Lesson 5:Troubleshooting Windows XP Professional Setup | MCSE Training Kit(c) Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Exam 70-270 2001)

Your installation of Windows XP Professional should complete without any problems. However, this lesson covers some common issues you might encounter during installation.

After this lesson, you will be able to

Troubleshoot Windows XP Professional installations

Estimated lesson time: 5 minutes

Resolving Common Problems

Table 2.6 lists some common installation problems and offers solutions.

Table 2.6 Troubleshooting Tips


Problem	Solution
Media errors occur	If you are installing from a CD-ROM, use a different CD-ROM. To request a replacement CD-ROM, contact Microsoft or your vendor. Try using a different computer and CD-ROM drive. If you can read the CD-ROM on a different computer, you can perform an over-the-network installation. If one of your Setup disks is not working, try using a different set of Setup disks.
CD-ROM drive is not supported	Replace the CD-ROM drive with a supported drive. If replacement is impossible, try another installation method such as installing over the network. After you complete the installation, add the adapter card driver for the CD-ROM drive if it is available.
Computer is unable to copy files from the CD-ROM	Test the CD-ROM on another computer. If you can copy the files using a different CD-ROM drive on a different computer, use the CD-ROM to copy the files to a network share or to the hard drive of the computer on which you want to install Windows XP Professional.
Insufficient disk space	Do one of the following: Use the Setup program to create a partition by using existing free space on the hard disk. Delete and create partitions as needed to create a partition that is large enough for installation. Reformat an existing partition to create more space.
Dependency service fails	In the Windows XP Professional Setup Wizard, return to the to start Network Settings dialog box and verify that you installed the correct protocol and network adapter. Verify that the network adapter has the proper configuration settings, such as transceiver type, and that the local computer name is unique on the network.
Setup cannot connect to the domain controller	Verify the following: The domain name is correct. The server running the DNS service and the domain controller are both running and online. If you cannot locate a domain controller, install Windows XP Professional into a workgroup and then join the domain after installation. The network adapter card and protocol settings are set correctly. If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional and are using the same computer name, delete the computer account and recreate it.
Windows XP Professional fails to install or start	Verify the following: Windows XP Professional is detecting all of the hardware. All of the hardware is on the HCL. Try running Winnt32 /checkupgradeonly to verify that the hardware is compatible with Windows XP Professional.

Setup Logs

During Setup, Windows XP Professional generates a number of log files containing installation information that can help you resolve any problems that occur after setup is completed. The action log and the error log are especially useful for troubleshooting.

Action Log

The action log records in chronological order the actions that the Setup program performs. It includes actions such as copying files and creating Registry entries. It also contains entries that are written to the Setup error log. The action log is stored in SETUPACT.LOG.

Error Log

The error log describes errors that occur during setup and their severity. If errors occur, the log viewer displays the error log at the end of setup. The error log is stored in SETUPERR.LOG.

Additional Logs

Setup creates a number of additional logs, including the following:

% windir%\comsetup.log Outlines installation for Optional Component Manager and COM+ components.
% windir%\setupapi.log Receives an entry each time a line from an .inf file is implemented. If an error occurs, this log describes the failure.
% windir%\debug\NetSetup.log Logs activity when computers join domains or workgroups.
% windir%\repair\setup.log Provides information that is used by the Recovery Console. (In Windows NT 4, this was used by the Emergency Repair Process.) For more information about the Recovery Console, see Chapter 18, "Modifying and Troubleshooting the Boot Process."

For additional information about troubleshooting installations, see Lesson 3, "Using Startup And Recovery Tools," in Chapter 18, "Modifying and Troubleshooting the Boot Process."

Lesson Review

The following questions will help you determine whether you have learned enough to move on to the next lesson. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the material in this lesson before beginning the next chapter. The answers are in Appendix A, "Questions and Answers."

If you encounter an error during setup, which of the following log files should you check? (Choose all that apply.)
1. SETUPERR.LOG
2. NETSETUP.LOG
3. SETUP.LOG
4. SETUPACT.LOG
If your computer cannot connect to the domain controller during installation, what should you do?
If your computer cannot connect to read the CD-ROM during installation, what should you do?

Lesson Summary

The action log, SETUPACT.LOG, records and describes in chronological order the actions that Setup performs.
The error log, SETUPERR.LOG, describes errors that occur during setup and indicates the severity of each error.
A number of additional logs are created during setup, including COMSETUP.LOG, SETUPAPI.LGO, NETSETUP.LOG, and SETUP.LOG.