vobid.sys error while upgrading WinXP Home to Pro

This afternoon I tried to upgrade my Dell computer from WinXP Home to WinXP Pro. I inserted the CD and as it was loading the drivers, I got the infamous "blue screen" informing me that there was an error with "vobid.sys" and would auto restart the installation procedure. Well, after about 10 attempts... it just cycles through the same error and attempts to restart the installation. I'm unable to get out of this.

I just learned that vobid.sys is related to Pinnacle Software. There is one sugestion that I already have and haven't tried it yet because of looping the same error and attempts to restart.

Is there any solution to get around this? Is there a way I can get to command to go to actually system32 to fix the file?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

Possibility:
While Win XP Pro is in the devices install phase, press the key comb
of SHIFT+F10 to start a command session.

A window will open with the command prompt.

Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\devices

Delete the file vobid.sys

Then allow the system to restart the upgrade and you're done!

 

PAH! I'm getting closer...

That was close! However, it is displaying "C:\WINDOWS" where I could put "system32/devices" next to it, it doesn't work.

::sigh:: Any bright idea?

 

system32/devices won't work on a windows OS. The / is wrong although it would be good for Unix or VMS or a URL (unix style, basically).

windows\system32\drivers

 

lol. yes, I did the " \ " instead of regular slash... however when I press "shift+F10 ", it did display the command showing "C:\WINDOWS>" ready so I need to input something after "> "

If I input something, it'll says " 'whatever I put word here' is not recongized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. "

It won't work.

 

Try
cd system32\drivers

There is a space between the cd and system32\drivers

 

Nope. Not working.

I'm looking through Microsoft to find the info about "Stop: 0x000000CE" and vobid.sys to fix it

 

Gonna have to see if I can find any of my notes from the last board I frequented. I remember in my sticky on windows SP2 upgrade there is a problem with virtual drives like the vobid.
You need to uninstall the software prior to the upgrade and then reinstall it later.

 

Hi all,
History of this problem both on our own board and when using a search engine to explore this error has always been less than positive. It does seem to be a problem with the fact that (something related to Pinnacle) software and driver should have been uninstalled before the upgrade. It has a pattern of making the setup choke. Past attempts have always resulted in an install loop that others have not been able to break out of no matter what they did. This is one reason why I did not try to start out with the regular recovery steps that are used and recommended. That's not to say that they wouldn't have and won't work but the "history trail" of this problem looked ugly and most have thrown in the flag and wiped the slate clean and installed once again. I did not wish to discourage CSDRcheer with bad news right off the bat. Paricularly when, by surface appearance, such a fast and easy solution looked like it had a good chance of working. I guess this technique has a kink or two I need to explore.

I was aware that once the XP was in gui mode setup that the shift+F10 could give you a command prompt. I am shaky however on the limits or limitations of this command prompt. Admittedly, I was a bit shocked and caught off guard, but did not want to reveal this to CSDRcheer, when I threw my suggestion out there and it worked. While searching for others who have overcome this problem, I did stumble across a few public boards where someone had actually used this Shift+F10 suggestion and successfully deleted the vobib.sys, which allowed setup to get passed this problem and continue through a successful install. I thought this was worth a shot and the best shot given the nature and history of this setup problem. I still think it has possibilities particularly if other recovery means have not worked and one is facing a clean install anyway. Perhaps something more along these lines would help:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=891892&SD=tech

I may have to explore this shift+F10 command prompt technique and see exactly what can be done with it. Problem is I live in Houston and the Hurricane is first and foremost on my mind right now. Preparations combined with overloaded overtaxed phone lines which causes my dun connection to shaky/unreliable will make this take a bit more time then usual. I'll keep exploring this but others (CSDRcheer) may wish to do so also.

==========
To Newt,
Not having or knowing where or which directory vobib.sys is in, myself, and being caught off guard by the success of the command prompt caused me to rely on the reference post and posters command line used. I guess he mistyped his own directions as *:\windows\system32\devices. Thanks Newt for catching the faulty line. I gave and am giving it the "old college try ", flying by the seat of my pants once again....

 

goddez1
Take care, batten down the hatches and get out if you are not in a secure location. Do not take risks unnecessarily. Looks like major storm surge and then if it tracks north to the Dallas area, your flooding will be exacerbated as runnoff swells the trinity (remember the big flooding at Livingston last time ?) and pours into the already flooded areas.



I actually have Pinnacle installed on my primary machine ,and a vobid drive and I had to uninstall it to get SP2 to install so I speak from experience. Also when SP2 first came out I was on another TechSupport board and we experienced many cases of this with different virtual drives and it was always the same solution, uninstall the software, install the service pack and reinstall your software; although many did report they had successfully just dismounted (turned off the option for ) the virtual drive and rebooted and installed the service pack.

 

The link you provided is possible... during the steps, I was able to follow througn until Step 8 to complete, the blue screen did showed up but it went too fast. So I can't get to Step 10.

How do I restart with Recovery Console? Do I have to use WinXP Home CD (supplied from Dell)? I don't think there's a screen "Welcome to Setup ", last night while my conversation with Dell Tech Support, I saw "Hardware Profile/Configuration Recovery Menu" and was only show "Profile 1" listed. If that I'm supposed to press "R" for Recovery Console, it didn't work. Hmm.

That's where I'm at now. I have been told by Dell Techh Support last night telling me that I'll have to reformat the HDD, I told him no I'd need to get backup files first before go ahead to reformat so I must perform the recovery console first in order to go further next steps.

Thanks everyone for all the help. I haven't got out the problem yet.. so I'm still working on this problem right now.

 

How?

 

Just want to give you updates what I'm doing...

I tried this: Dell Support: Boot sequence and it actually got up to a screen giving me 3 choices: 1) To continue the current upgrade, press enter 2) To cancel the current upgrade and install new vrsion of MS Window 3) To exit setup without nstalling MS Window, press F3

and I got to the blue scree says "Windows Setup "... finally! But I dunno what to do next. LOL!

 

I'm getting nervous for you. You have expressed a strong desire not to lose data on your current system. This is a risk you face. Perhaps now is a time to pause and consider your options. You still have a few choices or options that you can use for data backup that can be copied back in later. This may mean pulling out what hair you have not pulled out already but it might be do-able before committing yourself to the advice further below. OEM "Dell" means the method below may actually install a new system wiping your disk clean before doing so or asking to do so. OEM's are unpredictable as each has their own way of doing things. At this point I am unsure if your getting these options from the xp pro cdrom or a Dell recovery routine. That being said and if you wish to throw caution to wind.....no don't throw caution to the wind. I forgot about the possibility that as an oem an additional partition may have been added that has the recovery images and nfo on it. Hmmmm, got to do some more thinking on this. I need a coffee break anyway. This also gives you time to think about what you want to do or step away from the comp for a breather. You've got to be about to explode from nfo overload, anxiety and pressure among any other emotions. Let me follow that Dell link and see what you've done. There may be a special procedure and steps that will allow a "Recovery Console" from the harddrive via Dell oem methods. Have you done a study up ( "search engine" researched or searched our own boards archives) on various methods for installing or getting to the "Recovery Console" using the "xp pro cd "? Our archives may also have posts reguarding Dell/OEM how-tos. This may aslo give oshwyn5 time to respond to your "How-to" request and his experience with Pinnacle/vobid.sys driver. Come to think of it it has never clearly been established if you have tried a safemode bootup using the F8 key during a bootup. I skipped right passed asking this basic question, already expecting that it would fail but I better make sure this was tried just to sure.

Options given:
If you use 3, you have done nothing and are still in the same boat

If you use option 1, I'm pretty sure you will find yourself in the same reinstall loop your in now. You can try this and see. If you got this far once, meaning the display of the install options, you should be able to do it again should this choice indeed put you right back into the reboot loop.

And this is where the risk comes into play. Once this option is chosen it may go as explained below but and this a big BUT it may work on autopilot after this and proceed to format install wiping your disk clean in the process. That said....

That leaves choose 2, or Press F10 to restart text-mode setup. (This should not cancel the upgrade unless the process proceeds to the point where the hard drive is partitioned, formatted, and files are copied to it.)

Text-mode setup will begin and will display the following message:

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft (R) Windows (R) to run on your computer.
- To set up Windows now, press ENTER.
- To repair a Windows installation using Recovery Console, press R.
- To quit Setup without installing Windows, press F3.

Press R to launch Recovery Console.

Log into the Windows installation that is being upgraded.

Rename or Delete the vobid.sys file from the SYSTEM32\DRIVERS subdirectory of the Windows installation.

Exit from Recovery Console using the "exit" command. (This will reboot the system, and hopefully Windows Setup will resume the graphics-mode portion of the upgrade process. The upgrade will complete normally.)

If and after the upgrade is complete you may need to deal with any application or device problem that used the vobid.sys file but you can cross that bridge if and when you need to.

 

Goddez,

Thank you for all your help. After 5 hours of conversation with Dell Tech Support agent, she suggested me to try, while I were at Window XP Pro Setup, go ahead and continue the installation.

It WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been completely installed now and only one left is to fix networking configuration which I need to check to make sure it works since my AOL, my main ISP, didn't worked first time until I restarted the computer and now it's all back to normal.

I'm showing system error so I'll look it through tonight since I'm at work now.

SO thanks anyway! I'm now huge relief.

G'day! Oh, and stay safe during Hurricane Rita. It's nasty! Take care

 

Phew!!! I'm over joyed at the success and final outcome. I'm happy to see that you are fixed with only a possible minor problem. Congratulations on hanging in there as opposed to taking the original Dell Tech Support last night telling you to reformat the HDD. Although I am still curious if the deletion of vobid.sys would have worked and now will not know, I am still thrilled that all worked out in the end. Thank you for the update......and your most welcome....

Thank both your self and oshwyn5 for good will, wishes and kind words. I plan to do my up most to remain safe and I'm sure all will be well.

====
On reread, I see I missed the part on the option of 2 to cancel current install and install new. I would have had to adjust (change my advice) or this would have added more steps (repeated ones at that) to fix the problem. Should this option have been chosen, you would have found yourself right back in the same boat. Luck and a guardian angel was looking over your shoulder....

 

Thanks.

About the option of 2 to cancel current install and install now, I did that and it kept me re-looping around. On the conversation with Dell Tech, I told them about option 1 which was saying to go ahead and install current ones. I decided to risk it by take option one and do it anyway to see what happens. After the compete installed, I've removed two software with Pinnacle Studios which I hardly use it ever, it's relates to CD/DVD burner software and DVD player.

This is how it got worked all the way through, even vobid.sys was still there. That how it happened.

If you see someone that has same boat as mine focusing on upgrade from Home to Pro XP on a same computer, just tell them to insert XP Pro CD to bring up the blue screen says "WinXP Pro Setup" and choose option 1 to proceed the current install, it will get through without loosing any saved pics, musics, .psd works and etc. Maybe only this or anything else that interferes the upgrading installation, the recovery console might not help that much.

Now I can start using IIS.

Thanks again...