windows setup always restarts

[Schicklgruber]

Hi all,

First, I think that nLite is a really cool program. But, unfortunately it's never worked for me. A while ago, I successfully made an nLite disc, and while Windows was copying files, it gave me an error message and had to exit installation. Then, I waited for a long time, and tried nLite again today. This time, it copied all the files correctly, but it could never start the installation. My computer showed the windows boot screen, then an error message popped up so quickly I couldn't read it or copy it down, and then rebooted and did the same thing over and over again.

Can somebody please help me with my problem? I would really like to use nLite, but I can't because of these issues.

Thanks!

-Schicklgruber

[johnhc]

Schicklgruber, we need more information. Sometimes you can get into Safe Mode by pushing F8 when your machine Reboots. If you can, right click My Computer-Click Properties-Select Advanced tab-Click Settings under Startup and Recovery, then uncheck Automatically Restart. You can also find this as a Tweak in nLite. Then Restart you machine and it should stop on the BSOD. Please post the error code. Also, please attach (not paste) your Last Session.ini. Make sure to always start with a fresh copy of your CD files/folders, do all your work in one nLite session and integrate only one SP. Please report when you have a solution, so others can benefit. Enjoy, John.

[Guest]

What do you mean by the boot screen? Please describe it. Also tell us about your hard drive hardware and attach your last session.ini.

[Schicklgruber]

Thank you everybody for replying. -X-, I've attached a picture of what I mean by boot screen. I've also attached my last Session.ini file. Do you mean hard drive hardware by the type? If so, it's an IDE hard drive. Not a SATA. Johnhc, Windows never actually installed. First, it booted into the CD, showed the blue setup screen, formated and copied the files fine, and then it reboots. It shows the windows boot screen (i've attached a photo) and then it shows a blue screen as if it's going to start the install process, but then shows an error message. The error message goes away so quickly I cannot read it. Then, it reboots, and a blue Windows XP screen is showed saying "Setup is restarting...." (i've described it best I could and unfortunately cannot get a picture of this screen) and then reboots and does the whole thing over again.

I hope this helps,

-Schicklgruber

Last_Session.ini

[GrofLuigi]

There's not much work done (not much changes) in your preset, but here are some observations of mine:

1. You are working on SP3 but don't integrate SP3? It shouldn't be a problem, but maybe IE7 requires it? Also, double check what (version, build?) is your IE7 and whether you can integrate it directly or you need an addon (I don't know, never done it ).

2. Is the theme you're integrating signed? If not, you need to do UXTheme patch and/or SFC. (again, never done it ).

GL

Edited December 1, 2009 by GrofLuigi

[Guest]

> and then it shows a blue screen as if it's going to start the install process, but then shows an error message

You're not referring to a blue screen of death are you?

Is the error message in a small dialog box? Like this...

If not can you find one that looks like it here?

[johnhc]

Schicklgruber, I think you can directly integrate IE7 into SP2 - no AddOn needed, but GrofLuigi is correct about needing the Uxtheme Option if your theme is not signed. It would be nice if you were running on a virtual system. VirtualPC, VirtualBox and VMware are all free. Since so little is being done in nLite, I am wondering if the original CD will install. Have you tried that? So, try the original CD (at least till you get past your problem), if OK, then try a new nLited ISO with the Uxtheme Option enabled. Please let us hear. Enjoy, John.

[Schicklgruber]

GrofLuigi, my theme is signed by Microsoft. It's the Microsoft Zune theme. I'm not sure what build my IE7 is, I just downloaded the install file form the Microsoft download site. -X-, I don't mean blue screen of death, what I mean is it shows a light blue screen with a mouse in the center. And that picture you attached is similar to the error message, but not really. The error message box was a lot smaller than that. And it was not in a dialog box. Johnhc, could you tell me how to integrate IE7 into SP2? What I did after the process finished creating the ISO, was I tried out the WinLite ISO in VirtualBox. Then, I deleted the WinLite ISO because it did not work in VirtualBox (I never wrote the ISO to a CD). And I am pretty sure that the original windows CD is working properly (I've used it many times).

Thank you everybody for trying to help me,

-Schicklgruber

[johnhc]

Schicklgruber, you integrated IE7 correctly by simply placing it into your Hot Fix area. I went to the MS DL site and got a copy of IE7. The Size (Not size on Disk) and MD5 are 14.7 MB (15,452,536 bytes) and EA16789F6FC1D2523F704E8F9AFBE906. Please check these for yours. So, you are saying that your problems are on VirtualBox and not HW? Have you tried to install (at least to the problem area) on VB directly from your CD? Please give that a try if not. I see nothing in your Last Session that should give this problem. Please let us hear. Enjoy, John.

[Schicklgruber]

Okay guys, I've got a sort-of new problem. So today I tried creating my ISO file over again. But this time, I integrated SP3 and IE7, and had no Unattended settings (no extra themes). I also enabled the uxtheme patch. I've attached my session.ini file if you guys want to look at it. This time, I had a different problem. So I booted into the ISO image with VirtualBox, and everything loaded fine. I formated, and it started copying setup files. But this time, I got an error message saying "Cannot copy clock.avi. Would you like to skip this file?" I skipped the clock.avi file. However, when it was finished copying setup files, it rebooted, showed the windows boot screen, and then it showed a screen that said "Setup is restarting..." and then kept restarting over and over again. I've attached a picture I got from Google images showing the screen that I am getting.

Let me know if you need anymore information,

-Schicklgruber

Last_Session.ini

[johnhc]

Schicklgruber, again I see nothing in your Last Session that concerns me. Have you done the things I have asked - install original CD in VB - checked size and MD5 of IE7? You definitely do not need the Uxtheme option. I also don't think it could have been a problem so early in Setup and I hope it would not cause Setup to fail - perhaps just not allow a theme. If you will look in the Last Session [Remove Files] section, you will see that avi.clock is listed - correct this error by removing this entry. Are you always starting with a fresh, fresh copy of you CD files/folders? Are you using nLite to create your ISO? The only thing left after the things I have suggested (assuming all OK) is the Tweaks, Drop all of them and see what happens. Please let us hear. Enjoy, John.

[Schicklgruber]

Hello everybody,

Thank you for all your suggestions. I am going to try everybody's suggestions, and start all over again from the beginning. I will run nLite with all of your suggestions in mind, and create the ISO through nLite. I will then burn the ISO to a CD and try installing in Microsoft Virtual PC.

I will let you all of you know about my results,

-Schicklgruber

[Schicklgruber]

Hello everybody,

Unfortuantely I did not have a good experience. First, I booted into the ISO and it formatted and copied the setup files fine. Then, it rebooted, and as setup was starting, an error message popped up. Again, it went away so quickly I couldn't write it down. Then, it rebooted and did the same thing over and over again. I've attached my session.ini file for all of you to look at. If you can't find a solution to my problems, could somebody show me how to manually deploy windows without nLite?

Thanks guys for trying to help me,

-Schicklgruber

Last_Session.ini

[johnhc]

Schicklgruber, I personally cannot tell you anything until you run the experiments I suggested early. Enjoy, John.

[Schicklgruber]

Hello everybody,

I'm sorry I haven't been able to reply sooner, but the reason why is I haven't had a time to try all of your suggestions yet. My schedule is very busy, and I will try my best to find a time. But I just wanted to let you know that the reason why I'm not replying is not because I found the solution and didn't feel like replying back. The reason is because I just don't have the time now.

Thank you everyobody for your help,

-Schicklgruber