Need help with deploying xp

[gotenks98]

Here is the situation I am trying to deploy windows xp sp3 to some of our dell machines. We do not have enough volumn licenses so we are using the media the machines came with (dell oem sp3). When I install windows from the cd it goes just fine like normal but if I try to install windows by using MDT 2010 it always errors out at the first part of the blue setup screeen saying that nvrd32.sys is missing. I can confirm that the file is there on disc and copied to deployment share. At first I thought it might just be bad media but I have gone through about 5 cds and deleting and re-adding xp to the deployment share each time and all files copy just fine. Its something that gets broken in the txtsetup I think thats causing this. Right now I am clueless as to how to fix this and I am running out of time on getting these images ready. I did a test install in a vm and I still get the same results. If I use retail or volumn license media to test this with I do not get this problem ever. It seems to be a delll media specific thing. Any clues as to how to work past this?

[arwidmark]

Check if MDT adds the nvrd.sys info to unattend.txt (MassStorageDrivers and OEMBootFiles) before the first reboot (still in post-install phase)... Second, I do think you are breaking the OEM EULA be deploying XP that way, normally the OEM licensing is quite specfic on how to use the recovery media from the OEM.

Check out the XP re-imaging rights, which can allow you to use a VL media instead.

/ Johan

[gotenks98]

Check if MDT adds the nvrd.sys info to unattend.txt (MassStorageDrivers and OEMBootFiles) before the first reboot (still in post-install phase)... Second, I do think you are breaking the OEM EULA be deploying XP that way, normally the OEM licensing is quite specfic on how to use the recovery media from the OEM.

Check out the XP re-imaging rights, which can allow you to use a VL media instead.

/ Johan

This is the first I have ever heard of on breaking the eula by creating images from oem media. You need to be more specific on what you mean because if what you are saying is true then alot more people are breaking it just by using stuff like symantec ghost. Second I am pretty sure mdt gives instructions on using oem media. I will check the unattend.txt file for mass storage and boot files.

[Tripredacus]

Its a tough situation because large OEMs won't build custom images for their customers even tho they are allowed to.

Its fine to build an image from a recovery disc, but you still need to have licenses per machine! If each has a Dell COA on them, that should be fine. But if you end up start putting this on systems without COAs then that is an actual crime.

[jaclaz]

But if you end up start putting this on systems without COAs then that is an actual crime.

Are you sure it is an "actual crime"?

It thought that deploying by mistake a copy of XP would have categorize as a license infringement (civill, NOT criminal) something you may be sued for and eventually have to pay a (huge) fine for:

http://www.allbusiness.com/business-software-licensing/15636003-1.html

or really will the F.B.I. guys or the U.S. Marshals break in and arrest you?

jaclaz

[gotenks98]

All machines are dells that came with xp pro, we are just reinstalling windows without all that junk they pre-load on them.

[cluberti]

The problem is that the original source image also comes with a license/EULA, and re-imaging with that, depending on what that OEM installation EULA allows you to do, could in fact be illegal. You should very carefully read the EULA that ships with the OEM machine when you first turn it on, just in case. Microsoft generally doesn't allow mass imaging without using volume-license media (and with an OEM license underneath, to boot - not a "clean" machine), and OEM media doesn't fall under that umbrella.

[gotenks98]

The problem is that the original source image also comes with a license/EULA, and re-imaging with that, depending on what that OEM installation EULA allows you to do, could in fact be illegal. You should very carefully read the EULA that ships with the OEM machine when you first turn it on, just in case. Microsoft generally doesn't allow mass imaging without using volume-license media (and with an OEM license underneath, to boot - not a "clean" machine), and OEM media doesn't fall under that umbrella.

Ok then explain to me why they have an express deployment tool just for OEMs then? http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/downloads/Pages/ExpressDeploymentTool.aspx Thats one thing I saw when searching for an answer to the original problem. Thats right there says they do not care about mass imaging because the tool is specifically designed for that. Not to be rude but it seems like you guys are trying way too hard to be the software police around here.

[Tripredacus]

Ah that tool Yes mass-deployment is viable under certain circumstances. Notice that is an "OEM" tool, which is typically licensed to either OEMs or System Builders. If you have a Microsoft Partner account, you can email your rep and ask if your company is licensed to use this tool or not. Honestly, I was sad to find that tool... could have used it years earlier.

Microsoft licenses different tools (and OSes) for the different channels. The Enterprise Channel is to use MDT and SCCM for deployments.

Anyways, about being "software police" its a good point but there are a couple reasons for it. One is to make sure we keep within the law as far as forum content (to the best of our ability) without angering any of the software companies. Another is to make sure you are using the right tools for your specific task depending on what channel you are in. I can tell you its not a good thing when someone at Microsoft calls you up and says you're using the wrong tools (licensing requirements) and you have to change.

[jaclaz]

I can tell you its not a good thing when someone at Microsoft calls you up and says you're using the wrong tools (licensing requirements) and you have to change.

Does this mean that you were caught committing an "actual crime" in the past?

jaclaz

[cluberti]

Found it:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=828287

OEM installation image

Microsoft does not support the use of Sysprep to create a new image of a system that was originally created by using a custom OEM installation image or by using OEM installation media. Microsoft only supports such an image if the image was created by the OEM manufacturer.

[jaclaz]

Found it:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=828287

OEM installation image

Microsoft does not support the use of Sysprep to create a new image of a system that was originally created by using a custom OEM installation image or by using OEM installation media. Microsoft only supports such an image if the image was created by the OEM manufacturer.

This article describes some Sysprep scenarios that Microsoft does not support.

Yep, but IMHO that says that the feature/specific use/scenarios of the program are not supported (which does not necessarily mean that it is "illegal" or "a breach of license" or "an actual crime").

AFAICU what the MS keyb says is layman's terms :

If you use sysprep this way and the result is not what you expect, you are on your own, don't come to us whining it didn't work for you.

jaclaz

[gotenks98]

Found it:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=828287

OEM installation image

Microsoft does not support the use of Sysprep to create a new image of a system that was originally created by using a custom OEM installation image or by using OEM installation media. Microsoft only supports such an image if the image was created by the OEM manufacturer.

All that says is that its not supported. It doesnt say you cant do it. Thats two completely different things. As I said before many of you are grasping at straws here just trying to be the software police. Seriously how often does microsoft actually call people up over minor stuff like this? I could see if it was someone saying they were going to install volumn license media illegally or something on non-company owned machines. This is just a simple rebuild to get past the pre-installed junk on the systems. If worst comes to worst we will just get a system builder license if we have to just to get this done so we can have more control over the installation.

[gotenks98]

Found it:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=828287

OEM installation image

Microsoft does not support the use of Sysprep to create a new image of a system that was originally created by using a custom OEM installation image or by using OEM installation media. Microsoft only supports such an image if the image was created by the OEM manufacturer.

This article describes some Sysprep scenarios that Microsoft does not support.

Yep, but IMHO that says that the feature/specific use/scenarios of the program are not supported (which does not necessarily mean that it is "illegal" or "a breach of license" or "an actual crime").

AFAICU what the MS keyb says is layman's terms :

If you use sysprep this way and the result is not what you expect, you are on your own, don't come to us whining it didn't work for you.

jaclaz

Exactly what I see when I read this. Again which is why we have forums for this kind of stuff. If you really want to get techical on it then they could say the same thing about stuff like nlite, vlite and all the other slipstreamers out there but yet there is support for that stuff here.

[gotenks98]

Also I wanted to add I got a partial resolution to this problem already. Not the best solution but after hours of googling I found out that there are others who have had this same problem and the only way to get past it was to use a SP2 disc that is manually slipstreamed to SP3. Once slipstreamed it works just fine on installing. Pretty much all the SP3 discs from dell have this same issue. I would have liked to been able to use the SP3 disc but I am running out of time for this project.