stopping XP reinstall

  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg Kirkpatrick
  • Start date Start date
G

Greg Kirkpatrick

My customer has a Windows XP Media Center 2005 machine which developed
a BSOD as it was booting past the Windows splash screen. At least it
could still boot into Safe Mode. After attempting several diagnostics
(including perusing memory dumps from a month ago, no recent ones
created), I decided to attempt a repair install from the CD. After
copying files, it rebooted, and before getting to the installation
screen, the BSOD appeared again. (STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005,
etc.))

Now it cannot boot into safe mode, as it gives an error message that
Windows Setup cannot run in Safemode.

I have a PE disk that I can use to access the files -- which ones do I
need to delete so XP Setup does not restart? Then I could boot into
Safe Mode again, and continue the attempts to repair this beast.
 
Greg said:
My customer has a Windows XP Media Center 2005 machine which
developed a BSOD as it was booting past the Windows splash screen.
At least it could still boot into Safe Mode. After attempting
several diagnostics (including perusing memory dumps from a month
ago, no recent ones created), I decided to attempt a repair install
from the CD. After copying files, it rebooted, and before getting
to the installation screen, the BSOD appeared again. (STOP:
0x0000007E (0xC0000005, etc.))

Now it cannot boot into safe mode, as it gives an error message that
Windows Setup cannot run in Safemode.

I have a PE disk that I can use to access the files -- which ones
do I need to delete so XP Setup does not restart? Then I could
boot into Safe Mode again, and continue the attempts to repair this
beast.
Click to expand...

Replace the memory with known good memory and try to continue your repair
installation.
 
If RAM was an issue (it's not, I have tested it with Windows Memory
Diagnostic and MEMTEST86), then replacing it could be all that would be
necessary, not a full repair install. Anyway, that wasn't my question, nor
is that relevant for this particular problem.

My question remains: following the screen where the XP installation files
are copied from the CD to the hard drive (during a repair install), and
before the appearance of the screen (following reboot) where those files
begin to be installed -- what are the steps to cancel XP installation?

With Windows ME, 98, and 95, one could simply wipe out a folder and correct
AUTOEXEC.BAT -- and various notes in other newsgroups/forums indicate a
similar step with BOOT.INI (using BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode) -- which I
have done, but it still persists in attempting to continue the repair install.

I realized, after the fact, that I haven't tried the Driver Verifier utility
in Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=244617&sd=RMVP), and I
would like to do so, if only I could break out of this loop, and get back to
Safe Mode.
 
Greg said:
My customer has a Windows XP Media Center 2005 machine which
developed a BSOD as it was booting past the Windows splash screen.
At least it could still boot into Safe Mode. After attempting
several diagnostics (including perusing memory dumps from a month
ago, no recent ones created), I decided to attempt a repair install
from the CD. After copying files, it rebooted, and before getting
to the installation screen, the BSOD appeared again. (STOP:
0x0000007E (0xC0000005, etc.))

Now it cannot boot into safe mode, as it gives an error message that
Windows Setup cannot run in Safemode.

I have a PE disk that I can use to access the files -- which ones
do I need to delete so XP Setup does not restart? Then I could
boot into Safe Mode again, and continue the attempts to repair this
beast.
Click to expand...

Shenan said:
Replace the memory with known good memory and try to continue your
repair installation.
Click to expand...
If RAM was an issue (it's not, I have tested it with Windows Memory
Diagnostic and MEMTEST86), then replacing it could be all that
would be necessary, not a full repair install. Anyway, that wasn't
my question, nor is that relevant for this particular problem.

My question remains: following the screen where the XP installation
files
are copied from the CD to the hard drive (during a repair install),
and before the appearance of the screen (following reboot) where
those files begin to be installed -- what are the steps to cancel
XP installation?

With Windows ME, 98, and 95, one could simply wipe out a folder and
correct AUTOEXEC.BAT -- and various notes in other
newsgroups/forums indicate a similar step with BOOT.INI (using
BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode) -- which I have done, but it still
persists in attempting to continue the repair install.

I realized, after the fact, that I haven't tried the Driver
Verifier utility in Windows XP
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=244617&sd=RMVP), and I would
like to do so, if only I could break out of this loop, and get back
to Safe Mode.
Click to expand...

Alphabet soup added for effect...? *grin*

In any case - I suggest Method 5 - continue install...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330182

(If you think you know what driver may be causing the issue - just diable
that service.)

For your direct question - I am not so sure you can - I believe that you had
gotten pretty far into the repair.
 
I hope these struggles are amusing to someone.

If I knew which driver to disable, I would have. I tried over many hours,
turning off successive drivers and startup items, and removing .SYS files,
before I began the repair install.

As for my question about aborting the XP (re)install, I know there is a way,
because I have done it previously, however I cannot find my notes on the
procedure. Since the reboot (following the copying of files from the CD) had
not been successful, the installation had not really started yet, and it
should have been possible to abort it then.

Following the directions for removing all the drivers created after
8/13/2001 had the effect of another error, this one crying for the absence of
NTFS.SYS -- and having already gone through this during my previous
diagnostics, I realized the instructions were out of date, and added back all
the files whose "Company" name was "Microsoft". Only then would XP Setup
resume.

Then, Setup stops, asking for the location of the file ASMS -- which doesn't
exist, but a directory named ASMS exists in the I386 folder on the XP CD.
When I finally clicked CANCEL, Setup stopped for good.

I was able to find this Knowledge Base article on the ASMS error:
"The file 'Asms' on Windows XP Professional CD-ROM is needed" error message
when you install Windows X
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...n&FR=1&qry=&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=WINXP&

Having followed the steps to delete the UPPERFILTERS and LOWERFILTERS keys
from the appropriate registry entries, and rebooted, Setup began again, and
while it asked for the ASMS file again (I removed the CD), I was able to
point the installation to C:\WMC2005\I386 (because I had long ago copied the
installation files to the hard drive) and things went relatively smoothly
after that.

That is, until Setup went to BSOD at the 37 minute mark.

This time, a Complete memory dump was created (which wasn't happening with
earlier crashes, despite the option being selected there), so now I have
something to look at using Debugging Tools for Windows.

The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the Microsoft
Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my regular "name". I
decided long ago to put my credentials next to my name, rather than have a
signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).
 
<snipped>
Entire conversation:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...3699e54c076/ee03529b0eb26a0d#ee03529b0eb26a0d



Greg Kirkpatrick [SBSC,MCTS-Vista,MCITP] wrote:
The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the
Microsoft Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my
regular "name". I decided long ago to put my credentials next to
my name, rather than have a signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).
Click to expand...

The MS-MVP is an award earned by myself (and others) due to participation in
these newsgroups (Microsoft)... Due to that fact, I chose to post that in
my signature.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpawardintro

Of the tests/initials/etc I have taken/earned - I list none of them here -
as to be honest - I have found many of them to be non-representative of what
someone may/may not know. ;-)

Tried this?

Recovery Console --> bootcfg /list --> bootcfg /rebuild --> Add the Windows
install it finds (if it does) --> the load identifier is likely "Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" --> the Load
options will be /fastdetect ...
 
....except that MEMORY.DMP did not exist after reboot, nor did any Minidump
file.

XP Setup goes to BSOD immediately following splash screen. Same error, 0x7E.

I went back and removed all drivers created after 8/10/2004, and Setup
resumed, but with the ASMS error again. This time, going into the registry
did no good, as there were no UPPERFILTERS or LOWERFILTERS keys. As before,
I pointed Setup to C:\WMC2005\I386, and it was happy (as long as I kept
feeding it the C:\WMC2005\I386 for each file it wanted, about 20 of em),
until it started up with Installing Devices. This time, it got to 34 minutes
before BSOD.

Yes, I tried using BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode to correct BOOT.INI (some
hours ago) -- but I got no different results. [Yes, I know about the MVP
program. ]

I am going to try removing all the hardware from the machine, then going
through Setup.





Shenan Stanley said:
<snipped>
Entire conversation:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...3699e54c076/ee03529b0eb26a0d#ee03529b0eb26a0d



Greg Kirkpatrick [SBSC,MCTS-Vista,MCITP] wrote:
The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the
Microsoft Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my
regular "name". I decided long ago to put my credentials next to
my name, rather than have a signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).
Click to expand...

The MS-MVP is an award earned by myself (and others) due to participation in
these newsgroups (Microsoft)... Due to that fact, I chose to post that in
my signature.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpawardintro

Of the tests/initials/etc I have taken/earned - I list none of them here -
as to be honest - I have found many of them to be non-representative of what
someone may/may not know. ;-)

Tried this?

Recovery Console --> bootcfg /list --> bootcfg /rebuild --> Add the Windows
install it finds (if it does) --> the load identifier is likely "Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" --> the Load
options will be /fastdetect ...
Click to expand...
 
Manually edit the boot.ini file and remove the reference to:

c:\$win_nt$.~bt\bootsect.dat

John
...except that MEMORY.DMP did not exist after reboot, nor did any Minidump
file.

XP Setup goes to BSOD immediately following splash screen. Same error, 0x7E.

I went back and removed all drivers created after 8/10/2004, and Setup
resumed, but with the ASMS error again. This time, going into the registry
did no good, as there were no UPPERFILTERS or LOWERFILTERS keys. As before,
I pointed Setup to C:\WMC2005\I386, and it was happy (as long as I kept
feeding it the C:\WMC2005\I386 for each file it wanted, about 20 of em),
until it started up with Installing Devices. This time, it got to 34 minutes
before BSOD.

Yes, I tried using BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode to correct BOOT.INI (some
hours ago) -- but I got no different results. [Yes, I know about the MVP
program. ]

I am going to try removing all the hardware from the machine, then going
through Setup.





:

<snipped>
Entire conversation:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...3699e54c076/ee03529b0eb26a0d#ee03529b0eb26a0d



Greg Kirkpatrick [SBSC,MCTS-Vista,MCITP] wrote:
The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the
Microsoft Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my
regular "name". I decided long ago to put my credentials next to
my name, rather than have a signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).
Click to expand...

The MS-MVP is an award earned by myself (and others) due to participation in
these newsgroups (Microsoft)... Due to that fact, I chose to post that in
my signature.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpawardintro

Of the tests/initials/etc I have taken/earned - I list none of them here -
as to be honest - I have found many of them to be non-representative of what
someone may/may not know. ;-)

Tried this?

Recovery Console --> bootcfg /list --> bootcfg /rebuild --> Add the Windows
install it finds (if it does) --> the load identifier is likely "Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" --> the Load
options will be /fastdetect ...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
It's odd, but the boot.ini file did not have any special reference to that --
and I searched for other copies, just in case. I used bootcfg.exe to create
a new boot.ini, but it still jumped back into setup at the next boot.

Later this morning, I will pull all the hardware out, then retry Setup.


John John (MVP) said:
Manually edit the boot.ini file and remove the reference to:

c:\$win_nt$.~bt\bootsect.dat

John
...except that MEMORY.DMP did not exist after reboot, nor did any Minidump
file.

XP Setup goes to BSOD immediately following splash screen. Same error, 0x7E.

I went back and removed all drivers created after 8/10/2004, and Setup
resumed, but with the ASMS error again. This time, going into the registry
did no good, as there were no UPPERFILTERS or LOWERFILTERS keys. As before,
I pointed Setup to C:\WMC2005\I386, and it was happy (as long as I kept
feeding it the C:\WMC2005\I386 for each file it wanted, about 20 of em),
until it started up with Installing Devices. This time, it got to 34 minutes
before BSOD.

Yes, I tried using BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode to correct BOOT.INI (some
hours ago) -- but I got no different results. [Yes, I know about the MVP
program. ]

I am going to try removing all the hardware from the machine, then going
through Setup.





:

<snipped>
Entire conversation:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...3699e54c076/ee03529b0eb26a0d#ee03529b0eb26a0d



Greg Kirkpatrick [SBSC,MCTS-Vista,MCITP] wrote:
<snip>

The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the
Microsoft Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my
regular "name". I decided long ago to put my credentials next to
my name, rather than have a signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).

The MS-MVP is an award earned by myself (and others) due to participation in
these newsgroups (Microsoft)... Due to that fact, I chose to post that in
my signature.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpawardintro

Of the tests/initials/etc I have taken/earned - I list none of them here -
as to be honest - I have found many of them to be non-representative of what
someone may/may not know. ;-)

Tried this?

Recovery Console --> bootcfg /list --> bootcfg /rebuild --> Add the Windows
install it finds (if it does) --> the load identifier is likely "Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" --> the Load
options will be /fastdetect ...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I am now convinced what I think caused the original BSOD with the customer,
which is a keylogger program. I have already loaded an older image to a 2nd
hard drive, which is how I was able to troubleshoot so easily: a parallel
installation.

The customer was using LimeWire, and I don't doubt he got an extra payload
on a downloaded movie clip. In his case, he may not have requested the
keylogger, but I still consider this a self-infliction.

Since everything I've tried has failed, I am going to recopy the older image
to the 1st hard drive, set up it, and explain to the customer the evils of
"free" downloads. He'll have to reinstall several programs, but this is a
small penance.


Greg Kirkpatrick said:
It's odd, but the boot.ini file did not have any special reference to that --
and I searched for other copies, just in case. I used bootcfg.exe to create
a new boot.ini, but it still jumped back into setup at the next boot.

Later this morning, I will pull all the hardware out, then retry Setup.


John John (MVP) said:
Manually edit the boot.ini file and remove the reference to:

c:\$win_nt$.~bt\bootsect.dat

John
...except that MEMORY.DMP did not exist after reboot, nor did any Minidump
file.

XP Setup goes to BSOD immediately following splash screen. Same error, 0x7E.

I went back and removed all drivers created after 8/10/2004, and Setup
resumed, but with the ASMS error again. This time, going into the registry
did no good, as there were no UPPERFILTERS or LOWERFILTERS keys. As before,
I pointed Setup to C:\WMC2005\I386, and it was happy (as long as I kept
feeding it the C:\WMC2005\I386 for each file it wanted, about 20 of em),
until it started up with Installing Devices. This time, it got to 34 minutes
before BSOD.

Yes, I tried using BOOTCFG.EXE in Recovery Mode to correct BOOT.INI (some
hours ago) -- but I got no different results. [Yes, I know about the MVP
program. ]

I am going to try removing all the hardware from the machine, then going
through Setup.





:


<snipped>
Entire conversation:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...3699e54c076/ee03529b0eb26a0d#ee03529b0eb26a0d



Greg Kirkpatrick [SBSC,MCTS-Vista,MCITP] wrote:
<snip>

The "alphabet soup" was left off my original note, as I entered the
newsgroup via the Google backdoor. When I reentered via the
Microsoft Community links, it asked me to log in, and thus added my
regular "name". I decided long ago to put my credentials next to
my name, rather than have a signature (like yours).
I earned my alphabets, as I'm sure you earned yours (MS-MVP).

The MS-MVP is an award earned by myself (and others) due to participation in
these newsgroups (Microsoft)... Due to that fact, I chose to post that in
my signature.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpawardintro

Of the tests/initials/etc I have taken/earned - I list none of them here -
as to be honest - I have found many of them to be non-representative of what
someone may/may not know. ;-)

Tried this?

Recovery Console --> bootcfg /list --> bootcfg /rebuild --> Add the Windows
install it finds (if it does) --> the load identifier is likely "Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" --> the Load
options will be /fastdetect ...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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