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I want Recovery Console, sfc, everything....


Johnny Faster

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I started using nLite about a year ago. the first thing I learned (back then) was that nLite had a problem with the command-line "sfc", but there was some indication then that it was going to get fixed.

The other night, I made an nLite disk specifically to run "sfc/scannow" in order to try to resolve a conflict with my IDE Controller. A basic disk, with just my SATA drivers incorporated.

First, when I inserted the nLited disk while running XP and ran sfc/scannow from the command prompt, sfc did not like the nLite disk and choked on every single file.

So I decided to do a Repair Install. Not only did XP not recognize my SATA drive (it specifically told me it didn't), but even the "unattended" features didn't work.

I used the most-recent version of Ryan's VM pack, in case that matters.

Has the "sfc" problem been fixed ? There was a place in the customizations that mentioned it.

What about SATA driver integration ? Are there known problems with that ?

Any help welcome,

Johnny

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Answering my own post, I think I have found some of the answers, but am looking for confirmation.

First, I think the "unattended" install didn't work because I read in the nLite "help" blurbs that you have to have ALL the required fields filled in, or the "unattended install" will error and prompts will come up.

Also, the "Repair" option doesn't look like it will appear in when "unattended install" is selected (duh!). You have to select that specifically, which (I assume) then precludes any kind of unattended install. True ?

There was a section that dealt with SATA drivers. While not specifically referring to integrating SATA drivers, it did say you had to disable some part (can't exactly recall what it was) or the installation of SATA/RAID drivers will result in a corrupt system file error message. I disabled that part, just to see if the next nLite will work with the incorporated SATA drivers.

The absence of a Windows Recorvery from the XP installation from the nLite disk is still a question, as is the inability to run "sfc".

Again, any help appreciated,

Johnny

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unattended> what you wrote is true for the "defaulthide" & "providedefaults" modes. you should either fill in all the (required) fields, or if you're adventurous select "fullunattended" and setup will not show anything (but will fail if critical settings are missing, like user name, etc)

repair > yes, repairinstall is disabled if there is an answer file. and repair install is not unattended (it asks for the key, allowing you to "repair" with a different edition). if you want, before making the iso in nlite, take winnt.sif out of the i386 dir and place it on a floppy, then you will be able to do normal/repair installs with the CD, and you will still be able to do unattended installs by inserting the floppy (this method is really powerful : you can easily have multiple answer files on the same floppy, and rename the good one to "winnt.sif" before installing any WinNT 5 OSes : 2000, xp, 2003)

recovery (console) > has nothing to do with repair install, so i'm not sure you were talking about that(*). anyway, to install it just add "winnt32 /cmdcons /unattend" in the commands to run during setup (or hit F10 when you're prompted to hit F6 at the very beginning of the textmode setup)

sfc.exe > it's related to WFP... do not hack it, and do not remove protected files if you want to run it flawlessly... (or at least, use the CD corresponding to the current install, in other words, a disc with the same things in : i doubt you can have a "minimal" disc to sfc-ize a "full" OS)

++

edit: (*) seeing back the thread title, i'm sure of the opposite now :lol:

Edited by Delprat
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Why did I made the new Repair Enabled Unattended mode then?

It's under Unattended modes, it will get you the Repair prompt you want.

About the SFC, sorry I got bored by hacking through it and so you may get few popups at first but if you ignore them by clicking cancel and then No it will work just fine when it matters. Also research how to disable the popup with a simple reg entry. Remember that SFC works if left enabled, all you could get annoyed with is those popups which occur if something is removed.

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  • 1 month later...
About the SFC, sorry I got bored by hacking through it and so you may get few popups at first but if you ignore them by clicking cancel and then No it will work just fine when it matters. Also research how to disable the popup with a simple reg entry. Remember that SFC works if left enabled, all you could get annoyed with is those popups which occur if something is removed.
I give advice on an Tech Support Forum and a great many of the posts are from novice Users that have problems that are not only beyond their ability to fix themselves, but are either beyond the ability of someone else to help them with or would require WAY too much time and effort.

So I am always looking for general, easy "one-shot" fixes for people.

I have come to the belief that a combination of nLite and Ryan's VM pack make an ideal, easy-to-use XP disk that can be used by computer novices to repair problems that might otherwise need professional (paid) help.

Specifically, the use of an nLited disk to run sfc.

I understand that the primary purpose of nLite's creation may not have been as a repair utility for novice Users, but I bleieve this is an important area where nLite can be very useful.

My understanding of the "sfc" function (I may be wrong, feel free to correct me) is that sfc replaces the installed XP system files with uncorrupted versions from the disk. When I run sfc, the pop-ups are so numerous that it "feels like" NONE of the system files are being replaced. I don't know if this is the case, but that is what is percieved at the time. Nor am I clear on which pop-up menu option to select. Selecting either "Continue" or "Cancel" both results in yet another pop-up, and after 20 consecutive pop-ups, I cannot tell if I am doing anything at all.

I think the full-inclusion of the sfc function into nLite would be a very valuable resource not only for myself, but for any User that has a problem with their installation and would like to avoid doing a Repair Install.

Could whatever impediments to the "seamless" operation of sfc from an nLited disk be removed in some future version of nLite?

Respectfully,

Johnny Faster

sfc.exe > it's related to WFP... do not hack it, and do not remove protected files if you want to run it flawlessly... (or at least, use the CD corresponding to the current install, in other words, a disc with the same things in : i doubt you can have a "minimal" disc to sfc-ize a "full" OS)

++

edit: (*) seeing back the thread title, i'm sure of the opposite now

I didn't understand this. Could you please clarify ?

Respectfully,

Johnny Faster

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hi Johnny Faster! what directories did you remove from your builds?

for RC installation, it requires WINNTUPG

as for SFC, try to see if this thread: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=71256 would help even a bit ... it would likewise help if you delete .CAT files ... to

Security catalog files are used to make the System File Protection feature

aware of the fact that a version of one or more files which is different

from the original on the installation CD needs to be installed and that it

should be accepted.

... use of custom version of sfc.dll, sfc_os.dll or sfcfiles.dll may prevent the numerous prompts you're getting ... ;)
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repair > yes, repairinstall is disabled if there is an answer file. and repair install is not unattended (it asks for the key, allowing you to "repair" with a different edition). if you want, before making the iso in nlite, take winnt.sif out of the i386 dir and place it on a floppy, then you will be able to do normal/repair installs with the CD, and you will still be able to do unattended installs by inserting the floppy (this method is really powerful : you can easily have multiple answer files on the same floppy, and rename the good one to "winnt.sif" before installing any WinNT 5 OSes : 2000, xp, 2003)

Delprat,

Would you please give more details about this procedure?

I have some doubts about this.

The winnt.sif file has to be on the diskette root?

Have to put something else on the diskette?

What are the bios boot order devices?

When in the process I insert the diskette into the drive?

Thanks

:)

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