sorry you can't understand. it's clearly explained i think. but i understand it can be difficult for the novice--not trying to be rude, i assure you. give me 10 minutes and i'll make you a short video, and hopefully that will help you. hang tight, friend.
Ok. I transferred the Windows XP file (copied from the disk with the added files from here) directly to the C: drive and renamed it "XPOEM" and also transferred the TEMP file directly to the C: drive as well. It worked and created the ISO. I then burned it in Roxio Media Creator at 12x speed. Now another problem. The computer won't boot to the disk. I changed boot sequence to boot first from CD/DVD drive but it does not work, so I must have done something wrong. I know the DVD drive works because the comp booted from a CD a few days ago. So now what?
you must have done something wrong. idk what you did though as i'm not there. chances are the cd is not made right. the video is almost through uploading, just make sure your folder structure was exactly the same as mine in the video. if it was and it's not working then you either copied the wrong files into the image you had, or you didn't copy all the files like you were suppose to. it's not rocket science
if you can't figure it out, which i don't know why you wouldn't be able to, but if you can't you'll have to redownload the files you did before and try that. i don't have a premium account anywhere to upload an image for you, but i gladly would if i did just so you would have one...
If you are in a hurry, use any retail/oem sp3 disc to install and do not enter serial on install. you can then use the oembios changer with an oembios set from gateway and be done.. I would suggest using powerISO to dump an OEM cd you have as an ISO and adding the OEMBIOS set and winnt.sif to the i386 folder..this ISO would be bootable as well if you just dumped it with powerISO..I am not a big fan of makeiso.. perhaps a bigger project than you hoped??? this is really incredibly easy with some knowledge of computers and iso software.. Care to relay your knowledge level so I can tailor an instructional for you???
bThis, in my experience, can be caused by poor burn, burned at too high speed, bad media, or something as bad memory module or other hardware...while installing, disconnect all unnecessary hardware and usb devices..
What is the problem here you already have (HP/Compaq, Dell, IBM, Acer) cd I told you easiest thing to do would be to edit one of those but instead Tito advises to download one of his which you would need to edit anyway because there is no OEM:SLP key in Winnt.sif file and also you even go on to use a retail cd even more work and just confusing yourself.
URIE: Ok. I copied the contents of my Dell Windows XP Pro disk (Service Pack 2). Exactly which files do I need to replace? I found the winnt sif file with the key. So I know I need to change that key. But what about the OEM and BIOS files? Do I use the same ones as I used on the retail CD? Put the files in the same locations?
I remembered your earlier post about how to edit the OEM CDs. So I took the contents of my Dell CD and I deleted the $OEM$ folder and put in Gateway OEM BIOS files. I built the ISO with CDImage and burned with Roxio at 15x. Now I can't get the CD to boot. I have wasted half a dozen CDs that either won't boot or have corrupted the system files. I know there are no known hardware problems with the comp, other than the hard drive which I have replaced. I have already test-installed a corporate XP Pro on it a few days ago with no problems. However, I don't want to use that corporate CD because that one has several components removed from it (I downloaded it from Pirate Bay). Its one of those Frankenstein versions that someone created and I want a plain old regular copy. So, I have tried virtually all the suggestions here, and have no idea what else to do. I redid the copying of the BIOS and OEM files several times the way it was described here to make sure I was doing it correctly, and from what I can tell, I am. Besides installing it on this computer, I would like to have a Gateway disk for future use. What am I doing wrong??
Install ANY retail or oem copy of sp3 and do not enter a serial. SP3 allows for install without serial and will offer 30 trial. Then use the Gateway oembios set and the oembios changer. The serial will be entered for you...PowerISO is far superior to any other I have tried for dumping and altering ISO files..you need to look at this option. cdimage is not the best tool for beginners...period. I do not use it at all. Load the cd in the drive, open the poweriso and under tools dropdown use the "make cd/dvd rom image file"..this will make an ISO of your disc. You can now alter it at will from the poweriso. Non destructive (if you want) and the image remains bootable...no switches or other crap..just save it. You can open the iso in poweriso and change the oembios files in the I386 folder and add the WINNT.SIF at the bottom..(remove the .txt extension).. If using the retail version and you want to convert, change the setupp file also...
Just wanted everyone to know I solved the initial problem. I was not able to create my own disk but finally managed to find a Gateway XP disk on a torrent site. It installed without problem and passes genuine. The only thing is the SLP key is for an emachines. Will that make any difference? Or does that not matter. Emachines is part of Gateway, BTW. Also, on a more unrelated note. Does anyone have any advice on installing drivers? I got all drivers installed except the audio driver. I tried the most recent version listed on Gateway's site but it won't take. I go to install the "SoundMAX" software and it says "Driver not found! Reboot your system, and run this setup again". I thought that by clicking on that it would install the software along with the relevant driver but it doesn't. I tried right clicking on the "Multimedia Audio Controller", which has a yellow question mark next to it in Device Manager, and then I clicked update driver and tried both installing driver automatically and from a specific location, but it said that it could not install software/driver. I tried all versions listed for this computer in Gateway support. The computer is a Gateway E series E4000, and I used the drivers from the E4100 listed there, since it is the closest. Any suggestions as to what I should do? Thats the only driver missing and the only one that wouldn't install.
Ok. I solved that too. Turns out my BIOS version was a little more rare and was not listed under Gateway support for this model. Got all drivers installed and Windows XP is working and genuine. The only other thing like I said is the fact that whoever created this CD (if in fact someone did create it) used an eMachines key rather than a Gateway key. Will that make any difference? Thanks again for your help.
Some keys work for more than one manufacturer, on another note personally you did not solve the problem. What will happen if you get another oem machine and you do not have a cd you still did not manage to make your own.