daladim Posted December 29, 2007 Posted December 29, 2007 Hello all, I am wondering if I could get some help on a problem with a laptop computer, I will try to be as detailed as possible with what I am experiencing. So, word of warning, this is a long read! I am at my wits end here. I am attempting to install an unattended OS on a new laptop, But I am encountering some difficulty. There has got to be something I am overlooking, but what?!? I am going to continue working on this problem, but I would like to post in hope that somebody might be able to see something I don't, or maybe even know something I don't(which is more likely). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before I start, Let me explain my unattended install disc (there is a list of the software, and the specs to the laptop, at the end of this article) Windows XP pro, service pack 2 nlite modified unattended setup installs my own theme through Winnt.sif, and does all the fun stuff Winnt.sif can do(serial number, enter personal info, setup network, blah blah blah). Link to batch file for installing some goodies placed in [All Users>Start Menu>Programs>Startup>] First run, batch executed, adds WPI to the install, link on desktop, WPI folder found in [C:\Program Files\], installs LiteStep, Registry tweaks, and reboots. Autologon into LiteStep shell, with my theme, and link to install programs via WPI, found on desktop. System ready for use. ((I can post the registry tweaks, batch files, JSscripts, and any other relevant information about my install if anyone requests it.))-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just received my very first laptop, a brand new Dell Vostro, as a gift for Christmas. It came pre-installed with Windows Vista, but I wanted to replace it with an unattended XP install disc that I have been working on for the past two months. I have tested this install repeatedly during the creation process, and finally worked out all the bugs as of Christmas day. These tests were done on an older box, and I got it to install perfectly, with no problems whatsoever. After receiving the new laptop, I proceeded to install my OS, and the applications that I placed with the Post install wizard(WPI). I then installed the drivers that came with the laptop. After all of this, I went to shut down the system. The desktop cleared, all the running apps closed, then the logon screen flickered briefly, and the screen went back to the desktop. It would not shut down. I hit the power button, then restarted. This time I tried to restart the laptop. The same thing happened. I went into taskmanager and shut down all the apps and services I could, thinking maybe the hang was from an app that could not be killed by windows. I was then able to restart. So I tried to zero in on the specific app. Closing one at a time and attempting reboot, I was able to get the culprit, or so I thought. After shutting down ATI2EVXX.exe(there was two of them), I was able to restart, but not as fast as it should have. I tried various registry tweaks I found online to kill processes, this one in particular:[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]"ForegroundLockTimeout"=dword:00000000"HungAppTimeout"="4000""MenuShowDelay"="200""WaitToKillAppTimeout"="5000"[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control]"WaitToKillServiceTimeout"="5000" I adjusted the numbers to kill the apps quicker, trying about four different configurations. Still no luck. So I decided to re-install and try again. This time I installed the drivers before the Post install. I rebooted after each driver, to find out if the problem may be a driver conflict. The system rebooted with every driver. So I decide to try to install my software one at a time, rebooting after each one. The first app I installed was the DirectX dll Library. Then I chose reboot, and the system froze on shutdown again. I could not uninstall these dll's from add remove programs, so I had to manually delete them. I attempted to unregister them before deleting, but that did not work. Then I powered down with the power button, and rebooted. I still had the problem. So thinking back to the ATI2EVXX.exe, I decided to uninstall the graphics driver to see if that was the problem. Nothing. Again, I decided to re-install, in an attempt to zero in on the root of the problem. This time, I installed the same as last time, drivers first, reboot after each one. I got to the last driver, the graphics driver, and went to reboot. And I got the problem again. This was without WPI installs, just the drivers. Yet again, I re-installed, this time with an OEM windows XP pro disc. After installation, I installed the drivers. Everything worked just fine. So I tried to manually install my software, copying it over from my unattended install disc[i will list all this software at the end of this article]. Once I got the first bit installed, I rebooted, and got the hang at shut down again. I am convinced that there is a conflict between the drivers and the software, but don't know how to fix the problem, or where to even find it. The system works fine, and shuts down/restarts with the software installed, but no drivers. And, for the most part, the system works fine with the drivers installed, and no software(with the exeption of the ATI driver problem earlier). Now, there may be a problem with the conflict ocurring due to some software that is installed automatically after windows completes it's install. I have my disc set to place a batch file in the start up folder in the start menu, and this in turn installs some software right at the begining[Again, I will list this software at the end of the article, in the order of install]. So, once the apps are installed, If I install my display driver, the problems start. I also installed these apps by executing the batch file in the OEM install, and after that, I got the freeze-up on shut down. I tried again, with my unattended OS. As soon as the Batch script initiated upon first boot, I cancelled it. I then installed my graphics driver and rebooted. Worked fine. Then I installed audio drivers and rebooted. Still good. I installed my toolkit, since it does not make registry entries, and it contains winrar, which I need for other files. Reboot, good to go. Installed Litestep, then rebooted, good to go. Installed Items, rebooted. Still good. Then I got a little crazy, and installed Flash, prio, and ALT+TAB task switcher in the same session. Rebooted and all is well. Installed vista drive indicator and rebooted without a hitch. At this point I decided it was a good idea to backup the registry. Then I ran my registry tweak and rebooted. Had some minor problems with the entries, but got them fixed(Entry conflict with previous litestep reg entries) Rebooted, and all is well. I began to suspect that the Windows hotfix files were the culprit, so I skipped them and continued installing my software, rebooting after each install. I eventually got all my software installed, except for the hotfixes, and I had no problems rebooting. I had gotten everything installed and working, with the ability to log off, restart, and shut down. But, I made a slight error in judgement when deciding to format the remainder of the hard drive. I had about 100 GB of unpartitioned, unformatted space, so I decided to create a partition with it, and format. It didn't go too well. For some reason, it deleted my existing partition in the process, so I lost all that hard work. Back to square one. I re-installed my unattended OS, this time modifying the .bat file that runs on first startup. I removed the entries for the hotfixes, and placed them in WPI, as an optional install. Everything installed just fine, rebooted, and I'm in LiteStep. I installed the drivers, rebooting after each one, with success.After this, I clicked on the Install programs link to WPI. I chose WinAmp and clicked install. The WPI screen flashed, and nothing got installed. I tried again, with the same results. I got curious, and tried to install more than one software at a time with WPI, but still, nothing would install. I then decided to try the WPI batch files individually, to trace the problems within WPI. These batch files initiated the installs perfectly. So I installed my software, but I didn't reboot after each one, thinking there was no need until I got to the software that requested it. First was WinAmp, Then Unlocker, TweakUI, TuneUp Utilities 2007, Techies toolkit, and Sygate Personal Firewall. Sygate requests a reboot, So I did. And got the hang on exit again. OK, I'm about to pull my hair out here. I uninstalled all of this software, then went into regedit, and deleted all references to them. I tried to reboot again, with no luck. So now, all I have left to try, is LiteStep. I set explorer as shell, it asks for a reboot, and I click yes. Whaddaya' know, It reboots flawlessly! So, while in explorer shell, I try a reboot. Works. So I switch back to LiteStep shell, it asks for a reboot, and it works. I'm in LiteStep again, and try the reboot. And I get the freeze up. What is going on here?!? LiteStep worked fine on the prior install, I thought it was the hotfixes causing the problem. I'm still suspecting Driver conflicts, but not wanting to rule out human error, I decide to take the very same unattended install disc, and run it on another PC. This desktop is a Pentium II, 533MHZ, with about 256MB of ram, an ancient box. Everything installs fine, with the exeption of the WPI. I still can't get it to work. I did some modifications to it, so I would believe this is my fault. Software installs, and drivers install, all with no problems. I would like to say it is a flawless install disc, but hey, WPI don't work now. Other than that though, there is no reason I should be having problems, unless this is a driver issue. But the drivers came with this brand new laptop, so they shouldn't be outdated. While I waited for the software to install on my P-II, my laptop did it's hibernation thing. I woke it back up, found myself in the logon screen, chose my account, and logged in. After this, I decided to try to reboot. And it worked. I rebooted the system, logged back in, and attempted yet another reboot. This time it didn't work. I installed the JScript 5.6 Security Update for Windows XP SP1 and SP2 hotfix, thinking this may cause my WPI to not work(it's installed on my P-4, but not the P-II or the Vostro), and it allowed me to reboot. I logged back in, and tried to reboot one more time. No luck. I then attempted to run WPI, but it still did not work. It does seem though, that if I let the laptop sit for about five minutes, it will reboot just fine. Also, if I choose reboot or shutdown, I can let it hang for about five minutes, and it will eventually work. This is of course, with nothing installed but the drivers, LiteStep, and the JSscript hotfix(and the other stuff from the initial install with the batch script). Since WPI doesn't work anymore on my pentium fossil box, I decided to try it on my Dell dimension 4300 desktop. It's a pentium 4, 1.4 GHZ, with 512 MB of ram. I took the exact same script I used on the other two PC's, the whole WPI folder. I placed it where it would go if this was a fresh install, put the disc into the drive, and chose WinAMp to install. I clicked begin installation, and it executed flawlessly. There has got to be something I am missing here. WPI used to work on the P-II, but now it doesn't. It worked the very first time on my new laptop, but not anymore. But, it works on my P-4 without any problems. Anyway, I just can't figure this out. It seems the display drivers may be causing a problem with something, due to the ability to restart after killing the AT2EVXX.exe processes, But I got the problem with the hotfixes, without the hotfixes, with LiteStep, With the directX dll library, without it... At the same time, I was able to get a stable install with everything but the hotfixes. LiteStep worked without problems. I was able to shutdown and reboot. It was smooth, and it worked well. But now I am getting the problem again, even though I am installing the same software I did in the previous stable install. Man, I wish I hadn't messed it all up with a failed partition creation! ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Dell Vostro 1000Processor: AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 Dual-Core processor TK-53 (1.7GHz/512KB)Memory: 1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHZ, 2 DimmHard Drive: 120GB2 5400RPM Hard DriveOptical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW3 with double-layer4 DVD+R write capability, Cyberlink Power DVDWireless Cards: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Wi-Fi Mini CardVideo Card: ATI Radeon® Xpress 1150 256MB HyperMemory™ (integrated) Software----------- Installed through batch file on first start up ------------------------------------------------- Hotfixes---------- Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool [KB890830] Windows genuine Advantage validation tool [KB892130] Disable and Remove Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Nag Screen [KB905474] Security Update for Flash Player [KB913433] JScript 5.6 Security Update for Windows XP SP1 and SP2 [KB917344] Cumulative Update for IE7 [KB933566] ITEMS.exe ------------(this consists of various files for themes and some stand alone apps that do not make registry entries: Would not be able to cause the problem) LiteStep alternative shell Alt+Tab task switcher power toy Flash Player For Internet Explorer 7 Prio - Priority Saver Task Manager Plugin Vista Drive Indicator Deleting of the "Windows Navigation Start.wav" sound Various registry tweaks, including registry entries for LiteStep(will post them if they are needed)Then the PC rebootsWindows post install wizard-------------------------------Optional software-------------------- CCleaner CableNut DirectX dll libraries Google Earth Gimp Hide IP Platinum Java runtime environment K-lite codec pack Nod32 Antivirus Nero Burning Rom Net 2.0 Microsoft office Opera web browser Perfectdisk defragmenter PowerIso SUPERAntispyware Sygate Personal Firewall Techies Toolkit(collection of stand alone programs; no registry entries, can't be the problem) Tuneup Utlities 2007 TweakUi Unlocker Utorrent Winamp
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