Install XP from USB / Acer Aspire One

I have an Acer Aspire One ZG5, with the 160G hard drive that came with XP. XP got corrupted and I decided to install Linux, which works great. Now I want to be able to use Streets and Trips with it in the car, so I need a dual boot solution and a small XP partition on it. Not having a CD, I found the USB solution and decided to give it a try.

I set up a 2G stick and ran the process with multiboot_10. The only error that I saw was the file bootfont.bin was not found and not copied. Otherwise all went well.

The boot went fine and I started the text mode install. Again, no errors, everything went fine. Then the reboot and choosing GUI mode to complete the install. After choosing GUI mode, the screen is blank, there is no activity from the hard drive or the USB stick. It just sits there. I let it sit for over an hour and nothing.

I have tried other XP sources, other USB sticks and, other than the persistence of the bootfont.bin not being found, the same thing happens every single time.

I admit that I am stumped and hope that either I am missing something obvious or someone else has the answer.

Any thoughts?

See if anything here helps:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=8758
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=9565

though AFAICR a completely "blank" screen should be something else, you sure you don't have a flashing cursor (underline) or a "stuck" j in top left of the screen?

Are you positive you have slipstreamed the appropriate Mass Storage drivers to the Source?

However, there is more than one way to skin a cat , we have right now quite a number of different methods to install from USB, so igf one gives a problem you can try another one, see the stickies here:
http://www.msfn.org/...ndows-from-usb/

How familiar are you with grub4dos?

I will need some tests performed from it's command line to try understanding what is happening.



Wonko

though AFAICR a completely "blank" screen should be something else, you sure you don't have a flashing cursor (underline) or a "stuck" j in top left of the screen?

No, there is nothing on the screen and no activity.

Are you positive you have slipstreamed the appropriate Mass Storage drivers to the Source?

Since the boot worked for me and the text mode worked, I didn't think that I needed any drivers other than the native XP. What drivers should I be looking for?

How familiar are you with grub4dos?

Not at all, but I can become familiar. What do you need me to do?

Well, the text mode will always work (unless there is an early boot problem), as it uses not drivers.

Since you boot to text mode and have not any sign of a "botched" early boot, I guess that partitioning/MBR/grub4dos are allright.

What it can happen is that somehow the drive order is wrong or something is wrong in migrate.inf and what not.

In any case, and probably INDEPENDENT from the error you are getting right now, your source NEEDS to have the appropriate Mass Storage drivers.


I have really no idea what could the problem be, we do have a specific report:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=8758
of the specific "Usb_Multiboot10" working on a specific "Acer Aspire One", and unless I am mistaken there shouldn't be differences between the A150 and the ZG5, or at least not that many differences.

Try using INSTEAD of "Usb_Multiboot10", WinsetupfromUSB with GUI, version 0.2.3 first, and then (if it doesn't work) 1.0 beta6
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=120444

It is the fastest thing to try.


Wonko

Okay, so I slipstreamed all of the latest drivers from DPsPack, but I am still having the same problem. Is it possible that the drivers that I need are not in the DPsPacks. If so, how would I figure that out?

I don't know what to think. This should not be particularly exotic hardware, so it shouldn't be that difficult to get appropriate drivers for it and get it to install.

As said, re-start from scratch using another method (link given).

A missing driver should produce a BSOD and a 0x0000007b at it.

Your "completely blank" screen is atypical.


Wonko

After TXT-mode of XP Setup has finished,
then Reboot first from USB-stick with a Boot Image e.g. pe3_x86.iso made with Make_PE3.exe or use LiveXP BootSDI.img
http://www.911cd.net...o...21883&st=35

Booting from USB-stick with pe3_x86.iso or LiveXP BootSDI.img Boot Image will allow you to investigate what is going on.
Check if the partition on which Windows folder is made is a Primary Partition (Set active) and not a Logical Drive Partition.
If possible show us a Screenshot of partitioning visible in Disk Management.

You can use FreeCommander Filemanager and see where Windows folder used for GUI setup is made.
And you can use Disk Management to see what partitions are present and if your Install partition is set active.

Furthermore you can adjust boot.ini on USB-stick such that right partition is asked to boot for GUI mode of XP Setup

It is a primary partition (partition 4) and it is set active.

Setting the boot partition in boot.ini sounds interesting. This is the command as it sits in boot.ini:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Second part of XP Home Edition setup from hd 0 part 1" /FASTDETECT

Now, if it is the fourth partition, should I use hd0 part 4 in that line?

Now, if it is the fourth partition, should I use hd0 part 4 in that line?

No, this is FAQ #4:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=116766

but you should get the HAL.DLL or NTOSKRNL.EXE not found error

You should use:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Second part of XP from hd 0 part 4" /FASTDETECT

(the drives are shifted)

jaclaz

That got it. Thank you very much.

One last question: How do I change the subject to [Solved]?

That got it. Thank you very much.

Good to have another happy bunny around.
http://www.msfn.org/...o...28727&st=10

One last question: How do I change the subject to [Solved]?

I don't think you can, a Mod or Admin should be able to.

Since probably wimb will see this:
@wimb

• Do you think useful to add to FAQ #4 the "symptom" of a complete blank screen?
• You should change the link in your signature (here on boot-land and on 911CD) to MSFN with the "real" link, due to the known issues with friendly names it's not working:

http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=111406


Wonko

As far as no. 1, I think that must have been what was happening. I was getting the hal.dll error, but for some reason, it was not actually printing to the screen. It might be worth adding the note in there to save a great deal of frustration in the future.

As for no.2, I wasn't even aware that I had a signature, so I am not sure how I would go about changing it.

As far as no. 1, I think that must have been what was happening. I was getting the hal.dll error, but for some reason, it was not actually printing to the screen. It might be worth adding the note in there to save a great deal of frustration in the future.

As for no.2, I wasn't even aware that I had a signature, so I am not sure how I would go about changing it.

Well, you sure haven't a signature, I was "talking" to wimb , it' his signature that is "wrong" for this kind of reason:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=142681
and of course it's him that has to judge if the FAQ about his apps should be modified.

Sorry for the confusion, corrected post above.


Wonko

Since probably wimb will see this:
@wimb

• Do you think useful to add to FAQ #4 the "symptom" of a complete blank screen?
• You should change the link in your signature (here on boot-land and on 911CD) to MSFN with the "real" link, due to the known issues with friendly names it's not working:

http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=111406


Wonko

Thanks jaclaz

I will make the necessary changes in the links to MSFN forum.

Changing the FAQ list is something for ilko_t to decide, since it is his thread.
I have never heard of a blank screen instead of the hal error message, so I think it is rather rare to occur.

Anyway, I am happy that the case is SOLVED

Interesting case. What was residing in partition(1)? Another Windows, the old broken one? Or Recovery Partition?

The first three partitions are parts of my Linux install.