Windows NT 4.0 Setup Troubleshooting GuideID: Q126690
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Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Setup Troubleshooting Guide
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Table of Contents
=================
- Introduction
- Pre-setup and Text-mode Setup Issues
- Setup Failure During Reboot from Character-based to GUI-based Mode
- GUI-Based Setup to First Boot Issues
Introduction
============
This troubleshooting guide describes how to overcome problems setting up
Windows NT on Intel architecture (x86) computers. These techniques may
work for computers that are on the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List
(HCL) and for computers that are not on the HCL--that is, not certified by
Microsoft to be Windows NT compatible.
The HCL is a compilation of computers and computer hardware that have been
extensively tested with Windows NT for stability and compatibility. It is
the guide used by Microsoft Product Support Services to determine whether
or not a computer is supported for use with the Windows NT operating
system.
If you are setting up a computer that is mission-critical, please see the
HCL included in the Support folder of the Windows NT compact disc for a
list of computers that are currently certified by Microsoft to be Windows
NT compliant. If your computer is not included on the list, contact
Microsoft for an updated Windows NT HCL.
MICROSOFT DOES NOT MAKE ANY GUARANTEES THAT WINDOWS NT WILL INSTALL OR
MAINTAIN DATA INTEGRITY AFTER FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CONTAINED HEREIN.
Pre-setup and Text-mode Setup Issues
====================================
Architecture of Character-based Setup
-------------------------------------
Detection of Hardware and Hardware Settings:
During the first part of Setup (referred to as character-based Setup),
Windows NT examines your system architecture for foundation level
information and drivers. This information includes:
- CPU type (x86, MIPS, ALPHA, or PPC)
- Motherboard type (PCI, VESA, MCA, EISA, or ISA)
- Hard disk controllers
- File systems
- Free space on hard disks
- Memory
Windows NT looks for any devices that must be initialized at startup in
order for your computer to run. Windows NT also constructs a "mini"
version of Windows NT, which is used to reboot the computer into the
Graphical User Interface mode (GUI-mode) portion of Setup. Therefore, it
is critical that the information Windows NT gathers at this point is
accurate.
Windows NT may incorrectly detect controllers and settings if your
computer uses nonstandard or proprietary bus components or enhancements
that do not follow industry standards; these nonstandard enhancements
include SMP 1.1, PCI 2.1, special bus drivers, or caching chips for burst-
mode transfer. If the information gathered is incorrect, Setup may not
work at a later stage. Incorrect detection is often a symptom of a
hardware or configuration problem that may also cause Setup to stop.
Before You Begin Installation of Windows NT
-------------------------------------------
HARDWARE:
Windows NT is a 32-bit operating system and is very hardware intensive. In
MS-DOS and most 16-bit operating systems, hardware is not accessed until
it is required. Under Windows NT, hardware drivers are written to and
polled much more heavily for input/output (I/O) instructions. Hardware
problems that have gone unnoticed or have seemed to be minor under other
operating systems are likely to be amplified when running under Windows
NT.
Minimum Hardware Requirements:
Windows NT Workstation:
- 12 MB of RAM
- VGA level video support
- Keyboard
- IDE, EIDE, SCSI, or ESDI hard disk
- 486/25 processor or better
- CD-ROM drive, floppy disk drive, or active network connection
Windows NT Server:
- 16 MB of RAM
- VGA level video support
- Keyboard
- IDE, EIDE, SCSI, or ESDI hard disk
- 486/25 processor or better
- CD-ROM drive, 1.44 MB or 1.2 MB floppy disk drive, or active network
connection
NOTE: On Windows NT Server, 16 MB of RAM affords minimal functionality;
Microsoft highly recommends 32 MB of RAM or more. Microsoft also
recommends the following preferred hardware:
- 486DX2/50 processor or better
- 28.8 v.34 external modem, for remote debugging and troubleshooting
- Windows NT compatible CD-ROM drive
Minimum Space Requirements for Windows NT Workstation and Server:
Standard Installation 124 MB of free disk space
WINNT /b 124 MB of free disk space
Copying I386 folder to hard disk 223 MB of free disk space
NOTE: For ease of supportability, Microsoft recommends at least a 1 GB
file allocation table (FAT) system partition for computers that do not
require security. This space is used for Windows NT installation,
pagefile, and MS-DOS 6.22 or Windows 95 installation. The advantage of
this configuration is the ability to copy over drivers or boot files in
the event of a virus, file corruption, or upgrade problem.
Disk Format:
To access a disk from Windows NT, the drive must be uncompressed or
compressed only with the NTFS file compression included in Windows NT 3.51
or 4.0. Windows NT is not compatible with Microsoft DoubleSpace, Stacker,
or any other compression software or hardware. The root folder of the
Windows NT boot drive cannot be compressed, or an upgrade or installation
does not succeed.
Windows NT supports only the following EIDE addressing schemes:
- Logical Block Addressing (LBA)
- ONTrack Disk Manager
- EZDrive
- Extended Cylinder Head Sector (ECHS)
NOTE: The high-performance file system (HPFS) is no longer addressable or
convertible under Windows NT 4.0. If you have an HPFS volume, conversion
must occur prior to upgrading your computer to Windows NT 4.0. If there is
no previous version of Windows NT on your computer, and the data on an
HPFS partition needs to be accessed from Windows NT, you must back up the
data on the partition and reformat the partition to FAT or NTFS.
If you use one of the above methods, some implementations require special
partitioning utilities and disk preparation utilities. Do not format these
drives under Windows NT.
Hardware Configuration Information:
On some computers, Shadow RAM and L2 Write Back Cache cause detection and
hardware problems, including not responding and STOP error messages. These
features must be disabled at the BIOS level if you experience any
problems. Check your computer manual for information about disabling these
features.
Verify that there are no Power On Self Test (POST) errors prior to
starting Setup, and make certain that each adapter and peripheral device
is set to an independent IRQ, memory address, and DMA channel.
In order to successfully install Widows NT, we recommended that you obtain
the following information:
Adapter Card Required information
=============== =====================================================
Video Adapter or chip set type
Network Card IRQ, I/O address, DMA (if used), connector type (BNC,
twisted pair, and so on)
SCSI Controller Adapter model or chipset, IRQ and bus type
Mouse Mouse type, port (COM1, COM2, bus or PS/2)
I/O Port IRQ, I/0 address, DMA (if used) for each I/O port
Sound Card IRQ, I/O address, DMA
External Modem Port connections (COM1, COM2, and so on).
Internal Modem Port connections or IRQ and I/0 address (for non-
standard configurations)
Included on the Windows NT CD-ROM is the NTHQ tool that obtains all of
the above information in text format. To use the NTHQ tool, follow these
steps:
1. Go to the \Support\Hqtool folder on the Windows NT CD-ROM.
2. Insert a floppy disk in drive A.
3. Run the MAKEDISK tool.
4. With the disk in the drive, restart the computer.
Also on the Windows NT CD-ROM is the SCSITOOL tool for obtaining SCSI
information. To use the SCSITOOL tool, follow these steps:
1. Go to the \Support\Scsitool folder on the Windows NT CD-ROM.
2. Insert a floppy disk in drive A.
3. Run the MAKEDISK utility.
4. With the disk in the drive, restart the computer.
This tool currently only supports SCSI adapters from Adaptec and BusLogic.
NOTE: Windows NT currently does not support the following controller and
BIOS enhancements:
32 bit I/O BIOS switch
Enhanced Drive Access
Multiple Block addressing or Rapid IDE
Write Back Cache on disk controllers
Power Management features
CHOOSING THE CORRECT SETUP METHOD
---------------------------------
Standard Setup:
Installing directly from the Windows NT CD-ROM or Windows NT boot floppy
disks is almost always the best method of setting up Windows NT. It offers
the best support for alternate Hardware Abstraction Layers (HALs), timing,
and third-party drivers. If you have a supported CD-ROM drive, you should
choose this setup method.
NOTE: If you lose or misplace the Setup disks required for a standard
setup, run either WINNT /OX or WINNT32 /OX to create new boot disks for a
standard setup.
WINNT or WINNT32 Setup:
This method was designed for network installations or for computers with
unsupported CD-ROM drives. It builds the boot disks and performs a file
copy of the setup folder to the hard disk before the Setup procedure
begins. It is the second best choice.
Installing over a Network
-------------------------
For networks in which the Windows NT installation files are kept on a
central server, network installations can be accomplished using the WINNT
command or by copying the entire I386 folder from Windows NT CD-ROM to
the hard disk and then running WINNT from the local disk. This can reduce
network traffic and dependency.
NOTE: The method of copying the I386 folder can also be used when there
are hard disk or driver issues that otherwise block the use of the CD-ROM.
Unsupported Setup Methods
-------------------------
WINNT /B or WINNT32 /B is used for floppyless setup. It copies the boot
files to the root folder of drive C and then uses the hard disk as if it
were the boot disk. If you have timing issues on your computer, such as
problems accessing the hard disk or similar error messages, this method
can be used, but WINNT is much more reliable. Please note that this method
does not work if you are running BIOS-level virus protection.
WINNT /W allows you to set up Windows NT from within Windows, bypassing
the drive locking and enhanced driver issues involved with setup from
Microsoft Windows. Again, this bypasses many of the Windows NT Setup
safety features and is not recommended.
WINNT /U is the command for unattended setup. This can only be used on
computers in which all the components are standard and no user input is
required. If there are any problems, Setup stops until the problem is
resolved.
WINNT /T: or WINNT32 /T: is used for specifying a drive on which temporary
setup files are placed. If not specified, Setup attempts to locate a drive
for you, attempting the target drive first, and then the boot drive. If
neither of these drives is available, Windows NT Setup may not succeed. In
this case, you should use the /T switch to specify a drive other than the
target drive or the boot drive.
Viruses
-------
Windows NT cannot be installed on a computer infected by a virus. This
troubleshooting guide documents several errors caused by viruses. If your
computer is infected, please obtain a commercial anti-virus scanner and
remove the virus prior to attempting Windows NT Setup. Attempting to
remove a virus using other means can render a computer unbootable.
Troubleshooting: Pre-Setup and Text-Mode Setup Issues
-----------------------------------------------------
Problem 1:
When I insert the boot disk, I get the following error:
Operating System not found
Setup does not begin.
Resolution 1:
Check your computer's BIOS to make certain drive A is available as a boot
drive. If it is and the error still occurs, this is an indication of a
damaged boot floppy disk or a drive that is out of calibration.
To create new Windows NT Setup boot floppy disks, format three disks on
the computer on which you are planning to install Windows NT. Then, from
the CD-ROM I386 folder, type "WINNT /OX" (without the quotation marks).
This builds a fresh set of Setup floppy disks.
For more information on creating Windows NT Setup boot floppy disks, see
the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q131735
TITLE : How to Create Windows NT Boot Floppy Disks
Problem 2:
After I boot the Setup disk, my computer stops responding, the floppy disk
drive light stays lit, and Setup does not proceed.
Resolution 2:
This is an indication of a damaged boot disk or a disk controller problem.
Run WINNT /OX to create new boot floppy disks. If you are using a SCSI
controller for your floppy disks, make certain that all internal and
external devices are properly terminated.
Problem 3:
When Setup inspects the hard disk, the following error message appears:
Setup did not find any hard drives on your computer.
Resolution 3:
Make sure all hard disks are turned on and properly connected to your
computer. If you are certain the hard disks are properly connected, do the
following general hard disk troubleshooting to verify your hard disks.
Check for viruses:
Scan the drive for viruses; if the Master Boot Record is infected, Windows
NT may not see the hard disk properly. Please use a commercial virus
scanning program to check your hard disk for a virus. Even if the drive is
formatted using NTFS, the Master Boot Record can become infected.
Verify SCSI Hard Disks:
If the hard disk is a SCSI drive, check the following items:
- Use the SCSITOOL tool on the Windows NT CD-ROM to verify the correct
configuration information for your hard disk.
- Is there a valid boot sector on the drive?
- Are all SCSI devices properly terminated?
- If you are using a passive terminator, upgrade to an active terminator.
- Is the BIOS on the boot (initiating) SCSI adapter enabled?
- Are the BIOSes on all non-initiating SCSI adapters disabled? When the
BIOS on a non-initiating SCSI adapter is enabled, it can experience an
error at startup and/or interfere with hardware interrupt 13 calls to
the initiating hard disk controller, resulting in an inability to boot
or in random hangs during installation.
- Was the hard disk partitioned and formatted using this SCSI adapter? If
not, repartitioning the drive or possibly low-level formatting the
drive may be required.
- Verify that your SCSI configuration adheres to the following industry
standards for SCSI hard disks:
Standard Bit Cable Pin Max. x-fer Max SCSI Description
Width Name Count Rate MB/sec Devices
--------------------------------------------------------------------
SCSI-1 8 A 50 5 8 Asynchronous
SCSI-2 8 A 50 10 8 Fast
SCSI-2 16 A+B 50+68 20 8 Fast+wide **
SCSI-2 32 A+B 50+68 40 8 Fast+wide **
SCSI-3 8 A 50 10 8 Fast
SCSI-3 16 P 68 20 16 Fast+wide *
SCSI-3 32 P+Q 68+68 40 32 Fast+wide **
* = with 1 cable
** = with 2 cables
Standard: The name of the SCSI standard as defined by ANSI.
Bit width: The number of bits that are transferred by the SCSI bus
during the data transfer phase.
Cable Names: A is most common, P is becoming more popular, A+B is
currently not popular due to cost and space issues.
Pin Count: The number of pins in the cable.
Max Transfer Rate (MB/sec): Number of bits transferred over the SCSI
bus in one second.
Max SCSI Devices: The maximum number of devices that can be
connected to the SCSI bus with one host adapter installed.
Descriptions
------------
Asynchronous: A handshaking protocol that requires a handshake for
every byte transferred. (Synchronous transfers a
series of bytes before handshaking occurs, increasing
the data transfer rate.)
Fast: Fast SCSI is an option that doubles the synchronous
data transfer speed. The speed is achieved by removing
excess margins from certain times and delays. To use
the fast SCSI option, high quality cables are
required. This option is compatible with normal
synchronous SCSI and has:
- Up to 10 MB/second over an 8 bit bus.
- Synchronous data transfer negotiation required.
- Single-ended implementation recommendations: m
maximum cable length of 3 meters and active
terminators.
Wide: Wide SCSI is an option that adds a second SCSI cable
of 68 conductors. This cable provides a data path for
16- or 32-bit data. This path has separate handshake
signals and is for data transfer only. The transfer
rate is two or four times the present transfer rate of
SCSI-1. With the second cable, SCSI-2 remains
compatible with the 8-bit SCSI.
- With the release of Windows NT version 4.0, drivers for certain SCSI
adapters have been moved from the base operating system to the Windows
NT Driver Library (in the Drvlib folder) included on the Windows NT
version 4.0 CD-ROM. Check the following list to determine if any of
your adapters are affected by this change. If your computer has an
adapter that appears on this list, you must create a driver disk before
installing Windows NT version 4.0. Use this disk to install the
appropriate driver(s) during Setup, or keep the disk handy and install
the driver using Control Panel once Setup is finished.
The following drivers have been moved:
Always.sys
Dtc329x.sys
T128.sys
T13b.sys
Tmv1.sys
Ultra124.sys
Wd33c93.sys
The following adapters are affected by this change:
SCSI ADAPTERS:
Always IN-2000
Data Technology Corp. 3290
Maynard 16-bit SCSI Adapter
MediaVision Pro Audio Spectrum-16
Trantor T-128
Trantor T-130B
DISK CONTROLLERS:
UltraStor 124f EISA Disk Array Controller
Please see the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) for
additional information about these storage adapters. For more
information on the Windows NT HCL, see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q131303
TITLE : Latest Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)
To create a driver disk for drivers that have been moved to the Driver
Library, follow these steps:
1. Create a blank, formatted 3.5-inch disk.
2. Copy all files from the following folder to the blank disk:
Drvlib\Storage\Retired\X86
3. Label this disk "Drivers Disk."
To install drivers from the drivers disk during Windows NT version 4.0
Setup, follow these steps:
1. Start Windows NT Setup. During Setup, a message appears stating
"Setup has recognized the following mass storage devices in your
computer."
2. When you are prompted, press S to skip detection, then press S again
to display a list of supported SCSI host adapters.
3. Click Other at the bottom of the list.
4. Insert the Drivers Disk when you are prompted to do so, and click
your host adapter from this list.
Windows NT now recognizes any devices attached to this adapter. Repeat
this step for each host adapter not already recognized by Windows NT
Setup.
Verify EIDE Hard Disks:
If the hard disk is an EIDE drive, check the following items:
- Verify that the system drive is the first drive on the first IDE
controller on the motherboard.
- In the computer's BIOS, verify that file I/O and/or disk access are set
to standard. Most computers ship with access set to either 32-bit or
enhanced access.
Verify IDE or ESDI Hard Disks:
If the drive is an IDE or ESDI drive, check the following items:
- If possible, verify the controller is functional in a different
computer.
- If the drive is larger than 1024 cylinders, make certain you are using
a supported disk configuration utility.
- Verify that the drive is jumpered correctly for master, slave, or
single drive.
Problem 4:
Setup does not boot and the following error message appears:
Setup is unable to locate the hard drive partition prepared by
the MS-DOS portion of Setup.
When you run the MS-DOS Windows NT Setup program, you must specify a
temporary drive that is supported by Windows NT. See your System
Guide for more information.
Resolution 4:
You may be using Windows NT Setup boot floppy disks that were created
while running the WINNT variation of Setup and you are trying to install
from a CD-ROM. Create Setup boot floppy disks using WINNT /OX or use the
original Setup boot disks to install.
Problem 5:
Windows NT displays an error message that there is no valid partition.
Resolution 5:
Make certain you have a valid primary MS-DOS partition on the drive. If
necessary, you can create a primary MS-DOS partition using Windows NT
Setup or MS-DOS FDISK.
If the drive was originally formatted for the installation of Windows 95,
the partition may be marked for the FAT 32 file system. Windows NT 4.0
does not currently recognize the FAT 32 format and, therefore, does not
install. If this is the case, you must back up all data and create new
partitions either from Windows NT 4.0 or from MS-DOS 6.22 in order to
continue the installation.
For further troubleshooting steps, refer to "Resolution 3" for hard disk
drive troubleshooting information.
Problem 6:
I cannot choose the option to upgrade my current Windows NT 3.x
installation.
Resolution 6:
After character-mode Setup is complete, the Setup.log file is deleted from
the original System32 folder. If Setup stopped in the GUI portion
of setup and you try to restart Setup from the Setup boot disks or by
using the WINNT or WINNT32 command, NT does not find the Setup.log file it
requires for validation of the original NT installation.
If an upgrade stopped during the GUI portion of setup because of a lack of
disk space or a misconfiguration of hardware, the correct method for
recovery is to exit Setup and restart the computer; the GUI portion of
setup automatically restarts. If the GUI portion cannot restart, you need
to create a parallel installation of Windows NT and restore the Setup.log
file to the original Windows NT System32 folder from your tape backup. If
there is no tape backup or you cannot install a parallel copy of Windows
NT, you must reformat the hard disk if the drive is formatted using NTFS.
If the drive is formatted as a FAT drive, use an MS-DOS boot disk and
delete or move files until there is enough room for a reinstallation of
Windows NT.
Problem 7:
When I try to format the partition, Windows NT stops responding (hangs) at
X% complete.
Resolution 7:
Make certain your hard disks do not have caching enabled. Set drive
controllers that have caching capabilities to Write Through, not Write
Back. If necessary, format the drive to approximately 5-10 MB less than
the actual size of the partition first chosen.
For further troubleshooting steps, refer to "Resolution 3" for hard disk
drive troubleshooting information.
Problem 8:
Setup stops responding (hangs) while copying files to the hard disk.
Resolution 8:
This indicates one of two problems:
- The incorrect Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is being loaded.
Restart Setup. When the "Windows NT is examining your hardware
configuration" message appears, press F5. This takes you to a menu with
various HALs listed. If you are running Windows NT on a Pentium
computer with a single processor, choose the single processor HAL. If
you are running Windows NT on a Compaq or Sequent computer using an OEM
HAL, choose Other and insert the disk provided by that manufacturer.
- Setup is using reserved memory.
Disable "Video Shadow RAM" and "32-bit Enhanced File Throughput" in
the computer's BIOS.
Character-based to GUI-based Mode Setup Issues
==============================================
Architecture
------------
During the reboot from character-based to GUI-based Setup, Windows NT is
loaded for the first time. Windows NT tries to find a valid hard disk and
partition, poll the adapters, and test the bus. This is the most likely
point of failure, when the drivers are loaded into memory and multi-
threading is initialized.
STOP Messages (Blue Screens)
----------------------------
Text mode STOP Messages or "blue screens" are used to identify and debug
hardware and software problems that occur while loading or running Windows
NT. When a mission critical operating system fails, it is preferable to
generate an obvious error message, such as the blue screen, rather than to
simply fail in an "invisible" manner and possibly damage data. The blue
screen consists of a STOP message, the text translation, the addresses of
the violating call, and the drivers loaded at the time of the STOP screen.
The STOP screen gives you and a Microsoft Technical Support Professional the
necessary information to locate and identify problem areas.
STOP messages indicate where the error has occurred at both the address
and driver levels; for example:
*** STOP: 0x0000001E (0xC0000047,0xFA8418B4,0x8025ea21,0xfd6829e8)
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED c0000047 from fa8418b4 (8025ea21,fd6829e8)
*** Address fa8418b4 has base at fa840000 - i8042prt.SYS
*** Address 8025ea21 has base at 8025c000 - SCSIPORT.SYS
The STOP message identifies the type of exception, and the exception
indicates where the problem occurred; that is, whether it was user mode
(involving user-mode operating system software) or kernel mode (involving
operating system, third-party drivers, or hardware). The third and fourth
line describe which components were immediately involved and at what
addresses.
For example, if the error listed above occurred during Setup, the problem
might be in the driver that involves the SCSI portion of the operating
system. If you receive this error during Setup, you should make certain
the SCSI controller you are using is compatible with Windows NT and that
the IRQs, SCSI Ids, and termination are correct on the computer. If you
are sure all of the above are correctly configured, you can try swapping
out the SCSI controller card for another and try installing again.
For more information on STOP messages, see the Windows NT Resource Kit.
Troubleshooting: Character-based to GUI-based Mode Setup Failures
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Problem 1:
After removing the third Setup disk from my computer and restarting, a
blue screen stating "STOP: 0x0000007b Inaccessible Boot Device" appears
and Setup stops.
Resolution 1:
This indicates a problem accessing the boot disk using the Windows NT
driver. See "Resolution 3" of Part 1: Troubleshooting: Pre-Setup and Text-
mode Setup Issues.
Problem 2:
After removing the third Setup disk from the computer and restarting, a
blue screen with the following error message appears and setup stops:
Setup has encountered a fatal error that prevents it from
continuing. Contact your software representative for help. Status
code (0x4, 0, 0, 0)
Resolution 2:
This usually indicates the presence of a virus in the Master Boot Record.
Scan the drive for viruses; if the Master Boot Record is infected, Windows
NT may not see the hard disk properly. Please use a commercial virus
scanning program to check your hard disk for a virus. Even if the drive is
formatted using NTFS, the Master Boot Record can become infected.
Problem 3:
My computer hangs when rebooting into character-based setup.
Resolution 3:
The Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM is bootable using the El Torrito "no emulation"
specification. If your computer has the ability to boot from your CD-ROM
drive, but does not support the "no emulation" mode, remove the Windows NT
4.0 CD-ROM and restart the computer. Once Windows NT Setup has restarted,
insert the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM.
Problem 4:
Instead of rebooting from text mode into GUI mode, the following error
message appears:
NTOSKRNL.EXE is missing or corrupt.
Resolution 4:
If you are installing to a drive other than drive C and the primary drive
is a FAT drive, edit the Boot.ini file and change the partition
information. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Remove the Read Only and System File attributes from the Boot.ini file.
Type the following command at an MS-DOS command prompt:
attrib -s -r c:\boot.ini
2. Edit the Boot.ini file and change the partition number for Windows NT.
Change the Windows NT line to the following line:
For IDE drives and SCSI drives attached to a SCSI adapter with its own
BIOS:
multi(0)disk(x)rdisk(0)partition(y)\winnt="Windows NT on ?:"
For SCSI drives attached to a SCSI adapter without its own BIOS:
scsi(0)disk(x)rdisk(0)partition(y)\winnt="Windows NT on ?:"
where x is the drive number, y is the partition number, and ? is the
drive letter on which Windows NT resides.
If you are using the Windows NT 4.0 upgrade version CD-ROM, note that the
upgrade version CD-ROM can be used to upgrade from Windows NT 3.5 or 3.51
to Windows NT 4.0. You can also use the upgrade version to install Windows
NT 4.0 into a new folder. The upgrade version cannot be used to upgrade
or install over Windows NT version 3.1.
However, if the Windows NT 3.1 installation CD-ROM is available, you can
create a parallel installation of Windows NT 4.0 using the upgrade
version. If you are using the NTFS file format under Windows NT 3.1,
please note that these files are no longer accessible from Windows NT 3.1
after Windows NT 4.0 has been installed because of an alteration in the
file formatting and translation.
NOTE: To install Windows NT 4.0 over an existing Windows NT 4.0
installation, only the full retail version can be used.
Problem 5:
During the reboot from text-mode setup to GUI-mode Setup, the following
error message appears:
HAL.DLL is missing or corrupt.
Resolution 5:
This error message occurs when a computer that is not listed on the
Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) is using an ASUSTECH (ASUS)
dual-processor motherboard with only one processor present.
NOTE: The HCL certifies complete systems, not individual motherboards. For
more information on the HCL, see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q131303
TITLE : Latest Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)
You can work around this problem by setting the J14 jumper (on the
motherboard) for a dual-processor computer, even though the computer has
only one processor.
Problem 6:
When I install Windows NT on a multiprocessor computer, the following
error message appears:
HAL: Bad APIC version.
HAL: This HAL.DLL requires an MPS version 1.1 system. Replace HAL.DLL
with the correct HAL for this system. The system is halting.
Resolution 6:
This error message occurs when a computer attempts to boot with a
symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) HAL on a computer with Multi-Processor
Specification (MPS) architecture that currently has only a single
processor.
To work around this problem, use any of the following methods:
- Install Windows NT using the Custom Setup option and verify that the
computer type is not identified as an MPS computer. If Setup detects
the computer as an MPS computer, change the computer type to AT
Compatible.
- Edit the Txtsetup.sif file on the Setup boot disk. In the [HAL] section
change the following line:
mps11_mp = halmps.dll ,2,hal.dll
to:
mps11_mp = hal.dll ,2,hal.dll
This forces the standard ISA/EISA HAL to be loaded.
- If you are currently running Windows NT 4.0, choose a different kernel
and HAL when you boot Windows NT. If a second processor is added later,
you may need to manually copy and rename the correct HAL file.
Problem 7:
I need to install other files during the reboot between text-based and GUI-
based Setup, but cannot catch the Boot menu when Windows NT reboots to GUI-
mode Setup.
Resolution 7:
Boot from a system disk. If you need to access the previous operating
system multiple times, boot from the previous operating system and, with a
text editor, modify the Boot.ini file to pause indefinitely by changing
the timeout value to "-1". To do so, follow these steps:
1. Remove the Read Only and System File attributes from the Boot.ini file.
To do so, type the following command at an MS-DOS command prompt:
attrib -s -r c:\boot.ini
2. Edit the Boot.ini file and change the timeout line to the following:
[boot loader]
timeout=-1
Problem 8:
An error message appears when restarting into GUI-mode Setup. If the error
is hardware related, there may be an error message from the BIOS or from
Windows NT in the form of a blue Stop screen, such as any of the
following:
***STOP 0x00000080
NMI_HARDWARE_FAILURE
***STOP 0x0000007f
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP
***STOP 0x0000007a
KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR
***STOP 0x00000077
KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR
***STOP 0x00000051
REGISTRY_ERROR
***STOP 0x0000002f
INSTRUCTION_BUS_ERROR
***STOP 0x0000002e
DATA_BUS_ERROR
***STOP 0x0000002d
SCSI_DISK_DRIVER_INTERNAL
Resolution 8:
Check your computer for viruses, or for hard disk damage. For a virus
scan, please use any available commercial virus scanning software that
examines the Master Boot Record (MBR) of the drive. Viruses can infect
both FAT and NTFS file systems.
These errors may also be a result of hard disk drive damage. If you are
using the FAT file system and do not yet have Windows NT 4.0 installed,
use Scandisk or another MS-DOS-based hard disk tool to verify the
integrity of your hard drive. Note that the Scandisk tool can damage long
file names used by Windows NT 4.0 when run from an MS-DOS prompt.
If you are using the NTFS file system, or you already have Windows NT 4.0
installed, try to boot to a previous version of Windows NT to run CHKDSK
/F /R. If you cannot boot to a previous version of Windows NT, try to
install to a parallel folder to run CHKDSK /F /R.
Another common cause of the above STOP error messages is failing RAM. Use
a diagnostic tool to test the RAM in your computer.
Check that all adapter cards in your computer are properly seated. You can
use an ink eraser or Stabilant-22 to clean the adapter card contacts.
Finally, you can take the computer to a repair facility for diagnostic
testing. A crack, scratched trace, or bad component on the motherboard can
also cause these problems.
Problem 9:
When restarting from character-based to GUI-based Setup, before or at the
version screen, either of the following stop codes appear:
0x0000000A
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
0x0000001E
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
Resolution 9:
This may indicate the presence of a third-party driver at the system level
that is incompatible with Windows NT 4.0, or a damaged driver that did not
get copied correctly during the text-mode portion of Setup.
Try installing Windows NT into an empty folder. If it installs correctly,
try to access the first folder and replace the damaged file or remove the
files associated with any suspect third-party drivers.
If you are unable to install Windows NT into an empty folder, check all
essential hardware, including adapters, drive controllers, and so on. If
you have nonessential adapters in your computer, remove them and try the
installation again.
Also verify that the essential hardware in use is Windows NT certified and
has up-to-date firmware, if applicable.
Problem 10:
After I reboot, the screen stays black or the video is skewed.
Resolution 10:
This problem usually occurs if either the video is not resetting correctly
during the restart, or the video is sharing an IRQ.
Turn your computer off and then on again. If the video works, you probably
need to turn off the computer each time you restart Windows NT. This
problem is video and system BIOS related.
If, after you turn it off, the computer comes back in an unusable state,
check for IRQ and memory conflicts with other cards in your computer. If
you are using a PCI-based computer, make certain the video is not using
IRQs 2, 9, or 12.
To recover from an incorrect video driver or parameter, choose the
VGA-only mode from the Boot menu and then reconfigure the video display
driver from the Video tool in Control Panel.
GUI-Based Setup to First Boot Issues
====================================
Architecture
------------
During the GUI portion of Setup, Windows NT installs the drivers, creates
accounts, configures the network settings, and builds the system tree. If
there are hardware problems or conflicting hardware settings, Windows NT
probably may not succeed in installing or upgrading.
Problems after the final reboot of Windows NT Setup are normally due to
incorrect information either in the Boot.ini file or in the hardware
configuration.
In Windows NT 4.0, the GUI portion of Setup can be restarted. If the
installation stops because of an incorrect hardware setting or incorrect
account information, turn the computer off and back on. The GUI portion of
setup restarts.
Troubleshooting: GUI-based Setup to First Boot Issues
-----------------------------------------------------
Problem 1:
I receive the following error message during GUI-mode Setup:
External library procedure NtPathToDosPath reported the following
error. 'Unable to open the specified symbolic link object.'
Resolution 1:
This error message indicates that the path to the installation media is no
longer accessible. This error message occurs when you have added new
hardware to the computer (for example, a SCSI controller, a SCSI CD-ROM
drive, or an ATAPI compatible CD-ROM drive) before running Setup, but
without adding the device drivers in the original Windows NT installation
first.
When Windows NT Setup reboots the computer to continue GUI-mode Setup,
Windows NT only finds devices installed under the previous version of
Windows NT (because you are running in the context of the original Windows
NT installation.)
To correct this problem, reboot to the original installation if possible,
and add the appropriate driver.
If no hardware has been added, make certain the hardware is accessible
under the original version. If the hardware was not supported under the
previous version, remove the hardware, complete the installation, and add
the device once Setup has finished.
Problem 2:
When I attempt to install a driver located in the Drvlib folder on the
Windows NT CD-ROM during GUI-mode Setup, the following error message
appears:
NONCRITICAL ERROR
The external library procedure, CopySingleFile, reported the following
error: Unable to do the specified file copy operation.
If I choose to continue (ignoring the error), Setup is not able to
completely or correctly install the software.
Resolution 2:
This problem occurs when you install Windows NT from an unsupported CD-ROM
or network drive.
Setup copies the contents of the I386 folder from the Windows NT CD-ROM to
the local hard disk. When you reach GUI-mode Setup, communication to the
unsupported media or the network drive is terminated.
To work around this problem, copy the required drivers from the Drvlib
folder on the Windows NT CD-ROM to the local hard disk or to a floppy
disk.
Problem 3:
When I start GUI-mode Setup with multiple CD-ROM drives, the following
message appears:
Please insert Windows NT Workstation/Server CD-ROM.
Resolution 3:
To set up Windows NT 4.0 on a computer with multiple CD-ROM drives
installed, use either of the following methods:
- Choose the CD-ROM drive that has first priority. You cannot view which
CD-ROM drive has priority on your computer, but you can follow this
list of priority:
- SCSI devices
- IDE (ATAPI) devices
- Non-SCSI devices in the following order: Sony, Panasonic, Mitsumi
- Place the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM in each CD-ROM drive until the CD-ROM
drive that has priority on your computer accepts it for copying files.
Problem 4:
I do not want to install a network adapter during the network portion of
Setup, but I want to install the protocols to preserve bindings and
settings.
Resolution 4:
This situation might be due to requiring a newer driver for your network
card, or the use of a third-party driver for Remote Access Service (RAS)
or server capabilities.
If the computer is only a server or workstation, not a primary or
secondary domain controller, when you are prompted for a network adapter,
choose the MS Loopback adapter and proceed with the installation normally.
Once the computer is operational, you can go back and remove the
MSLoopback adapter and install the correct adapter or third-party driver.
Problem 5:
Is it important to create an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) when prompted?
Resolution 5:
Yes. In most cases, an Emergency Repair Disk and a tape backup are your
primary tools for disaster recovery. If you choose not to create an
Emergency Repair Disk, you are greatly diminishing the chances of
recovering your Windows NT installation in the event of hardware or
software failure.
Problem 6:
During GUI-mode Setup, the computer hangs at random intervals, either
during file copies or between screens.
Resolution 6:
This usually indicates problems with interrupt (IRQ) conflicts, video, or
the SCSI bus. To resolve these problems, check the following items:
- Reconfirm the hardware configuration if the problem appears to be
hardware interrupt related (for example, you install the network card
and the computer stops responding).
- If there are problems with the video after rebooting during an upgrade,
try these steps:
1. Turn the computer off and on, and then try again to boot into GUI-
mode Setup.
2. Modify the Boot.ini file to boot to VGA-only mode during GUI-mode
Setup. To do so, follow these steps:
a. Remove the Read Only and System File attributes from the Boot.ini
file. Type the following command at an MS-DOS command prompt:
attrib -s -r c:\boot.ini
b. Open the Boot.ini file with a text editor and change the default
line to include the "/basevideo" flag.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of
Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of
publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions,
it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft,
and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented
after the date of publication.
This document is for informational purposes only.
MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. Additional query words: 4.00 prodnt tshoot ntfaqset
Keywords : kbsetup ntsetup NTSrvWkst
Version : 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999