Solved Joshua Preshell: x:\i386\system32\Profiles.exe not found error (Rev: 1.0)

When running the Ultimate Boot CD from a MultiBoot DVD, it shown a pop-up error during login stage:

Joshua Preshell
x:\i386\system32\Profiles.exe not found

The Profiles.exe (125908 bytes) already existed in the x:\i386\system32 directory in the MultiBoot DVD.The "Profiles.exe not found" error is caused by the use of "Joliet" (encode Joliet Unicode filenames) option during the creation of the MultiBoot DVD .iso image. Hence, do not use the "Joliet" option during the creation of the MultiBoot DVD .iso image and the "x:\i386\system32\Profiles.exe not found" error will disappear.

If you are using cdimage.exe (v2.47, 110085 bytes) to create your MultiBoot DVD .iso image, you can use the below command options (kindly avoid using -j1 or -j2 Joliet options):

# cdimage -lMYLABEL -h -n -o -m -bBOOTSECTORFILE SOURCEROOT TARGETFILE


cdimage.exe options:

-l = Volume label
-h = include hidden files and directories
-n = allow long filenames (longer than DOS 8.3 names)
-o = optimize storage by encoding duplicate files only once
-m = ignore maximum image size of 681,984,000 bytes
-b = "El Torito" boot sector file, no spaces

Solved Windows 7 bootup problem and “Windows 7 build 7601. This copy of Windows is not genuine” error in Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook (Rev: 1.1)

There are 3 partitions in the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook [Intel Core i5-2430M (2.40 Ghz) CPU, 8 GB DDR3 1333 Mhz memory, etc]:

1. OEM Partition (Dell Utility FAT16 partition) (about 100 MB)
2. Dell Recovery Partition (about 15 GB containing the old Windows 7 Home Premium x64 OS)
3. Windows 7 Enterprise SP1 x64 Operating System (OS) Partition (about 385 GB)

After upgrading the default Windows 7 Home Premium x64 OS to Windows 7 Enterprise SP1 x64 OS in the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook, I boot up from Acronis Disk Director 11 boot CDROM and deleted the Dell Recovery Partition to free up hardisk space. However, after reboot, the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook can only boot up from the network. The Windows 7 Enterprise SP1 x64 OS failed to boot up because the Windows 7 partition was not set as boot (active) partition.
[JackNg: The Windows 7 x64 Recovery Console Startup Repair cannot automatically fix this problem because it will "hang" at the attempting to fix the problem stage. If we issued a "bootrec /rebuildbcd" command, an "Element not found" error appeared.]

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If you do not have the Acronis Disk Director 11 bootup CDROM, you can use the Windows 7 System Repair Disc (created from Windows 7 Control Panel -> Backup and Restore -> “Create a system repair disc”) and use the diskpart version 6.1.7600 command to set the Windows 7 partition as active:

Assume you have opened a Command Prompt in the Windows 7 x64 Recovery Console:

# diskpart

DISKPART > list disk

DISKPART > select disk 0
(Please ensure that you have select the correct disk number)

DISKPART > list partition

DISKPART > select partition 2
(Please ensure that you have select the correct partition number. The Windows 7 partition (about 385 GB) for mine is located at partition number 2)

DISKPART > active

DISKPART > exit

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After setting the Windows 7 partition as boot (active) partition using the Acronis Disk Director 11 bootup CDROM, Windows 7 still failed to boot up due to a missing c:\boot\BCD (Boot Configuration Data) file. I use the Windows 7 System Repair Disc to boot to Windows 7 x64 Recovery Console, open a Command Prompt and rebuild the c:\boot\BCD file using the bootrec.exe command:

# bootrec  /rebuildbcd

After rebooting the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook from the Windows 7 x64 Recovery Console, it can boot into Windows 7 but it shown a clean (no icons or start bar) blue background with “Windows 7 build 7601. This copy of Windows is not genuine” wordings at the bottom right hand corner of the screen. If we open a Command Prompt, it will show that Windows 7 is actually running from E drive, eg: e:\Windows\System32\.

We need to edit the registry to change the Windows 7 partition drive letter from E drive to C drive in order to fix the “Windows 7 build 7601. This copy of Windows is not genuine” problem:

1. Kindly boot Windows 7 to Safe Mode by pressing F8 (to get the boot up menu) before Windows 7 booting logo stage appears.
   
   
2. After booting into Safe Mode (a blank screen with no Desktop icons), kindly press CTRL+ALT+DEL.
   
   
3. Kindly click “Start Task Manager”.
   
   
4. Kindly click File -> Run and type regedt32.
   
   
5. In the registry, kindly navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices


6. The previous Windows 7 working drive letter was E drive. We need to change it to C drive by swapping the E and C paths in the registry so that Windows 7 can access the correct drive to boot up. Kindly right-click on the key "\DosDevices\E:" and rename it to a drive letter that is not in use. For example, I renamed "\DosDevices\E:" to "\DosDevices\Z:" This will free up the letter E that we need to swap later.
   
   
7. Kindly right-click on the "\DosDevices\C:" and rename it to "\DosDevices\E:".
   
   
8. Finally, rename "\DosDevices\Z:" (which was previously "\DosDevices\E:") to "\DosDevices\C:"

The drive letters are now successfully swapped in the registry. Kindly exit from the registry editor and run the command “shutdown –r –t 1” to reboot. Windows 7 will run normally and the “Windows 7 build 7601. This copy of Windows is not genuine” wordings disappeared.

References

[1] Recovering the Windows Bootloader from the DVD

[2] Windows 7 - Booting Problem related to Windows not genuine error

Solved unknown devices in Windows 7 Enterprise (x64) OS on Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook (Rev: 1.0)

After installing Windows 7 Enterprise (x64) Operating System (OS) on the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook [Intel Core i5-2430M (2.40 Ghz) CPU, 8 GB DDR3 1333 Mhz memory, 500 GB hardisk, etc], there are 5 unknown devices in the Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager as shown below:

1. Ethernet Controller
   -> Installing the device drivers, Realtek Driver (RTL8105E-VB 10/100 Ethernet Controller) version 7.045.0516.2011, A01 (Network category) from Dell.
   
   
2. Network Controller
   -> Installing the device drivers, Dell Driver R302627 (Wireless 1701 802.11 b/g/n, Wireless WLAN 1501 Half Mini-Card, Wireless WLAN 1503 Half Mini-Card) version 5.100.82.34, A00 (Network category) from Dell.
   
   
3. PCI Simple Communications Controller
   -> Installing the device drivers, Intel Management Engine Interface version 7.0.0.1144, A00 (Chipset category) from Dell.
   
   
4. SM Bus Controller
   -> Installing the device drivers, Intel HM67 Express Chipset Family version 9.2.0.1019, A00 (Chipset category) from Dell.
   
   
5. Standard VGA Graphics Adapter
   -> Installing the device drivers, AMD ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6470 version 8.860.0.0, A01 (Video category) from Dell. I have also installed the device drivers, Intel HD Graphics version 8.15.10.2342, A00 (Video category) from Dell because it is better than the Microsoft Standard VGA Graphics Adapter generic device drivers.

I have also updated the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook BIOS from version A02 to A06. To improve the notebook performance, I have also installed the device drivers, Intel Rapid Storage Technology (R302547) version 10.1.2.1004, A00 (from Serial ATA category) from Dell.

Symantec Management Agent (or Altiris Agent) [Rev: 1.2]

After you have installed the Symantec Management Agent (or Altiris Agent) in your computer, the Notification Server computer can remotely monitor and manage the below in your computer:

• Monitoring hardware and software
• Scheduling software installations and file updates
• Collecting and tracking basic inventory information
• Managing policies and packages

When you attempt to download or install an application or software in your computer, the administrator of the the Notification Server computer is notified remotely.

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Remove Symantec Management Agent software

Assuming you are using Windows XP SP3 x86 Operating System (OS). In the "Control Panel" -> "Add or Remove Programs", the Symantec Management Agent is not listed inside. I have created a RemoveSymantecManagementAgent.bat file to remove the Symantec Management Agent software. You can copy and paste the below RemoveSymantecManagementAgent.bat codes, and save it as RemoveSymantecManagementAgent.bat file. If you are using Windows Vista/7 x64 OS, please change the SMADIR path accordingly.


------------- BEGIN RemoveSymantecManagementAgent.bat codes -----------------------

@echo off
rem Remove Symantec Management Agent (or Altiris Agent)
rem Altiris Agent can remotely track inventory, usage, software and application 
rem installation, and other computer processing aspects.
rem When the client attempts to download or install an application,
rem the administrator is notified remotely.
rem JackNg, Rev: 1.1


set SMADIR="c:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent"
set SMAAGENT=AeXNSAgent.exe

if not exist %SMADIR%\%SMAAGENT% goto _NOSMA

echo.
echo Uninstall Symantec Management Agent...
%SMADIR%\%SMAAGENT% /Stop
%SMADIR%\%SMAAGENT% /uninstall

echo.
echo Deleting the Symantec Management Agent directory...
rd /s "c:\Program Files\Altiris"
goto _EXIT


:_NOSMA
echo %SMADIR%\%SMAAGENT% file not found


:_EXIT
set SMADIR=
set SMAAGENT=

------------- END RemoveSymantecManagementAgent.bat codes -----------------------

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Stopping Symantec Management Agent service

Assuming you are using Windows XP SP3/Vista/7 OS. You can copy and paste the below 0stopSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes, and save it as 0stopSymantecManagementAgentService.bat file. Kindly run the 0stopSymantecManagementAgentService.bat to stop the Symantec Management Agent service so that it will stop running the Symantec Management Agent software.


------------- BEGIN 0stopSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes -----------------------

@echo off
rem JackNg, Rev: 1.0

echo Stopping Symantec Management Agent service
sc stop AeXNSClient

------------- END 0stopSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes -----------------------

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Starting Symantec Management Agent service

Assuming you are using Windows XP SP3/Vista/7 OS. You can copy and paste the below 1startSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes, and save it as 1startSymantecManagementAgentService.bat file. Kindly run the 1startSymantecManagementAgentService.bat to start running the Symantec Management Agent service so that it will run the Symantec Management Agent software.


------------- BEGIN 1startSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes -----------------------

@echo off
rem JackNg, Rev: 1.0

echo Starting Symantec Management Agent service
sc start AeXNSClient

------------- END 1startSymantecManagementAgentService.bat codes -----------------------

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References:

[1] About the Symantec Management Agent

[2] What is Altiris Agent ?

[3] How to remove Altiris Client