CD Key issue with a XP SP3 build

[gamehead200]

To tell it "loud & clear": It`s not a bug of nLite - it`s a MS-"Feature": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950722

nLite does nothing more than /integrate SP3 into the source.

Notice that it says "can" and not "will." "Can" implies that the problem may or may not occur.

This issue can occur if you used the /integrate command in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008 to slipstream Windows XP SP3.

So the contradicting reports kind of make sense.

[g-force]

Notice that it says "can" and not "will." "Can" implies that the problem may or may not occur.

Of course you`re right, Gamehead.

I just wanted to explain, that this scenario would happen even without nLite.

[gamehead200]

Notice that it says "can" and not "will." "Can" implies that the problem may or may not occur.

Of course you`re right, Gamehead.

I just wanted to explain, that this scenario would happen even without nLite.

Yes, I realized that.

[bviktor]

To tell it "loud & clear": It`s not a bug of nLite - it`s a MS-"Feature": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950722

nLite does nothing more than /integrate SP3 into the source.

Notice that it says "can" and not "will." "Can" implies that the problem may or may not occur.

This issue can occur if you used the /integrate command in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008 to slipstream Windows XP SP3.

So the contradicting reports kind of make sense.

thanks for explaining black means the subject is black

[jaclaz]

To tell it "loud & clear": It`s not a bug of nLite - it`s a MS-"Feature": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950722

nLite does nothing more than /integrate SP3 into the source.

Notice that it says "can" and not "will." "Can" implies that the problem may or may not occur.

This issue can occur if you used the /integrate command in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008 to slipstream Windows XP SP3.

So the contradicting reports kind of make sense.

Just for the record, in the Italian version of that kb, it is even clearer:

SINTOMI:

Si utilizza l'opzione /integrate per creare il supporto di installazione integrata di Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) su un computer basato su Windows Vista o su Windows Server 2008, tuttavia è possibile che tale supporto non venga installato correttamente. Inoltre il codice " Product Key" di Windows XP potrebbe non essere riconosciuto.

re-tanslated back in English it would sound as:

Symtoms:

You use the /integrate option to create the integrated install media of Windows Service Pack 3 (SP3) on a computer beased on Windows Vista, or on Windows Server 2008, it is possible, though, that the support won't be installed correctly. Additionally the "product key" code of Windows Xp may not be recognized.

Summed up:

MS knows that it happens, doesn't know why or however has no intention to fix the issue.

jaclaz

[skierpage]

O, tried the pidgen.dll file replacement with the i386\ic one from the extracted sp3 exe -> not working.

I had similar unsuccessful experience. I'm able to access my Windows partition from Kubuntu Linux (where I'm typing this), so I simply copied the original Windows XP SP1a pidgen.dll (2003-03-31 27,648 byte) to /WINDOWS/system32/pidgen.dll on my Windows partition, replacing the 2008-04-14 24,064 byte file that my nLite-made-on-Vista put there. When I rebooted into Windows, XP setup continued and completed fine (I wasn't even prompted for a product ID key) and I thought I was set!

But upon rebooting into a supposedly working Windows, when I login as a user I get

Windows Product Activation

A problem is preventing Windows from accurately checking the license for this computer.

Error code: 0x80004005

Even if I again replace the newer Pidgen.dll in both /WINDOWS/system32/ and /WINDOWS/system32/dllcache , I get this error.

It's possible that if I had built a new CD patched with the original pidgen.dll and repeated the entire Windows XP repair setup, that everything would be fine, but I doubt it. Some threads have mentioned other problematic DLLs or files, but my next attempt is to run nLite in a Windows XP virtual machine.

[johnhc]

Have you guys trying to change the PIDGEN.DLL tried disabling SFC (System File check, aka WFP, Windows File Protection)? There is an option in nLite to disable it. Also are you using the correct version of PIDGEN.DLL? There are two, one in the ip directory and one in the ic. Please see chris.b's post above. Enjoy, John.

[skierpage]

Also are you using the correct version of PIDGEN.DLL? There are two, one in the ip directory and one in the ic. Please see chris.b's post above.

That didn't make sense to me because in my XP_Source I didn't have these directories. Then I realized they're in the extracted SP3. My nLite CD created under Vista did indeed have the wrong ip "pro" one dated 2008-04-14 05:39 instead of the ic "consumer/home" one dated 2008-04-14 12:05.

Have you guys trying to change the PIDGEN.DLL tried disabling SFC (System File check, aka WFP, Windows File Protection)? There is an option in nLite to disable it.

No I didn't, but I put the right PIDGEN.DLL in dllcache as well as system32 and it didn't help me get past the second phase of Windows setup.

I installed Virtual Box 3, created a Win XP virtual machine, ran nLite in that, tested the .iso by making it the virtual machine's CD-ROM and repairing the virtual machine (that blew my fragile little mind), then burned the .iso to CD-RW and... it worked to repair my actual XP partition!

Thanks everyone for all your help. It's clear that running nLite under Vista or Windows 7 does not work for many people, so I beg you to feature this prominently and recommend setting up a virtual machine. I'll post my steps separately.

(Later in trying to get ATI video to work I installed some other VIA drivers and now I can't get any video out of XP even in Safe Mode... but that's a different story. )

[submix8c]

At the risk of being flogged for "something illegal", has anyone tried comparing an ISO's contents slipped on Vista/2k8/Win7 against an ISO's contents slipped on 2k/2k3/XP? I'm betting there's more than the PIDGEN.DLL that's being merged. Can't test this myself (not having the other opsys') but if the PRO version is being inadvertantly slipped, then perhaps other PRO modules/files are as well.

This could allow for slipstreaming on the offending opsys' and then replacing the incorrect modules(s) from an extracted SP3 (IC vs IP, and other "renamed" unmentioned here - you figure it out) into the flat folders before "burning". Then it would be unnecessary to install into a VM/other-box just to slip.

[skierpage]

has anyone tried comparing an ISO's contents slipped on Vista/2k8/Win7 against an ISO's contents slipped on 2k/2k3/XP? I'm betting there's more than the PIDGEN.DLL that's being merged.

I tried comparing directory listings of my two XP_Source nLite work directories, and they were VASTLY different even though I thought I used the same SETUP.INI. XP had 250 more .TT_ and .FO_ font variations, dozens of KBD*.DLL files, etc.; Vista had hundreds of extra files. Lots of files had different dates.

I couldn't make sense of the directory listings, my first thought was I had done something wrong. Maybe the .isos that nLite burns from the directory contents have fewer variations. If anyone wants to take a look I uploaded them to www.skierpage.com/bugs