Can't Use RIS to Create OEM Win XP Image for GX280 - Please Help

Question

I have been racking my brain trying to get Windows 2000 Remote Installation Services to create an OEM Windows XP SP2 image to a Optiplex GX280. I've used RIS on our Windows 2000 SP4 Server to create Windows 2000 Professional images with no problem. However, I cannot get it to work with Windows XP. Here is what I've done:

1) I created a base image of the OEM Windows XP SP2 CD that came with the Optiplex GX280 on our W2K Remote Installation Server. This is just a matter of using "Add" option under the Remote Install tab.

2) I followed the instructions in both of these Microsoft KB articles:
"How to add a third-party OEM network adapter to a RIS installation"
"Unable to Create Windows 2000 Server Image on RIS Server"

3) I'm able to push F12 on the GX280, provide the username and password, and it does list the base image I created.

4)A couple seconds into the text based setup, I get the following error:

File iastor.sys caused an unexpected error (21) at line 3540 in d:\xpsprtm\base\boot\setup\setup.c.

My only option is to hit a key to continue and reboot.

Any ideas?

Cold_Fulcrum · Answer

Try to create another base image, but just with a standard WinXP CD and add the drivers into that image.  We have GX280's here and we image them with RIS with no problem.

mandms7 · Answer

Probably a lame sounding question, but how do I add drivers into the image? With Windows 2000 Professional, I didn't need to add any drivers to the base image. I just copied the OEM Windows 2000 Pro CD and pretty much did nothing else.

Cold_Fulcrum · Answer

Not a stupid question, it generally kills me when I have to do it.

There is a document that Intel has that talks about it, and I am referring to the NIC drivers specifically. Even though you may have Broadcom network drivers, the Intel document shows you how to do it.

http://www.intel.com/support/network/adapter/pro100/bootagent/sb/cs-008217.htm

In a nutshell you are creating a folder at the same level as I386 called $oem$ which will store the network drivers for your NIC, because WinXP doesn't have them natively. I have a $1\Drivers subdirectory where they are stored. You also need to copy them into the I386 directory of that base image.

Then find the RISTNDRD file in the I386 directory and I think there is one under the I386\Template Directory and modify them as per the link to tell the file to look in \$1\Drivers directory for any drivers that aren't in the base install.

BE SURE you stop the BINLSVC and restart it, otherwise it won't pick up on these changes. There is (I believe) a FAQ at the stop of this forum that talks about this.

mandms7 · Answer

Actually, I already did follow those instructions and the NIC is working because it will start loading some of the files from the image. Its just that it halts when it gets to that message regarding Iastor.sys.

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Can't Use RIS to Create OEM Win XP Image for GX280 - Please Help

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