INF Importing Errors, SP2 Confusion - Oh My!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Max Bolingbroke
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Max Bolingbroke

Hi there!

I downloaded Windows XP Embedded a couple of months ago, and an
opportunity to test it out has just come up. So, I happily installed the
tools and got stuck in.. it was all going splendidly, with that lovely
intuitive Target Designer, but it turned out I needed some drivers
(nForce chipset) that were not available in the standard database. "No
problem", I though, as a quick google revealed that Component Designer
could import INFs to make Embedded compatiable packages.

However, trying to do this on the memory controller and the system
mangement bus INF files (the only two I bothered trying) led to the
error "File import due to unspecified error while processing file
[F:\Windows Embedded Data\My Drivers\nForce\From
Installer\SMBus\nvsmbus.inf] or similar. A slightly longer period of
googling revealed that other people had had this problem, and that I
could use econvert to do the same job. I happily fired this up, and ran
it like so:

D:\Windows Embedded\utilities>econvert /I:"F:\Windows Embedded Data\My
Drivers\nForce\From Installer\MemCtl\nvmemctl.inf" /O:"F:\Windows
Embedded Data\My Drivers\nForce-5.10\Output\"

Only to be told "Conversion failed, elapsed time: 0000 seconds" with no
more detailed error. FileMon tells me that it is accessing the file OK,
but it just dosen't like it for some reason! (To be totally accurate,
FileMon seems to indicate that the utility isnt even reading data from
the file! It just openes it, queryies information, closes it, opens it
twice (!), queries sets and queries, closes it, opens it again, queries
and closes it twice.

I saw some information that the Component Designer bug is only present
in the SP2 version, but http://blogs.msdn.com/mikehall claims SP2 was
only out yesterday! When I ticked the box to download SP2 a few months
ago what exactly was it that I got then? It said SP2 when I ran the
install in the disk3 subdirectory. As if this wasnt enough, downloading
SP2 from the page linked from that site tells me I have a licenced copy,
when in actual fact I only have the evaluation version - the thing to
which that 120 day limit should apply, surely?

Anyway, sorry for the long post but can someone please tell me what I'm
doing wrong :) I'm at my wits end here!

Max Bolingbroke
 
Hi Max,

You have downloaded XPe SP2 Technical Preview.
And there is a problem with CD and inf file import :-( in it.

Basically you can use standard chipset components provided by some of macro components like "Minlogon Macro".
And then just make your NVIDIA chipset component that will copy inf, dll, sys files to their folders. PnP will do the rest.

Read following thread and ask if you need help with understanding how to do things.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&[email protected]

Regards,
Slobodan


Max Bolingbroke said:
Hi there!

I downloaded Windows XP Embedded a couple of months ago, and an
opportunity to test it out has just come up. So, I happily installed the
tools and got stuck in.. it was all going splendidly, with that lovely
intuitive Target Designer, but it turned out I needed some drivers
(nForce chipset) that were not available in the standard database. "No
problem", I though, as a quick google revealed that Component Designer
could import INFs to make Embedded compatiable packages.

However, trying to do this on the memory controller and the system
mangement bus INF files (the only two I bothered trying) led to the
error "File import due to unspecified error while processing file
[F:\Windows Embedded Data\My Drivers\nForce\From
Installer\SMBus\nvsmbus.inf] or similar. A slightly longer period of
googling revealed that other people had had this problem, and that I
could use econvert to do the same job. I happily fired this up, and ran
it like so:

D:\Windows Embedded\utilities>econvert /I:"F:\Windows Embedded Data\My
Drivers\nForce\From Installer\MemCtl\nvmemctl.inf" /O:"F:\Windows
Embedded Data\My Drivers\nForce-5.10\Output\"

Only to be told "Conversion failed, elapsed time: 0000 seconds" with no
more detailed error. FileMon tells me that it is accessing the file OK,
but it just dosen't like it for some reason! (To be totally accurate,
FileMon seems to indicate that the utility isnt even reading data from
the file! It just openes it, queryies information, closes it, opens it
twice (!), queries sets and queries, closes it, opens it again, queries
and closes it twice.

I saw some information that the Component Designer bug is only present
in the SP2 version, but http://blogs.msdn.com/mikehall claims SP2 was
only out yesterday! When I ticked the box to download SP2 a few months
ago what exactly was it that I got then? It said SP2 when I ran the
install in the disk3 subdirectory. As if this wasnt enough, downloading
SP2 from the page linked from that site tells me I have a licenced copy,
when in actual fact I only have the evaluation version - the thing to
which that 120 day limit should apply, surely?

Anyway, sorry for the long post but can someone please tell me what I'm
doing wrong :) I'm at my wits end here!

Max Bolingbroke
Click to expand...
 
Hi Slobodan,

Thanks very much for your reply :) Is there any way I can upgrade my
technical preview to the real SP2, bearing in mind this error I get when
I start the SP2 bootstrapper:

"The download tool has detected a licensed copy of Windows XP Embedded
installed on this computer"

Or is the only way a total reinstall? If so, is there something I should
be doing to make sure my copy of XP Embedded stays "unlicensed"?

The thread you pointed me to is very interesting, but I'm not 100% clear
about how I am meant to use the generic components and the nVidia ones
together. If I understood right, I think it is because you must include
some chipset drivers so FBA can start, and then there will be some
folder it scans for drivers that I can fill with my nVidia files
(somehow) and automatically install in lieu of being able to make my own
packages for the nVidia components. Is that about right?

Thanks for your help!

Max
 
Hi Max,

Release of SP2 should be available any moment now. (Probably it is already I had not time to look yet).
Just uninstall DB (detach DB and rename folder to keep it as a backup) and then install new SP2, it should be enough. (I have not
done it yet).
bearing in mind this error I get when I start the SP2 bootstrapper:
Click to expand...
I do not understand this part.
If I understood right, I think it is because you must include
some chipset drivers so FBA can start, and then there will be some
folder it scans for drivers that I can fill with my nVidia files
(somehow) and automatically install in lieu of being able to make my own
packages for the nVidia components. Is that about right?
Click to expand...

Right :-)

To empty project just add following components:
- MinLogon Sample Macro
- Device Manager (Only if you are interested to see what is happening when you do not add drivers and in new build after you have
added drivers, FYI: This component will have heavy impact on your image )

Resolve all dependencies. (No warnings or errors should be left)
After this you should be able to boot your computer. (No TAP results are needed for this to work.)

After this first test you can run devmngr.msc to run Device Manager and see state of your uninstalled hardware (and hardware
supported trough generic drivers).
Add inf, dll, sys files in (windows\inf, windows\system32, windows\system32\drivers) folders respectively in pre FBA image that
during the FBA drivers will be installed. And you will see different texts (drivers) in device manager.

This way you can add generic components for video adapter support and add video drivers manually.
Also you might want to replace HAL component from "Standard PC" to some ACPI component like "ACPI Multiprocessor PC", and add few
additional components required to make it work.

After playing for a while you will get a hang of this.

Regards,
Slobodan
 
Hi,

Thank you very much for your help, I think I can manage that now.
However, it does seem a little annoying that (if I understand you right)
I have to add the drivers in manually each time I rebuild the image.
Never mind, it's not that onerous. Is there any benefit to using this
folder method other than a) not having one component created for each
device it specifies and b) not having to use the buggy component designer?

I found it odd that I recieved that SP2 install error because as far as
I know I do actually have the evaluation version - I registered it with
a key I obtained from the Windows Embedded Kit evaluation website. Since
the SP2 upgrade seeme to be for the evaluation version, I'm a bit
confused as to why I have the error..

Actually, I have one more quick question: I've just remembered that the
target machine will be running a RAID 0+1 array.. I can only assume that
this is a fairly major obstacle to XP Embedded. Could I use another
machine to transfer the image onto a C partition on the array (after I
install the RAID drivers using your folder method, of course), then let
the RAID controller boot into that and keep FBA happy?

Thanks again!

Max Bolingbroke
 
Hi Max,

Component designer works, this is a good part. Just there is a problem with inf file import, but you can create component manually
that will copy files that you need :-)
Is there any benefit to using this
folder method other than a) not having one component created for each
device it specifies and b) not having to use the buggy component designer?
Click to expand...

Benefit is that you can make universal image that will boot on any hardware. And just by adding component(s) that will bring driver
files you can support as many different hardware platforms as you want with same image.
I found it odd that I recieved that SP2 install error because as far as
I know I do actually have the evaluation version - I registered it with
Click to expand...

I do not recall you mentioned the exact error that you have seen. Please create new thread and describe problem.
Actually, I have one more quick question: I've just remembered that the
target machine will be running a RAID 0+1 array.. I can only assume that
this is a fairly major obstacle to XP Embedded. Could I use another
machine to transfer the image onto a C partition on the array (after I
install the RAID drivers using your folder method, of course), then let
the RAID controller boot into that and keep FBA happy?
Click to expand...

I do not know how RAID was implemented trough drivers or hardware, or both :-(
If RAID drivers are critical to boot system then my approach will not work, and you must preinstall them from component or TD. (But
you can always do the same things that inf import does manually.)

Please download SP2 release and see if there is still problem with inf import.

Regards,
Slobodan
 
Actually, I have one more quick question: I've just remembered that the
I do not know how RAID was implemented trough drivers or hardware, or both :-(
If RAID drivers are critical to boot system then my approach will not work, and you must preinstall them from component or TD. (But
you can always do the same things that inf import does manually.)
Click to expand...


If it is Promise RAID, you will need to componentize "Win XP Promise FastTrak 376 (tm) Controller" driver (I have the component if
you need it).
It is a critical to boot driver (cmiIsCriticalDevice=True). Without it you will get 7B BSOD.
 
KM said:
If it is Promise RAID, you will need to componentize "Win XP Promise FastTrak 376 (tm) Controller" driver (I have the component if
you need it).
It is a critical to boot driver (cmiIsCriticalDevice=True). Without it you will get 7B BSOD.
Click to expand...

I'm using HighPoint RAID, but thanks for the tip - I'm sure it will be
applicable. I finally managed to get SP2 installed today, and its fixed
the inf import bug (woohoo!), which means that it should be plain
sailing from here on out. Thank you both for your help, especially
Slobodan for the information about manual driver installs.

Max Bolingbroke
 
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