submix8c

DBAN wipes the drive including the MBR. That won't cure the problem. You mentioned Grub as the MBR Boot Loader ... Grub doesn't require an Active Partition, it just "points" to the partition or partition's OS loader and transfers control to it. Is the Partition Primary and Active (FDISK/Set Partition Active)? I can't remember at the time (a little brain-weary) but I don't think Setup will set a preexisting partition active - only the OEMSETUP with no partitions will do that (AFAICR at the time). edit - I take back the first statement. If you DBAN it and use OEMSETUP then it should work, but DBAN-ing it would be a waste of time as it will take a loooong time to run it since it clears the whole HDD to hex 0's.

Try some local PC Repair shops or maybe Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. You might get lucky and find a 10-pack of new, or at least some good used ones. As I said, you can try the "reinstall" trick... It "thinks" its an "upgrade" so overlays all files from the CD-Rom. Again, Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV).

General Failure General Failure Just an example of what might be going wrong. This is usually an indication of a faulty Drive or Disk. Was ther more to the message or was that it? Usually there's more message text. Was there? Just "booting" from it isn't good enough. It has to actually work without failure. Are you sure that floppy disk is good? Are you sure that the floppy drive is fully functional? Is the BIOS set to an incorrectly defined size? Did you get one from BootdiskDOTcom and try it (on a known good floppy disk)? BTW, if you can get the aforementioned "unofficial fix" and put just the module onto a separate floppy providing you can boot from a known good floppy then you should copy it (after "swapping" the Disks) into Windows\System. Your first mistake was running "sfc" without having first "updated" Default.sfc (more info here and how-to here). When running it under Windows, you have the opportunity to check the versions of the Original Install versus what's on the HDD (i.e. "Fixes"). Did you indiscriminately let it "replace" files with originals? One thing at a time - confirm that the Drive is good and the Disk is good, otherwise we're spinning our wheels. As far as "reinstalling", it may or may not work - renaming "win.com" in the Window folder and then running "WIN98\SETUP" from the CD... YMMV - sometimes it works, sometimes you just get hosed.

If I get a chance to, I'll find the method I used to Print from DOS (utilizing "Net Use") to a USB Printer. Although I doubt it will help... Not sure, but you may be able to "attach" it to an LPTx. Sorry, it's been a couple of years since I played with it but there must be a method without actually installing the drivers but "routing" the request to the non-9x PC. (thought SURE I had the method - will search around, time permitting)

Uhhh.... MCE didn't have an SP3. This must be a kludged one for "slipstreaming" SP3 and (AFAIK) it's never been successfully done as the SP3 Slipstream overlays many components, including (but not limited to) Media Player.Look here for more info on MCE. Also google the following - xp slipstream "media center edition" msfn for any/all info that MSFN has on hand... there's a lot of info there. edit - or are you referring to installing SP3 on top of MCE2002? Still, won't work unless you can manage to slip MCE2002 up to v2004 then apply any necessary "fixes". (haven't yet tried it).

You never did say what the hardware (motherboard/PC) was. It may help.

Read first post. Also, check out ArinDOTnet - you can enter an IP address and it will tell you who "owns" the IP range. Yes, that IP is in the Netherlands (again, see first post).

You called it a "Startup Disk". This is commonly called an "Emergency Startup Disk" or "Emergency Boot Disk", usually created after Windows is installed (a tab found in Add/Remove Programs). "Red Floppy"? Is this supplied by the OEM or did someone else (you maybe) make it? Does it have a "printed label" or something? The disk I directed you to is an exact duplicate of one that you can make with the stated method. Yes, it MIGHT reload, but AFAICR, it does allow to exit Setup. However, it will not expand the EBD.CAB file into a RamDrive so you won't have access to the "utilities" inside it. That's why everyone should have the standard EBD (or a custom-made one if you know what you're doing). edit - BTW, mark your other topic "Solved" in the Title and update the first post in it to say "bad floppy disk", ok?

Go back to your other topic. The BootDisk I suggested is indeed a Win98SE Emergency Boot "Startup" disk (I just checked it). edit - and here is the topic for the file used in AutoPatcher -

It's in "WIN98_41.CAB" and may have been replaced/updated by any number of fixes. You'll probably need that floppy boot to do it. edit - I note that you MAY have used AutoPatcher (that MAY have replaced it with an "updated" version).

Just for the heck of it, go to bootdiskDOTcom and download any Windows 98SE (preferably the ones listed as OEM), run the program (with a floppy in the drive), take it to the PC having problems and try it. Your Startup Disk may be bad (or inadvertently blanked).

1 - Is the Floppy really bootable? Where did it come from? 2 - Does the HDD have a MBR in the first 512-byte sector? If 1=not-true, then the CD-Rom will be checked and if not bootable, then the HDD is checked and if the MBR does NOT have code (e.g. a "wiped" or NEW disk) then bam! Black screen and flashing cursor. Questions - "keyboard indicator"? BSOD? Please explain.

MCE is a 2-CD set (or a single "merged" DVD of the two CD's with appropriate SIF/INF changes). The first CD is just XP Pro and the second is the MCE additional software. What version (2002, 2004, 2005?) and what is the disk source?

Boot order is wrong. You're probably set to boot the HDD first, then the Floppy.

SOOOOOO Sorry! Must have been the nForce(4) drivers that bit you. The method DOES work (generally speaking) with "standard" (read as "compatible") MoBo's. I've done it before, failsafe (all drivers present and accounted for, if nowhere else in the CAB's folder - the STANDARD place to install from OEM-style).

What is "7 original"?Try looking here to get an idea of "which features" (starter is real basic). You do know that there's a program that you can download that will tell you whether Win7 will "accept" the hardware you plan to install on? System Requirements

Solved!

Important Stickified... Look inside - there's a number of links within (that's all it is is a Topic with Links). One of them pertains to Greater than 1GB RAM. Try browsing around from there for more good fixes...

Curiosity begs the question - just how fast are you burning them? The faster the burn, the more error-prone. Please be more specific as to the "errors" you are having - "It never installed" tells us zero!

Not dumb... 32-bit Apps on an x64 OS will not address any greater than (2^32)-1 bytes of memory (as I remember the calculation) and 64-bit raises the bar, hence the "segregation". As far as "stand-alones" (portables), have you tried the "Compatibility Mode" trick (right-click it)?

"Quick Fix" (haven't had time to look at the attachment - still extremely busy) - Go into "Safe Mode" and one-by-one, Uninstall ALL devices in Device Mangler (DO NOT REBOOT BETWEEN EACH DELETION). When all are gone, reboot normal and let Window "re-find" everything. This may tell some of the story. BTW, in "System Tools->System Information", you'll probably see any/all "problem" areas and what they may be (look there before the "quick fix"). During "re-finding" be prepared to reinstall any hardware Windows didn't store away in the INF directory. I have an Athlon/nVidia MoBo I haven't yet tried to load yet as I'm trying to back the HDD up to preserve the OEM Restore stuff. Tricky since it''s a (@#$%^) Dell.

Errr... if you press F5 during Setup (when you see "Press F6 for additional drivers") the screen is scrollable and for some reason always goes to the "end of the list", showing what you see (2 options) - an "oddity" I have noticed before. If you "scroll" it UP you'll see the other types. If you are allowing it (as you say "auto") to choose automatically, don't use the F5 key at all.

Um... I have a SATA-II I had to put in a SATA-I supported motherboard. There ARE pins and they take a smaller jumper (the size you find on newer SCSI drives). The purpose is to "limit" the drive from e.g. SATA-II (3.0) to SATA-I ( 1.5). I had assumed that a SATA-III would likewise have jumper(s). Here it states Further info in relation to SATA-III. Apparently not the problem it used to be.

Bottom line - quit asking how vLite does it. Nuhi is no longer here, it's "closed source", and nobody else knows. Figure it out yourself. Case closed! BTW, google "cpu speed" slower utility(fwiw...)

Reverse Integration (the method vLite uses AFAICT) involves using the WAIK. How-to here/(photo guide). Another one here. More info on a pitfall here. That's all she wrote.