11 replies to this topic

[Rob K]

Hi,

I have previously made up a 1 GB USB memory stick to allow me to install XP Pro onto a single core Acer Revo (model 3600). I followed instructions from a forum (I believe it was this forum…). I did this 6-12 months ago, and I can’t remember exactly which method I used, as I tried several at the time. However, it worked OK, and installed the pre-SP2 XP Pro onto the hard drive, and also allowed me to remove all other operating systems (Linux etc…) from the hard drive. The installation process allowed me to re-partition and re-format the hard drive. The process was similar to how I have done it many times when I have built a new desktop PC.

I have just tried to use the same USB memory stick to perform the same installation procedure on a dual core Acer Revo (3610 model),. This dual core model was shipped with Linpus Linux on it, and I want to re-partiton and re-format the HD as before, and remove the Linpus OS.

However, it is hanging up in the installation procedure. I have tried to install XP Pro via the USB stick, via a shared drive from a desktop PC over the LAN, and with an external DVD ROM drive attached via a USB interface to the Revo. None of these have worked. If I try and use the shared drive from a PC on the LAN, the Linpus OS can not read the file formats on the MS XP Pro installation disk. If I use an external DVD ROM drive on a USB interface, the installation starts, but hangs up with a BSOD and error messages of either 0x0000007E or 0x0000007B.

If I just use the USB stick directly, the installation routine goes into an infinite loop, starting with one line of text appearing on the monitor stating :-

Starting cmain() …

Then the monitor goes blank, a monitor message flashes up stating that there is no graphics signal to the monitor, and then a couple of beeps and the “Starting cmain() …” text appears again. This keeps looping indefinitely.

Somehow, the hardware and Linpus installation on this dual core Revo is behaving differently to the older, single core Revo that I installed many months ago. The USB stick/procedure is not working.

So, does anyone know how I can make a fool-proof USB memory stick up that will allow me to boot the XP Pro installation software from USB, and go through the usual re-partitioning and re-formatting of the HD from scratch (just like building a new PC with a new HD)?

I have not changed the files on the USB stick since I used it to install my single core Revo, and I did enter the BIOS to set the boot priorities to force it to boot from USB, (later CD ROM forst for te external DVD ROM drive method), and then HD.

Are there any Acer Revo dual core (3610) users out there that have successfully installed XP Pro via a USB stick? I have a copy of the original XP Pro (pre-SP2) installation disk, with installation key-code, plus another installation disk which includes SP2, but I have lost the installation key code for that one.

I previously had problems with needing to install a driver to emulate IDE HD protocols for installing onto a system that used a SATA interface HD. This driver was added to the USB memory stick.

I do not know what the problem is with this USB stick installation, so I am unsure of where to try and tackle the problem.

All opinions or ideas would be welcomed on this one.

Cheers,

Rob

[steve6375]

is there an option in the BIOS Hard disk mode to disable AHCI or set it to Compatible mode? If so use it and try again.

[Wonko the Sane]

Also, there have been several betterings/evolutions in the last 6/12 months.

So go here:
http://www.msfn.org/...p?showforum=157
and have a look at the stickies.

Most updated should be:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=120444

Vaersion 1.0 beta 6

But maybe another method is more suitable, maybe even a simpler one.

In any case MAKE SURE you have NOT nlited "too much" (if any) the source AND make sure you have the right Mass Storage drivers integrated OR as steve6375 pointed out look in the bios to see if a "IDE compatibility mode" or something like that is SET.

The FAQ's contain many "common" issues:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=116766

Are you the SAME Rob K that left this UNfinalized?
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=138614


Wonko

[Rob K]

Hi,

The SATA controller setting in the BIOS is set to "IDE Emulation" mode. It is still performing this infinite looping sequence of doing the BIOS POST, then the "Starting cmain() ..." procedure.

Cheers,

Rob

[Rob K]

Hi, Wonko,

Yes, I am the same Rob K from the other thread. This is partly what confused me. When I logged in, my account details stated that I had not got any previous posts. I thought that I had posted here. How did you find my previous thread?

I looked at the thread in the URL that you mentioned, and I think it has liberated the solution that I am looking for.

The SATA controller is set to "IDE Emulation mode", as required. However, there is a setting that causes a USB memory stick to be emulated as either a floppy drive or a hard drive. If it is set to "Auto", it emulates the USB memory stick as a floppy drive (if smaller than 2 GB), or a hard disk drive (if it is bigger than 2 GB). I re-set this to "force hard disk drive emulation", as my USB stick is only 1 GB, and it was auto-emulating to be a floppy drive.

I then went into the list for setting the booting priority for the hard disk drives, and the "USB hard disk" is listed there, along with the original hard disk drive. It did not show this before. I set the USB hard disk emulation as the first priority for booting, and re-booted. It has now brought me to the light blue "Part 1" screen, as it did when I did the previous installation on the single core Revo many months ago.

I have not gone through the installation yet, as it is still sat there waiting for me to take the next step. I will try that now, and see if it progresses to "Part 2" and the rest, as I expected.

How do I finalise a thread when I think the problem has been sorted?

Cheers,

Rob

[Nuno Brito]

Please use the tutorials sections to place tutorials instead of asking questions.

There are other forum sections more appropriate and would be nice to keep things tidy and easy to navigate.

Thank you.

[Wonko the Sane]

Hi, Wonko,

Yes, I am the same Rob K from the other thread. This is partly what confused me. When I logged in, my account details stated that I had not got any previous posts. I thought that I had posted here.

Let's say that you are a bit "vague".

... instructions from a forum ...
... 6-12 months ago ....
....can’t remember exactly ...

I have seen better uses of the adverb exactly , you seem to remember vaguely that you read *something* *somewhere* *somewhen*

That is ANOTHER board.

This is Boot-land. http://www.boot-land.net/forums/

That is MSFN. http://www.msfn.org/board/

How did you find my previous thread?

Hmm I am not so sure you really want to know that :
http://www.911cd.net...o...16534&st=23

How do I finalise a thread when I think the problem has been sorted?

You post saying something like:

Hey peeps, it worked!

and (possibly) add some details of what steps you actually took in order to succeed.
(this allows for other people having the same problem as you had to find a solution, instead of "a suffusion of yellow" which is a thread where the OP never returrns to say whether he succeeded or not and how he did it).


Wonko

[Rob K]

PROBLEM SOLVED !!!

Hi, again,

I have finalised the thread in the msfn form! Sorry I forgot about that one...

The previously mentioned steps have solved this problem. I have now installed XP Pro onto a single hard drive partition, and loaded a LAN driver by USB stick. The usual upgrade patches were then added from the MS website over the LAN in the usual way.

Many thanks for all of you that contributed on this solution.

Cheers,

Rob

P.S. Nuno Brito, I am not sure what you mean about the tutorials/questions thing. Is this thread in a tutorials section, or a questions section? A reply to a question would be a sort of tutorial in solving the problem detailed in the question, would it not? Sorry to sound a bit thick here, but I don't understand what you mean...

[Wonko the Sane]

P.S. Nuno Brito, I am not sure what you mean about the tutorials/questions thing. Is this thread in a tutorials section, or a questions section? A reply to a question would be a sort of tutorial in solving the problem detailed in the question, would it not? Sorry to sound a bit thick here, but I don't understand what you mean...

No prob, you originally posted in the "Tutorials" section and Nuno moved it to here, "Boot from USB / Boot anywhere", where it belongs.

Good to know there is another happy bunny in the basket.

http://www.msfn.org/...o...28727&st=10


Wonko

[steve_01]

Hi Rob,

Where you wrote...

I have now installed XP Pro onto a single hard drive partition

I am trying to do the same. So far I have partitioned my 500Gb WD Passport drive with a separate 2Gb drive, but when I run BartPE I don't see any "removable devices". Can you tell me how you changed your partition to be seen as a USB drive? I searched and am sure there's already a topic on this somewhere?

A link to the thread would be really useful, thanks.

[Rob K]

Hi, Steve,

This is over a year ago, and my memory is not clear on this. I did follow the points in post #3 (above). Check that one, as a lot of what I read there rings a bell. I did a lot of that before getting the Revo to recognise the USB stick and boot from it.

The HAL.DLL thing ws inportant.

Also, there was some sort of issue wit hthe 160 GB hard drive being pre-partitioned into four "logical" drives (partitions). One of them had Linux still on it, and anther had some "restore" files, or something. I eventually accessed te BIOS, and deleted all four partitions, so that therte was only one (unformatted) partition. This then worked when I tried to boot from the USB stick. It was also necessary to get the BIOS set to boot from USB first, and therfe was an issue with needing a SATA driver in amongst the installation files on the USB key before I could finally get the installation to recognise the hard drive. I can not remember all of te stuff that I did back then, as I tried a LOT of methods, and only the last one worked!

Sorry I can not be of more help, but my memories of what I did, and what eventually worked are very dim.

Look above to posting #3. I am sure that one was helpful.

Regards,

Rob

[steve_01]

Hi Rob,

That's great thanks, really appreciate your time in explaining to me. For information, I managed to get the mass driver sorted a couple of years ago thanks to jaclaz, and have since rebuilt XP on a 4Gb Flash Voyager USB again this year (after a few teething problems). You can read it here if interested...

Instead of using BartPE to make the local disk into a removable disk, I just used USB_MultiBoot_10 and targeted the installation to my new partition.

My XP source was already on a different partition if the same drive, and the creating of XP on the other partition took no time at all to do. I still have a "real USB" version, and after comparing the two (partition on HDD against USB) they now look identical... whether that means it will work or not is a different matter.

For sure I will post again on here the results the next time I need to do an install (might just do one anyway to see if it works!).

Would be lovely to have an XP install from my partition on the WD Passport... saves carrying the USB stick around and.... well, it's just pretty cool thing to have!!!

Thanks again!