jaclaz

Well, you were wrong then! jaclaz

Naah, gasoline is too volatile , I was thinking more like napalm.... You know, like: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/quotes jaclaz

You don't actually *need* a Windows Server. You can use any windows with TFTP32 and a BINL server or Linux (and a BINL server) as "server". Start reading here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2322 AND given links in it, particularly: http://oss.netfarm.it/guides/ Also there is a very similar thread here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12479 where you may find additional info jaclaz

Well, also, if anyone had followed my direct link to here: http://www.compuapps.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:swiss-knife-v322&catid=48:drive-managment&Itemid=193 he might have found that SwissKnife is tested for single partitions up to 500 Gb. So, for making three 460 Gb partitions it should be allright. Should anyone want to experiment, there is also this thingy, that I have tested with good results (but NOT with such a big partition ): http://partitionlogic.org.uk/ http://partitionlogic.org.uk/about/preview.html Why 32? (being that the bootsector is 1st sector and backup is 6th one?) jaclaz

It's one of your rights (to disagree) but in this case won't get you very far , you seem like missing the very basics of the way a XP is setup. In a nutshell when you install Windows, you boot from SETUPLDR.BIN that uses settings in TXTSETUP.SIF to "load" drivers and install them, by copying them to the \drivers\ folder AND create a .pnf AND write in the Registry the needed. So what nlite does is simply to modify the TXTSETUP.SIF to take into account the "new" drivers. The alternative being using the "F6 floppy" to add the drivers during install (which simply "adds" some settings to TXTSETUP.SIF and of course provides the actual driver files). When you boot an installed windows, you boot from NTLDR, that knows NOTHING about TXTSETUP.SIF so you CANNOT add drivers after install in the same way (well, you can, of course, add them once booted, but since without the SATA Mass Storage drivers you cannot boot, you are in a nice CATCH 22 situation). The "traditional" way to migrate an XP was to set the Mass Storage drivers to the "standard" "Dual PCI Ide" drivers because they are "universal" in the sense that they work both with actual IDE devices and with SATA devices as long as you choose "IDE compatibility" or a similar setting in the computer BIOS. (typically all desktops have this possibility as well as most laptops, but a number of the latter do miss this possibility). The whole idea of Offline Sysprep is to: access Offline a working install (booting ANOTHER OS instance) make it hardware independent (so that it can be transferred and boot on different hardware) The Mass Storage driver injection ONLY injects Mass Storage drivers , so if any other "critical" driver in the offline image is "incompatible" with the new "target" hardware, it won't boot . jaclaz

I would assume that: the two weeks starting on 08 December 2008 has elapsed in the meantime, thus I would guess that your kind offer is a bit too late. jaclaz

Just for the record, there is an updated version: http://www.ayera.com/teraterm/ And the Sourceforge continuation of "old" 2.3: http://en.sourceforge.jp/projects/ttssh2/releases/ now version 4.67 jaclaz

I wonder which kind of contributor are you? On your first post you start criticizing the way another member replies to a question on nlite, and on the second one you post a question on the use of nlite - without having taken the time to read the basic instructions.... nlite was written to be run under 2K/XP and tested under 2K/XP, and it works allright under 2K and XP. (you might want to notice how the last character in the above sentence is a dot, full stop or period) The only ways out AFAIK/IMHO are: run nlite in the OS it was developed and tested on re-write nlite from scratch adding to it compatibility with Windows Vista , Windows 7 and Server 2008 (and what not) sue nuhi for not having updated his program or having forecasted it would not work under an unreleased at the time OS sue Microsoft for having released an OS that broke compatibility with nlite of which #1 is the most viable, since you must have a full XP source (in order to nlite it) just get a Freely available Virtual Machine, like Virtual PC or Qemu or Virtualbox, install the XP on it, then run nlite inside the VM. jaclaz

Yep, I guess there must be a misunderstanding of some kind. The ORIGINAL wording was: And it seemed to me (and to a conspicuous amount of users) understandable and clear enough. Snakebyte2 said it wasn't clear enough and according to his requests/suggestions the text was modified as follows: As you can see, there is not that much of a difference, except the fact that the SAME info is repeated THREE times (and formatted/coloured more incisively) instead of TWO , and in my perverted mind just ONE should have been enough, just for the record this was the ORIGINAL-ORIGINAL text (never published): In any case, the 3 (three) golden rules of serial communication : GROUND EVERYTHING together check that GROUNDing together ALL equipment involved has been done while considering the reasons why and the consequence of the above two, check AGAIN that everything is effectively GROUNDed together jaclaz

Why not using any of the available programs? http://www.programmersheaven.com/download/14090/download.aspx http://www.kime.net/directcc/directcc31.htm jaclaz

Good news , though it's strange, or maybe it is some "by design" feature from MS, something like "if a file called test.txt - or any file with extension .txt - is found in $OEM$\$1 it is deleted during install". You know, something like having a .txt file beginning with ".LOG": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260563/en-us only not reknown as that one Only too happy to know there is now another happy bunny in the basket. http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=128727&st=10 jaclaz

Maybe because he/she doesn't understand English? (exception made for a few English foul words, of course )? jaclaz

Yep , but as you know nlite has NOTHING to do with the "installed" system. What you need to use is Offline Sysprep: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showforum=43 either the "whole thing" (STRONGLY recommended) or just either the Driver Injection GUI: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22523 or the MSSTMake: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=22313 jaclaz

There may be , but definitely it is something that happens NOT in the "grub4dos" part. grub4dos has NO provisions to write to the filesystem (meaning the filesystem structure), so it cannot delete (or create if that matters) files. grub4dos has however direct access to disk sectors, so what you can do is write with grub4dos dd a "status byte" to the MBR and later remove it from the booted installed windows with an utility like MBRFIX (called by RunOnceEx or similar) which happens to have exactly this feature. You can then use the checkrange function to read the byte and use it as "conditional" switch. Check this thread: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12449&hl= for an example use of checkrange that will also probably be used in next version of WinSetupFromUSBwithGUI. Or you can dd a whole sector file to an unused sector, say sector 62, and then wipe it with an utility like dsfo/dsfi. Check this thread for a (complex and seemingly unrelated) example: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7138&hl= grub4dos has also the write command that can write to an already existing file, but it's use seems to me like not suitable for your needs. Or you can use another way, you can check which files are on the HD after the first part of the windows setup and that are NOT there after second part (because they are deleted by the normal second part of the WinXP install, and check for one of them (this way you won't need the $OEM$\$1). Out of my head (and without actually checking), I would try checking for the presence of "migrate.inf" . Finally, you can use one sector of the USB thingy or even the actual "F6" firadisk floppy to store this "flag", this way you won't even touch the target HD (though this won't help much in the case of a "stoopid" user that could break the "normal" sequence" - which is the actual only thing that you can "flag" this way). If this is OK, you can also re-write while booting the .lst file using the mentioned write command. A simpler way (still at the risk of the "stoopid" user breaking a sequence would be to use the hiddenflag command making use of the second "dummy" partition RMPREPUSB creates, find here some reference: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12437&hl= together with some more examples of the "live dangerously with grub4dos" series : Also, this is grub4dos and NOT "grub" (which doesn't exist, there is GRUB (legacy) and GRUB (2) and grub4dos), though they have several things in common and even a few developers have contributed to two or all three of them, they are DIFFERENT projects and syntax, EXPECIALLY the "advanced" one is different, sometimes slightly, sometimes greatly. jaclaz

Maybe this helps: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/2kprintcontrol.php (or maybe not ) jaclaz

To be picky, "in order to be able to format partitions larger than 32 Gb to FAT-32 under XP". For the record, there is also Tokiwa FAT32 formatter (GUI): http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/Fat32Formatter/ and SwissKnife: http://www.compuapps.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:swiss-knife-v322&catid=48:drive-managment&Itemid=193 that works allright under Win9x/Me. jaclaz

Well, then I really don't get it. Are you saying that you actually read the suggestions, ignored them, and then, in order to have the stoopid link working you had to actually follow them? Point #7 was written BECAUSE of the problems inexperienced people had WITHOUT grounding and says in a nutshell "ALWAYS ground EVERYTHING together". Since Snakebyte2 thought the original wording (which is the one on page 154): was not clear enough I asked him to provide some suggestions to make it more clear (current text on the READ-ME-FIRST). As well you are welcome to PM me suggesting any possible bettering to the scope of making that part more clear. jaclaz

Good . Believe me, NOT to make any fuss about this , but since the dawn of time (NT 4, Win9x, etc.) the standard troubleshooting of a non-bootable Windows has been : boot the system with "something" else, like a second install, a boot CD, etc. verify the integrity of the filesystem (through CHKDSK or other similar utilities) and if needed fix it then, if the above is not enough: make a new backup of the (offline) Registry and - if available - replace it with a backup copy of it then, if the above is not enough: since Windows 2K, make a repair install then, if the above is not enough and everything else has been attempted and failed, like: removing ALL hardware leaving only HD, Video card, monitor and keyboard connected safe mode command line mode etc. eventually give up and do a re-install from scratch, after having backed up any meaningful or useful DATA on the disk. I can count the number of times I actually needed to reinstall an OS in the last 15 years without taking my shoes off. The previous 15 years of experience before 1995 don't count as at the time OS's were much simpler.... jaclaz

WHICH link? The latest is 1.7.10 Beta J, available here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=144214 WHY would you want a (more) outdated version? jaclaz

I beg your pardon? The Y-Cable has one USB "A type" connector to which BOTH the power (+/- 5V) AND the USB serial wires are connected and another one that ONLY has the power (+/- 5v) wires connected. So you will never actually "connect" the USB drive to two PC's at the same time. The only "risk" is that you will be grounding together the two PC's. This is normally NOT a problem (example two desktops) but it may cause in certain VERY RARE cases (two laptops or one laptop and one desktop) a "ground loop" (since desktops are normally grounded and laptops are not). The theoretical max output of a USB port is 500 mA (usually a port provides slightly more than that) To give you some actual data, some (but not all) 2.5" disks do sport on their label the actual current needed. This is usually slightly in excess of what is actually needed. Seagate Momentus 5400.4 120 Gb -> 0.508 A (i.e. 508 mA) Hitachi Travelstar HTS541080... 80 Gb -> 1.0 A (i.e. 1,000 mA) Hitachi HTS541616... 160 Gb -> 700 mA Samsung MP0402H 40 Gb ->0.7 A (i.e. 700 mA) Fujutsu MHV2080AT 80 Gb ->0.55 A (i.e. 550 mA) Of the above, #1 will most probably work with a "normal" USB cable, #5 may, #2, #3 and #4 will NEED the Y cable. (or an external powered hub, some do give much more than 500mA) jaclaz

WHICH manual? I would have thought that point #7 of the READ-ME-FIRST: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=143880 is clear enough. jaclaz

For the record, it is Creative Commons and NOT GPL. (as mentioned in the already linked to thread) jaclaz

Yep. That's what I was talking about AFAIK "we" don't have such an automated method/app , but before or later someone may come up with one. jaclaz

That's a good thing, as otherwise you would have to pay me a small fee for the intellectual property of the idea. If I get it right, your customers have normally only two choices: perfection throw away an otherways good printer an buy a new one I thought you were also prone to quick and dirty hacks.... http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=144426&st=9 jaclaz

Well, but *somehow* the MS guys must create this "fully configured image" , even if they do it by typing each single byte , there must be *some* way they create it, so the question is: I presume it is just a question of time before someone finds a way... jaclaz