Tulert

Sorry it looks random. I believe it is not random. I will be away from that computer today & may or may not be able to test something in the evening. Then I am gone for the weekend. To clarify something -- reports above are for "booting" from MicroCenter 4GB after formatting in Fuwi ONLY, sequence of options [c; s; 'g'; y; n], i.e. Format, Create a Stick, Letter of a stick, Data ovcerwritten, BartPE -- no. I didn't add any installation files for Windows. So the menues above are for "booting" from a laptop -- blue. And "booting" from Asus -- grey; under FDD option in BIOS which I was told not to use. Other options in BIOS on Asus go as described in that post. Other things I discussed you can count as irrelevant. This is easy since I know exactly what leads to those and it is only 1 option of all described. I do use FDD in BIOS though which is emulation as Floppy which supposedly shouldn't work. Will get back with the results as soona as I can, most likely Monday my time.

I did test HDD separately => Motherboard logo Technically HDD (4) should work same as Auto (1) [for 4GB] and in my tests it did -> no separate report. Auto (supposedly) does either Floppy or HDD depending on the size of the stick. FDD (3) is forced Floppy no matter the size. Didn't test as Floppy (5). I didn't forget. Here comes the thing -- what is the definition of "boots"? I am unsure between boots after just formatting with Fuwi's OR boots after Fuwi's + WinSetupFromUSB. I thought Jaclaz wanted pure format, in any case results are for Fuwi's tool only. I can't rerun the tests with WinSetupFromUSB now, sorry. I suspect it is already bad that I am not getting to the blue screen with a menu on a desktop that I am getting on a laptop...?

Report: For fuwi's tool Sorry: I didn't change the file system away from FAT32. Below record is for FAT32 in fuwi. create folder C:\PEBuilder This substitutes in Installation instructions create folder C:\PEBuilder\USB-Boot_Utilities unzipped USB-Boot_Utilities.zip into C:\PEBuilder\USB-Boot_Utilities Run 'Bootable_USB-Drive.cmd' c; s; 'g'; y; n For booting on a laptop BIOS: Startup -> Boot -> Boot priority -> +USB HDD 1-st; USB FDD excluded; USB CD excluded BIOS: Config -> USB -> USB BIOS Support [Enabled] Blue screen with menu, I figure this qualifies as "boots", pic. For Asus (1) BIOS: Auto => Motherboard logo (2) BIOS: CDROM => blinking cursor => Reboot ans Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key (3) BIOS: FDD => menu, pic => grub> prompt Update 1: Just repeated everything for FAT16. All pics & output the same Repeated for NTFS. All pics & output the same ================================== Repeated with Fuwi: c; h; [g]; => This is not a USB-HD Partition! ... tried a couple reformats & then back to Fuwi: c; h; [g]. Results in "This is not a USB-HD Partition!" in Fuwi. Thought this might be tested as h is an option to format as HDD rather than Stick. ================================ Irrelevant Info Update 2: Tested what happens with a bootable CD. So 1) if a USB stick is physically present no matter what BIOS settings (Emulation:Auto, different booting settings including totally ignoring USB as an option) booting from CDROM doesn't happen. Stuck at Motherboard logo. 2) if USB is physically not plugged and CDROM chosen as a boot device #1 everything goes as expected. I interrupted Setup for the purity of the experiment. Side Info One issue I know for sure about my Asus is that it has isues with IDE connector. People were not able to start their system with HDDs on IDE and was Ok when they switched to SATA. I wasn't able to do DVDROM+CDROM or DVDROM alone as Master, CS, etc. Had to go with a CDROM and left my figuring DVDROM later.

Rat already did some progresss figuring the issue but didn't try it yet. Your response is helpful though as wasn't 100% sure what would be formally a boot from a USB with no OS there. Yes, on MicroCenter (I think) and Asus (no check of bootability, seen your advice to others but had issue #2). I did see blue screen and menu and Windows setup as last item (had FDD in BIOS too). Then it took me to grub> on a grey screen (recollection, hopefully it's accurate). We didn't discuss this. Actually I think I tried to change BIOS settings for USB at that stage as the situation looked promising, it didn't help so I moved to the formatting with RMPrepUSB according to http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...87993&st=17 I answered yes, got a notice that nothing will be done and then what I said above. I think after that I decided to return to the original state of things. Formatted MicroCenter and wasn't able to get to grub>. So then I asked about zeroing sectors. Which actually worked even though I've got a strange message. (When I did it on a different stick I got a positive message, so I know that one was weird) Another detail -- I know on Asus I can pick lba mode and all the time it was Auto. I've read somewhere in all the discussions that "some BIOSes support lba mode and some don't and it affects booting from a USB". I didn't do anything to that mode so far but I can show you screenshots if you find this interesting and want to try changing it.

I did fbinst --list fbinst (hd1) format --force Didn't do anything about loading grldr or using updated grub4dos as I don't understand how that would interact with using WinSetupFromUSB. BIOS: Auto => Motherboard logo BIOS: CDROM => blinking cursor, later "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key" BIOS: FDD => "Missing MBR-helper" (I know I was told not to use FDD, just wanted to see what happens) Repeated the procedure as fbinst --list fbinst (hd1) format --force fbinst (hd1) load c:/grldr => "fbinst: error: invalid archive file"

As a side thought -- 1) could grub4dos load config file from a CDROM? 2) will Windows setup start from a CDROM? I had success with FDD and CDROM (in getting to grub>) => hence the question. I.e. wondering if there would be a workaround by Emulating as CDROM. Will try suggestions combined with HDD first.

Then (if FBINST didn't work) run from the laptop on the chosen stick fuwi's tool: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21702 and see if it boots on the laptop. 2 things: 1) I've studied Fuwi's tool somewhat earlier and I don't quite get what should be unzipped and to what destinations there except for the main archive. I think I did get a notice that BartPE tool is not found and I am not sure whether I am supposed to have that installed earlier or it is a part of the package. The instructions said to modify 'SourcePath' in the file 'Config_SourcePath.cmd' to point at BartPE but I don't know to which file and in which package and I don't know if BartPE is a crusial piece that I should have or I can get along without it [i.e. I am confused about my needs].2) How do I check if the stick boots on a laptop? No kidding, I really have no clue. Do I need to go into BIOS or is it simpler? I guess I need to do some work now, then will go to FBINST & etc. For FBINSt would you recommend any specific format options & should I combine with FDD or Auto(HDD) in BIOS? Or should I try everything? Thanks!

I agree to be a lab rat. The only problem is my household is getting annoyed and says I should quit BS and just do it from a CD. So I am not sure how much longer I can handle this. I don't mind to continue after I install Windows too if you give instructions but I might be forced to actually install it somehow... Could we go with Micro Center? I have a lot of those Sticks and it's easy to take another one of same type if experimenting makes it dead. Yes, my Laptop has Microsoft Windows XP Professional Ver 2000, SP3 Somewhat. Seen it in class like 15 years ago. Used to zero sectors like you suggested. I also use UNIX but as a dummy I would say. Hmmm... My BIOS can see the stick as HDD. Setting are, for example, USB Config -> Emulation type: Auto Boot Menu -> USB then is listed as "Hard Disk Drives" with HDDs Versus if Emulation type: FDD, it's listed as "Removable Drives" (with Floppy). And if Emulation type:CDROM, it's listed as "CDROM Drives" (with CDROM). Remember, it was my choice to force FDD as there was no progress with the other options (5 total). I don't remember all details of Emulation type: HDD, the bottom line is it stops at Motherboard logo too. But when it is among HDDs I am not getting past Motherboard logo during the reboot. So not getting to "grub>", menu or anything else. Ok, I'll take a look. I am not that hi-tech as you can tell and some things take me long time to understand/interpret. Thanks for the help, suggestions & patience!

Sorry, this is off-topic but after grubinst -v (hd4,0) I can't format my Patriot any more with the pic below and Error 7 reported after the pic. Any hints? I seemed to make max progress with it & now I can't go back.

Then tried from http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=135202 And now am back to "grub>" prompt. Lol.

on Patriot Micro SD 1GB inside Kingston USB enclosure -(FAT 16; RMPREPUSB Format as Zip & WINXPCD under WinSetupFromUSB_0-2-2; BIOS: FDD)- got to the following pics

Continuation of #544 and #545 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...0444&st=540 Output: Possible disks are: fd0 fd1 hd0 hd1 rd In BIOS I do change the order of floppies to make USB #1. Will try to unplug the real floppy to see what happens

So, after attempting to "null the first 100-200 sectors" on 2 of my sticks I am back to on Micro Center 4GB; -(FAT 32; HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool v 2.0.6; BIOS: FDD)- "grub>"; replace grldr from grub4dos-0.4.4-2009-06-11.zip; see menu "Windows XP/2000/2003 Setup - First and Second parts"; hit Enter; get a rejection: Booting Windows XP/2000/2003 Setup- First and Second parts root (hd0,0) Error 5: Partition table invalid or corrupt on MemoRive 2GB; -(FAT 16; RMPREPUSB Format & WINXPCD under WinSetupFromUSB_0-2-2; BIOS: FDD)- "grub>"; replace grldr from grub4dos-0.4.4-2009-06-11.zip; "grub>" on Patriot Micro SD 1GB inside Kingston USB enclosure, not a subj of "null sectors" -(FAT 16; PEtoUSB; BIOS: FDD)- "grub>"; replace grldr from grub4dos-0.4.4-2009-06-11.zip; Starting cmain()... No PXE stack Booting find /menu.lst, /boot/grub/menu.lst, /grub/menu.lst "grub>" Long ponderings between all shown messages If I use BIOS:HDD not getting past the Asus M4A78 Pro Motherboard Full-screen logo. So not entitled even for "grub>" Also WinSetupFrom USB 0.2.2 still reports for all USB sticks I am trying to use: "Could not install grub4dos bootsector. Will attempt to install in to MBR..."

Also 1 more question -- if I use RMPREPUSB, lets say, would using C:\WINXPCD under "Choose Folder; Copy files from here after preparing USB drive" do the full job or should I run WinSetupFromUSB_0-2-2 (without formatting) to get to the bootable USB? Also, I checked "Boot as HDD" option in RMPREPUSB but got a notice that "This device is classed as USB_ZIP <Removable Disk>. Not like I mind but it matters for the BIOS settings probably... ? Evidence attached. And what is that 2-nd hidden partition? Why do I have it & am I supposed to have it with so many formattings... [this one is not Micro Center that I am torturing too].

Ok - gory MicroCenter 4GB I ran dsfi \\.\d: 0 0 zeroes.000 => Access is denied dsfi \\.\Physicaldrive3 0 0 zeroes.000 => \\.\Physicaldrive3 - Access is denied Now off to test a couple of other sticks that behaved the same... ... and I am confused Now when I try to access my "Access denied" USB Vista says I have to format them before using. So did dsfi do its job or not?

How do I "null the first 100-200 sectors" on a USB stick? Also in BIOS I have 5 options to set up USB: Auto (emulated as Floppy for small size <530MB & as HDD for large) Floppy Forced FDD (to force a HDD formatted drive to boot as FDD, supposedly useful for ZIP drive) Hard Disk CDROM I try to boot under FDD. I did try other options but computer hangs up for most of those except FDD & CD-Rom. Now I don't even get to grub>. Anyway, what is the most appropriate BIOS option? Or which ones are definitely wrong? Formatting USB as "Fixed drive" and setting HDD in BIOS didn't help.

Initially had problem seeing "grub>" instead of the boot menu. Resolved with grldr from grub4dos-0.4.4-2009-06-11.zip. Now see the menu but stuck at: (FAT 32, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool v 2.0.6; BIOS USB option: FDD) Booting Windows XP/2000/2003 Setup- First and Second parts root (hd0,0) Error 5: Partition table invalid or corrupt (NTFS, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool v 2.0.6; BIOS USB option: FDD) A disk read error occurred Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart || USB: Micro Center 4GB || Motherboard: ASUS M4A78 PRO || USB created under Windows Vista Enterprise SP1 || Same under Windows XP Pro 2002 SP3 [FAT32: grub>, grldr replacement, Error 5] Also WinSetupFrom USB 0.2.2 reports the below for all USB sticks I am trying to use: "Could not install grub4dos bootsector. Will attempt to install in to MBR..."