[Rollin' Rog]

By the way, have you ever tried contacting Alienware over the issue? It may be a known fault with software used to clone their computers. Perhaps you can get some warranty support on it. It's definitely not something that can be ignored if you can't resolve it on your own. It's going to prevent all new hardware installations.

Right click on the shortcut again and enter this exactly in the target field. copy/paste if necessary.

"C:\Downloaded Software\StartupList.EXE" /complete

there must be a space before the /complete

[Duster340]

They want reinstall the OS. Maybe that is the solution. I'll contact them tomorrow and see if they have anything new to add. The cut and paste did not work either same message as before.

[Rollin' Rog]

I wonder if that can be done considering the error. It will be interesting to see. If they have a "system recovery" cd that wipes the entire system and starts over, that will certainly do it, but then you lose all your installed programs.

[Duster340]

Still says the same thing about the file name. Yes the recovery cd is their idea but before I do that I want to try anything else. Hopefully I can talk to their Windows Rep and get a solution. I really appreciate all the time you have spent trying to help resolve this. Ok that worked now what.

[Rollin' Rog]

If you can't seem to get the hang of creating the re configured shortcut, just copy/paste this line into Start>run and hit enter:

"C:\Downloaded Software\StartupList.EXE" /complete

If you get an error, then the startuplist.exe is no longer in that location. Where is it?

[Duster340]

Do not know what I was doing wrong but the last idea on using the run line worked. I think. The startup list prints to the notepad.

[Rollin' Rog]

Ok, if you can save it to the desktop or someplace and then upload it as an attachment here, that would be best.

Also, if you can swing it, I'd like to know what you show for sysprep in the registry. I'm including an attachment.

Just go to Start > Run and enter regedit

Click Edit > Find and enter sysprep and hit Find next. You should get a hit on the location you see in my attachment.

Are there any entries in the Right hand pane other than what you see in mine?

[Duster340]

Hopefully this is what you were trying to get me to do. Sorry if I appear thick but this has been frustating. Yes there are additional entries. Mine is in \Microsoft\IMAPI\StashInfo instead of Sysrep like yours.

[Rollin' Rog]

Yeah that was it and it confirms that the

Windows NT 'Wininit.ini':
PendingFileRenameOperations: *Registry value not found*

entry is there and exactly what it should be.

It's really a bummer that we quashed that operation and the problem remains.

What do you see for sysprep in the registry?

Personally, before doing a complete system recovery, I'd try removing from the Device manager whatever hardware you installed last.

[Duster340]

(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
Automatic REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
DeleteOnClose REG_DWORD 0x0000001 (1)
StashNewPath REG_SZ
StashPath REG_SZ C:\WINDOWS\Temp\StashIMAPI.bin
StashSize REG_DWORD 0x32000000 (838860800)

[Rollin' Rog]

hmmm, that's real interesting. None of that in mine (except default). Are you sure you are in the right location? Is the sysprep folder in the left pane "open" and highlighted?

Anyway if you are really adventurous you can try this.

With sysprep selected (highlighted) in the left pane of the registry editor: Click the editors File tab and select "Export", name the key sysprep (if not already named) and export (save) it to the desktop.

You can remerge it later if this causes any additional issues by clicking on the .reg file you saved.

>>Once it has been saved (exported) Right Click on each entry you see in the Right Hand pane EXCEPT "default" and select "delete"

After doing that, reboot and try the hardware wizard. Good luck. I'll check in tomorrow to see what gives if anything.

sysprep in case you are wondering is the cloning utility the manufacturer used to create the install. It should not be loading on startup. It looks like it is still doing something but is closing it's window so you don't see it.

[Duster340]

The folder you mentioned is not there.

[Rollin' Rog]

In your previous post you gave me the results of doing a registry find for sysprep

That was the folder, it has to be still there if you didn't delete it. Try entering sysprep in the Find tool again, it should hit at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Sysprep

When doing a "find" always start with the file tree collapsed in the left pane. You can navigate the file tree manually if necessary.

=============================================

I'd also like you to navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup and look in the Right hand pane for the entry:

SystemSetupInProgress (you can also do a Find for that if if you want)

What does it say for data value beside this entry?

>> under the open "setup" folder in the left pane, click the + beside AllowStart and thin select PlugPlay

... Is there anything beside a "default" entry in the Right pane?

[Mosaic1]

Don't touch this value! Leave it at 0.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
SystemSetupInProgress

I changed it to 1. When I rebooted I got a Black Screen and a message box telling me the System was not completely setup. Run setup again. Apparently it means The install is not complete.





It don't think I would change anything in this area of the registry. I don't think any of it pertains to the Add Hardware Wizard and you do not want to be locked out of Windows.

[Mosaic1]

I found an interesting article regarding Sysprep Factory Mode. It explains this part of your message:

Plug and Play user-interface dialogs have been suppressed in Factory Mode.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...actorymode.asp

Are you running in Factory Mode? Is it possible you have to reseal the computer? I don't know what files etc you have on the drive. Or if this even applies to the End User. It is worth looking into though. Sounds odd but.....