jaclaz

Well, actually yes. Basically, though not yet fully established/verified, the "HP" utility may produce in some cases an "unbalanced" partition table, where CHS and LBA address data are not corresponding to each other, and/or making a partition that may not end on Cylinder "boundary". This is not usually a problem with the FAT16 bootsector, but it can be one with the FAT32 one, and the problem may also be caused by a combination of this "mispartitioning" with the peculiar BIOS of your motherboard. The MBRBATCH and MKIMG method are designed to have (as it should always be ) CHS and LBA data corresponding and partition ending on Cylinder boundary, thus they should solve the problem. There also two other workarounds, see here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21864 (using DOS to load grub4dos grub.exe or installing grub4dos grldr.mbr) And a third one, installing (on Xp, NOT Vista) either the Hitachi Microdrive Filter Driver or the dummydisk.sys by Anton Bassov (google for them) in order to make the USB stick seen as "fixed" and thus enabling you to use the "usual" Disk Manager. And a fourth one (untested by me) by using SwissKnife: http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm that should be able as well to "hd-like format" a device seen as "removable". If you cannot make it with any of the above methods, use HDhacker: http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/ to save BOTH MBR and bootsector of the stick, then compress them in a .zip file and post it here, I'll have a look at them. jaclaz

To be more accurate, a USB hard disk generally behaves EXACTLY as a "normal" hard disk. A pendrive should work the same but it doesn't, thus another utility is needed. External hard disk are generally seen by windows as "fixed", pendrives usually are set as "removable" and thus they need either an utility like PetoUSB or the "HP" one to allow partitioning or, alternatively, a "filter driver" which is capable of making windows "see" a removable device as fixed and thus allowing the use of the normal disk manager. jaclaz

Sure, should it be able to also make some coffee of this is irrelevant? Seriously, it's very difficult to know which make/model/brand is better than another, the only way is comparison tests, but the ones you can find around are oldish, and sometimes the product is out of production, for example some of the sticks tested here: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/di...sh-roundup.html This one is recent: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1589/meg...ndup/index.html jaclaz

Hey peeps, not to gatecrash the party , but you do realize that after posting the initial question azelza never took part on the thread, do you? ...and I guess there are a few tens similar threads on the board..... Why don't we turn this into something REALLY new, like a good ol' NTFS vs. FAT32 or Mickey Mouse vs. Dracula thread? jaclaz

NO. The problem is exactly that. The first sector is affected by partitioning (NOT formatting) Sectors 2÷63 should not be affected by partitioning, nor by formatting. A number of sectors after sector 63 are the bootsector and some other filesystem structures (depending if FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS) and are affected by the formatting The problem is that in some cases info already written in these places is "kept" or however used in the partitioning and formatting procedure, which makes the result incorrect. By wiping first 200 sectors (but I personally recommend just first 100, as they are usually enough) you make sure that the drive is "blank". Read here: http://www.msfn.org/board/USB-Booting-issu....html&st=13 (AND links within) jaclaz

This should be enough: a hard disk or USB stick usually has sectors sized 512 bytes a hard disk or USB stick MBR (Master Boot Record) is on first sector of the device a CD-ROM has sectors sized 2048 bytes a CD-ROM has it's boot record (equivalent to the MBR) at sector 17 It is possible to write a MBR and some other piece of code capable, once BIOS has accessed 1st sector (MBR) of the HD-like device, to load the actual bootrecord of the CDROM, but such approach won't work for second part of install. Grub4dos has such capabilities (.iso mapping), but they do not (and cannot) work when the "real mode" part ends and the protected mode "kicks in", see here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5041 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=66 An alternative is using RAMDISK booting, but of course you need files from Server 2003 SP1 - which are however limited to 512 Mb size of the .iso - and of course LOTS of RAM. Maybe it is possible to "extend" the use of the "XP Kansas City Shuffle" trick (or a similar on-the-fly-swap) on CD-like devices, but the method is still VERY, VERY experimental with hd-like devices, and noone has yet tried applying it to a CD-like image: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21242 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21939 jaclaz

Yep, the point is whether you want to install on your eeepc or not. You can do that while still believing that there must be another way. To keep your mind peaceful , it is PERFECTLY POSSIBLE to "stuff an iso into a usb flash", AS LONG AS the USB stick is "compatible": http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-XP-from-...th-t121502.html jaclaz

The best option is usually doing a REPAIR install. You will need a slipstreamed CD to the same (or later) "level" of SP. See here: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm jaclaz

Just read here: http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-XP-from-USB-f157.html http://www.msfn.org/board/How-to-install-X...SB-t111406.html The method has been used by eeepc users and is all around the eeepc forums, see here as an example: http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=17294 The procedure is fully automated, you only have to make some (right ) choices, both when nliting and when running the batch, read FAQ's first thing: http://www.msfn.org/board/FAQs-t116766.html jaclaz

Apart the as always good solution by Yzöwl, a general advice is: Do it in steps. First thing read this: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/ntfortokens.html Then simply run: Then try with something like: SET KEY="HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Version Vector" FOR /F "tokens=1,2,3 delims= " %%A in ('Reg query %KEY%' ) DO ( ECHO %%A ECHO %%B ECHO %%C ) Then try with: FOR /F "tokens=1,2,3 delims= " %%A in ('Reg query %KEY%^|FIND "IE"' ) DO ( ECHO %%C ) ...and then refine it a bit more, adding the check, etc..... (Usually I prefer to use the FIND for the line instead of the skip, but it is just a matter of tastes in this case) jaclaz

All NT based OS are NOT "designed" to be bootable from USB. The MS guys will also tell you that it is impossible. The good news are that the above is NOT true, the bad news are that it is not-so-easy to make it possible. You will have to read these: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181 (look at the tutorials in Dietmar's signature) http://www.ngine.de/article/id/8 http://www.usboot.org/ http://www.usboot.org/tiki-index.php?page=download ALL links are about ways to make a NEW install bootable from USB, you'll have to read "between the lines" to hopefully be able to "convert" your already existing install into a bootable one. jaclaz P.S.: actually Dietmar's tutorial #3, that was based on cloning from a hard disk install, may contain the info you need.

As long as you do not use NTFS, but only FAT16 or FAT32 as filesystem, the durability of the stick, even without the use of EWF or FBWF will be MORE than what you would expect, and USB sticks are everyday cheaper. If I am not mistaken, hybernation is however one of the most difficult thing to have working in such setups, but personally, since I never use this feature, I have no specific experience. If the use is just that of a media center, you should find more ideas/examples and the like on this other forum: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/ jaclaz

For the record #18 on first post. jaclaz

I posted that it may as it depends on the particular license you have (OEM, "FULL", Corporate, etc.) and possibly also on your local Laws. jaclaz

Within limits, it can be done, though there is not a semi-automated procedure/set of batch. Take your time, and check the tutorials linked to in Dietmar's signature: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181 an early version, tutorial 3 if I recall correctly, used an install on HD later transferred to USB device. From a success rate of 100% for a newly installed OS, you will have to consider that probabilities may lessen proportionally to the amount of "complex" (I mean things like Antivirii, Third Party "low level" utilities and drivers, and the like) are already installed to the system. The "plainer" is the system (when talking of anything that may access directly hardware) the highest are the probabilities of success. Some additional hints may come from these seemingly unrelated article: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm You should anyway have a USB modified set of install files to be able to perform, if needed, a Repair Install. AFAIK, you are one of the very few people I have seen attempting to "migrate" an existing XP to USB device, so there is not much reference around. If you have not really good reasons for needing this, my personal advice would be to forget about it, as the number of variables that come into play is huge, but if you are determined to go on, please AFTER making sure to have a FULL, WORKING backup of the original install, prepare yourself to spend some time on it, as it won't probably be a "straight" and easy thing to accomplish. Should you need help, you'd better start a new thread about this topic, it is as I see it an entire new "branch" of XP on USB. jaclaz

Are you hinting that USBmultiboot is not easy? Seriously, besides the fact that you may be infringing the EULA by making more than one copy of the install files, if you have identical USB sticks, you can "clone" one to another, if you have different sticks, as long as you have the "other" sticks already bootable using the HP utility (or any other means) you can just copy the files from one to another. It is advised that boot files (NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI, grldr and menu.lst) are copied first, than all the other files/dirs. jaclaz

The suggestion was about the most basic something you could do. Nothing prohibits you from using optocouplers or opto-isolators: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator As well, nothing prevents you to operate through a self-powered device using a power adapter converter from mains (not connected to the UPS). And again, nothing prevents you from controlling a simple "robotic arm" that simply pushes the power button, a LEGO one would do, if they make a cd-changer, you should be able to make a lousy button-pusher : http://redfrontdoor.org/cd-changer.html http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/32433 http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=gDZtokFTMss http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-ga...d-changer-robot jaclaz

Hi Fred. Nice things you have here. Unrelated, but not much, ANY "command prompt here" trick needs to select the "parent" item, FYI this DLL does not: http://www.msfn.org/board/util-or-shell-ex...4.html&st=8 I find it MUCH more useful. jaclaz

If I get right your question, you can start from some of the ideas posted here: http://www.msfn.org/board/Rename-File-With...-Fi-t47812.html Than, once you have a variable %month% defined as 01, 02, 03, etc., you have to replace 01 with JAN, 02 with FEB, etc. Since I donìt think you need to take into account the efficiency of the code, a serie of: IF %month%.==01. SET month=JAN IF %month%.==02. SET month=FEB IF %month%.==03. SET month=MAR should do. jaclaz

I cannot resist as well, sorry. In MY times, we would have used : 486,112 3.5" 1440 K floppies 583,334 5.25" 1200 K floppies 1,944,445 5.25" 360 K floppies or a few zillions roots and stones: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...21362&st=10 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=1908 http://tinyapps.org/weblog/misc/2007022507..._in_my_day.html jaclaz

You joking right? We have a dedicated sub-forum here: http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-XP-from-USB-f157.html jaclaz

xtremee, please note that I wasn't talking about flashing your current BIOS with an updated one released by the motherboard manufacturer, something, that given that the proper procedure is followed is NOT risky. I was talking about EDITING your BIOS code, basically get from another motherboard manufacturer or from the same manufacturer (for another board), a Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, for the same MB chipset, with the USB booting enabled, than edit/copy/paste/modify the binary to make it work on your motherboard. This is VERY, VERy, VERY risky. About PLoP, I don't get you. Why the heck are you trying to do "all at once"? It is very possible that your current Linux on USB stick is NOT "compatible" with PLoP, and something needs to be modified within it. You have alredy been very "lucky", and you should thank PLoP Author for this, that the program starts booting! Try using PLoP at first with good ol'DOS, if it works, try with a very "simple" Linux, and if it works, try again with a more "complete" one. jaclaz

Another approach (just to run CHKDSK ), make yourself a Recovery Console CD or bootable stick: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2254 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5316 BTW, probably unrelated, but FYI, I just had proof that Acronis installs some "strange" upper/lower filters that may cause "strange" effects to accessing drives, see here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=5736&st=32 jaclaz

You have to read "between the lines" of the given links. To get what you want you need to change the drive letter assignments of your XP install on the portable. Basically there are several factors: letters are assigned by default in a slightly different manner by different OS drive lettering assigned by a "previous" operating system are generally retained by the "later" operating system, thus the order in which the operating system is installed can matter the way the drive is partitioned does matter the method in which the OS(es) are installed do matter (I mean manually, unattended, through WINNT32, hiding a partition when installing etc.) Probably, but you have to experiment with it, if you re-install XP on the portable after having made a migrate.inf file assigning to the Vista (first Active Primary) partition the letter D:\, you may have what you want. (drive letter C:\ will be "available" and probably XP will assign it to "its own partition). Another experiment could be that of using a migrate.inf that specify BOTH the D:\ letter for the "Vista" partition and the C:\ one for the "other" (XP) one. Be aware that migrate.inf is not "read" with all install methods, if needed you will have to modify setupreg.hiv instead. jaclaz

@jcarle Yep, but of course, designing a very small electronic board with a minimal "intelligence" and able to "loop" checking for the PC being on would be easy. My post was just a basic idea of how this can be made the "poor man's" way, with something that you may find in your backyard "laboratory" in your preferred junkyard, or even in the litter bin. jaclaz