[Saxon]

Here's a great utility if you want a full XP enviroment on CD especially if you can't get into Windows, it gives you a Desktop, Start Menu, with most basic functions, ability to Read/Write to drives and add your own programs. It is based on the Bart's PE builder but is much more intuitive to use and a graphical interface guides you through the creation of your first XP environment on CD. I think anyone with average PC experience could easily do it, but as with anything else read about it first, it's pretty straightforward. All details here.

http://www.reatogo.de/

[mickcaine]

I am sure a mere man among computer giants in this forum, but that is why I am here.

I thought it would be a good learning experience to burn a Reatogo CD, but if this is something a basic computer user can do than I have greatly over rated myself.

First I made the slipstreamed cd as it said. I have both the operating system and the service pack 2 on cd. The autostreamer created a winrar file. When I tried to point the Reatogo to it I could not find it. Reatogo seems to be looking for a folder, not a winrar file.

I then thought I would just burn a copy with only the xp cd, I figured it was better than nothing until I could figure out what I was doing wrong.

However, even though the Reatogo is copying directly from the installation cd, at the end it had 17 errors stating that it could not find the needed dll. How can this be when it is copying it from the installation cd?

Any knowledge you can share about this would be appreciated. I want to broaden as well as deepen my knowledge of computers, but I have come to the limit of my knowledge about the reatogo program
Thanks

[Saxon]

Yes a bit of lateral thinking is what's needed here. I presume you have installed Service Pack 2 to on your computer, if so you don't need the Service Pack 2 CD. Load up the Reatogo PE builder and ignore any other buttons for the moment. Click on the Start PEBuilder button and in the box which says 'Source path to installation files', click on the browse button on the right with 3 dots ... on it. Browse to drive C: click on it then on OK. Make sure the create ISO image box is ticked and burn to CD box is ticked and the correct CD burner drive is selected. Now click on the build button.

You will get a message saying all files in the Reatogo folder will be deleted, click OK. Reatogo will now attempt to extract all necessary files from your i386 folder in Windows. Don't be surprised if Retogo reports a few dll's are missing and stops, these can be elsewhere on your Hard Drive. If dll's or something else is missing use the << and >> buttons at the bottom of the window to identify each in turn. I had to search for 5 dll's later and place them in the i386 folder and then everything worked afterwards.

Try this approach and tell me how you got on. You should at least be able to create a standard Reatogo disc with this method.

[mickcaine]

Thank you Saxon for taking the time to reply.

I did as you said and this time there were only 7 missing files, but they were not dll files. I cut and pasted the missing files, take a look if you would:

Error: Cab file "C:\i386\driver.cab" and "C:\i386\C:\i386\driver.cab" not found.
Error: SetupIterateCabinet returned 2: The system cannot find the file specified.
Error: fileCopy() failed

Error: CreateFile "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\i386\inf\netmscli.inf" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.
Error: fopen "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\i386\inf\netmscli.inf" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.
Error: delLine() failed

Error: doInfAppend() file="C:\reatogo-25-6a\reatogoBuilder.inf" failed

Error: CreateFile "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\Programs\Nu2Menu\nu2menu.xml" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.
Section "SetValue"
Error: CreateFile "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\reatogoMenu.ini" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.

Error: CreateFile "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\i386\inf\wmp.inf" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.

Error: CreateFile "C:\reatogo-25-6a\ReatogoPE\i386\txtsetup.sif" returned error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.

I searched and the cab files are indeed missing, the wmp.inf file is where is should be, why it can't be found I don't know.

When I used the xp cd it was only missing dll's now using the C: drive it is missing various items, yet the computer never generates error messages to indicate that the operating system is missing the missing files.

And yes, lateral thinking is not my strong point, I am a deeply entrenched lineal thinker. I do need to broaden the mindset.

Anyway, I appreciate the help and even if there is no solution I would like to know why it is not working as that is often more instructive than successfully executing the task, at least in my experience.

Thanks Again

[Saxon]

Ah! even so we seem to be getting somewhere. If you click on the StartPE builder button again you will see a Custom: (include files and folders from this directory) box below the Source files box. You could enter the path to your CD also, giving Reatogo the two sources to pick from. It's worth a try, by the way even though you chose the C: drive last time in the Source files box, choose it again (and every time) with the browse button as there seems to be a problem in Reatogo remembering it. Hope this info helps.

[mickcaine]

Once again thanks for the lesson in lateral thinking, another good example.

I did as you said, but the errors remain the same. It cannot find the cab files. I did a search on my computer, and it did not come up with a cab file per se, but it did come up with several files that were winzipped in the i386 folder, apparently to my computer those files constitute the cab files but obviously that is not the case with the reatogo program.

Is there some sort of work around?

Thanks Again

[mickcaine]

The Bart Pe seemed to work. It did not work from the C: drive, but copied the installation cd just fine.

I have a few ideas for the reatogo still. I am not done riding that dead horse. Thanks again for your input.

[Saxon]

That's great news. You might be interested in a great addition to Barts PE which is the Ultimate Boot Disk. This adds lots of useful utilties to your Bart PE folder which saves you lots of time ( and hassle) installing them yourself, though I must say I still haven't got the Internet connection to work. Check it out at: -

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

[wdb3]

Saxon seems to indicate that if my XP/Pro has already been updated w/SP2, all I have to do is to clk the StartPEBuilder button.

When I do this, I get this error: "The path you entered is invalid (file C:\i386\setupldr.bin not found".

Indeed, the only i386 folder on my PC is in the C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\ folder. So, I pointed to that folder as the source. Still couldn't find the setupldr.bin file.

So, I did a windows search for "setupldr.bin" and it's nowhere to be found on my system.

What am I missing?

[Saxon]

Not sure where the setupldr.bin file comes from but it is on my computer in the i386 folder. You could try going to Start>Run and type cmd in the Run box, click OK. Now in the command window type sfc /scannow then press Enter. All your system files will now be checked and if missing will be replaced. If this is a Windows file this command will put it back on your computer. Failing that you could always ask a friend with XP to see if the file is on their computer.

[Nutta18]

The easiest way I have found to create the source for these discs is to copy your original windows xp installation disc to a folder on your hard disk, say c:\xpcd, then download the full network install of SP2 or copy an SP2 update cd to a folder on your hard disk, say c:\sp2cd.

Rename the SP2 download from XP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.EXE to XPSP2.exe and
run the XPSP2.EXE so it will sliptream the sp2 files to the xpcd folder that you specified earlier (in this example it would be c:\sp2cd\XPSP2.exe -s:c\xpcd).

Once done use this folder with Reatogo PE Builder - this will have all files needed, with no errors. Setupldr.bin resides in the I386 directory of the Windows XP CD-ROM and is used to boot that media allowing for a clean install.

I have used this method to create many different versions of BartPE including the Reatogo version which Saxon has mentioned, without any errors. Appologies for anyone who is familiar with the manual method for slipstreaming discs - but I thought that this might help those who are having difficulties with their discs.

[clover1]

Nutta18:
Thanks for the info on creating a PE builder.
However I am having trouble right off the bat. I get an error message when I perform the command in your second paragraph (c:\sp2cd\xpsp2.exe -s:c\xpcd).
Please see attached jpg. Thanks

[Nutta18]

I have just followed my guide without any problems - did you follow the instructions word for word? Where have you obtained your Windows CD - is it a full copy or one that shipped with a HP, Compaq or Dell PC?

For your Information I have just used an XP Home edition (Gold Edition - i.e. no service pack) with a cd version of SP2 which I obtained from a PC magazine.

There are two different ways of slipstreaming:

MSFN.ORG

http://unattended.msfn.org/beginner/...eam.htm#manual

The Elder Geek

http://wwwtheeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

Other sites of (possible) interest:

Fred Langa's site has a good guide for slipstreaming, and other articles on BARTPE:

http://www.informationweek.com/story...cleID=47212312

Paul Thurrott's site talks about creating SP2 CDs after slipstreaming SP2 into an XP (gold edition) share:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp


Best wishes, Nutta18

[clover1]

Nutta18:
Thanks for the help. I am getting closer to getting this program to work.

The PE Builder runs all the way to the end and I get error 4294967295 at the very end when it trys to write to my CD writer. Do you know what this error means.

Also, can you advise me on how to create a bootable CD when I have the .ISO file (in case I don't get the above problem fixed, I want to create the bootable CD outside the PE Builder program).

Thanks for all,

Bob

[awalker0878]

the best option is not to use the burning option in regao!!

1. start nero or any other recording program
2. open the image file make sure finalize disc is selected
3. burn

mkisofs adds the bootable info to the iso no need to do anything else!

What do you think of reatogo commericalization of Bart PE + Slyvena XPE? Most of his product has been developed by other people. He just added it all to together as a package add some wizards and are charging people for it! Remind anyone of anything (Microsoft) please do not support pirates