• dlpirl
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Topic: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

"The system cannot find the path specified." That's the XP Pro Setup message I am getting, and I need to learn why and fix it. 

I've prepared my network WINNT.SIF file installation via nLite and slipstreamed all DriverPacks drivers immediately prior to running the final nLite build step as recommended here. I boot via USB BartPE installing my C-drive SATA driver at the F6 prompt. I verify the C-drive is fine and give it a quick NTFS format before I begin my network install using the command line <mapped drive_networkpath>\i386\winnt32.exe /unattend:winnt.sif /syspart:C: /copydir:IT /copydir:i386 /copydir:ServicePackFiles .

Any ideas what to look for to determine why files cannot be copied?  Is the path info in TXTSETUP.SIF? I don't see any issues there.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-19 04:36:42)

  • dlpirl
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OK I figured it out. There were remnants of nLite driver installations (path: i386\NLDRV) in two files, DOSNET.INF and HIVSFT.INF. Once I reverted those files to their pre-nLite state, all went normally. That is until "Setup is starting Windows" after the first reboot. After a few minutes I get a BSOD. I am wondering why when I hit F6 at the prompt I don't gat a prompt to manually install drivers in text mode.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-19 06:26:42)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

Why don't you try and start with a clean slate, virgin XP disc? Then you can find where the issue is coming from easier.

Last edited by stamandster (2009-05-19 06:55:12)

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  • dlpirl
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

kickarse wrote:

Why don't you try and start with a clean slate, virgin XP disc? Then you can find where the issue is coming from easier.

I went back to just after I manually slip streamed in SP3 and before nLite, and I am still getting the BSOD (STOP:0x0000007B). Keep in mind I successfully fed this into nLite before -- meaning my installation was functional but without using DPsBase slip streaming.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-19 08:10:19)

  • OverFlow
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

if you use DriverPacks dont add drivers with nlite - one or the other... both is bad...
If you have already added drivers to your source with nLite then you will need to start over with a clean source.

Driverpacks does not directly support network installs (or any install that uses winnt32.exe)
if you wish to use DriverPacks with a network type install, you will need to get RogueSpears AutoImage wink
AutoImage will correctly configure DriverPacks for a network install.

you can not use F6 drivers with an unnattended OEM install (per microsoft)
One or the other not both... (unnattended or F6 you have to choose)

the intermediate and advanced sections of this guide will provide the general install answers you need...
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/
In fact all but one of your questions is answered in that guide...

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  • dlpirl
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OverFlow wrote:

if you use DriverPacks dont add drivers with nlite - one or the other... both is bad...
If you have already added drivers to your source with nLite then you will need to start over with a clean source.

I know. I am not now adding drivers with nlite --only with DriverPacks

Driverpacks does not directly support network installs (or any install that uses winnt32.exe)
if you wish to use DriverPacks with a network type install, you will need to get RogueSpears AutoImage wink
AutoImage will correctly configure DriverPacks for a network install.

Thanks. I had forgotten that. I did this before about 8 months ago and now remember that my need for a network install was why I went with nLite for driver slipstreaming.  And it worked --just feeding dp folders into nLite. That method is not working now though and am not sure why.  However, on the newer hardware with a DVD player I should be able to perform a DVD install with all dp drivers, so I'll try that.

you can not use F6 drivers with an unnattended OEM install (per microsoft)
One or the other not both... (unnattended or F6 you have to choose)

Thanks, I thought that was probably it.

the intermediate and advanced sections of this guide will provide the general install answers you need...
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/
In fact all but one of your questions is answered in that guide...

I've used it as a reference before but haven't yet found the section on using dp to slipstream drivers wink. Remember I successfully built unattended installations before, but am having trouble slip streaming drivers with DriverPacks.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-19 09:41:41)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

So now with a DVD unattended installation, XP Setup at first hung for over 10 minutes at "Setup is starting Windows".  The hardware is an hp dc7900 Ultra-Slim Desktop.  I restarted and tried again and this time it is working. Go figure... wink

But when it gets ready to do nLite config stuff, it can't find nLite.inf & and nLite.cmd. Hmmmm what's that about? I'm wondering if it is conflicting with DriverPacks finisher.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-19 11:25:49)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

no... it is not confilcting with the finisher... they are unrelated
(hint: remark the call to the finisher and i belive you still have the problem)
it may be they are not referenced in the copy files section...

Nlite works fine if you only want to add drivers for a single (or a few select) machine like a personal reload disc. nLite does not have the sophistication to deal with the entire set of DriverPacks. Although this may work in certian instances you will find that it is not reliable.

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OverFlow wrote:

no... it is not confilcting with the finisher... they are unrelated
(hint: remark the call to the finisher and i belive you still have the problem)
it may be they are not referenced in the copy files section...

Nlite works fine if you only want to add drivers for a single (or a few select) machine like a personal reload disc. nLite does not have the sophistication to deal with the entire set of DriverPacks. Although this may work in certian instances you will find that it is not reliable.

Keep in mind I am now using nLite only for configuration settings, not drivers.  I made a new ISO forcing the recreation of nLite config files nLite.inf, nLite.cmd, and nhelper.exe which control things like such as autologon etc. Immediately before creating the ISO, I ran DPs_Base.exe pointed to my source folder.

What I've found is that prior to running DPs_Base.exe there are nLite entries in TXTSETUP.SIF that are no longer there after Running DPs_Base.exe. What's up with that? And how can I correct this situation?

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-20 04:42:03)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

I already answered your question... "you will need to start over with a clean source."! you ignored me. lol

you can NOT make any changes to your source after DriverPacks. (running nLite a second time counts as making a change)
BASE Tutorial

(DriverPacks then nLite then DriverPacks a sceond time is really really bad!)


I run DriverPacks on a copy of my source for just this reason wink 


your source is really, really corrupted now...  PLEASE start over with a clean source.


I think you will find if you start over and do nLite then autoimage you will be fine!

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  • dlpirl
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OverFlow wrote:

I already answered your question... "you will need to start over with a clean source."! you ignored me. lol

you can NOT make any changes to your source after DriverPacks. (running nLite a second time counts as making a change)
BASE Tutorial

(DriverPacks then nLite then DriverPacks a sceond time is really really bad!)


I run DriverPacks on a copy of my source for just this reason wink 


your source is really, really corrupted now...  PLEASE start over with a clean source.


I think you will find if you start over and do nLite then autoimage you will be fine!

No I did not ignore you. I know you are a VERY IMPORTANT PERSON. I wouldn't do that. big_smile  Sorry if I put you on the wrong track by saying I "forced the recreation of nLite files". No files existed before they were created.

I did start with a clean source and ran DriverPacks last. It didnt' work. Now you want me to do that again. Definition of insanity, right?

Since I needed to move forward, I tried what made sense to me -- save a copy of TXTSETUP.SIF before DriverPacks removed the nLite lines, and then put them back in after DriverPacks is done, before burning my ISO. Guess what? It worked perfectly.

Since you are a code contributor to DriverPacks, I thought you might know why DriverPacks is taking the nLite (inf but non-driver) lines out of TXTSETUP.SIF. I caught it red handed.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-21 04:33:46)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

wen you run driverpacks a second time... which you did...

it restores backups of files it creates when it was run the first time...
it did not remove the lines it restored the backups
when it restored the backups it used copies of the files that were created before you made your changes

BECAUSE YOU DID NOT USE A CLEAN SOURCE wink

I know for a fact that you did not use a clean source because if you did it would not have found any backups to replace wink tongue

you can not make changes after DriverPacks unless you uninstall DriverPacks first...
it is just easier to copy your source and add DriverPacks to the copy

your source is corrupted - even though it is working, it is still really hosed...

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OverFlow wrote:

wen you run driverpacks a second time... which you did...

it restores backups of files it creates when it was run the first time...
it did not remove the lines it restored the backups

BECAUSE YOU DID NOT USE A CLEAN SOURCE wink

The very first time I ran it I *did* use a clean source.

Last edited by dlpirl (2009-05-21 05:31:47)

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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

then why didn't it work?   you tell me...

I already know why
because backup files existed in your supposedly clean source.
if it was a clean source then the backups would not exist...
if they did not exist they could not be used to restore...

IE txtsetup.sif cant be restored if its backup is not found...
If the backup is not found that will throw an error in DriverPacks BASE too...
Base knows if it has previously been run on a source and expects to find its backups if it has.

so i know you made changes to a source that you had previously run DriverPacks on
- it's THE ONLY WAY lines could be removed from txtsetup.sif by DriverPacks BASE
since restoring a backup is the only way BASE will remove lines from txtsetup then you could not have possably started with a clean source...
Since I know changes were made to your source after you ran base the first time then you absolutely have orphaned files in your source and probably more corruption yet to be discovered.

clean source means copy from OEM MS CD and start CLEAN... you absolutely have not done this, I can tell just by the results you are getting.

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  • dlpirl
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Re: "Setup was unable to build the list of files to be copied"

OverFlow wrote:

then why didn't it work?   you tell me...

I already know why
because backup files existed in your supposedly clean source.
if it was a clean source then the backups would not exist...
if they did not exist they could not be used to restore...

IE txtsetup.sif cant be restored if its backup is not found...
If the backup is not found that will throw an error in DriverPacks BASE too...
Base knows if it has previously been run on a source and expects to find its backups if it has.

so i know you made changes to a source that you had previously run DriverPacks on
- it's THE ONLY WAY lines could be removed from txtsetup.sif by DriverPacks BASE
since restoring a backup is the only way BASE will remove lines from txtsetup then you could not have possably started with a clean source...
Since I know changes were made to your source after you ran base the first time then you absolutely have orphaned files in your source and probably more corruption yet to be discovered.

clean source means copy from OEM MS CD and start CLEAN... you absolutely have not done this, I can tell just by the results you are getting.

Well, I *thought* I had started from a clean source. Thanks for explaining how those lines were removed.