USBkeyprepf6 command.com

Try this version:  http://ftp.us.dell.com/utility/USBKeyPrepA00.exe

Had the same problem as described above.  I removed the volume name and it kicked back another error, but I tried it again and it worked perfect.  Thanks for the help.

Malcolm
malcolm@captare.com

Try this version:  http://ftp.us.dell.com/utility/USBKeyPrepA00.exe

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DELL (TM) USB FLASH DRIVE FORMAT UTILITY FOR MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS(R)

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This readme file contains information about the Dell USB Flash Drive
Format Utility for systems running Microsoft Windows. This utility
formats USB flash drives for use in installing mass storage drivers
during the installation of Windows Server 2003.

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#   CONTENTS
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* MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

* USAGE

* KNOWN ISSUES

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#    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
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This utility is supported for the preparation of USB keys that are
used to install the following Microsoft Windows(R) operating systems
on Dell PowerEdge server systems:

* All versions of Microsoft(R) Windows Server(R) 2003.

* All versions of Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003.

* Windows Server 2003 for 64-bit Extended Systems.

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#    HOW TO USE USBKeyPrepF6
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How to install USBKeyPrepF6 Utility

The USBKeyPrepF6 Utility is used to prepare USB keys in anticipation
of being used to supply mass storage drivers during a Windows Server
2003 installation on 9th generation Dell servers that do not have a
floppy drive. If your system has a floppy drive, Dell recommends using
a floppy disk (and not the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility) to install Windows
Server 2003. See the "Known Issues" section for more information.

The USBKeyPrepF6 Utility can be installed and run on any Windows 2000,
XP, or 2003 desktop system. Extract all files from the USBKeyPrepF6
Utility distribution ZIP file to the folder of your choice. This
document assumes C:\Program Files. Ensure you preserve the folder
names when you extract the files.
How to prepare a USB key with the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility

IMPORTANT: ALL DATA ON THE USB KEY WILL BE ERASED WHEN YOU PRESS THE
FORMAT BUTTON!!!

You can download mass storage drivers from the Dell support website at
http://support.dell.com as self extracting executable files. Download
the driver package for the storage controller that is connected to the
hard disk where you are installing Windows.  There are two versions of
each driver package. One is labeled "Update Package for Microsoft(r)
Windows(r)" and the other is labeled "Hard-Drive". Download the one
labeled Hard-Drive.

Execute the driver package and direct the output to the FILES
subdirectory of the directory to which you extracted the USBKeyPrepF6
Utility. Using the path specified in the previous section, the
directory to put the driver package in would be similar to
C:\Program Files\USBKeyPrepA00\FILES.

One of the files in the driver package is TXTSETUP.OEM. Edit
TXTSETUP.OEM with NOTEPAD (or a text editor of your choice). In the
[Defaults] section locate the line that starts with "scsi = ". The
value on the right hand side of the equals sign must represent the
Windows Server 2003 mass storage driver. The values permitted on the
right hand side of the equals sign are defined in the [scsi] section.
If the value on the right hand side represents the Windows 2000 mass
storage driver, it must be updated. The following table lists the
drivers that are available for download for 9G servers. The table
indicates whether the TXTSETUP.OEM file needs to be updated at the
time this document was written (Oct 24, 2006).

Storage Controller  TXTSETUP.OEM needs to be changed?
Dell SAS 5/E Adapter  No change needed
Dell SAS 5/i Integrated  No change needed
Dell PERC 5/E Adapter  Must be changed
Dell PERC 5/i Integrated Must be changed
Adaptec 39320A Controller No change needed
LSI Logic CERC ATA 100  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4/DC  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4/Di  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4/SC  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4e/DC  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4e/Di  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC 4e/Si  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC3/DC  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC3/DCL  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC3/QC  Must be changed
LSI Logic PERC3/SC  Must be changed
 

After downloading the driver package into the FILES subdirectory,
start the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility by executing USBKeyPrepF6.exe. A dialog
box appears where you can select a USB flash drive to prepare from a
drop-down list box. Flash drives are hot-pluggable and are
automatically detected and added to the list without restarting the
USBKeyPrepF6 Utility. The drop-down list includes the drive letter (if
assigned) in parentheses followed by the volume name in brackets "[]", 
the size, and description of the flash drive.

You may specify a volume label for the USB key which is different than
the default value, by erasing DELLFLASH and entering the desired
volume label. Click "Prepare" to format the USB key and copy the F6
drivers into it. All previous data is erased. After the key is
prepared for use, click the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the
system tray to remove the USB key.
 
Local administrator rights are required to create a bootable flash
drive from the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility. Flash drives up to 16 GB in size
are supported. After the USB key is prepared by the USBKeyPrepF6
Utility, the USB key's contents are not accessible from Windows. If
the USB key is plugged into a system running the Windows operating
system, Windows may report that the USB key has an unrecognized file
system or that it is uninitialized. However the USB key's contents may
be accessed from DOS, by using floppy emulation.

After the USB key is used to install F6 drivers, you can reformat it
using Windows Disk Manager. After reformatting, you can use it
normally.

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How to install Windows using a USB key prepared with the USBKeyPrepF6
Utility
######################################################################
Place the USB key into a USB port of the system on which you are
installing Windows Server 2003. Insert the Windows CD into the CD
drive. Reboot the system. During boot press F2 to enter the BIOS setup
utility.  If your system has a Dell Remote Access Controller 5 (DRAC
5) then also press Ctrl-E, when prompted, to enter Remote Access
Setup, also known as the Remote Access Configuration Utility.

Within the Remote Access Configuration Utility, select Virtual Media
Configuration. Select Virtual Media and select Detached. Select
Virtual Flash and select Disabled. Save these changes and exit the
Remote Access Configuration Utility.

Within the BIOS setup utility, select USB Flash Drive Emulation Type.
On this menu select Floppy emulation for the USB key. Save this change
and exit the BIOS setup utility.

The system reboots. Press a key to boot to the CD if prompted. When
prompted, press F6. Follow the subsequent prompts to select and load
the mass storage driver.

A USB key prepared by the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility boots Dell DOS
USB keys prepared with the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility contain Dell Real Mode
Kernel (DRMK) - a compatible DOS operating system. If required, the
USB key may be booted on 9th generation Dell servers by pressing F11
to enter the boot menu and selecting the USB key that was prepared
with USBKeyPrepF6. If Dell DOS is booted in error, reboot the system
and either change the order of boot devices in the BIOS setup utility
(by pressing F2 during boot) or select the CD from the boot menu
(accessed by pressing F11 during boot).

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Known issues
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1. Local administrator access is required to prepare USB flash
drives.
2. The USBKeyPrepF6 utility reformats the USB key, erasing its
contents and making the USB key temporarily unusable as a normal
USB key.
3. While formatted for use by the USBKeyPrepF6 utility the USB
key's contents are not visible in Windows but the USB key
functions as intended during your server OS installation.
4. To restore the USB key for normal use reformat it using Windows
Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc).  Windows Explorer, FORMAT.COM,
and DISKPART.EXE are not able to reformat the USB key because
the USB key needs to be both repartitioned and reformatted.
5. The USBKeyPrepF6 Utility erases all existing data on the USB
key.
6. The BIOS on 9th Generation Dell PowerEdge(TM) servers considers
traditional floppy drives, USB floppy drives, and USB keys used
for floppy emulation as equivalent "floppy devices". If the
server on which Windows is being installed contains more than
one floppy device the USB key prepared by the USBKeyPrepF6
Utility must follow the other floppy device in the boot order.
Further the F6 key must not be pressed while installing Windows.
Additionally the other floppy device must not have a
TXTSETUP.OEM file on it.
7. In some cases, when not enough drive letters are available, hot-
plugging a USB key is not detected by the USBKeyPrepF6 Utility.
In this case you can either exit and then restart the utility,
or disconnect some network drives.
8. TXTSETUP.OEM's [Default] driver must be the same driver that is
selected via F6.

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I would say that it is important to add that the USBKey should be removed as soon as the setup has finished installing the driver.  If the USB key shows up as an available volume for Windows installation, then setup will view that as C: and your operating system will get installed on higher drive letters.