Tripredacus

I definately DO NOT recommend using a slower drive on a faster controller. Who cares if you can get an adapter or it fits in the plug. You could possibly damage the drive by doing so. I've seen drives actually start smoking when put on a faster controller.

Make sure the hardware ID is listed in the INF file. Otherwise, you'd be telling Windows to install a driver for a device that doesn't exist on the system, and it will definately complain about that.

Wait, I am confused here. Are you saying that your startnet.cmd doesn't automatically launch when you boot the PE? If so it sounds like you skipped a step! The default PE setup doesn't even use the winpeshl.ini and the startnet.cmd opens by itself.

I don't see a setting for that either. You could look for a cross-fade plug-in and then set it to 1-2 seconds, or something greater. I prefer using a 15 second crossfade but that's just me.

I am having some difficulties getting Group Policy Objects (GPO) in Vista Business 32bit. I have changed the following: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Power Management Hard Disk Settings - Turn off the Hard Disk (Plugged In) = Disabled Sleep Settings - Turn on Applications to Prevent Sleep Transitions (Plugged In) = Enabled - Specify the System Hibernate Timeout (Plugged In) = Disabled - Require a Password When a Computer Wakes (Plugged In) = Disabled - Specify the System Sleep Timeout (Plugged In) = Disabled - Turn Off Hybrid Sleep (Plugged In) = Disabled - Allow Standby States When Sleeping (Plugged In) = Enabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network Link-Layer Topology Discovery - Turn on Mapper I/O Driver = Disabled - Turn on Responder Driver = Disabled After changing these policies, I've rebooted, forced an update and rebooted again and so far, the only setting that appears to be taking is the "Require a Password When a Computer Wakes" power setting. I wanted to make it so my master Business image has these settings because of problems we have already experienced. Also the LLT settings which I am hoping will disable that service when the image is put on different hardware than it was created in. So my other question is, what will happen to the GPOs when I generalize the image? Will these settings be preserved? The computers are NOT being used on a domain, however that may end up changing in the future. All the settings I am setting are for the local machine only, regardless of what user is logged in, although the Administrator account will always be the one logged in because Vista will be running in Audit mode for the entire time I will be dealing with it. This was the cmd I ran earlier: gpupdate /force which completed without error. Any ideas why this isn't working?

I had this problem also, but I switched over to using the startnet.cmd only.

We were recommended to use managed switches with 2008.

Where does your DNS get its updates from? Have you checked if that source has the records for those urls? You could always add those records yourself, or get a secondary DNS source.

However, it should be no secret that many of the people who illegally use a VL version of Windows likely don't know how to bypass WGA. Most of the people I know who have it, got it from a friend or a co-worker and aren't tech people at all. So I brought up WGA as an example because said people called me and tell me their computer doesn't work anymore after running Windows Update. Then I find they have an illegal copy of XP and find out how they got it.

You need to post what appears on this bsod.

Did you try any of the 5 resolutions in that link?

Perhaps take your vLited Vista, install on machine. install Office. sysprep/generalize, capture with imagex. This is the standard recommendations I get from MS.

You may wish to look in the BIOS to see if you can manually delegate resources there. If the use automatic settings box is unavailable, it is usually because the BIOS is set to control resources, usually via the "Plug and Play OS" option or perhaps other options.

I see it that Microsoft basically "solved" this issue by making the WGA. Anyone foolish enough to use Windows updates and puts on the WGA get's their system f'ed up.

My computer does that also, but it is because there is a problem with the drive. It thinks all media is blank (hence games, apps and movies won't play) but it can burn properly which is kinda confusing cuz after it ejects when finished, it can't read what it just wrote...

I recommend installing OfficeReady. It is the full Office 2007 install, but when you open it asks for your key and it unlocks the Office features that go along with that key. My current Business SP1 image uses OfficeReady and I plan to do our other images that way as well.

This sounds like it is one of those classic warning signs we all ignore, then in a few weeks/months/years when the PC finally dies we say we didn't see it coming!

I have never seen the tab for disabling autoplay before. It always annoyed me that it wasn't in XP (or maybe idk where it is?) and I used it in 98, and using SHIFT to bypass autoplay (which still works in XP) also triggers the StickyKeys program.

Typically, the video is not available message is caused by one of two things: 1. Youtube is doing website maintenance. You can check this by going to Youtube.com and it will have a colored bar at the top of the screen below the search if there is any maintenance being performed. 2. The video was removed by Youtube. This usually happens concerning IP content that isn't legally allowed on Youtube in the first place, like movies, advance movie trailers, exclusive content, music videos, episode parts. Youtube doesn't hunt for these types of videos, but removes them usually because the IP owners (movie, record and other companies) find them and request them to be removed. Different companies appear to audit Youtube on certain schedules, and if you frequent the site enough, you will be able to see the video deletion pattern for specific types of videos.

I've had similar problems after sorting large amounts of data. I think it has to do with caching data into memory like file names and the meta data that Windows can display in the tooltip if you hover a file. In every time a reboot made the problems go away. I've only had the strange black squares (and eventual context menu display corruption) occurr after moving large amounts of files around, but it could also be caused by another program. What is happening is that explorer is supposed to display a transparency (like an alpha channel) but it does not have enough resources to display it, so it elects not to and you actually "see" the alpha channel/transparency layer of the GUI instead of it being clear. Its kind of a lacking in image technology since all images still rely on coordinates and having to be 4 sided squares or rectangles, as there are no true dynamic images.

Wouldn't it be easier to manage your power settings for the machine through group policy? I may end up taking a look into that. I am shifting roles from being the server guy to being the Vista guy and I was just given the MS RK book. Anything to make it easier I suppose. If they are set through GP will that stop the settings from being reset during the upgrade? It isn't a big issue for me because I will be doing only one or two more image updates, but I wanted to post that it does happen.

What CDs have you tried booting from? Can you boot from your Windows CD? Typically, the inability to boot is a hardware problem.

Also, @ThreadOP, you don't NEED to buy Windows 7 the instant it comes out!

I suppose on the Vista machines you have already had them stop being in a workgroup right?

Are you using certified hardware? We only run 2008 on certified hardware because we also tried running it on "our old system" and it didn't work properly.