Valid Product Key not accepted after nLite Slipstream

[w1zard]

I've used nLite under Windows 7 to slipstream SP3 into an original XP Home disc (nothing else added), then burnt to ISO.

The resulting CD starts to install Windows, and works up until the point of entering the product key. I know the product key is genuine (it's on a Microsoft COA that has been used before).

Everything that is entered is rejected as invalid, and the option to skip entering a product key just loops - failing to skip the step. Something seems to be up with the files relating to the key authorisation since nLite.

I can see there was a bug very similar to this resolved some time ago, but judging by another recent post, it is still there somewhere.

On another similar post, someone asked for the contents of SETUPP.INI. On the post-nLite version I have, this contains:

[Pid]

ExtraData=786F687170637175716954806365EF

Pid=55277OEM

Hopefully someone can help me get round/fix this bug

[johnhc]

w1zard, one of the know problems with running nLite under W7 to create an ISO for XP is that the key will not be accepted. Sometime you can get away with it if you do not integrate an SP. Since you did not attached your Last Session, as requested above in bold RED, we cannot tell if you added an SP. You can run nLite in a system running XP, under a virtual system (VMware Server, VirtualPC and VirtualBox are free) or the virtual system in W7 if your system is Professional or Ultimate. Enjoy, John.

[w1zard]

Thanks for the quick reply

As the red text said 'If you are having issues with Windows after removing components', and I wasn't removing components (simply slipstreaming), I didn't think the Last Session.ini was relevant.

As stated in my original post, I'm adding SP3 using nLite.

I wasn't aware this was a known issue - are the known issues listed somewhere on the website?

I can use a virtual machine if I have to - is there no way of working around this in W7 without resorting to a virtual machine?

[johnhc]

w1zard, did you really remove nothing? If not, how did you know that was not the problem? I wish the RED message would not place that restriction and simply say if you have a Last Session, to attach it. I know of no way to get around the problem on W7 except the one I mentioned - do not integrate an SP and hope that works. Enjoy, John.

[w1zard]

Hi John

Yep - I agree the red banner is a bit restrictive in the wording

And yes - I really did remove nothing. Simply wanted to integrate XP SP3 into an install disk that only had SP1 - for less bloat and downloading time when rebuilding a PC.

I've used nLite before to achieve this, and it's worked, but this is the first attempt with Windows 7.

I'm surprised the host platform affects nLite in this way, but have been able to achieve what I was looking to do - the hard (manual) way. I followed this guide:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2325399,00.asp

Just using ImgBurn and the SP3 exe I now have a working ISO, which accepts the product key like it should. This might help others facing the same problem.

Thanks again for your help

[johnhc]

w1zard, please see this MS article. Enjoy, John

[w1zard]

w1zard, please see this MS article. Enjoy, John

Thank you for the link - I had not seen this before. Very strange then that doing the slipstream manually on a Windows 7 machine worked for me - despite Microsoft saying that it wouldn't work with Vista/Server 2008, which would probably also mean Windows 7 too. Maybe nLite uses a different method to slipstream than the method I used. Anyway, I've got a working CD now with SP3 included, so all is good - thanks for your help

[johnhc]

w1zard, as you said, you have a working system, but I too was surprised that a manual slipstream worked under W7. I think nLite uses the same /integrate switch - certainly looks the same. Interesting. Enjoy, John.