simplicity Some of the steps takes me a lot of studying, batch scripting is something very new to me, bootsectors/MBR structure too, and I really feel uncomfortable to ask Jaclaz every second post please this, please that, because I can't do it on my own BTW over 50 000 hits to this thread and only 4-5 active posters That was the other reason for the post above and prepare.cmd. edit: 1) and 2) completed edit2: 3) completed

I tried to make an easy way to prepare everything, please find attached an archive, containing all needed files, please excuse my skills in batch scripts, there is probably a lot to be improved in this simple script: Quick how to: 1. Extract files to a folder of your choice 2. Run PEtoUSB and format stick 3. Run PREPARE.CMD, and follow prompts, pauses are added for troubleshooting 4. When notepad opens WINNT.SIF, delete the whole [unattended] section and add/amend whatever you That's it, please test it, any feedback is appreciated. --------------------- Could someone have a look at PREPARE.CMD and add a section to delete the whole [unattended] section in WINNT.SIF, I had no idea how to do it. Feel free to add any improvements i.e. error checking or whatever is needed to polish it, that was beyond my capabilities Some of the batches could be merged at later stage. For testing prepare.cmd ImDisk comes so helpful Regards, ilko prepare_USB.zip

I have tried postsetup.cmd a while ago- could't get it launched, it may be launched only in Windows Embedded setup, or I didn't make it right. Will try again. It's supposed to run when GUI setup is completed, may be after T-1 "deleting temp. files" Fedit.exe seems good idea, I'll study it further. @cdob- I get what you are saying, it's just a few things which doent's make any sense to me, please reread the posts above about bootsect.dat and how winnt32 with /syspart changes bootsector, rendering the stick non bootable. If stick is formated by PEtoUSB this doesn't happen. It could be BIOS involved, that's an idea, or as you are saying winnt32 gets confused about the USB device. It doesn't create abootsect.dat nywhere, but makes boot.ini on stick pointing to it, despite the fact TXT part will be launched by the renamed setupldr.bin anyway. Could be the part when winnt32 is not designed for USB drives and gets confused. If it was creating bootsect.dat with a patched bootsector on the USB stick it would've been nice, one external tool (jaclaz's makeBS.cmd) less. Not a big deal though, I am just studying it's behavior and reporting results here. Another thing- please excuse me as I sometimes use the topic as a draft, usually when I get too many results in my head and need to clear and sort it up, and at that point I write some unnecessary and not proved results and conclusions. Just noone else to talk with about this matter Will try not to

@jaclaz About boot sectors- please find attached what I gathered, Before and After stands for before winnt32 is run, right after format, after is after winnt32. In some folders I put a file telling how the stick boots with this bootsector. F6 folders are for stick when first 100 sectors filled with F6. About binifix4.cmd- works fine, you may now remove YES confirmation. How would it behave if script is run for a second time? I mean for repair install, script would be already run once, and for a second time when repairing. As for the variables- I am trying to avoid modifying TXTSETUP.SIF at all, and call boot_ren.cmd, binifix.cmd and undoren.cmd from winnt.sif directly on stick, without copying them on hard disc. I was expecting to have a preset variable like %installdrive% or something similar, but cannot find any. Simple way to set such for the USB drive is to use PRESETUP.CMD, which if seen by GUI Setup will be launched before anything else. Here we have 2 options 1. Set the variable if possible- I am not in this field at all, tried to substitute SET with SETX for permanent results in simple script like this: SET TAGFILE=\misc FOR %%h IN (C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y) DO IF EXIST "%%h:%TAGFILE%" SET USBDRIVE=%%h: Where folder MISC will be on stick, containing the files in question. Using SET works for this command prompt session only, using SETX should do it permanent, but seems the syntax is different and SETX with -m parameter works on HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment which I am not sure if it's ready at that point, before GUI setup continues. 2. My dumb and simplier way - use presetup.cmd to copy needed files in \system32 and call them easily from winnt.sif ilko MBRs_bootsects1.zip