HOW-TO: Install XP via ANY USB Key

Hi guys just another quick update to say all now installed apart from the actual drivers. so thanks so much for that. after my sucuss on this one thanks to all who kindly advised me where I seemed to be going wrong at most stages off the process !! anyway attempted to try install this xp on my dad`s new acer aspire one as well, bearing in mind we had succusfully installed xp from the exact same stick only a few hours earlier just wonder why we were given the following error upon boot up from the usb stick on the acer, the error message was as follows :

INF FILE TXT SET UP .SIF IS CORRUPT OR MISSING.

STATUS 18 SET UP CANNOT CONTINUE.

surely the stick can be used more than once ?? or does using the stick once on one pc remove some off the neccessary files ??

no probs to go thru the entire process again but jst wonder why I should get this particular problem on the second acer with the exact same usb stick ??

******

The drivers I am ready to put on the acer were downloaded as one complete package from http://www.aspireoneguide.com/xpdrivers.html have not installed any off them yet but as I say have them all ready on the acer ready to be run, I did have a quick look at the lan file and there appeared to be a few different versions avaible to choose, anyone confirm just what one I require for xp pro ?? also I take it most off them have a simple open and run procedure ?? as it the last stage off the process am really hoping everything goes well so if there is anything I should watch out for when installing these new xp drivers then that would be great if anyone could just point me in the right direction.

thanks again guys, again appreciatte your kind advice, would be lost without it !!!!

 

Jono, i think some files may get over written in a weird sense, cant exactly be sure myself, but i also had to remake my usb drive again for the 2nd installation, at least you know how to do it now and it works Its a shame i know, but better than buying a usb dvd drive

 

Okay no probs mate as I say its no problem to start from scratch again but just found it strange but then thats computers in general for you ??!!

any comments regards the drivers you could offer as I sat there does seem to be a lot off files within each catageory, especially the lan one- is there just one main set up file for each driver that I need to look for ??

cheers,
john

 

i woudl just download all the ones from the acer website, there is only one driver for each part of the system, and the most recent ones will be available there.

Its a bit slow to download from as their servers are probably located in taiwan/japan/china/america wherever acer is from!

Most drivers are executable programs which you need only run once

 

Perfect , as I say have downloaded them from the above website but will probably take your advice and download them again from here : http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/no ... e_150.html as you say may be a bit slower but guess they may be a bit more up to date versions with them being the official acer aspire ones, that is unless somone can confirm that the ones from http://www.aspireoneguide.com/xpdrivers.html are infact the exact same ??!!

showing my ignorance here again but are drivers easy enough updated ie. if I install the ones already downloaded and just use them how do I find out if there are later ones availble than these at anytime and I take it you are infact just updating as opposed to removing and replacing ??

 

Win xp is clever enough to tell you if the driver you're installing is older/newer than the current one on the system, tbh, they all work flawlessly on xp, and the only reason you'd update is to fix an issue

 

Knew there would be something I would miss, forgott to edit the two numbers within brackets and now everytime I boot up I get the :

start m/soft xp professional
message usb repair not to start m /w xp pro
obvioisuly leaving it it will still boot after 20 odd seconds but still a bit off a pain !!

anyway to still cure this little problem or is it a back to square one again ??!!

 

Further to my lat post noticed that a few keys on my acer aspire one have changed there actions ie. pressing a key will bring up something other than it should be, have switched xp to uk english but still have this problem is there another setting I ned to change ??

if anyone could offer any advice on this and the post above then as always it would be so much appreciatted.

cheers,
john

 

http://www.AspireOneGuide.com has the same drivers, you can see the driver versions are the same if you hover over the driver links on ther page.

 

Anyone ??? :idea:

 

jono did you not get my private message?

regardless, private message me the contents of your boot.ini file, and i will do what i can.

 

Nope no message received mate but no probs will certainly do this... at the risk off appearing a complete numpty again any chance you could advise how I get into this boot file to send you the info contained within ??

 

open up my computer, direct yourself to your local disc, and in the address bar (the white bar stretching across the top, type "/boot.ini" after the local disk part)
so it should read something like "C:/boot.ini"

 

PM sent with thanks.

 

PM replied to: A++++ member, will do business with again.

 

Sorry for delay in getting back to you mate had to pop out for a few hours, okay all done and working 100% !!

thanks so much as always you have been off great help.

 

please help im totally stuck near the beggining
when in the cmd window and you state to press option 1 and select the source files path i get a error code which is
Error: The path CScript Error: Can't find script engine "VBScript" for script "c:\documents and settings\ administrator\desktop\flash drive prep\usb_prep8\u_script\foldersel.vbs". does not contain windows xp source files

and doesnt give me any chance to change the drive letter

 

all sorted now please ignore my last post

 

OK... I got all the way to the GUI installer. Then, bam...

An error has been encountered that prevents Setup from continuing.
One of the components that Windows needs to continue setup could not be installed.
Manifest Parse Error: An invalid character was found in text content.
Press Ok to view Setup log file.

Then...

Error:
SXS.DLL: Syntax error in manifest or policy file "D:\1386\asms\52\Policy\MSFT\WINDOWS\NETWORKING\RTCDLL\RTCDLL.MAN" on line 0

Error:
Error Installation Failed:
C:\$WIN_NT$.~LS\I386\ASMS. Error message: Manifest Parse Error: AN invailid charater was found in text content.



Please help! This turned out to be quite a pain.

 

Hi, Hope someone can help me.. I am going mad!!!
I have installed my windows disc on to my usb key as per instructions.
Have got past the first stage of the windows installation (where the fiels are copied across).
After the first reboot I select GUI option....... then the windows XP loading picture comes up..... and just stays there with the dotted line progress bar thingy going across.... stays like this forever....

I have tried the install a number of times... made sure I deleted all the partitions...changed the option in the bios as it staes but cannot get any further.... has anyone else had this problem?? can you help me as I am going nuts!!


Thanks in advance.

Mike.