Failure after downloading SP1a Dutch

[ReSiVe]

@GM

FYI

I tried the last days hard to get a unattended install with XPCreate of XP Home Dutch and XP Prof Dutch. All seems to function till the point after the validation of the download of the SP1a package of 123 MB [luckly I don't have to pay for the downloaded MB]. It is not seen as validated and thrown away. After analysing I found out that the HFLISTS file were incomplete; the MDAC value for the SP1a package is missing (for Pro and Home NLD), and through that XPCreate gives the message that the SP1-path can't be found (is also missing in the mentioned files), but start downloading, after that the things go wrong. I made a workaround by slipstreaming SP1a by hand and after that Prof functions, but Home not.

The problem with the Home edition is, that it comes until configuring of setup (is after copying files during Textmode), reads e.g. the dmreg.inf and after that comes up with stopcode 0x00BE with the message that maybe setupdd.sys is causing the error. But I can't find anything strange at that file? Have anybody an idea.

Thanks in advance

[GreenMachine]

Odd. I haven't looked at the Dutch Hotfix List. The non-English lists are either blank, or those contributed by users like yourself. The simplest workaround is to put SP1A in the SPACKS directory, set DLAUTO=NO in XPCREATE.INI, run XPCREATE once, and it will create a local source, with SP1A integrated. From there you can set DLAUTO=YES, and do the rest, assuming the rest of the list is OK. However, manually slipstreaming the SP has already accomplished this.

As for the XP Home error, not sure either, but it could certainly be something as simple as using an XP Pro hotfix in XP Home. This would, again, be due to a faulty list. And again, the best way to test is to set DLAUTO=NO, and find the correct set of hotfixes.

Sorry I cannot be of more assistance ...

Welcome to MSFN!

[ReSiVe]

@GM

Thanks for your fast answer. What has gone false with the earlier Home creation I don't know yet, it seems to me that the not slipstreamed version was in the CDSOURCE dir. Therefore I build a new dir, but with the existing ini-file. After that the known 'error' from not finding the CD-source; therefore added the boot-file in the bootdir and after that all runs smoothly, including the install, excluded implemented errors by myself. So far so good.

Another question: I have the feeling that after running XPCreate, at new starting in the same dir XPCreate functions not as expected; downloads are stopping etc. Is this right? And how can it at new initiated with new params?

Second question: how can the work of XPCreate minimized at a maximum. I mean in which way can most of the work from the earlier execution be reused.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I like the way of compressed and really integrated way of HF installation. Good work.

[GreenMachine]

Not sure I understand the "Another question". Hotfixes should not be downloaded twice, but the downloader should not stop.

For the second quesion, the way to have XPCREATE work the quickest on subsequent runs is to make sure it uses the directory CDSOURCE, which will contain the slipstreamed source files (avoiding a second slipstream). You could also save some files from NEWFILES that have been repackaged, such as DOTNETFX, MOVIEMAKER and JVIEWER, and add them to SVC-POS, but that won't save that much. Other than that ... more memory, a faster CPU, and, most importantly, a faster disk, such as one of the new wicked fast SATA drives. (I know, not the answer you wanted ... ) That's about all, but the disk is really the key: make sure there is a lot of room, and if possible, don't use the same physical disk the OS is on.

Yes, XPCREATE is slow. But then again ... so am I!