[Problem] Install Windows XP from USB-Stick

[DomIII]

Hello folks,

i just found USB_MultiBoot_10.cmd and tried to install windows xp on a asus eeepc...i managed to get through the different stages and installed wxp on the harddisk..the problem is, that it won't boot.

error message is: NTLDR missing. CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart

i also tried the solution in faq

Q9: I cannot start my freshly installed windows without the USB disk

A9: When installing you have to leave USB disk plugged in until after first normal windows desktop. This is because at first logon undoren.cmd is executed, which amends BOOT.INI on your new disk using binifix.cmd, and also renames 2 folders and txtsetup.sif back to their original names.

If you are in such situation and don't want to reinstall, manually start UNDOREN.CMD and BINIFIX4.CMD located in your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder with the USB disk connected.

the harddisk-layout is non standard...there are four partitions on the hd, and i don't know which one the bios tries to run...anyway, wxp is on multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(4)

suggestions are welcome,

thank you for your time!

[ilko_t]

Would start windows if you boot again from USB?

What does BOOT.INI contains on the USB stick?

How do you know "wxp is on multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(4)"?

[DomIII]

windows does start from usb-stick.

correction: it's rdisk(0)partition(4), not rdisk(4)

in the boot.ini on windows: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)

in the boot.ini on usb-stick: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(4)

my main problem is, that i don't know where to put the bootfiles, my bios boots from this hd, but i don't know from which partition (there are 4: 1 ntfs (windows), 1 fat ("bios"), 2 unknown (linux backup + EFI?))

[jaclaz]

in the boot.ini on windows: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)

in the boot.ini on usb-stick: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(4)

my main problem is, that i don't know where to put the bootfiles, my bios boots from this hd, but i don't know from which partition (there are 4: 1 ntfs (windows), 1 fat ("bios"), 2 unknown (linux backup + EFI?))

well, which one is Active?

i.e. has "80" in the partition table boot byte?

jaclaz

[DomIII]

well, which one is Active?

i.e. has "80" in the partition table boot byte?

how can i find that out? my management console says, that my usb-stick is active but none of the partitions on my hd is active

edit: according to MS, the active partition is always c:...so, it's my fat32 "Bios" partition...ntldr and the other bootfiles are on that partition...

edit2: used diskpart to ensure that c: is active...still won't work..

Edited December 6, 2008 by DomIII

[jaclaz]

Get a decent program to show your partition table.

Partition editors:

Beeblebrox:

http://students.cs.byu.edu/~codyb/

or PTEDIT32:

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_...es/PTEDIT32.zip

Partition viewers:

PartinfoNT

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_...es/PartInNT.zip

Partinfo (DOS):

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_...es/partinfo.zip

Or some other utility, like:

MBRWIZ:

http://mbrwizard.com/

or MBRFIX:

http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm

Not always "C:" is active partition.

jaclaz

[DomIII]

thank you for your help

i just had a look at some website related to eeepcs and it says that you HAVE to delete ALL partitions on the eeepc 701 (my model) in order to make it load windows..i will try that since i don't really need the stuff on the other partitions...solving the problem via hand would be a waste of time i suppose...

anyway, thanks a lot!

[jaclaz]

thank you for your help

i just had a look at some website related to eeepcs and it says that you HAVE to delete ALL partitions on the eeepc 701 (my model) in order to make it load windows..i will try that since i don't really need the stuff on the other partitions...solving the problem via hand would be a waste of time i suppose...

anyway, thanks a lot!

...but maybe that info is obsolete, or incorrect, totally or partially....

Very few things make me as much upset as sentences like "I've read somewhere....", "I have seen on some site....", almost all if not all the "fun" of the Internet is the interconnectdness of all things, if you cite something, be so kind as to give a link to it.

It is very possile that deleting all partition is actually needed, but I doubt it, unless there is a disk size problem, it sounds to me like a "quick and dirty trick" to bypass the problem without understanding what the problem is and whether there are some other ways to fix it.

jaclaz

[DomIII]

It is very possile that deleting all partition is actually needed, but I doubt it, unless there is a disk size problem, it sounds to me like a "quick and dirty trick" to bypass the problem without understanding what the problem is and whether there are some other ways to fix it.

i am sorry, you are right. source is in german, that's why i didn't link to it.

http://myeee.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/anle...k-installieren/

[jaclaz]

It is very possile that deleting all partition is actually needed, but I doubt it, unless there is a disk size problem, it sounds to me like a "quick and dirty trick" to bypass the problem without understanding what the problem is and whether there are some other ways to fix it.

i am sorry, you are right. source is in german, that's why i didn't link to it.

http://myeee.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/anle...k-installieren/

You underestimate the power of Google Translate....apart putting a few verbs at the end of the sentence, it usually produces an almost readable output.

Nun startet die Windows Installation, das Setup kopiert erforderliche Dateien und man hat die Möglichkeit, auf der SSD Partitionen zu löschen oder zu erstellen.

Beim Eee PC 701 4G unbedingt alle vorhandenen Partitionen löschen,

eine einzelne Partition mit dem Laufwerksbuchstaben C: erstellen

und diese mit NTFS formatieren.

Anschliessend werden die kompletten Windows-Setup Dateien auf die SSD kopiert und der Computer wird neu gestartet.

Now starts the Windows installation, the setup required to copy files and you have the opportunity to build on the SSD partitions to delete or create.

When Eee PC 701 4G necessarily delete all existing partitions,

a single partition the drive letter C: Create

and those with NTFS format.

Then complete the Windows Setup files are copied to the SSD and the computer is rebooted.

As expected, it is an apodictical sentence, with no background as to WHY this is needed.

Basically it could be due to:

1) something in wimb's batches not "tuned" for such a situation

2) something else that can be fixed manually

3) a really needed thing to do

Maybe wimb or ilko know more about this, but I would really like to know how the heck is partitioned/formatted the SSD and how it is seen by XP (Fixed or Removable).

If you haven't yet wiped the thingy flat, can you save the MBR with any utility and post it?

jaclaz

[ilko_t]

You need to figure out which partition is active, or set the partition where windows is on active. Then place boot files on it.

Amend BOOT.INI on that partition, so it has the proper rdisk and partition values:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=116766

Q4/A4

You may use any kind of partition tool, GParted for example.

Look at this post and the pictures in it too:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=815523

Deleting all partitions should not be necessary, as long as BOOT.INI has the correct values and you have the proper partition set active.