Driver Load Order

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thomas M
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Thomas M

Windows XP SP2

Recently, a co-worker created an image of Windows XP with SP2 installed.
The image file that he created has been used to successfully image a
number of machines, so I believe that the image file itself is fine.
The other day I used that image file to put Windows XP on a Dell
Optiplex GX150. The imaging process completed successfully, but when I
try to boot the machine it always hangs.

The Optiplex GX150 is the oldest machine that we've tried to use the
image file on, and I figured that there was probably a driver file that
was causing the boot process to freeze, so I decided to try booting into
Safe mode. When I select Safe mode from the boot menu, I see a
scrolling list of driver files, and it always hangs at the same point.
The last file displayed is named AGPCPQ.SYS. I've done some research on
this problem, and have found some information which suggests that the
problem may not actually be with that file, but with the NEXT file.
Unfortunately, the name of the next file is never displayed.

The list of files that I see when I attempt to boot into Safe mode is
always in the same order, which implies to me that the machine is
processing them according to some pre-determined order. I'm thinking
that if I can discover that order, I can pinpoint the file that is
causing the problem. So I asked the co-worker who built the image file
if there is a way to find out what that order is, and he does not know
of a way to do that.

The next thing I tried was to create a BartPE boot CD, which I hoped
would allow me to boot the machine and remove the problem file. I can
boot the machine with that CD into the BartPE environment, which gives
me some basic tools that I can used to delete files from the hard drive,
but I have not found a way to identify which file is causing the
problem.

Does anyone know of a way to determine the order in which those files
are being processed so that I can find the next file on the list? Or is
there a way to identify the file through an error log somehow?

Thanks for any help that you can offer.

--Tom
 
Sysinternals Freeware - LoadOrder:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/LoadOrder.html

Introduction
This applet shows you the order that a Windows NT or Windows 2000 system
loads device drivers. Note that on Windows 2000 plug-and-play drivers may
actually load in a different order than the one calculated, because
plug-and-play drivers are loaded on demand during device detection and
enumeration.

Download LoadOrder (16 KB)






--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Windows XP SP2

Recently, a co-worker created an image of Windows XP with SP2 installed.
The image file that he created has been used to successfully image a
number of machines, so I believe that the image file itself is fine.
The other day I used that image file to put Windows XP on a Dell
Optiplex GX150. The imaging process completed successfully, but when I
try to boot the machine it always hangs.

The Optiplex GX150 is the oldest machine that we've tried to use the
image file on, and I figured that there was probably a driver file that
was causing the boot process to freeze, so I decided to try booting into
Safe mode. When I select Safe mode from the boot menu, I see a
scrolling list of driver files, and it always hangs at the same point.
The last file displayed is named AGPCPQ.SYS. I've done some research on
this problem, and have found some information which suggests that the
problem may not actually be with that file, but with the NEXT file.
Unfortunately, the name of the next file is never displayed.

The list of files that I see when I attempt to boot into Safe mode is
always in the same order, which implies to me that the machine is
processing them according to some pre-determined order. I'm thinking
that if I can discover that order, I can pinpoint the file that is
causing the problem. So I asked the co-worker who built the image file
if there is a way to find out what that order is, and he does not know
of a way to do that.

The next thing I tried was to create a BartPE boot CD, which I hoped
would allow me to boot the machine and remove the problem file. I can
boot the machine with that CD into the BartPE environment, which gives
me some basic tools that I can used to delete files from the hard drive,
but I have not found a way to identify which file is causing the
problem.

Does anyone know of a way to determine the order in which those files
are being processed so that I can find the next file on the list? Or is
there a way to identify the file through an error log somehow?

Thanks for any help that you can offer.

--Tom
 
It seems to me that disk images work perfect on machines that have similar
hardware. But I have doubts that loading a disk image of another pc onto an
older one and especially a dell (since dell has a number of dell drivers)
will work. Sort of like putting a GM V6 engine from an assembly line into a
Volkswagon...
 
Was the image created on a Dell Optiplex GX150? If not and sysprep was not
run before the imaging with the proper options it is likely the image won't
work because the hardware is too different from the machine that was imaged.
 
What we are trying to do a build a universal image. The term "universal
image" is, in my opinion, a very optimistic term. In my experience, they
may work well for 2 or 3 models of computer, and then you need to update the
image. On the other hand, maybe we're just no very good at building images!
:-)

--Tom
 
I'm not sure what system was used the build the image, but I'm certain that
it was NOT a GX150. The name of the image file is BaseXPSysPrepped, so I
assume that sysprep was run. The person who built the image is out of the
office today, so I can't ask him to verify that, but if my assumption is
wrong I will post an update to this thread.

--Tom
 
It depends what options were used with sysprep. If the hardware is too
dissimilar then even a properly sysprepped image may not work.
 
Thomas M said:
Windows XP SP2

Recently, a co-worker created an image of Windows XP with SP2
installed.
The image file that he created has been used to successfully image a
number of machines, so I believe that the image file itself is fine.
The other day I used that image file to put Windows XP on a Dell
Optiplex GX150. The imaging process completed successfully, but when
I
try to boot the machine it always hangs.
Click to expand...

<snip>

Your friend is pirating Windows by installing the same license on
multiple hosts and you want us to help you steal another copy to a host
that has different hardware than on the host your friend made the image?
This is not a warez group. What happens when you actually BUY a retail
or OEM version of Windows and use that? If you had a legit copy of the
Windows install CD, you could boot using it to do a Repair (in-place
upgrade) to try to fix the driver problem, but if you have a legit copy
of the Windows install CD then that is what you would have used to
install it.
 
Vanguard said:
<snip>

Your friend is pirating Windows by installing the same license on
multiple hosts and you want us to help you steal another copy to a
host that has different hardware than on the host your friend made
the image? This is not a warez group. What happens when you actually
BUY a retail or OEM version of Windows and use that? If you had a
legit copy of the Windows install CD, you could boot using it to do a
Repair (in-place upgrade) to try to fix the driver problem, but if
you have a legit copy of the Windows install CD then that is what you
would have used to install it.
Click to expand...

Have you heard of volume licensing?

:-)
 
Kerry Brown said:
Have you heard of volume licensing?
Click to expand...


Yep. You saw "SysPrep" mentioned in the original post, the one to which
I replied? The common usage of "image" is one that is made by Norton
Ghost, Acronis, or another 3rd party software, not by SysPrep. I
figured anyone that knew how to use SysPrep would already know how to
deploy those images. The poster's IP address doesn't look to be a
company's host.

IT departments that use images to distribute their volume licenses
already know that the image must be deployed on hosts with the same
hardware configuration. This user wants to use someone else's image
which was made on different hardware. To use that incompatible image,
this user will need to perform a Repair (in-place upgrade) using the
install CD to get the OS sync'ed to his different hardware. He is
trying to shove a BMW camshaft into a Mitsubishi. Having to do a Repair
followed by installation of the motherboard's chipset drivers and any
other drivers for other devices pretty much obviates the whole point in
using SysPrep (or images created by 3rd party software, too). You waste
so much time fixing the imaged host that it would be easier and safer to
just do an install using the retail or OEM install CD in the first
place. You still need to install all the drivers but you don't end up
having to repair the imaged host and hope it works thereafter to get to
the driver installs.
 
Vanguard said:
Yep. You saw "SysPrep" mentioned in the original post, the one to
which I replied? The common usage of "image" is one that is made by
Norton Ghost, Acronis, or another 3rd party software, not by SysPrep.
I figured anyone that knew how to use SysPrep would already know how
to deploy those images. The poster's IP address doesn't look to be a
company's host.

IT departments that use images to distribute their volume licenses
already know that the image must be deployed on hosts with the same
hardware configuration. This user wants to use someone else's image
which was made on different hardware. To use that incompatible image,
this user will need to perform a Repair (in-place upgrade) using the
install CD to get the OS sync'ed to his different hardware. He is
trying to shove a BMW camshaft into a Mitsubishi. Having to do a
Repair followed by installation of the motherboard's chipset drivers
and any other drivers for other devices pretty much obviates the
whole point in using SysPrep (or images created by 3rd party
software, too). You waste so much time fixing the imaged host that
it would be easier and safer to just do an install using the retail
or OEM install CD in the first place. You still need to install all
the drivers but you don't end up having to repair the imaged host and
hope it works thereafter to get to the driver installs.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm an optimist and assume that people are honest. Other than
calling the OP a pirate we both said much the same thing about using images.
 
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