jaclaz

Maybe you can save a little time ... http://solair.eunet.rs/~janko/engdload.htm jaclaz

http://www.joshcellsoftwares.com/2012/06/WinUSBMaker.html Wow! @jimsallo With all due respect , but why don't you ask the Author of the tool you used? Do you have a grub4dos menu.lst on that stick? If yes post it's contents, as well as contents of BOOT.INI (if any). jaclaz

Well, of all the available tools, clonezilla is the LEAST advised, not because it's not good , but because it is (nicely) named BUT does another thing from what people would associate to cloning. You can just dd it without any need for Clonezilla, if you want a clone, otherwise for supported filesystems the result is NOT - normally - a clone. But this: tells nothing. WHATis the "everything tried"? What EXACT hard disk is it? WHERE it is coming from? WHO is "someone" that "told about embed file"? Standard Litany: http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/problem-report-standard-litany.html jaclaz

Until the good MS guys decide to remove it..... If possible it is always better (iMHO) to use freely redistributable tools. jaclaz

Good . Choosing the RED pill has traditionally been more interesting..... but rabbit holes are deeep jaclaz

Yes . http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/questions-with-yes-or-no-answers.html See if you can use this installer (reported as working on 98SE), then see if you can manage to "tweak" it to accept your alternate .klc file: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~johns/kbukint.html Also you can try this: http://www.klm32.com/index.html the Lite edition is freeware though cannot say if it's "enough" for what you need/want to do. jaclaz

Good. You won't, once we have found the issue, you will still be able to re-install the "proper" version (correcting or re-doing the CD your son-in-law provided, if that is the cause). Imagine that you go to your neighbours and you ask them to lend you a (spare) TV, you get it, get home and try connecting it to your antenna, if it works it means that the issue is your old TV (and not the antenna) if it doesn't the old TV might still be OK but you have to fix the antenna anyway. In any case you will need to return the TV and ether fix your hardware (TV or antenna or both ) or procure new one(s). jaclaz

Then, no need to reply to #3 and #4. The plan (failed) was to connect a PS/2 mouse and completely uninstall (and later re-install) anything USB related. Do you have another PC (and a home network)? If yes, you can try Sinergy (still with the idea of having "something else from USB" pilot the mouse on screen, and thus allowing safelu the uninstall of the USB drivers): http://synergy-foss.org/ jaclaz

Yes, I understand, that's why I suggested a test in a VM, but it's better if you don't install *anything* on your friend's PC. Yes , it is very good to check if the setup goes further than "2:20", thoigh the actual "edition" of the XP might not be "corresponding" (and thus the product key may not activate), but this is the least of the problems, the product key is asked for well after the "Text mode" part (inside the "GUI" part of the setup, as a matter of fact, if I recall correctly, a SP3 disk will also allow to go on without a key), if the issue is actually missing driver you won't ever get that far. jaclaz

Humble suggestion (replacements for SRVANY): http://nssm.cc/ http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/ABC-SrvAny.shtml More: (cannot say if it any will do in your setup) I still see a Reskit only tool as "third party" as "anything else", but additionally NOT redistributable . jaclaz

The three are interrelated. To take an example that we'll all (hopefully) be familiar with, in George Orwell's 1984 the protagonist, Winston Smith, lacked both freedom and security because there was no privacy -- all he did and said was monitored, or reported. Now, I'm not saying that Microsoft is (yet) monitoring everything we type and everywhere we go on our computers -- but I am asking what the meaning (if any) might be of what that guy on MDL had discovered. --JorgeA Yes , that is called Science Fiction, it didn't (yet) happen, as well as Minority Report and the pre-crime do not yet exist, nor Blade Runner, and Skynet didn't - seemingly - gain self-awareness on August 29, 1997. (but if - by any chance - your real name is John Connor, you'd better start to run ). jaclaz

Good. (in the sense of bad ) The setup doesn't even "start". This means that the issue is in the very early stage of "text mode", and this means (roughly) that either; the CD is corrupt (so-called "bad-burn") (it happens more often than not) there is a hardware faiure of some kind (less likely, but possible) It cannot be a needed driver missing (as at this stage this should not matter as they are not yet involved, you should get a more senceful error meassage, though still not having the proper drivers integrated might be the reason ). Next step would be to test the CD in a Virtual Machine. Which OS are you running on the PC you are using to browse and post the Forum? I presume a Windows NT based system of some kind. If yes, easiest would be to use Qemu Manager: http://www.davereyn.co.uk/download.htm It is quite straightforward, you install it, then follow the wizard when creating a new Virtual machine, select XP as OS, and create a new 2 Gb disk (RAW format). Of course you will need some space on the hard disk of the "real" machine, something more than the 2 Gb. In settings, go to the "Drives" Tab, make sure that the image you just created is set as "Hard disk 0", select "CDROM" and point it to the drive letter corresponding to the CD drive in the "real"machine (where you have inserted the XP CD Rom media to test) and make sure that "Boot order" is set so that "CD/DVD drive" is before "Hard drive". If the CD is OK, you should be able to replicate the video. There would be still the possibility that this "other machine" CD/DVD drive can read the XP CD by that the drive on your laptop doesn't, if this is the case normally the CD drive (of the laptop) would do "strange" noises, trying to read the CD over and over. Checking (and if the case cleaning) the reading lens of the CD drive wouldn't make any harm. Then, next test would be to download the UBCD: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ burn it to a CD (IMGBURN) and try booting the laptop with it. This CD has - among many other tools - a set of diagnostic tools that will help to diagnose hardware issues (if any). jaclaz

Ok, now I am really confused. Let's do it like this , have a look at this video: The actual Setup starts at 1:55. WHEN exactly (with reference to that video) do you encounter the: jaclaz

Yes, as I told you this is likely to happen if the CD you have is not (choose one): the specific "Dell" one for your laptop a "normal" XP CD BUT with integrated to it the necessary specific drivers (if you prefer a "normal" CD modified to be "wider" in the supported hardware It is also possible that you are suffering from a hardware problem, but until you don't find a way to try a "properly made" XP install CD there is no way to check this, if not testing the laptop with an alternate OS (like a Linux "live" CD or a PE of some kind). But then you are in a Catch 22 situation, if you (in your own words) are "not tech savvy at all" you will have difficulties in creating the (hopefully) good install CD by following the given instructions/advice and/or testing the laptp with an alternate liveOS to exclude the hardware issue, or you can decide to become tech savvy , what is needed is not over the head of any willing computer user, and we can try and help/guide you through the needed steps. It's only up to you, but - and with all due respect - until you wear the hat of the "not tech savvy at all" you cannot "suspect" *anything*. You were pointed to a possible procedure, if you have questions about it or issues in replicating it, I guess everyone will try and support you, but before the new "suspect" (IMHO perfectly innocent) you should try the recommended procedure, and not abandon it and find other suspects because you cannot replicate properly what was suggested. If I get it right what you experience is the following: You insert the boot CD your son-in-law sent you and can boot from it. You see a number of screens in white text over blue background (this is what is called "text mode" part of the setup) You are (possibly) asked to partition/format the hard disk A number of files are copied from the CD to the hard disk (you see theis files enumerated in the bottom of the blue screen) The text mode part ends and you are asked to take the CD out of the drive and reboot. Is the above accurate? If NO, describe what you are currently experiencing. Then WHAT happens? (please describe what happens) jaclaz

Well, let's try not to confuse Freedom (which is one thing) with Privacy amd Security (which are other things). Besides that, when you go and buy a car you don't pretend to have the source code of the built-in navigator, nor of the car diagnostic system if you are worried about these things phoning home or providing informations to the manufacturer, you go and buy a bycicle INSTEAD. (if you prefer you have no or little choices). With OS, you have the choices, so bragging about these issues is mostly nonsense, just get a Linux, or better, BSD , and avoid whining. It is important to know what happens in detail, and have viable alternatives, should one not like these features. These "bad" behaviours can be changed by simply not buying that OS and saying aloud WHY exactly you didn't, but it's not like they would be censoring your speech, limiting your mobility or similar. jaclaz

NO. Meaning that your suspect is wrong . If that computer came (say) with DOS 6.22 and noone ever attempted to install to it a Windows XP, that could have been the case , but since that Laptop already was running XP, there are NO incompatibilities in the BIOS you have (unless you later aupdated the BIOS to a newer version from the one that the laptop was shipped with) with the Windows XP setup. (*somehow* that XP was installed to it using that BIOS) By updating the BIOS (which is not in itself a good or a bad thing ) you simply introduce a possible ADDITIONAL issue. Could you answer my questions? Maybe (just maybe) if I understand waht is happening, I can help you. jaclaz

I don't get it. What you want is a "touch" like tool? http://www.softtreetech.com/24x7/archive/47.htm http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html http://www.stevemiller.net/apps/ http://www.stevemiller.net/downloads/ctb10w32.zip Frm the latter (working on WIn95 up to 7 ): jaclaz

Do you think that Windows 7 Activation is profoundly different form that? jaclaz

You can call me "coward" as you like , but what I ALWAYS do and suggest (in the "better be safe" than sorry approach ) is (JFYI): NEVER use a path with spaces NEVER use (unless really, really and I mean really) needed any filename that is not conforming toi the good ol' DOS 8+3 convention NEVER use either the "desktop" or an user profile (talking about drivers/programs, etc. connected with setup) This may well be overcautious and unneeded in a number of situations, but doing ANY of the above listed NO-NOes is introducing an additional (and unneeded) possibility to let Murphy's Law prove itself right (once again ). About the ref.chm you will need to learn to live with the fact that the MS originated info is: rarely (please read as "never") complete/exhaustive often (please read as "almost always") deceiving, badly worded or prone to be understood wrongly or only partially sometimes (not often but "it happens") plainly wrong The good news are that if it was not as above described, we would have a lot less fun in finding the omissions, the untold, the (intentionally or not) deceiving..... ... and doing crazy experiments to find what really happens under the hood.... jaclaz PS: Another couple possibly interesting resources: http://unattended.sourceforge.net/index.php http://itk.samfundet.no/dok-filer/ms-xp-sp2-deployment-ref/

Oh, yes you DO. Or, sooner that you might expect, the IGC (International Geek Committee) will send someone to get back your diploma and badge (besides ALL your screwdrivers, and YES including the pentalobe one ): http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/24/apple_screws/ http://www.ifixit.com/blog/2011/01/20/apples-diabolical-plan-to-screw-your-iphone/ jaclaz

The UK are not that much different: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/About-Us/Our-business/Safety http://www.pontypool-and-blaenavon.co.uk/pages/pageitem.aspx?page=visitorinfo Clause 9 here (NSW): http://www.131500.com.au/tickets/upload/docs/Passenger_Fares_Handbook.pdf In TV: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0752252/quotes?qt=qt1208712 SCOOP! there is humour in Maryland : http://mta.maryland.gov/your-guide-mta-bus-safety jaclaz

OT , but not much : jaclaz

Why don't you simply remove it? http://www.mvps.org/ecvogel/kb/XP_remove_progs.htm jaclaz

First thing you need to make a RAW copy of the stick (if possible). Typically there are two possible "family" of issues: partition/filesystem level issues (even a single byte with the wrong value may turn a working stick in a "RAW" one) actual hardware/controller/memory issues (these cannot be solved easily with "common" software, in some cases they may using "special" tools) The first are normally fixable. Which OS are you using? I will assume a NT based system, then use datarescuedd to make a RAW (or dd-like) image of those sticks, see: http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/v3/drdd.htm What often happens (no way to know if this is what happened to you, but the fact that it happened to TWO sticks - I presume coming from the same source might be a symptom that you got a couple "fakes"). There are ways to set the stick in such a way that an OS will see a larger size than what is really in the flash of the stick. The unsuspecting user uses the stick "normally" until, a certain day, the amount of the "real" flash in the stick is reached and data simply "wrap arounds", overwriting the beginning of the flash. JFYI, (for the future) whenever you buy a USB flash stick you must check it with one of the available testing programs to make sure that the "label capacity" is actually there. For the moment just choose one of the two sticks and make the image with datarescuedd (once you have done it post the EXACT size in bytes). Then post the results of the tests on the actual stick as in here: jaclaz

Maybe relevant info is nearer than you might think: http://gosh.msfn.org/ sure the info is "here and there" and you will need to dig a bit in the past. Possibly useful (though not what you asked for) txtsetup.sif related: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/14852-switches-in-txtsetupsif/ Some (interesting?) related findings are "here and there" in the "Install windows form USB" section: http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/157-install-windows-from-usb/ jaclaz