submix8c

License.TXT: Might I suggest you leave it be while your ahead? A Church may be a "Gray area" I can't verify - that would be up to nuhi. IF Church=School, that's pushing it.I say, "to be honest", stop quibbling. Be happy and SSHHH! You're pushing it, Sir...

1 - Your problem is impossible unless you have a "bad" version of nLite (works for me) 2 - I sincerely doubt the IT Manager/Director would allow the use of nLite for Corporate purposes 3 - Nonetheless, a "mass-rollout" of ... 200 Computers??? You'd have been better off keeping your "mouth" shut. Interesting... No response back then either...

OK, FWIW, you might try removing ("unhooking") all but the smallest RAM stick and all hardware peripherals (HDD/CD/etc) except the Keyboard. This would eliminate potential hardware problems (except the PSU). Otherwise...

@Tripredacus - FWIW, here is the manual. Sadly, the Jumper is a 2-pin "Open=Normal/Closed=Clear". Whether a "Recovery BIOS Floppy" ("blind") method is possible isn't indicated (like older Intel's 3-pin jumpers).

Well, you are a Supreme Sponsor and abiding by the MSFN rules, so... This topic may prove to be useful to others. I recommend that you change the Topic Title to include "Solved" so others will be aware.

One more time... WHAT is the PC? HP or Compaq? WHAT is the exact HP/Compaq Model? Did you even read the thread? Whether what you propose works or not, you will NOT have a "Recovered" Vista (as the OEM intended), but a REPLACED Vista, which will NOT fix the problem. You'll still have a hosed MBR (now overwritten with a Vista MBR instead of an XP one, NOT an OEM one) and a "hanging" "Recovery Partition" (forever useless). In addition, what about Drivers (supplied in the Recovery). Lastly, I'm not so sure that you can use ANY Vista CD/DVD to install with an OEM key. You have made a common mistake made by those that purchase OEM PC's with "Recovery Partitions" - install an OS and wipe the "special MBR". If you'll be so kind as to supply the requested information, there MAY (or may not) be some salvation. Please don't be so stubborn.

?IRQ#5 is "assigned" but NOT "assigned"??? Take a look in System Information and see what's using IRQ#5. It may be another device that you might be able to remove and reboot, thus causing AutoDetect to reassign elsewhere. Worth a shot. Your driver inf (and drivers) definitely indicate C-Media. What bites worse about these Codecs is (just an FYI) I have an older HP P-4 sitting here, latest correct drivers and Windows Update insists it's a C-Media but it's NOT! I tried the "latest" MS-drivers and the sound failed/disappeared. @Sfor - yes, generally correct. That's what makes these "chipset made by but drivers provided by" devices such a booger to find correct drivers for.

Also (to reinforce Kel's findings" Dual Bios (sometimes not?) Must be in BIOS (DEL key) to hit F8 to get into QFlash (the "bios flash") Can't get into BIOS -catch 22- Second Update BIOS method requires... WINDOWS! ("@BIOS") -catch 22- The above is directly from the manual. Just sux! Once you get to where you can't even POST or not have a "blind flash" (from DOS - some Gateway/Intel MoBos can do this called "Recovery Mode"), you're kind of stuck with replacement.

"Makecab filename.abc" will yield a "filename.ab_" by default. Open CMD prompt, "CD x:\foldername", then "x:" gets you to wherever (the folder path) you decompressed "filename.ab_". "filename.ab_" must not exist when you MakeCab, so you might want to back up the original compressed one (MOVE it!). On the CD, you'll note the $OEM$ folder is on the ROOT. In an HDD install, the $OEM$ is located under the I386 Folder. Similarly, for USB, it will be under the \$WIN_NT$.~LS\I386\ folder. Generally speaking, when installing from CD (or HDD) the $OEM$ folder gets "copied" to the ~LS position on the HDD (as on USB). That's why the USB-install is done the "special" way it is. Have you ever noted the "Copying Files" during a CD install? That's where they're being copied to - ~BT is (kind of) the "PE Boot" and ~LS is (kind of) the Base "Install from" folder.

Here is a hint (I'm johnny-come-lately on your topic, remember). Also, cdob is directing you on how to MODIFY a CD install to do the Install from USB (I have yet to test the USB Install using this method). edit - and AFAIK, a CD Install is as you note in nLite. An HDD Install is the same as CD except the $OEM$ folder occurs at a different level, and USB Install must use the WINT(blabla) Folders similar to HDD. There's the basic differences only.

Compressed with MakeCab - that's them!...

You might try rereading jaclaz' post very carefully. There are two (actually three) parts significant in the MBR. First, the MBR Code, Second, the Partition Table (which tells, in part, the SIZE of the partition), Third the Signature Bytes within EACH Parition Table. NO you can't "copy" the MBR Complete due to the Second Part. The THIRD part is contained (as well as other information about the Partition) is stored in each XP's Registry. This is why you got the instructions as stated. Read this...

Soyo is now "out of business" . I'll attempt to find something on this, but... You probably need the WDM drivers. Provided the C-Media Chipset type can be found it might be possible to not only find them but also a "set" than contains the C-Media Control Panel/Player as well. Hang loose, I'll take a look... (Just a note - I know Soyo is gone because I just reloaded a K7VEM-Pro that I fortunately had downloaded most of everything prior-to and looked again but - POOF!) Edit - Hmmm... just re-read your post. Let us all think about this. We can also check on the "EULA" of the 98SE drivers and if not bound by "no distribution" might be able to upload (or list) some items from the CD. So... (pretty sure this is OK) can you upload the INF file from that 98SE folder? Copy it to somewhere on the HDD and upload - if it's blocked (for some reason) rename it to a TXT then upload. Well have a look-see. edit2 - RATS! Confused - 8086 is Intel - how is this C-Media? (I'd have thought e.g. 13F6.) This implies Intel Chipset using C-Media Drivers! edit3 - Errr, is it possible that you could try again and tell what the Associated Error is for the Exclamation Point? Aaaand! Edit#4 - Try disabling PnP OS in the BIOS (set it to No). Sometimes this screws with the IRQ's etc. (the BIO assigns instead). May or may not help. (Bet this is the MoBo...)

Uh-uh! The OP already has Win98 (98SE?) (Retail/OEM/Upgrade?) so has no need of an extra WinME. Also maybe does NOT have another HDD to go with. Also, already has "vast amounts of installed stuff" on the PC in question and does NOT want to start from scratch.

I've not used this in nLite myself, but I'll venture to say (and could be wrong; if so I'll be corrected) that it's a Custom Desktop Web Page with an embedded script that extracts the information from the Registry. If this is true, then you might be able to "hard-code" your name into it. I apologize if the information is wrong and, as I said, I'll probably be corrected. I have no time right now to test this. edit - (see jaclaz' post below) and here is how the Version gets "plugged in" (to correct my partial misinformation).

4 partitions - want to keep all 4 1 - 500 gb original 1 - 250 gb replacement 500 gb original has "230gb of data" (not true! what about the OS on each and the associated files/folders) If the above is true (you said it was) then... Something on the original will have to go in order to keep each OS on each smaller Partition!

"How to easily... (the "clone" procedure). I'm not really sure exactly how you intend to do this (larger to smaller) easily without first deleteing from the original what you don't want. That's your best option for what you suggest doing.

Probably not. What Model is the Compaq? (specify please) Again, the MBR is probably "hosed" so the F11 (or whatever it SHOULD be) functionality is gone. If you can get Vista to boot, chances are the Option may already be in the "All Programs" Menus somewhere. Look for it and try it there. You may get lucky and it will also "restore" the MBR. This forum (and the internet) is rife with folks that make the same mistake you (probably) made. Here's a relevant (and lengthy) topic (an HP) describing in detail what the effect is.

Please do NOT mention "hiron" again - WAREZ (against our rules). Suggest investigating software allen2 indicated. There's also another topic in the Win9x subforum telling how to "Easily Clone" that's worth reading. The main factor for XP boot is the Identifier Bytes (explained in that topic, I believe).

Sadly, by installing XP on the 2nd HDD while the Vista HDD was still hooked up you probably hosed the OEM Restore Master Boot Record on the Vista (1st) HDD, which is a "special" one for pressing a certain Function Key for the Restore From Recovery Partition. There's an extremely long topic (and Vista was the OS on a Notebook AFAIKR) that jaclaz tried to assist on. Do a search on that to see what I mean. Maybe (maybe only), depending on the type Recovery Image, you might (might only) be able to "restore".

As has been noted (using nLite) slipstream SP3 (if necessary) to Original (i.e. not nLited) on a 2K, XP, 2K3, or Vista (not Win7) before proceeding with the slipping of post-SP3 or failures occur. The link I provided seems fairly accurate - I've used it to clean install; after that I Add everything (Add/Remove Pgms), go to WU and nothing shows. Safest method is By Date, oldest to newest. It's been noted that only slipping the SP's seems to be the problem under Seven.

I also have this. What surprised me was that there existed a Free CD Image mounting software that was Win98/ME-compatible.Huh! Just stumbled across this from MagicIso too!

Have a look here for some fairly decent info. Can't help wit the "stuck at 37 minutes" problem. BTW, how are you creating this "build"?

You are aware that there's a "cleanwipe" program made by Symantec to clean remnants of any NAV/NIS in preparation for SEP? I haven't tested it with NAV2002 but it works fine with later versions.On topic, there's already a topic on firewalls. I had recommended Outpost (see post #33 and #40 for links and info).

Have you tried (I haven't) splitting the "custom" way? Split WIM MSFN Merge Topic