Hi ya,

Background: I wanted to make a slipstream DVD using my original CD (XP 2004 media center edition from DELL). I made a DVD (using nLite) that combined SP3 & XP. I used this to install my operating system. (DIMENSION E510)

NEXT: I wanted check if the SFC was working, because some where in the nLite process I read that the SFC would be disabled. (I noted this for later)

NEXT: I researched the SFC. I found all sorts of information (some correct, some partly correct, some just what the person believed, some all of the first three, some totally in left field) I found the RUN>sfc /scannow to start the SFC manually. When I entered this the SFC ask for 'Please insert the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.'. I put in the DVD I burnt and SFC continued and crushed numbers for quit a while. Then the SFC ask for the same CD again. Nothing I put in my drive would be excepted!! I canceled the process. I went back to drawing board.

NEXT: After some more research, I needed to adjust some Registry settings. I now new all the Keys, Values and Data that needed to be adjusted. (this where the "SOME ... " above began) I new where to find what I needed in the Registry, but I did not know exactly what the SFC needed at different points in its process. (while doing this, I found that the SFC required directories could be copied to my C:\ drive. That is the thing to do, but at the time it confusing)

NEXT: I new that the SFC needed to be told the path to find the required directories. By trial and error and learning what each step of the SFC process needed, I figured out the correct paths an where they belonged in the Registry. After each adjustment, I restarted the computer and ran the SFC manually. I finally realized that the SP3 data could not be found by the SFC anywhere. I down loaded the SP3 installation DVD (.iso version) and made a DVD. (I kept tell'en myself this would not work, because SP3 was already installed in my slipstream DVD. I was "some ..." that believed what I felt to be true. It's a good thing I don't give up easily.) I installed SP3 and (to my surprise) it completed successfully and restarted the computer. Now the system directories were created in C:\Windows folder [(hide protected operating system files (Recommended)].

NEXT: Something clicked, I new what and where the SFC was looking for. The SFC first needs the i386 directory from my slipstream DVD. Second, it needs the SP3 information (this was installed by the SP3 installation DVD). I copied the i386 continence from the slipstream DVD to the I386 folder on C:\. I adjusted the 'SourcePath' (also the same for the 'Windows NT' key) and the 'ServicePackSourcePath' in the registry. After restarting the computer, the SFC worked without asking for any CD's. Until the very end of it's process, it requested the 'XP Installation CD 2'. It is referring to the original CD used to install XP 2004 media center edition. The problem with that is, my computer came with only one CD. (It is the DELL version of the XP 2004 media center edition. DELL used the Microsoft installation CD's (TWO) to make their version and created the 'ONE CD' DELL version. This was done so they could add the DELL drivers and software est. (supposedly to customize the computer to the way DELL needed it to be). The customer would then be able to reinstall their operating system to it's 'out of the box' state. This is all well and good, if you think technology is going to stop and you'll never need another computer. (I have had enough 'latest and greatest' computers over the years, that I know that is not going to happen!!!!!)

NEXT: I found a registry fix and changed the value from 1 to 0. This told the system that the original install was not from a CD. This fixed the problem of the missing CD 2. So, I restarted the computer, thinking SFC would work on it's own and not ask for any CD's, but I was wrong.

NEXT: When I started SFC, it immediately ask for the 'XP Professional CD-ROM'. I think it wants the original installation CD (ONE). This is my problem. It will not accept any CD or DVD I have!

Well, I am about to give up. Please help me to fix this last problem (hopefully).

Thank you very much for reading this and telling me how to fix the problem,

johnsonjar28

Welcome to D-A-L!

You have one of Dell's OEM computers.
Your machine Dimension e510 would only accept the hard-coded CD that Dell provided.

If you meant to burn it into a DVD, you are missing one important software that is required to reinstall XP that is already in the Dell CD/DVD.

That is the DSS (Dell's Desktop System Software).
You can download it here: http://support.dell.com/support/down...eckFormat=true

However, your system was hard-coded by Dell not to accept any other installation other than what it provided you so use the original CD.

Also, there are some files, which cannot be transfer using nLite, in i386 that are only in the original CD.

If you still persist, you will need to create a CD from using Bart PE or any other similar freeware to create a new "XP Professional CD-ROM". Please have your license code with you as it will be handy.

We'll continue this later. Let me know how things go.

Try using a CD instead of a DVD. The O/S expects a CD for the installation media, as that is what the "original" O/S was set up from. Also, when "burning" a CD (or DVD), use the media's burn speed rating as noted on the disc itself. Don't exceed this or errors may result, even if the burn program tells you the burn was successful.

Originally Posted by vom53

However, your system was hard-coded by Dell not to accept any other installation other than what it provided you so use the original CD.

I highly doubt that after all it is his computer so it should not be set up like he wants. HOWEVER he can't use a disk from another manufacturer (such as HP) on his Dell but he should be able to use a retail copy because those are designed for any system that can handle it (the only bad news being that he must have drivers from the manufacturer). A more likely candidate is that the data burned incorrectly. I'm not sure if putting it on a dvd would matter.