A Question About Reinstalling Win ME From The Hard Drive

At this late stage, you should not have a winini.ini file.
Now remove the OEMRESET.exe file from the startup group using msconfig or by
manually editing the registry.
--
Jack E. Martinelli 2002-05 MS MVP for Shell/User / DTS
Help us help you: http://www.dts-L.org/goodpost.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...t/default.aspx
In Memorium: Alex Nichol
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/nichol.mspx
Your cooperation is very appreciated.
------
"My name" wrote in message
. ..
"Jack E Martinelli" wrote in
:

I suspect the OEMRESET.exe file maybe functioning like a winini.ini
file.
Try renaming each, if both exist, to "file_name".old and rebooting to
test.



That is the problem, OEMRESET.EXE is missing and is not located in the
CABS
either. Do you know where I could get a copy of the file?


I can't find a WININI.INI file either. Am I supposed to have one? I don't
believe I did before the reinstall but I'll have to check.

"Jack E Martinelli" wrote in
:

At this late stage, you should not have a winini.ini file.
Now remove the OEMRESET.exe file from the startup group using msconfig
or by manually editing the registry.


I searched for all files relating to WININIT.INI. Here is what I found (all
in the C:\Windows folder):

WININIT.EXE
WININIT.ERR
WININIT.BAK
WININIT.TMP

I copied and then renamed all of these files (except WININIT.EXE) to
WININIT.TXT in order to get an idea of their contents. All were small command
lines that were created by other programs for various functions (such as
SafeDisk2 game copy protection creating a temp file, etc.). However, in
WININIT.ERR I found the following:

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOLSHARE\AOLUNI~1.EXE
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\AOLUNI~1.0 0x0

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\_IU14D2N.TMP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\_IU14D2N.2
0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\WIN386.SWP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\WIN386.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WIN386.SWP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\WIN386.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\_IU14D2N.TMP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\_IU14D2N.2
0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\AFTR001.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\AFTR001.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\FLOPPY~1.EXE
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\FLOPPY~1.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\INST001.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\INST001.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\INST002.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\INST002.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\INST003.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\INST003.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\INST004.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\INST004.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PFT4211.TMP\LA001.RTF
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\LA001.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WIN386.SWP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\WIN386.0 0x20

ERROR: DELETE_FILE C:\WIN386.SWP C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\WIN386.0 0x20

I just noticed that this is probably not relevant to my situation because the
modified date for this file is over a year old (and none of these files exist
on my machine except WIN386.SWP). Hmmm...back to square one?

I have searched in the CABS for an original copy of WININIT.INI but it is not
located there unless it is created during the install/reinstall process.
Exactly what is its function?

As for OEMRESET.EXE, I had removed it from the RUN section of the registry at
about the time all of this started.

Thanks for your help Jack but I'm still clueless....

My name wrote in
:

"Jack E Martinelli" wrote in
:

At this late stage, you should not have a winini.ini file.
Now remove the OEMRESET.exe file from the startup group using msconfig
or by manually editing the registry.


Ok, did my homework. There is not a WININIT.INI file on my system but I do
have one question, could Windows be expecting a WININIT.INI file in order
finish the installation process during the first boot?

I ask because I have read that early in the boot process, WININIT.EXE is
called in order to search for WININIT.INI. This file is written to and used
when files, folders, etc. need to be renamed/deleted during a reboot
(particularly if the file is currently loaded in memory).

So I guess in order to answer that question, I would need to know if the
reinstall process creates and uses a WININIT.INI file and uses it to
delete/replace files. Is this file created and used to make the final changes
during the first boot of a fresh install?

The WININIT.INI file is not used during the reinstall of ME - although it
will almost certainly be used during the final boot phase of installing
drivers.

It is created by many installers to allow removal/replacement of files which
are 'in use' at the time of the install. The files to be removed/replaced
are listed, together with their target location, and then the wininit.ini
file is saved in C:\Windows.
On a reboot, WININIT.EXE runs before windows loads, and does the file
replacements indicated in the WININIT.INI file (which is where you see the
'Updating System Configuration.....' message), and then renames the
WININIT.INI file to (I think) WININIT.BAK

HTH

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

In fond memory of one of life's Gentlemen - Alex Nichol
http://www.aumha.org/alex.htm

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"My name" wrote in message
.. .
My name wrote in
:

"Jack E Martinelli" wrote in
:

At this late stage, you should not have a winini.ini file.
Now remove the OEMRESET.exe file from the startup group using msconfig
or by manually editing the registry.


Ok, did my homework. There is not a WININIT.INI file on my system but I do
have one question, could Windows be expecting a WININIT.INI file in order
finish the installation process during the first boot?

I ask because I have read that early in the boot process, WININIT.EXE is
called in order to search for WININIT.INI. This file is written to and
used
when files, folders, etc. need to be renamed/deleted during a reboot
(particularly if the file is currently loaded in memory).

So I guess in order to answer that question, I would need to know if the
reinstall process creates and uses a WININIT.INI file and uses it to
delete/replace files. Is this file created and used to make the final
changes
during the first boot of a fresh install?

My understanding is identical to Noel's.

Error Message: Wininit.exe Cannot Be Run from Within Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;299332

Error Message: System Restore Cannot Run Until You Restart the Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;274092

Error Message When You Upgrade to Windows Me: "The Following File Is Missing
or Corrupt"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;268980

--
Jack E. Martinelli 2002-05 MS MVP for Shell/User / DTS
Help us help you: http://www.dts-L.org/goodpost.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...t/default.aspx
In Memorium: Alex Nichol
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/nichol.mspx
Your cooperation is very appreciated.
------
"Noel Paton" wrote in message
...
The WININIT.INI file is not used during the reinstall of ME - although it
will almost certainly be used during the final boot phase of installing
drivers.

It is created by many installers to allow removal/replacement of files
which
are 'in use' at the time of the install. The files to be removed/replaced
are listed, together with their target location, and then the wininit.ini
file is saved in C:\Windows.
On a reboot, WININIT.EXE runs before windows loads, and does the file
replacements indicated in the WININIT.INI file (which is where you see the
'Updating System Configuration.....' message), and then renames the
WININIT.INI file to (I think) WININIT.BAK

HTH

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

In fond memory of one of life's Gentlemen - Alex Nichol
http://www.aumha.org/alex.htm

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"My name" wrote in message
.. .
My name wrote in
:

"Jack E Martinelli" wrote in
:

At this late stage, you should not have a winini.ini file.
Now remove the OEMRESET.exe file from the startup group using msconfig
or by manually editing the registry.


Ok, did my homework. There is not a WININIT.INI file on my system but I
do
have one question, could Windows be expecting a WININIT.INI file in
order
finish the installation process during the first boot?

I ask because I have read that early in the boot process, WININIT.EXE is
called in order to search for WININIT.INI. This file is written to and
used
when files, folders, etc. need to be renamed/deleted during a reboot
(particularly if the file is currently loaded in memory).

So I guess in order to answer that question, I would need to know if the
reinstall process creates and uses a WININIT.INI file and uses it to
delete/replace files. Is this file created and used to make the final
changes
during the first boot of a fresh install?