Install setup problems for large disks/partitions with dual boot

[mikesw]

I have Windows 2000 Pro with SP4 and a 750gig Seagate drive.

Originally I had a 40 gig drive with win2k that I moved over to the larger disk

using Seagates Disc-wizard tool. I also had installed MSDOS v6.22 too to the first partition

and it boots into either MSDOS or Win2K on this new disk. The partitions where 2.1gigs(MSDOS), 50gigs (windows)

and two more storage partitions of 323 gigs each. However, the recovery console will BSOD and stop

when trying to bootup Win 2K.

Now I want to install the same setup on a second computer, but not using Seagates Discwizard or

Maxblast. Here are the steps and the problems I encountered.

a). installed MSDOS v6.22 floppy disk and booted up.

b ). ran fdisk MSDOS version and created a partition on C: of 2047 MB, created a second partition of

51270 MB so that after formatting it will be 50 gigs. The remaining space of 646 gigs can be seen

by fdisk, but it can't create the partition. Thus, once Win2k boots up, I'll use the disk management tool to create

those.

c). I then used MSDOS "format c: /V /E /S" to reformat drive C: and install a system on it. This can be booted

without problem and the total file size is approximately 2.146 gigs and all the floppy files were xcopied to this

disk too.

d). I then want to install Win 2K pro on the second partition of 50 gigs to create a dual boot system with

MSDOS and Win2k Pro SP4.

e). I then installed the windows 2k Pro sp4 disk and booted up off of that. After all the drivers are loaded,

the Win 2k Pro setup lists all the partitions. The amount of space allocated above for partition 1, 2047 MB,

partition 2 shows 51270 MB and the other unallocated free space as 646000 MB (or about).

f). Although the partition sizes are shown, Win 2K PRO setup lists under the filesystems the following text

of "unformatted or damaged" for everything. How can this be since I can boot into MSDOS without problem

and MSDOS' "scandisk.exe" of the MSDOS partition shows that it has no disk errors?

g). Moreover, if I use the Win 2K Pro setup disk to format the second partition as NTFS which will be 51270 MB,

the setup routines gives a progress bar saying it is formating, but when it hits 100%, it bombs out saying

it can't format this partition.

h). If I try to use Win 2K Pro setup disk to allocate the 646 gigs into two partitions, I get the screen where one

can enter the partition size for the partition being allocated. It shows all the remaining space left of lets

say 646000 MB, but when I try to enter 323086 MB, it won't allow me to enter the last number in the

data field. Hence the setup limits the allocation number to 5 digits and not the 6 digits needed.

How to correct the Windows 2k setup issues with partition filesystem message of "unformatted or damaged",

the allocation entry problem and formating error described in items (f-h)?

Are there any patches for these problems after SP4 came out?

[os2fan2]

Windows 2k suffers from the 137 G limit: Your partition goes past this.

You need to slipstream SP4, and then apply the batch file listed here to the new cdrom.

Look here: http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t75713.html

REG.EXE is in the support tools.

setlocal

set winsource=q:\wnt50sp4\i386

reg load HKLM\Setup %winsource%\setupreg.hiv

set regkey=ControlSet001\Services\atapi\Parameters

reg add HKLM\Setup\%regkey% /v EnableBigLba /t reg_dword /d 00000001

reg unload HKLM\Setup

set winsource=

set regkey=

endlocal

Alternately, load setup.hiv into regedit, and edit the corresponding ControlSet001\Services\atapi\Parameters, to add EnableBigLba to dword:01

[mikesw]

Thanks. I was wondering if I had to modify both the regular OS hives with this patch

and the setupreg.hiv too; or whether the patch modified both at the same time. Your

post answered that by saying that both had to be modified. Moreover, the link

you provided also listed a tool too and info that said there is even an Win95/98

48Bit LBA patch too.

http://www.48bitlba.com/tools.htm

Will reburn tonight

[mikesw]

Here's how I got rid of the "unformated or damaged disks" message.

During windows 2000 install, I created two partitions at the same time. The first

was 2047 MB for MSDOS, and 50 Gigs for Windows 2000. Then when I

selected the first partition to format and install as FAT and then install win 2k on it,

the error message is displayed after the format is complete stating that it couldn't format

the drive. Moreover, if I select the second partition to format as NTFS and then install win 2k

on it the error message is displayed after the format is complete stating that it couldn't format

the drive.

To get around this format problem, I deleted all the partitions, and only created one partition of

2047 MB. I then formatted it as FAT and installed win 2K files on it followed by rebooting the computer.

I then rebooted and used the win 2k setup disk to see what it thought the partition was. Win setup

then listed the first partition as FAT and 2047 mB as expected. I rebooted and installed the

MSDOS v6.22 floppy bootup disk. I then did an fdisk , partition delete and allocated to the max for

the first partition along with installing the MSDOS OS and floppy disk files. I then rebooted to make sure MSDOS

would boot off the HDD. I then rebooted and installed the win 2k setup disk to see what it thought

the partition was. Win setup said it was FAT and 2047 MB as was expected when I used the

MSDOS format command.

Now that the first partition was correct and seen by MSDOS and win 2k setup disk with no

error message stating it was "unformatted or damaged", I allocated 50 gigs using

Win 2K setup since MSDOS fdisk can't go higher than 2 gigs. I then formated it to NTFS

and installed the Win 2K OS. After reboot into Win 2K setup, I verified that the second

partition was shown as NTFS and around 50gigs.

Now that windows setup can correctly identify and show me the partition filesystems as

Fat16 and NTFS, I rebooted into Windows to see if it worked. IT did. I didn't try to use

windows setup to allocate the remaining disk space since only two more partitions are allowed

on this drive and and they would be about the 137 gig limit minus that which was already used.

Although my BIOS is 48 bit lba compliant, I'll have to recreate the CD/DVD with the

48bitlba patch of the OS registries on install and to modify the setupreg.hiv file as

listed above.

Thanks.

PS: Don't pre-allocate more than one partition at a time using windows setup since you'll get

a can't format partition or is damaged error message. Do it one at a time for each OS

that one installs.

NOTES:

a). per MSOFTS KB article for 48bitlba one will have corruption problems without the lba fix

if the parition the OS is being installed on exceeds 137 gigs. In my case my OS is on a 50 gig

partition. Thus, no problem

b ). After MY OS is installed and running, I will have to modify the registry for the 48bit lba

if I want to allocate the remaining HDD space that is avail to the 750 gigs I have.

c). Once the registry is modified, I could use the win 2k sp4 disk management screens to

continue allocating the remaining space into disk partitions less than 137 gigs or greater

without the possible data corruption.

Conclusion:

I'll just go back and fix the hives on the install disk using the reg.exe routines since the above

method takes a bit to do if one reinstalls alot.

Edited November 21, 2007 by mikesw

[mikesw]

What is preferred method to run the batch .cmd file?

I see that cmdlines.txt is at the T-12 time which would seem pretty late in the game

to modify the registry for setupreg.hiv - particularily if one hasn't even formatted the partition or copied

the Win 2K OS files to the drive yet since the registry change to setupreg.hiv is supposed

to allow me to allocate more thant 137 gigs during windows 2k setup?

The alternative "runoncex" also seems to be done late in the game of installing the Win 2K OS.

The above two methods are OK after windows is copied to the drive and then the OS registry is modified

with the LBA fix before restarting and booting up the OS for the first time.

Is there a another method to get this stuff loaded as windows setup is loading? The

only one I can think of is for me to manually modify the setupreg.hiv file by hand and then burn

the CD with it already updated vs. letting the unattended method do it for me.

Hmmm, I believe that what you were telling me is that the original Win 2K CD sp4 gets copied to the

HDD, and then run the batch file on this copy which modifies the setupreg.hiv file. Then reburn a

CD with the new image. Then the other Runoncex or cmdlines.txt file stuff can be done at T-12 after

I've been thru the windows setup, partition creation and allocation with the new setupreg.hiv and

the copying of the Win 2K OS onto the new partition. It is at this point the WIn 2K OS registry

that will be used is modified to include the 48bitlba fix before booting up for the first time.

Edited November 21, 2007 by mikesw

[RJARRRPCGP]

g). Moreover, if I use the Win 2K Pro setup disk to format the second partition as NTFS which will be 51270 MB,

the setup routines gives a progress bar saying it is formating, but when it hits 100%, it bombs out saying

it can't format this partition.

Are you sure that the BIOS is 48-bit LBA compatible? That error likely is a BIOS issue.

Edited November 23, 2007 by RJARRRPCGP

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Super dooper easy way for you d'l and integrate the unnoficial sp5 for windows 2000, it has large lba support built in!

[mikesw]

g). Moreover, if I use the Win 2K Pro setup disk to format the second partition as NTFS which will be 51270 MB,

the setup routines gives a progress bar saying it is formating, but when it hits 100%, it bombs out saying

it can't format this partition.

Are you sure that the BIOS is 48-bit LBA compatible? That error likely is a BIOS issue.

Yes Im sure, I updated the Netvista BIOS to the latest one and per the docs it said it was.

[mikesw]

Windows 2k suffers from the 137 G limit: Your partition goes past this.

You need to slipstream SP4, and then apply the batch file listed here to the new cdrom.

Look here: http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t75713.html

REG.EXE is in the support tools.

setlocal

set winsource=q:\wnt50sp4\i386

reg load HKLM\Setup %winsource%\setupreg.hiv

set regkey=ControlSet001\Services\atapi\Parameters

reg add HKLM\Setup\%regkey% /v EnableBigLba /t reg_dword /d 00000001

reg unload HKLM\Setup

set winsource=

set regkey=

endlocal

Alternately, load setup.hiv into regedit, and edit the corresponding ControlSet001\Services\atapi\Parameters, to add EnableBigLba to dword:01

Os2fan2,

I'm running into problems with the ".bat" or ".cmd" script above.

I have "reg.exe" from the support tools (latest) which is v2.0

Problem:

a). when I do the "reg load" of the setupreg.hiv that I copied from Win2K SP4 I get the error of

"error: The parameter is incorrect". I even tried "reg add HKLM\Setup /ve" which gave me the same error message. I

guess I can't create an entry in HKLM at this level but only at the sub-key level.

b ). I noticed there is a "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup" defined already in my registry. I'm not sure what will happen if I load/overwrite

this "Setup" with the one in the setupreg.hiv once I get it to work/load.

c). If I do this "reg load HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup setupreg.hiv" I also get the same error message as in item (a).

d). If I do this "reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup1 /ve" , the "Setup1" will be created in the register or even with "Setup" too.

e). Once "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup1" is created. I can do the rest of the reg add to add the EnablebigLBA with REG_DWORD of 0x1.

f). The same problem also occurs when I run the command to unload the registry using "reg unload HKLM\Setup" or if I do this

"reg unload HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup" I get access denied as the error message. This also occurs for "reg unload HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup1"

too.

Thus, I can't load/unload the setupreg.hiv nor create the RootKey that is needed to be modified so that I can reburn the CD

for Win 2K SP4 with the new setupreg.hiv file. I even removed all the directory paths and system variables and put

everything in the same directory to eliminate this as a possibility. I even copied a Windows XP Pro SP2 setupeg.hiv over

to see if my Win 2K Pro SP4 setupreg.hiv was corrupt (although I can install the OS without problem) and it had the same

problem.

Any ideas as to how to verify the integrity of the setupreg.hiv structure and how to get this file updated? I even tried to boot

into MSDOS and do it there, but reg.exe can't run in DOS mode.

[os2fan2]

Hi

The batch file loads an external hive into the root of HKLM.

the line variable SET winsource=... should point to where the windows setup files are installed. I use q: as the drive for all setups.

You are probably getting an error because winsource= is pointing the wrong place.

You can load and unload hives either by reg load .... or using regedt32.exe. In either case, the hives must be loaded as new names under the root of HKLM or HKU. Reg.exe is giving an error because you are not pointing the command to the name of the file (winsource=).

W

[mikesw]

Hi

The batch file loads an external hive into the root of HKLM.

the line variable SET winsource=... should point to where the windows setup files are installed. I use q: as the drive for all setups.

You are probably getting an error because winsource= is pointing the wrong place.

You can load and unload hives either by reg load .... or using regedt32.exe. In either case, the hives must be loaded as new names under the root of HKLM or HKU. Reg.exe is giving an error because you are not pointing the command to the name of the file (winsource=).

W

I've changed the drive for winsource to the correct drive letter and directory path but this doesn't make any

difference (yes I'm familiar with environment variables and directoh pathnames). Thus, I am doing this one step at a time at the windows DOS command line prompt vs. a batch file.

When this works at the command prompt, I'll redo it via the batch file as an alternative method.

I've done this manually on Win 2K PRO SP4 with reg.exe v2.0 and on Win XP PRO SP2 with reg.exe v3.0

and in both cases the reg.exe complains with "invalid parameter".

Can you do this on your system at the command prompt?

reg add HKLM\Setup /ve /f

Or can you copy the "setupreg.hiv" file to a directory where the "reg.exe" file is copied to and do this

at the command prompt? Thus, no Environment paths are needed.

reg load HKLM\Setup "setupreg.hiv"

Or without the double quotes surrounding the hiv filename?

If it should work for you, can you post or PM me the contents of the "setupreg.hiv" file

by exporting the HKLM\Setup hive to an ASCII text file so that I can read what this hive contains?

I don't think my hive file is corrupt since I can install the Win 2K OS with it, but I don't know what

it is in it. I could also re-import your ASCII version and then try to "unload" the hive to an new

version of a "setupreg.hiv" to see if I can at least do this before I question my hive file.

Note: I've read the help by doing "reg add /?" or "reg load /?" and all of the above commands should work.

Note2: Although I'm administrator, do I have to change any registry read/write or attribute permissions

on each registry key once I've opened the regsitry using regedit, by selecting the key and changing the

properties on the key?

[os2fan2]

I started a cmd session. with these cmds.

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>dir setupreg.hiv
 Volume in drive Q is APPSERV
 Volume Serial Number is 906F-7EB9

 Directory of Q:\WIN2KA\I386

17/10/2005  10:52a			  69,632 SETUPREG.HIV
			   1 File(s)		 69,632 bytes
			   0 Dir(s)   2,002,755,584 bytes free

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg load hklm\setup SETUPREG.HIV
The operation completed successfully

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg query hklm\setup
! REG.EXE VERSION 2.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup\ControlSet001
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup\Select

REM Loaded into HKLM\setup

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg unload hklm\setup
Error:  Access is denied.

:: Regedit is still open  - close it and rerun command.

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg unload hklm\setup
The operation completed successfully


Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg query hklm\setup
Error:  The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>ver
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]

Edited November 27, 2007 by os2fan2

[mikesw]

I started a cmd session. with these cmds.

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>dir setupreg.hiv
 Volume in drive Q is APPSERV
 Volume Serial Number is 906F-7EB9

 Directory of Q:\WIN2KA\I386

17/10/2005  10:52a			  69,632 SETUPREG.HIV
			   1 File(s)		 69,632 bytes
			   0 Dir(s)   2,002,755,584 bytes free

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg load hklm\setup SETUPREG.HIV
The operation completed successfully

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg query hklm\setup
! REG.EXE VERSION 2.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup\ControlSet001
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\setup\Select

REM Loaded into HKLM\setup

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg unload hklm\setup
Error:  Access is denied.

:: Regedit is still open  - close it and rerun command.

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg unload hklm\setup
The operation completed successfully


Q:\WIN2KA\I386>reg query hklm\setup
Error:  The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value

Q:\WIN2KA\I386>ver
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]

Os2fan2,

Below I have a few requests of you!

Request #1:

Can you email/PM me your "setupreg.hiv" file so that I can try your version and also do a binary diff

with mine to see if it is the file? This will help me track down where the problem lies.

As for your commands, I've tried all of those too. The only difference is that

you went to the directory I386 that contains the setupreg.hiv file after you copied your

Win 2K OS disk to the hard drive. I also have a copy of my OS too on the hard drive.

However, I copied the reg.exe and the setupreg.hiv from their current respective directories to

a directory I created called C:\Temp2 and ran the commands after I CD'd into the Temp2

directory. Thus, no PATH variable definitions would be needed.

Perhaps by you running the command on the setupreg.hiv directly in the I386 directory containing

it, makes it work.

Request #2:

PS: Can you also post your PATH Environment variable so that I can see if reg.exe or the setupreg.hiv

file require any other directories that may create some sort of file dependency (ie a DLL)?

Request #3:

Can you also run this command for me on your system?

reg add hklm/setup

If it doesn't work, can you add "/ve" and/or "/f" to create an empty key and force it?

I'm interested to see if I can test my capability and yours to create a key without the setupreg.hiv file

to narrow down the problem.

After you try this out, you can run the command below to remove it of course.

reg delete hklm/setup

Question 1:

After you did the registry "unload", where is the new setupreg.hiv file stored? In the same directory

it was loaded from or somewhere in the OS directories where the other registry hives are stored?

Question 2:

Can you also tell me the permissions that you have on setupreg.hiv file i.e. is it "RA" or something else?

Edited November 27, 2007 by mikesw

[os2fan2]

It is instructive here to note what hives do. It's pretty much like "mounting" volumes.

A hive is part of the registry stored on hard disk. When you 'load' a hive, at part of the registry tree, it is then exposed to the registry API, eg commands that change registry (like reg add, reg delete, regedit). When the hive is unloaded, the version in registry is saved to disk.

Running a command like 'reg load hklm\setup setupreg.hiv' to registry, you expose setupreg.hive to any reg commands that affect the mount point hklm\setup. Commands that affect this would have to access keys beginning hklm\setup\..., which become stored at \... in the hive. When the hive is unloaded.

I:\USERS\wendy>path
PATH=i:\prog\exe;I:\FENSTER\system32;I:\FENSTER;I:\FENSTER\System32\Wbem;d:\cdata\batch
:: i:\prog\exe contains my general utilities (pathed), while d:\cdata\batch is batch files [on multi boot]

I:\USERS\wendy>echo %systemroot% %userprofile% %allusersprofile%
I:\FENSTER I:\USERS\wendy I:\USERS\Public

I:\USERS\wendy>reg query hklm\setup
Error:  The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value

I:\USERS\wendy>reg add hklm\setup /ve /t reg_dword /f /v 00000001
Error:  Invalid command-line parameters

I:\USERS\wendy>reg add hklm\software /ve /d Test
The operation completed successfully

:: you see that you can't add to hklm\setup because it's not there!

:: Here are the dependencies for reg.exe, along with the attributes.

I:\USERS\wendy>depend /l /f:i:\fenster\system32\reg.exe
Dependencies for: i:\fenster\system32\reg.exe

shlwapi.dll
kernel32.dll
advapi32.dll
msvcrt.dll
user32.dll

Completed.

I:\USERS\wendy>attrib q:\win2kc\I386\setupreg.hiv
A		  Q:\win2kc\I386\setupreg.hiv


I:\USERS\wendy>cacls q:\win2k\I386\SETUPREG.HIV
q:\win2k\I386\SETUPREG.HIV Everyone:F

When you unload a hive, it is stored from where it was loaded. When i did this in the i386 directory, it is the same registry that Windows will use when it boots for the first time.

setupreg.zip

[mikesw]

It is instructive here to note what hives do. It's pretty much like "mounting" volumes.

A hive is part of the registry stored on hard disk. When you 'load' a hive, at part of the registry tree, it is then exposed to the registry API, eg commands that change registry (like reg add, reg delete, regedit). When the hive is unloaded, the version in registry is saved to disk.

Running a command like 'reg load hklm\setup setupreg.hiv' to registry, you expose setupreg.hive to any reg commands that affect the mount point hklm\setup. Commands that affect this would have to access keys beginning hklm\setup\..., which become stored at \... in the hive. When the hive is unloaded.

I:\USERS\wendy>attrib q:\win2kc\I386\setupreg.hiv
A		  Q:\win2kc\I386\setupreg.hiv

os2fan2,

Thanks for all the info and the zip file.

The thing I noticed real quick was the above permissions on your hiv file. It doesn't contain the "R"

attribute. On a slipped Win 2K Pro with SP4, the setupreg.hiv isn't modified/updated so it has the orginal

date and the attributes "RA".

When I do the following "reg load hklm\setup setupreg.hiv" I get the following error message,

"Error: The parameter is incorrect". If I remove the "R" attribute from my setupreg.hiv file

it will now load into the registry and if I unload it after the key updates, it will unload it to the same filename

but will contain a new date due to the modification. If no keys are modified, then unloading it will not change

the date on the setupeg.hiv file. So the above error message mislead me to believe that a subkey in the

setupreg.hiv wasn't understood or that the hiv file was corrupt. However, it was just a permissions problem.

The error message should have said "Error: the permissions on the hive are read-only". Need I say more

about the above error message?

I checked a Win XP Pro with SP2 that had a setupreg.hiv in the recovery console subdirectory C:\cmdcons.

The attrib on this file only had the "R" attribute. When I tried to load the hiv file it gave a different

message "Error: Access denied". I then added the "A" attribute to the hiv file and in spite of the "R"

attribute the hiv loaded. When it was unloaded, the hiv file still had the "A" attribute, but the "R" attribute

was removed. Note: XP is using v3.0 for reg.exe vs. the Win 2K support tool which is v2.0 for reg.exe so

these two variations work differently when it comes to file permissions.

I'll have to remove the "A" attrib on the Win 2K Sp4 setupreg.hiv file and leave the "R" attrib on it along

with trying to load it to see what happens now as an experiment once I get back to the home PC so that

I can compare the result with the current Win XP permissions on this file. I've modified the hiv file by

putting the "A" attribute on the setupreg.hiv in the c:\cmdcons directory that is a FAT filesystem (MSDOS

partition) and it acts like the Win Xp Pro SP2 version did for c:\cmdcons although it was in an NTFS

filesystem. Moreover, if "A" is removed on the setupreg.hiv in the I386 directory on an NTFS filesystem,

it generates the same error of "Error: The parameter is incorrect". Thus, the "R" has to be removed.

Summary Comment:

The above batch file will have to be modified to add the line before the "reg load" of the hive

as "attrib -A -R %winsource%\setupreg.hiv" and after the "reg unload" to restore the permissions

back as "attrib +A +R %winsource%\setupreg.hiv". This will eliminate all of the above weird/misleading

error messages one gets for a Win 2K Pro SP4 OS CD and the support tools reg.exe command when

one is modifying the setupreg.hiv file for large disks.

Another issue along these lines is the following.

I have a dual boot system with partition one containing MSDOS v6.22 and the second partition containing

Win 2K Pro SP4 with all the latest patches. I also have recovery console installed. When I try to

run recovery console, the system starts booting with the dots displayed across the screen and when windows

starts it crashes with a BSOD stop code 7A (0xF6863848,0xC0000034, 0x00000000) INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DRIVE.

The partition size of the Win 2K Pro SP4 OS is 50 gigs, the MSDOS is 2 Gigs, and the remaining partitions are greater

than 137 gigs since this is a 750 Gig Seagate IDE drive with 16 MB buffers. The windows OS was already patched by

hand with the EnableBigLba D_Word 0x1 in the registry when it was first installed on the 50 gig partition. Moreover, the

remaining partitions were allocated and formatted after this registry fix and the windows OS was MSoft updated with all

the latest OS hotfixes. So this isn't causing my recovery console bootup problem. scandisk and check disk didn't find any problems.

Here is the solution to my problem as I write this, although I haven't verified it yet.

Recovery Console has a directory called C:\cmdcons on the MSDOS partition and all the other

boot.ini and bootsect files are there too. It also includes a copy of "setupreg.hiv" in the

C:\cmdcons subdirectory. However, this file has not been patched with the EnableBigLba D_Word 0x1

patch for large drives. Thus, when it is trying to boot up to the second partition containing the Win 2K OS

and probably tries to mount the drives, it sees the other partitions on this drive that are greater than

137 Gigs and doesn't like this, thus it crashes. Therefore, now that I can load and modify the setupreg.hiv

file with the registry patch, I'll correct this by hand with the batch file and retest it to see if the

recovery console boot problem goes away. I'll report back later what happened for those in the future.

UPDATE: I've modified the setupreg.hiv file to add the EnableBigLba D_WORD 0x1 that resides in the

c:\cmdcons directory of the MSDOS partition. The Recovery Console will now bootup properly without any stop

errors.

QUESTION:

Since Win 2K has an old setupreg.hiv file and Win XP Pro SP2 has a newer/updated one, has anyone

tried to patch the Win 2K setupreg.hiv with the changes/additions contained within the Win XP version

of setupreg.hiv to bring it up-to-date?

OTHER WEIRD ISSUES

I noticed in Win 2K PRO SP4 with v2.0 of reg.exe that if one loads a hive file whereby the hive

file filename contains various combinations of capitol and small letters that

if one types the filename all in small letters or all in caps that the file will load regardless of the filenames original small

and capitol letter naming convention. If it is unloaded, without modification, then the registry just discards the

hive without modifying the original hive filename or it's small/capitol letter usage. If the hive is

modified, then when unloading it, it will create another hive file using the small/capitol letters specified

by me during the load of the hive and not overwrite the original hive filename. If the usage of

small/cap letters matches the one on the disk and the hive is modified, then it will overwrite the original

hive file on disk. The same applies to Win XP too.

Edited November 29, 2007 by mikesw