jaclaz

Yep, I understand that, what I am missing is what are you asking for: Q: A pointer in the right direction? A: Given Q: Which utility to use from batch to edit a .inf file? A: Given Q: How to edit a .inf file ONLY with a batch? A: Writing your own batch to read and write .inf files, a (read only) example given. Q: How can I give input to a batch? A: ECHO We need some input from you: SET /P TheInput= Please type Workstation name CLS ECHO Thanks, you typed "%TheInput%" A much more complete answer is, again, on the given site: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/batchfiles.html http://www.robvanderwoude.com/userinput.html Q: Can you teach me the batch file commands/language? A: No, sorry, but it's out of the scope of the thread/board, there are a number of tutorials and online documentation, including the Rob van der Woude site I already pointed you to, "choking full" of examples Q: Will you write the batch for me? A: Hmmm, no, I will gladly try and help you with snippets like the above one, or try and help you for anything that is not really basic (if I can ). Don't take it the wrong way , but to me this thread appears a bit like: Q: I'm hoping to drive a racing car, what should I do? A: You will need to take a driving course and obtain a racing license, here is a link to a good school: ............................... Q: Okay, but actually I want to start the engine, where is the ignition key? A: jaclaz

Just an idea, but maybe the 9x version of the Universal Video Driver: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2325 http://www.geocities.com/bearwindows/vbe9x.htm is worth a shot for a higher resolution. jaclaz

...and the code in mine does This is the relevant snippet: :: List drive letters for network drives FOR /F "tokens=2" %%A IN ('NET USE ^|FINDSTR /R /C:" [A-Z]: "') DO SET BUSYDRV=!BUSYDRV!,%%A :: Remove leading comma SET BUSYDRV=%BUSYDRV:~1% :: Remove backslashes SET BUSYDRV=%BUSYDRV:\=% jaclaz

There have been reports of "strange" problems with USB drivers/bus (and not only) when some "upper filters" or "lower filters" are enabled (or disabled), Daemon Tools is just an example, not necessarily the "culprit", usually it is a conflict, usually "triggered" by an erroneus install or uninstall routine. Google for: or similar keywords, and you'll get the idea. It's one of those problems for which unfortunately there appears not to be a definite cause and a definite fix, everything you can find says in layman terms, more or less: jaclaz

I'll try again: (bolding is mine) No poor, innocent .inf file will be harmed in the process. jaclaz

First example: boot.bin is seeked at .\Source Second example: "Microsoft Corporation.img" is seeked at .\test My bad I had a brain fart, sorry. Correcting my previous post, just to avoid that people may get the wrong info. jaclaz

Does this help? http://www.ss64.com/nt/sc.html jaclaz

You may find some source of inspiration (or peruse my code ) in the freedrv2.cmd script. Originally posted here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21965 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...=21965&st=6 jaclaz Freedrv.zip

If it is a missing driver, doesn't matter whether SCSI or SATA, the error should be 0x0000007b as well when booting from CD. But the "first part" of Setup should run, otherwise you wouldn't have ever a chance to press F6 to load the drivers from floppy. I am afraid it appears to be something "hardware", cannot say what. A few hours of memtest+: http://www.memtest.org/ won't make any harm anyway. jaclaz

UNREAL Maybe you play too much games and happen to mix their titles, UBCD4Win is the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows, and it's really, really real. jaclaz

My guess is that the topic is related to "context menu" or "shell extensions" or "right click menu" or "file/folder associations". Some links/info: http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/ http://students.kennesaw.edu/~rzillige/she...hext_index.html jaclaz

Yes, definitely it's the video card, possibly some RAM in it, or it can even be "main" RAM. jaclaz

Let's try and separate the two problems: a) is it legal? b) is it possible? a) depends on the kind of license you have. b) it is possible, though not easy and usually not recommended: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html I don't see why XP64 should be different from XP 32 bit. jaclaz

Rather than disabling/reenabling the devices, I would try REMOVING them. At next re-boot the System should re-detect the hardware and re-install the drivers. By any chance, did you install at any time any "Virtual Drive" related software, like iSCSI stuff, Virtual CD drivers like Daemon Tools or the like? jaclaz

Which are a mirror of the already mentioned Maximus Decim Native drivers, or nusb, that have their "home" right here on MSFN: http://www.msfn.org/board/Maximum-Decim-Na...ers-t43605.html jaclaz

I'll try again : jaclaz

Let's try again. Post the directory structure you are using, I will try and replicate it, to try and see if we can find the problem, i.e. I need something like this: C:\testmkisofs\ C:\testmkisofs\boot.bin C:\testmkisofs\mkisofs.exe C:\testmkisofs\Source jaclaz

Well, try entering BIOS, do the same lines appear? If yes, something in hardware is "gone beserk", if not it is a driver (software) problem in your Vista install. What happens if you toggle between "Internal only/External only/Both" (or similar) settings about Video output in BIOS? Try booting from CD a non graphical OS, like Recovery Console or DOS, and see if the display "behaves" or not. jaclaz

I wonder how do you expect me to have an idea of how "those nasty vertical lines" look like. How did you manage to get to "safe mode" (whatever it is) if you have either a black screen or "those nasty vertical lines"? Can you get to the BIOS? (usually is pressing DEL or one of the Fn keys while booting) Have you got a Boot CD of some kind? jaclaz

It may also be the screen. Can you try using it with an external display? I would check that first thing. (I have seen laptops that "by magic" redirected output to external VGA only) jaclaz

Most probably mkisofs makes a check on the boot file and needs also the "no emulation". The "default" to make a XP boot CD "should" be the following: (this is "hardcoded" to M: drive) Can you just try to run the above? jaclaz

The filesystem appears to be OK, as TESTDISK reported. The 0x0000007b then must be a driver, missing or corrupt. Is it a SCSI or SATA drive? I don't think the hard drive is bad, usually that would prevent also Linux from working, but in some - VERY rare - cases a corruption of just the MBR or boot partition may prevent a Windows based boot CD to work. However, there is no apparent reason why a boot CD won't work. Try again with your boot CD or make a new RC one as per links in point 3) of my previous post. See what CHKDSK says. jaclaz

In your example, boot.bin has to be in the same folder where mkisofs.exe the source is, or the path to it must be given. A good idea is to use, until you have mastered the command line options, to use a GUI or pseudoGUI for mkisofs. Check this thread where the matter about the path is explained: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16997 And, if you are making a "normal" boot CD, maybe this is handy: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=4425 jaclaz

Yep, the point is how would you put a remedy to it? I mean, opening the Hard Disk to vacuum clean the platters it's NOT exactly a good practoce. jaclaz

.inf files have the same "structure" as old .ini files. This is a good start point: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/batchtools.html Though it is possible to use a "pure" batch solution, here is an example for reading .ini files from batch: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/batexamples_r.html#R the use of the program from Horst Schaeffer or a similar one is much easier. jaclaz