Takeshi

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated of your time. I've just figured it out and it's very simple! The Recovery Console version must match the WinPE version, i.e. SP2. In VMWare it is but on the desktop PC it was pre-SP1 and on the DELL SP1. After updating the RC to SP2, it now works on the desktop PC (actually multip-booting a few XP SP2, RC and WinPE). I can't update the DELL RC yet as the CD is SP1 and I have to slipstream SP2. It won't allow the RC to be installed from the non-DELL SP2 CD presumably because it needs the DELL OEM CD. AFAIK, cmldr comes from the RC, it's absent in installations without the RC. The error message above concerning txtsetup.sif comes from cmldr. NTDETECT.COM from XP is the same as that from minint. So there's no need to replace it if there's a pre-existing Win XP. Winbom.ini is not needed in C:\. Do not copy SETUPLDR to C:\ntldr. The existing ntldr will do. The working setup (triple-booting, actually quadruple-booting with two XPs) in VMWare is as follows (and similarly for the desktop): C:\ |---cmdcons |---WINDOWS |---minint |---boot.ini |---BOOTSECT.DAT |---cmldr |---NTDETECT.COM |---ntldr boot.ini ================================== ADDENDUM 11 Dec 2005: I slipstreamed SP2 to DELL OEM SP1a and installed RC (SP2) on DELL. Now triple-booting works in DELL too.

On a related note, there's a wuauclt1.exe too but the date is July 2004, before SP2. What is it for?

There're 4 Names under this key. Is it necessary to include all of them? Previous posts have only included Taskbar and taskbarXP. Are Toolbars and Upgrade relevant?

I've read these: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25604 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=14316 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=41147 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=40604 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25100&st=0 The steps for dual boot here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=14316 would also work for triple-booting WinPE/XP SP2 and Recovery Console all on the same primary partition C, but it only works in VMWare! When I did the same in actual desktop machine and a DELL laptop, it always gives an error: I've searched Google with no luck. If I replace txtsetup.sif in cmdcons with a copy from minint, RC will no longer boot but will boot into WinPE. If I copy SETUPLDR.BIN to ntldr, it will boot automatically to WinPE (as expected). The actual WinPE 2004 CD will boot successfully in the desktop PC and DELL, so it can't be a hardware problem. I'm at a loss why triple-booting only works in VMWare and how to fix it. Any ideas please.

Logon to an admin account, go to lusrmgr.msc > Users > General > <username> Have a look at this setting: [ ] Password never expires (The 42 day expiry policy is in secpol.msc.)

The backup System State option is useful for backing up the entire registry - I use it for this purpose alone. But for what you want to do, you'd be much better off with Ghost or Acronis.

I didn't know you can do that. But SBA (not sure about older SB) comes with its own Creative Surround Mixer which I prefer and use instead (and it's actually quite small).

The product key that was used to install genuine XP Pro (SP1) on my DELL 600m did NOT pass validation (not sure if that's the same as WGA) when I tried to download MS PhotoStory. It's not the same as the key on the COA. I had to fill in a few online forms on MS website (when trying to d/l the above), tell them that it's a DELL, what model, etc. and the key as shown on the COA before it would validate. It seemed to leave a file on the HD. I didn't have to change the product key as such. Now I just need to click the validate button and it'll go through every time. Back to the original question, I'd say what matters really is what type of license you have when it comes to installing the OS on other computers. Leaving out the product key in the CD seems reasonable.

You only need as few as 5 computers to acquire VLK. http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/howtoacquire.mspx

Try this (actually a Group Policy: at least it works on my own computer): HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer NoRecentDocsHistory DWORD = 1 Note: It will still log IE browser history. You'll no longer have My Recent Documents listed.

xiaoyouke: People here seem to have some difficulties understanding you. I note that some of the earlier not so kind remarks have been deleted by a moderator. If you send me the original text via pm I'll translate it in proper English and post it here.

The Ghost 9 CD itself should be bootable and thereby enabling you to restore the computer. Ghost 9 and 10 are different from previous versions. (Not sure about your CD though...)

I noticed this file long ago, except it is in i386 folder left behind in C, presumably by factory installation with sysprep in my DELL laptop. The contents are the same as the one in system32.

The streams/Bag/MRU key entries are only created and numbered each time you open a folder so they're all different among each install. The lists get longer and longer. It may be possible on a clean install to only open a few folders and immediately export the reg keys as outlined above. But I don't know if it'll work.

There're quite a few SendTo entries installed by default under HKCR/HKCU/HKLM; also other apps e.g. Office will add its own Sendto.DLL. Search in the registry and you'll see.

Or DIY: http://www.puppypc.com/windows/rt/comdlg_placebar.htm

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ;sets the default windows explorer view to DETAILS [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams] "Settings"=hex:09,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,77,7e,13,73,35,cf,11,ae,\ 69,08,00,2b,2e,12,62,04,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,43,00,00,00 (Everything from "Settings" to \ should be one line and 69 to the last 00 in one line.)

You didn't seem to understand my question. And gpedit.msc isn't even available in XP HE.

You can find out a bit more (and perhaps narrow down the problem) by using ipconfig /all and see what it shows.

Sounds like this: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;282296

XP HE does come with lusrmgr.msc but it won't work, saying you are running XP Home Edition. I know it's supposed to be used in XP Pro only. So why is it there in XP HE if it won't allow you to use it?

The boot menu has a 10 item limitation for display no matter how many items are in the boot.ini. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;141707

It's all down to common sense most of the time. Unfortunately despite your good intentions many users just can't be bothered to search around or search old posts in forums. When they have a problem they just post and usually someone would care to answer. You probably would want to keep the guide fairly short and concise but I'd add that under BSOD (I have one such guide on BSOD in a forum I moderate): • searching using the short notation STOP 0x0A is often the same as the long notation 0x0000000A thus making it simpler; • if the message contains a specific message like DRIVER_IRQ... then this immediately gives a clue about a driver problem; • if the message lists a specific file, xxx.sys then it's well worth Googling this too. • most of the BSODs are hardware related but some are due to software conflicts

Having read all the discussions here and elsewhere I prefer prathapml's method for its simplicity. I can name the txt file to my liking. If I were to do this a lot then using one of the other methods might be better.

Good explanation, thanks! I'll get round to reading the book.