jaclaz

Hooking the old hard disk as "slave" and copying normally data from it to the RAID set is not possible? jaclaz

About the BIOS, it should be a Biostar M7VKS: http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/bios/index.php3 http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/m...php3?name=M7VKS http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/bios/bios.php3?model=M7VKS but it is strange, as you appear to have a 03/07/2003 BIOS, whilst the one on the page above is earlier. Check this: http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/bios/index2.php3 Whenever in doubt with a BIOS, refer here: http://www.wimsbios.com/ But I suspect more a driver issue than a BIOS problem. Try booting on it either a DOS floppy or (better) a live CD like a Linux distro or a BartPE, most probably it will work. However: You can also try using the Award Phoenix utility to copy the BIOS of the "other" machine, ONLY IF IT'S ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL and flash with it the PC that does not want to work. On the other hand, if the "other" machine is not exactly identical, the fact that the HD works on it only means that the hard disk is OK. jaclaz

Are you sure? USB 2.0 is hardware compatible with USB 1.1 and the protocol is the same, if you "pilot" a USB 2.0 at 1.1 speed NO harm can be done, all protocols with same name are downwards compatible. If you were talking of something that required to run on USB 2.0 and did not work on USB 1.1, I can agree, but it cannot be the other way round. It could be a problem with your particular hardware or drivers you are using, a conflict with another driver/app is also possible. If you post info about hardware, application, and OS you are using maybe we can help you. jaclaz

It's something that you CANNOT format on XP. Besides the use highlighted in this thread, Denis Petrov has started it all by writing a program to allow XP to format PROPERLY even 1.44 Floppies FORMAT144 http://www.denispetrov.com/?page_id=3 Besides, XP shares a limitation with all NT based systems, that it cannot format some "peculiar" formats, see these: http://www.serverelements.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=64 http://www.winimage.com/wimushlp/wini1a1y.htm jaclaz

I stand (pleasantly) corrected. jaclaz

Until a few months ago I would have answered yes, but since the findings by Dietmar, it appears that there is NO reset on the USB bus, simply the Windows XP 32-bit HAL driver does not start/it is not properly configured. Yep, I understand that , the problem is that Windows might mind about this, and it will probably NOT log you in when booted. This has to do with paths in the Registry, some are "dynamic", i.e. generated at boot-time, some are "static", i.e. something like C:\Windows\System\[directory]\[file]. This can happen also if you install Windows (like it should IMHO) in a logical volume inside extended partition, as all letters are shifted by one. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249321/en-us http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188/en-us (this actually happened to me, when Win2k came out, that's why I'm so sensitive on the matter) However, if you insist in not taking the stick out when told to , you can do the following: 1) Use bootpart (or any other method) to make sure that your C: drive (the "real" hard disk drive) has a NT/2K/XP/2003 bootsector that invokes NTLDR/BOOT.INI 2) From the stick, manually or through autoexec.bat, run this .bat: Attrib -h -s -r D:\BOOT.INI Echo C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Setup">>D:\BOOT.INI Attrib +h +s +r D:\BOOT.INI (double check the attrib syntax, I am recalling from memory, that is not anymore that good ) 3) xcopy the C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\ (on the stick) folder to D:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\ (the hard disk) 4) TAKE THE STICK OUT AND REBOOT! 5) Choose the "Microsoft Windows XP Professional Setup" entry in boot.ini 6) It won't work, I joked , even if it may. 7) Before step 4) you must find a way to "correct" BOOTSECT.DAT that in that moment has the geometry info of the USB stick to reflect the geometry of the hard disk, this can be done from DOS with the DEBUG utility or some other scriptable hex/diskeditor, right now I have no links handy, if you cannot find a method, ask for it and I'll search and give you some. Yep, I thought as much, as Mr de la Palice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_de_la_Palice death must found one alive! jaclaz

Not that I know of, besides the suggested solution, but you can try the /T: tempdrive switch, in the already referenced WINNT.EXE syntax page:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...t.mspx?mfr=true YES, it is, and you see, having the install \I386 files on HD, saves you a lot of trouble when, before or later, you need for any reason another file and Windows prompts you to "insert the Setup CD".... and in the meantime you have re-used the stick for another project deleting files in it WHY? The whole point of a tutorial is that it should be followed EXACTLY , at least until you understand fully each step and consequences of a change in it. People that can make changes to it, usually don't need tutorials. CATCH 22 You see, if you boot from the stick, the stick itself will get letter C: and the first partition of the hard disk will get letter D:, but when you boot again without the stick, the same partition will get letter C:. This can cause to "mix" letters and potentially lead to an unbootable (in the sense of no way to log in) system. There are ways to change letters, but they are not easy/straightforward. jaclaz

From what you say, it seems to me that it is not O&O the problem, but rather O&O finding hard disk filesystem problems that make this happen. If it is so, the cure is to solve the filesystem problem, NOT fiddling with O&O. If you can use the Recovery Console, I would try running CHKDSK from it. If you do not specify the /F switch, it will only analyze disks for errors, maybe from the report one can judge if it is the case to re-run it with the /F switch. Reference: http://www.ss64.com/nt/chkdsk.html If that does not work, what I would do is build a BartPE with drivers for your Raid card (or you are using software RAID?) and some testing utilities, connect another hard disk (non Raid) to the connector where the DVD now is and salvage as many files as possible before attempting repair. jaclaz

There is no "right" or "wrong" ways to do something, anything that works and suites personal tastes is "right". If we are talking about a bootable CD from which you can install any of Win95, 98 or ME, personally I would use a different approach, using Grub4DOS grldr as no-emulation boot image for CD rom and using menu.lst to select the three different floppy boot images, another one would use BCDW and another one yet CD-Shell, but there are probably tens of different ways to achieve the same result. jaclaz

Very interesting post! I may add (Freeware for non commercial use): NTWRAPPER http://www.duodata.de/ntwrapper/index.htm Codeproject (Sourcecode only) - any taker to compile it?: XYNTSERVICE http://www.codeproject.com/system/xyntservice.asp jaclaz

Ok, this is a mirror of flyakite's Multiboot DVD, still don't quite understsnd the question, if it is: The short answer is YES. The long one is: YES, but there are several methods to identify the drive letter of a CD from a DOS/Win9x/ME batch, apart from "If exist" loops and FINDCD.EXE, I personally find this the best: FINDCD.COM: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/amb_cdrom.html or this other version of FINDCD.COM and FINDCD.BAT (not the one by Tom Lavedas, that uses Registry and is not suiteble during install) you find here): http://www.claymania.com/mtx-removal.html http://www.claymania.com/Remmtx.zip jaclaz

Yep, that's why on the referenced post: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16713 is written: B) You should check that the install files have been copied to the hard disk and that the BOOT.INI on hard disk was modified, the method here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16713 is based on the assumption that you take the USB stick out BEFORE running winnt.exe, that is run from the HD, from what you wrote, it seems like you started winnt.exe from the stick, this will most probably (read certainly) change drive letters, unless you are installing to a partition which is NOT First Active Partition of First Hard Disk. However you can manually add an entry to boot.ini, to boot the second part of the install, the entry should be something like: C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Setup" jaclaz

I am using Grub4dos, links here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/Grub4Dos-t14.html Search on the 911Cd forum for "Grub4dos", you will find a bunch of posts with hints and examples, like this: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=18045 jaclaz

Maybe if you post a description of what you would like to do it will help giving an answer.... [sarcasm] unfortunately my crystal ball is under maintenance right now..... [/sarcasm] jaclaz

That's quite strange, if I recall correctly the "Press F6" is the second or third screen. Can you describe exactly the screens you get one by one when invoking WINNT.EXE Another possibility would be trying an "unattended" setup, by using the /U: answer_file syntax of WINNT.EXE http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...t.mspx?mfr=true Browse the unattended section here at MSFN for reference: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=70 Also, can you describe your hard disk partitions/capacity? It is possible that you hit some kind of "hard disk size barrier", either a FAT32 > 32 Gb or a disk > 137 Gb, or some other, see this also: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=69456 I would try with a "normally sized" FAT32 partition of, say, 5 Gb. jaclaz

Yes, that means that you don't have the drivers for the SATA RAID disks. You should either feed them at installation time pressing F6 when you are asked or find a way to add them to your build in nlite, cannot remember which is the option, but there is one. jaclaz

It is not really my field, but wouldn't ACL solve the problem?: http://setacl.sourceforge.net/ (GPL) jaclaz

@Major @Biohead Well, actually it is something (booting attended and/or unattended) from a USB stick, that I do not need to do, as I rarely re-install, and regularly use Virtual Machines for test builds until I am relatively confident that the time to burn a CD-RW is not worsted. Besides, it is known that USB booting has a very large numbers of variables, so that it is quite difficult to make a one-size-fits-all solution, see just this one of the numerous trhreads by me on the matter: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=18266 To this you add that there are at least 4 possible ways to install XP: 1) from a booted 16-bit environment through WINNT.EXE 2) from a booted 32-bit environment through WINNT32.EXE 3) from a \I386 or \minint folder by invoking SETUPLDR.BIN (which is what the normal install CD does) 4) from an "expanded" pre-install bootfolder $WIN_NT$.~BT like in the flyakite multiboot DVD tutorial to which you can add: 5) from an .iso using Windows Server 2003 Sp1 or greater SETUPLDR.BIN and RAMDISK.SY_ a method that needing a HUGE amount of RAM for a RAMDISK, requires most probably at least 1Gb of Ram installed (which I don't have) And the innumerable variants the user makes to the install files by using nlite or other "tweaking" software, plus the requests for AIO's, multibooting etc. without even trying to begin from the start. From time to time, a user here or on 911CD, asks for this thing, and after having advised him that it can be a troublesome path, I start trying to help. Usually, after a few back and forth posts, the user simply disappears or drops the matter. Maybe it is me, or the extremely boring way I make suggestions, or maybe it is simply because some people just want to have what they want with one click solutions. A complete step by step guide for installing XP from a USB stick, 1) in the shortlist above, using 16 bit Winnt.exe has been posted here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16713 For method 2) I suggest a build of Winbuilder/picoXP: http://www.boot-land.net/ For method 3) there is the thread at 911cd: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=17425 "abandoned" by the original requester For method 4) it should be just a matter of adapting flyakite steps to USB sticks For method 5) there is a lack of people with adequate hardware willing to experiment At0mic has posted a "tutorial" that I won't comment in this similar thread: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=82856&hl= So, here is the deal, if you two, or any other member, is willing to really try doing any of the above, and then write a simple, straightforward tutorial, I am here to help with the basics, the theory and practical ways regarding the part I am interested in, i.e. the formatting and booting or otherwise starting SETUPLDR.BIN or the install of XP from a USB stick. For AIO's, Unattended and multiple systems choice, it is not really my field of experience and knowledge. Any taker ? jaclaz

Well, actually under 2000/XP, the actual drivers, at least those that allow read-write access to standard Mass Storage devices, i.e. those that do not have "private" partitions or other custom or brand specific formatting, are 99,99% the same, USBSTOR.SYS. Problem is the way that the corresponding .INF file is structured and the number of different ID's the different sticks have. Open with a Registry editor or viewer the registry on one of the machines of which the sticks have been mounted, at this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR or corresponding HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet00x\Enum\USBSTOR You will see a (LONG) list of all devices that were ever mounted. This happens because devices have their own identity "coupled" with the driver. Check this entry also: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}\ It should be possible, but mind you, this is just an idea, to install it in the CriticalDeviceDatabase, then you may not have the need to re-install the same driver again and again each time a new device is connected, as it will already be running. Some info can be taken from this (LOOONG) thread here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181 Particularly these posts from sisal: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?s=&...ost&p=99087 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?s=&...st&p=101267 but you will need to read a lot more if you want to follow this hint. jaclaz

The method desribed in 1st link in my above post can be ALMOST COMPLETELY automated via batch - autoexec.bat, of course you will have to re-boot and take the stick off manually. If you read between the lines of 2nd link in my above post, that is the idea, already mentioned here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=61384 basically, you invoke directly SETUPLDR.BIN (which is the same thing that the no-emulation CD bootsector on original 2k/XP cd's) by either of two methods: 1) by using a "normal" NT/2K/XP bootsector and reanaming SETUPLDR.BIN to NTLDR 2) by using Grub4dos to directly load SETUPLDR.BIN You might need experimenting whether the /I386 directory needs to be renamed to /minint or not (I suspect so) and if there are adjustments needed in TXTSETUP.SIF. Problem with this method is that the booted-from Stick will be first Active partition of first drive, i.e. C:\. So you will need to find a way to fix drive letters in the installed image or experiment if using Grub4dos mapping capabilities the above can be avoided. If you have ENOUGH RAM, i.e. size of the install .iso+amount needed to run install, in practical terms 1 Gb or more, you can try two different methods: 1) Using SETUPLDR.BIN and RAMDISK.SY_ from Server 2003 SP1 or greater 2) Using the mapping features of Grub4dos, directly or through memdisk as hinted in this post: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...mp;#entry121758 Finally, another possible way is to start a minimal BartPE, or a similar build like batcher/Openbuilder, now Winbuilder, nanoXP or microPE: http://www.boot-land.net/ http://www.boot-land.net/forums/WinBuilder-f22.html and from it run Winnt32.exe, i.e. the 32bit install executable. Also the above can be automated via batch, but it will take more time to boot to start the install. jaclaz

It seems like you have an UPGRADE version of source files, instead of a FULL one. Is this possible? See these to identify your original CD: http://www.tacktech.com/software.cfm http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=101 http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=103 jaclaz

Well, I would call it "common sense" or "better safe than sorry", if you use it from a BartPE, AS YOU SHOULD, there are no such limits. Running any partition related program on the drive you booted from is often asking for trouble. http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm jaclaz

To be more exact, you need both SETUPLDR.BIN and RAMDISK.SY_ (expanded to RAMDISK.SYS) from Server 2003 but: Server 2003 - NO WORKIE Server 2003 SP1 - OK Server 2003 SP2 - OK jaclaz

@Speeddymon Sorry, but maybe you are missing a point, there is no compression, if you use one of those .iso making programs with the right settings, it will "optimize" the CD, meaning that it will substitute any further occurrence of the SAME file, even if in different subdirectories with a "link" to the first copy. This effectively saves a lot of space when you have a number of programs or installations that use SAME files, like (probably) those you were talking about. See this: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=12595 jaclaz

If all you want to do is to make a FULL Windows 98 on CD, you can try using this approach, in which Windows is installed and configured normally and once everithing is correct, "transferred" to CD: http://www.geocities.com/freedatarecovery/ though the article refers to Windows 95, the same can be replicated with Windows 98. jaclaz