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#481
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Win7 support:
I installed all the programs including Macrium.
https://postimg.cc/rRT73Qdn https://postimg.cc/LYgH2C8m Looks like everything is done and the 780 is back and running fine. In passing, I noticed that in Windows Boot Manager the 780 use to take 10 seconds before booting but after we recovered Win 7 it reverted to 30 seconds which is what the 8500 is. That was my first indication that we had succeeded. I still have to create the Rescue CD later today. Many thanks for all your good help and explaining things. I really appreciate it. Robert |
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#482
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Win7 support:
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#483
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
I created a Rescue CD (I hope). https://postimg.cc/CndZK6rB https://postimg.cc/BLjsP9s0 Robert Why does this say Windows PE 3.1 ? https://postimg.cc/CndZK6rB I hope that boots OK as a CD. ******* Back in Macrium 5 version, the PE versions offered were 4.0 and 3.0. http://reflect.macrium.com/help/v5/O...dia_Wizard.htm I'm not sure I understand what that 3.1 means. The "Version" and "PEVersion" files on the CD can be opened in Wordpad or similar, to verify the version information. https://postimg.cc/BLjsP9s0 The Version should say "7.2...." at a rough guess, and I thought the possible PE versions were 4.0, 5.0, 10.0 and so on. If it used the WinRE and didn't download a WADK kit, then the PE version on that, I haven't a clue what the value would say. Things I would check, would be booting, whether it handles USB3 (but there is no USB3 on the 780), and whether you can use File Sharing to get an MRIMG file from another computer on your home LAN. That's mostly what I check for. Paul |
#484
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Win7 support:
Things I would check, would be booting, whether it handles USB3 (but there is no USB3 on the 780), and whether you can use File Sharing to get an MRIMG file from another computer on your home LAN. That's mostly what I check for. Paul I don't know why it says 3.1 I was just winging it and clicked what I thought was correct. I've only done this once or twice before and its hard to remember with all the other stuff we've done. I created a Mrimg for the 780 since I have no backups for the new OS so I thought I better have a Mrimg made to recover from just in case. https://postimg.cc/0bJp4BvQ I then inserted the Rescue CD which I just made and you saw it complete but it didn't load. https://postimg.cc/CndZK6rB https://postimg.cc/BLjsP9s0 What's going on ? Robert |
#485
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
Things I would check, would be booting, whether it handles USB3 (but there is no USB3 on the 780), and whether you can use File Sharing to get an MRIMG file from another computer on your home LAN. That's mostly what I check for. Paul I don't know why it says 3.1 I was just winging it and clicked what I thought was correct. I've only done this once or twice before and its hard to remember with all the other stuff we've done. I created a Mrimg for the 780 since I have no backups for the new OS so I thought I better have a Mrimg made to recover from just in case. https://postimg.cc/0bJp4BvQ I then inserted the Rescue CD which I just made and you saw it complete but it didn't load. https://postimg.cc/CndZK6rB https://postimg.cc/BLjsP9s0 What's going on ? Robert I wanted you to look at the "Version" and "PEVersion" files as those are text files and give release info. The basic form of the files is correct. The disc looks like a hybrid UEFI/MSDOS DVD. There are important parts which are invisible, and those aren't as easy to verify. ******* In the WADK (the thing Macrium likes to download), the following executable command is part of the kit. (I don't think oscdimg.exe is part of regular Windows.) oscdimg -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bF:\WORK\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,b F:\WORK\efi\Microsoft\boot\efisys.bin F:\WORK F:\W190364.iso The bootdata line contains "2" boot options. etfsboot.com is the legacy boot. Efisys.bin is the UEFI boot option. The #p option seems to specify the "type" of the file in question, so it gets stuffed in the appropriate cubby hole. The F:\WORK is the folder with the desired ISO contents, including the (now smaller) install.wim. The output is the last item on the parameter list. If you looked in the "Advanced" part of preparing a Macrium CD, there are various versions of WinPE. It's possible, if you started with an old enough copy of Macrium, there is a version of WinPE which is older than the menu items would show. Each entry in the table has a description, telling you what the various environments correspond to. WinPE 10 = USB3 driver builtin, behaves like Win10 (juggling balls) WinPE 5 = USB3 driver builtin, behaves like Win8.1 ... and so on When you make a Macrium CD, you have to select the one you want to be used as the basis of the CD build. if the WinPE is not currently on the machine, it is downloaded before the build can go forward. Using "disktype.exe", you can dump some details about the CD, but the problem with "disktype.exe" is there is no native Windows port of the command. The one I use is a Cygwin port. The command is also available in Linux (not standard on the Linux CD, but must be added from the package manager). Basically, all of these options are a pain in the ass :-) It's the usual "do these hundred steps, to get this tiny stinking executable" exercise. I'd like you to have a copy, but how ? ******* One other thing. Watch the screen when you boot from a DVD. When it says "Press any key to boot from CD" you *must* press any key (space bar will do) witbin 5 seconds, or, the boot will "fall through" to the hard drive instead. That could be the step you are missing. Paul Paul |
#486
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Win7 support:
It seems what your saying is that I chose the wrong version and it's missing the boot command. Here the steps I took: https://postimg.cc/f3ykrNwr https://postimg.cc/dZP13ZGb https://postimg.cc/xqM87g2n https://postimg.cc/FfYsxVpt https://postimg.cc/y3H1s4HB https://postimg.cc/gxJYYHfw https://postimg.cc/w1G93spw https://postimg.cc/xq3J8gFg https://postimg.cc/bZss6PYF https://postimg.cc/YGw0qm6J Robert |
#487
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Win7 support:
Here's the PEVersion: https://postimg.cc/f3by3hpv https://postimg.cc/vx5ZR8xG https://postimg.cc/9r8FvkrR and Version: https://postimg.cc/ns7F9cTB https://postimg.cc/rRyMHGTN https://postimg.cc/0rZ8w4GW Robert |
#488
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
It seems what your saying is that I chose the wrong version and it's missing the boot command. Here the steps I took: https://postimg.cc/f3ykrNwr https://postimg.cc/dZP13ZGb https://postimg.cc/xqM87g2n https://postimg.cc/FfYsxVpt https://postimg.cc/y3H1s4HB https://postimg.cc/gxJYYHfw https://postimg.cc/w1G93spw https://postimg.cc/xq3J8gFg https://postimg.cc/bZss6PYF https://postimg.cc/YGw0qm6J Robert I wouldn't say it was the "wrong" version as such. If I use the scroll bar in 7.2.4325, I see there is a WinPE 3.1 hiding down there. So the option does exist. I just hadn't noticed it had a scroll bar now. https://i.postimg.cc/pVGsxVwP/macriu...ia-choices.gif The description even claims it's a "default" choice for a Windows 7 hardware system, if the WinRE.wim file is not being used by Macrium instead. That is part of a WAIK kit, and at first my concern was that perhaps it wasn't a complete UEFI implementation. Your CD is decorated with UEFI files, and they should be wired up appropriately if present on the disc. I'm not convinced this has anything to do with "not booting" though. I was just surprised to see a mention of WinPE 3.1 after so many years have passed. Have you seen a "Press any key to boot from CD" prompt in the BIOS popup boot menu ? (Pressing F12) I think that prompt appears if you select the optical drive as a boot source, while using F12. I'm not convinced the Dell BIOS is fully baked, which means you have to "try everything" to get around the limits. In this case, I think Popup Boot F12 is the right choice, select the optical drive in that menu, then *keep eyes peeled* near the bottom of the popup boot menu, as the sentence about "Press any key..." appears there. You have *five seconds* to hit the space bar, or it'll vector off and use the hard drive option instead. This is why it is failing to boot, because you're not pressing the space bar when instructed :-) Now, how many times have I been distracted and missed pressing that... You don't know the half of that thing. Sometimes the timing is such, there can be as much as a 20 second delay before the prompt appears. And I've already turned my back on the machine, assuming I don't have to press the key. When I turn around I realize "dammit!, missed again". Paul |
#489
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Win7 support:
Have you seen a "Press any key to boot from CD" prompt in the BIOS popup boot menu ? (Pressing F12) I think that prompt appears if you select the optical drive as a boot source, while using F12. I'm not convinced the Dell BIOS is fully baked, which means you have to "try everything" to get around the limits. In this case, I think Popup Boot F12 is the right choice, select the optical drive in that menu, then *keep eyes peeled* near the bottom of the popup boot menu, as the sentence about "Press any key..." appears there. You have *five seconds* to hit the space bar, or it'll vector off and use the hard drive option instead. This is why it is failing to boot, because you're not pressing the space bar when instructed :-) Now, how many times have I been distracted and missed pressing that... You don't know the half of that thing. Sometimes the timing is such, there can be as much as a 20 second delay before the prompt appears. And I've already turned my back on the machine, assuming I don't have to press the key. When I turn around I realize "dammit!, missed again". Paul No, its failing because the message never appears. As I said, I have looked for the message 'press any key' to start the Rescue CD but none have appeared. So you want me to change the boot sequence? and try again? I don't mind but 'normally' I shouldn't have to change to boot sequence for this to run, it should automatically detect it just like when I put in a CD or DVD and it detects it this should be no different. I will give it a try and let you know. Robert |
#490
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
Have you seen a "Press any key to boot from CD" prompt in the BIOS popup boot menu ? (Pressing F12) I think that prompt appears if you select the optical drive as a boot source, while using F12. I'm not convinced the Dell BIOS is fully baked, which means you have to "try everything" to get around the limits. In this case, I think Popup Boot F12 is the right choice, select the optical drive in that menu, then *keep eyes peeled* near the bottom of the popup boot menu, as the sentence about "Press any key..." appears there. You have *five seconds* to hit the space bar, or it'll vector off and use the hard drive option instead. This is why it is failing to boot, because you're not pressing the space bar when instructed :-) Now, how many times have I been distracted and missed pressing that... You don't know the half of that thing. Sometimes the timing is such, there can be as much as a 20 second delay before the prompt appears. And I've already turned my back on the machine, assuming I don't have to press the key. When I turn around I realize "dammit!, missed again". Paul No, its failing because the message never appears. As I said, I have looked for the message 'press any key' to start the Rescue CD but none have appeared. So you want me to change the boot sequence? and try again? I don't mind but 'normally' I shouldn't have to change to boot sequence for this to run, it should automatically detect it just like when I put in a CD or DVD and it detects it this should be no different. I will give it a try and let you know. Robert But you did get the Windows 10 media to boot. So you have had one success in the past. You can exit from the Win10 media without changing anything, and can use it for boot testing. I want to make sure (somehow) that this is a media issue, and not a general booting issue. There's no point in making a pile of rubbish Macrium discs, if the problem is the computer. We should be repeating a test case that worked in the past, to prove the computer can actually boot (at all) from optical media. My concern is, it's something about the BIOS. Something is weird about that BIOS. Almost like... it's an early EFI capable BIOS, with severe NVRAM variable problems (early EFI BIOS were immature and had some pretty bad bugs). That's what it smells like. Yet there are no visible signs in the BIOS setup screens, that the BIOS is designed that way. I don't know what to make of it. The other possibility, is there is a problem with the optical drive. The optical drive has two lasers. One laser is used to read CDs. The other laser is used to read DVDs. If there is a "difference" in booting between CDs and DVDs, you might blame it on a laser problem. You can test lasers and the like, by using Imgburn while Windows 7 is booted on the 780, and "rip" a representative CD and a representative DVD. If Imgburn reports no problems, then that is good evidence the drive is OK. If the drive speeds up and slows down a lot (indicating a read problem), it could be some kind of drive-related issue. I don't think I've ever had a drive completely "flake out" on me. One of my current SATA opticals, might have a weakness when writing the CMC media I'm using now (not the best of media). And I've certainly had the problem, where ancient IDE CD drives cannot read CD-RW media, but that's expected (happens to everyone). That's an ancient problem. There's a difference between reading pressed media, versus burned media, on the oldest of drives. The burned media doesn't have quite as good optical properties. Paul |
#491
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Win7 support:
Success! https://postimg.cc/9wT4pPcF https://postimg.cc/75qC3Tdw https://postimg.cc/ykyx88d5 https://postimg.cc/p5tVPwtR https://postimg.cc/nMvc3hvz https://postimg.cc/wtCgkCML I left the settings as is. Could you please give a link to that program which evaluates the HD and then gives a trace. Robert |
#492
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Win7 support:
I just got a Activate Windows pop-up
on the 780!? Isn't that weird? It happened so fast I couldn't take a screenshot. Robert |
#493
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
Success! https://postimg.cc/9wT4pPcF https://postimg.cc/75qC3Tdw https://postimg.cc/ykyx88d5 https://postimg.cc/p5tVPwtR https://postimg.cc/nMvc3hvz https://postimg.cc/wtCgkCML I left the settings as is. Could you please give a link to that program which evaluates the HD and then gives a trace. Robert I'm not sure I understand. What kind of trace do you want ? A file listing ? Paul |
#494
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Win7 support:
Robert in CA wrote:
I just got a Activate Windows pop-up on the 780!? Isn't that weird? It happened so fast I couldn't take a screenshot. Robert Has it gone Not Genuine again ? From an Administrator Command Prompt, try slmgr /dlv and it will say something about "activated" or "grace period", where "grace period" needs the license key to be entered so it can activate. The System control panel may also contain a string indicating activation. Paul |
#495
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Win7 support:
On Monday, August 19, 2019 at 10:17:46 AM UTC-7, Paul wrote:
Robert in CA wrote: Success! https://postimg.cc/9wT4pPcF https://postimg.cc/75qC3Tdw https://postimg.cc/ykyx88d5 https://postimg.cc/p5tVPwtR https://postimg.cc/nMvc3hvz https://postimg.cc/wtCgkCML I left the settings as is. Could you please give a link to that program which evaluates the HD and then gives a trace. Robert I'm not sure I understand. What kind of trace do you want ? A file listing ? Paul I can't remember the program, but it does a scan of the HD and then afterwards there's a trace (an arc) with little dots that fill in and shows spikes etc. Robert |
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