How to Clean Install Windows with non-bootable Windows CD

gregrocker said:

Try another USB flash method. There are quite a few in the search results I linked for you.

I may do that, but not with WintoFlash. That's got red flags now for me due to the SSA.exe fail to copy. It must be on the bootable USB flash drive, but not the Win XP CD. When I started the Win XP install from the flash drive, Windows then demanded the CD. So, it's understandable that it wouldn't load. Its reference must have been loaded into memory from the bootable USB flash drive.

I just did a search on what the SSA.exe file is and it's not part of Windows. I just searched my system and it's not to be found. I searched the USB flash drive with the Win XP "bootable" installed by WintoFlash and I don't see the file, but if I open up the txtsetup.sif file with notepad on the bootable USB flash drive, I see it referenced. I'm not done checking into this issue, but I suspect it's something loaded by WintoFlash and it's suspicious.

I just searched my registry for a SSA key and the search didn't turn up any results.

A Google search indicates it's related to USB flash installs and it shows up on the WintoFlash forum as an error issue.

Malware concealed during the USB flash OS install process???

It's getting to the point that there are very few "free" utilities you can download and trust.

Did you use Win2Flash to write the stick. I thought you said you were using another method?

gregrocker said:

Did you use Win2Flash to write the stick. I thought you said you were using another method?

Yes, I ended up using the WintoFlash program to make the bootable USB Flash drive even though I initially passed on the download.

My first experience on the WintoFlash website was a bad one due to all the crapware that tries to trick you into downloading with WintoFlash. There was also some confusion between "Win2Flash" and "WintoFlash;" I thought they were two different programs.

I read several articles about creating a bootable USB flash drive and several referred to WintoFlash. So, I eventually downloaded the file and used WintoFlash to create the bootable USB flash drive. My ESET Smart Security 6 internet security program was giving warnings about an unsafe website when I started the initial download, and was blocking the ads that attempted to display while I was running the program.

As I said earlier there is some kind of spyware in the download now according to the site I linked you which offers an alternative app to use. This should be able to be avoided by choosing carefully to deselect it during install. Since you said you weren't going to use it earlier I didn't focus on that. Now that you say you used it I would System Restore to just before it was run, then install and run SUPERAntiSpyware to root out any spyware. Do not accept SAS trial or allow it to Start with WIndows unless you buy it.

Edit: I see that I already advised you to take these precautions above before you said you weren't going to use WInToFlash. Did you do them as advised? Why not?

gregrocker said:

As I said earlier there is some kind of spyware in the download now according to the site I linked you which offers an alternative app to use. This should be able to be avoided by choosing carefully to deselect it during install. Since you said you weren't going to use it earlier I didn't focus on that. Now that you say you used it I would System Restore to just before it was run, then install and run SUPERAntiSpyware to root out any spyware. Do not accept SAS trial or allow it to Start with WIndows unless you buy it.

Edit: I see that I already advised you to take these precautions above before you said you weren't going to use WInToFlash. Did you do them as advised? Why not?

Yes, I use SUPERAntiSpyware Pro everyday. I paid for the full program license with lifetime subscription several years ago. I didn't detect anything from the download or install. That's probably due to the fact that my internet security program, ESET Smart Security 6, didn't allow anything to download. I've scanned everything with ESET SS 6, SAS Pro and Windows Defender.

I didn't do a system restore, but I did do several complete disk clean-ups by deleting the prefetch files, running Windows Disk Cleanup with system files option and running CCleaner with registry cleaner.

But using WinToFlash didn't create an XP installer that worked in the end, correct?

I agree that burning the CD is the best choice, but if you try any of the other methods linked let us know if one works.

gregrocker said:

But using WinToFlash didn't create an XP installer that worked in the end, correct?

I agree that burning the CD is the best choice, but if you try any of the other methods linked let us know if one works.

WintoFlash didn't create a Win XP installer that worked for me the one time I used it, but I can't rule out that I didn't do everything correctly. I would need to duplicate the XP install failure to confirm I was doing everything correctly before I could say it doesn't work. From reading what's available on the web, it appears to work for some people. I don't know if those people are real or shills for WintoFlash.

If I try anything else, I will definitely post the results here for the record.

Thanks again for all your help. That Win 7 non-boot due to hardware after failed Win XP dual-boot install attempt was scary.

Regards

Install XP from USB, the easy way with Sandisk Cruzer! - Install Windows from USB - MSFN Forum

Install XP from USB, the easy way with Sandisk Cruzer!

I may give this a try, because I have an 8GB Sandisk Cruzer Micro.

Regards