Yikes! Crash when declining 2nd Instance of NTLite

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pmikep

Active Member
Am running 1.6.2.6220.

My first 1.6 version. So I thought I would see how to use the Parallel Instance of NTLite.

Not finding any documentation about it, I clicked on the NTLite icon with an instance of NTLite already running and processing a base image.

I got a pop up window that explained that running in parallel was a premium feature and did I want to continue. (I have a license.)

I declined this time.

Then I got this:

crash.jpg

It does seem as though my first instance of NTLite stopped working. It's been showing 40% for the past few minutes. My CPU isn't working hard, even though taskmanager shows ntlite using 25% and dismhost taking 5%.

Don't know what to do. When I try to cancel, I get the dire warning about leaving things in an unstable state. And I remember, from years ago, what a pain that was, trying to delete the linked files.
 
So I killed ntlite and dism from taskmanger.

I deleted the copy of my SP1 base ISO and made another copy.

Restarted NTLite. It said that my image was still mounted.

Not wanting to take a chance on this new base image that something might be hosed from last time, I tried to unload the image.

Got this:
fail1..jpg

I hit Cancel. Then this:
fail.2.jpg

And finally this:
fail3..jpg

There was something in the lower left of NTLite about "Deleting temporary files." So I was hopeful that NTLite was removing those linked files.

But I waited a while. Nothing changed. I closed NTLite and started it again. Same thing.

I vaguely remember how I deleted these files - I'll have to go to the old archive and review what I wrote there.
 
I went in to my NTLite temp directory, renamed the NT.TmpMount01 folder and now NTLite lets me unload, and then Forget, the image.

But I'm concerned that I have those files stuck in my system now.
 
I started again, and noticed that, during a portion of the processing, NTLite kind of stalled at 40% for a while (while integrating the Roll Up KB) and that my CPU got quite with about the same taskmanger numbers as above.

So perhaps the first instance of NTLite continued to work after all, and the very first error message about a crash was for the second instance.

Still, NTLite didn't recover well from the cancelled processing. And I still don't know if I have phantom files on my S: partition.
 
Rats. I tried to delete the old NTTmpMount01 folder. I got a bunch of "you need special permission" messages and had to skip.

I wonder if that "Take Permission" registry hack would work here?
 
Usually the tool is great at unmounting anything that is mounted even if it was mounted by another program. Take ownership should work.
 
Thanks pmikep, fixed the declining of second instance crash in the next version.

As for the aborted mount, unloading and it deleting temporary files should have been left alone until done.
Are you certain no activity was done at that point? If so I would try to replicate the scenario.
Btw ending the task, removing the original folder and at the end renaming the temporary directory were the trifecta of the worst-case scenario :)
That would be like trying to block the tool from cleaning it.

Renaming the folder at the end is the worst as it breaks the connection, tool then cannot connect the two. I would rename it back and unload from the UI and let it clean.
If all else fails, try the "Unlocker" tool.
 
Per nuhi's advice, I renamed the NTLite Temp folder back to its original name. Then I ran NTLite and tried to load an image.

It got to the 37% point and then the error messages started coming about a corrupt Mount Directory. (Same as a few years ago when I exited out of NTLite prematurely.)

After clicking OK on all the messages, NTLite said that it was deleting Temporary Files.

I let it say that for about 15 to 20 minutes. But TaskManager said "0" CPU usage.

When I exited NTLite and tried again, still the same error.

So then I tried Unlocker.

Apparently I have my Win7 so pseudo-bare boned that Unlocker wouldn't run. (Maybe it needs a certain .NETFramework? Or Powershell?)

So then I booted my NTLite installation USB stick to boot PE and went to the repair tools.

From there I tried deleting the NTLite Temp Directory.

That didn't work very well. I don't know why. That is, I couldn't remove all the files/directories.

I can't use a regular OEM DVD to get to the Tools because I have an AMD RAID driver that only NTLite can integrate properly. (As from a long time ago, NTLite has to also remove OEM Storage Drivers in addition to adding the AMD RAID driver for Windows to work.)

I spent a half hour trying various combinations of del. (Couldn't find xdel.) I thought I was clever when I set /a:L. But that only got some files.

So after not being able to remove the Directory from PE, I booted into a 2nd partition of Win7. From there I merged "Take Ownership." After the command line scrolled through a few hundred files, I was able to delete the NTLite Temp Directory.

Or so I thought. As I write this, I decided to try mounting my Base SP2 (i.e., Convenience Rollup) Win 7 again.

But I got the same messages as before at the 37% point. Update: I got different messages at the 37% point. (I'll post screen shots later.)

When I check the NTLite Temp file, the only files there are time stamped with what I just did.

I suppose I'll just create a new Temp folder and see if I can delete the old one by taking Ownership again.
 
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Unlocker runs on XP so rule out powershell. Possibly a .net but i havnt used unlocker for ages, i use take ownership.

Have you tried booting into safe mode and tried running ntlite from there? THe only times the mount folder was locked was when using other tools, i would run unlocker but it would take ages, now i use ntlite to unmount everything. I havnt had any issues aborting during Apply then unloading on the Source page. If i have to abort during apply i will just let it run instead then discard and start again.
 
This is turning out to be quite a problem.

I thought for sure that creating a new Mount Directory would work. (It did last time when I renamed the old Mount Folder inside the Director.)

But when try to mount the image, it fails again at 37% will all the usual error messages. (Update: To be posted later.)

When I tell NTLite to forget the image, the text at the bottom left says "Cleanup Completed."

But NTLite still fails at 37%.
 
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I would try 2 things. Run a linux live cd/dvd/usb and try to delete that folder. Failing that using a system restore point.
 
Try this, use Sordum Power Run. It allows you to run things as Trusted Installer. Open it and drag the ntlite executable onto its ui then click ntlite. It will now run as Trusted Installer and "may" be able to sort this out. The only other thing is find a drive wiper tool that can target specific folders and keep your fingers crossed.
 
I had tried deleting the files from a Live Linux a couple years ago. I didn't work then. So I didn't try this time.

Anyway, the good news is that I somehow managed to get NTLite working again. (But I don't understand how.)

I booted into my 2nd Win7 "Maintenance" partition. I right clicked on Unlocker, and as usual, nothing happened. (The web site says that a dialogue box is supposed to pop up. Maybe it doesn't because I removed IE?)

After that, I simply clicked "Shift+Delete" from Windows Explorer. And to my surprise, the directories deleted without complaint.

Then I started NTLite from that Maintenance partition. It created the new folders on its own.

The only other difference is that, instead of trying to load the same Base (SP2) image as before, I started all over again with the Win7+SP1.iso.

Oh well, glad it's working again - for whatever (the) reason.
 
Unlocker would show what is locking the mount folder, look in task manager for winserv or wimsrv or similar. While you are over at Sordum look for Simple Run Blocker. It stops stuff from running. Add wimserv(or whatever to it so it stops it when it tried to run, reboot if you have to.
 
Glad you are sorted, you deserve a large whiskey after all that. Next time discard after apply has finished running. I love a spare partition with an os on it. Have your main lite partition and a full bore standard os on another for emergencies. Saved my arse a few times.
 
Oops - I spoke too soon. Although NTLite makes my Base Win7+"SP2" image okay, will not mount that Base.

Perhaps this is something that started when I switched to v1.6 and the previous aborted Mount stuff has nothing to do with it?

Here are the log files.
 
Might be best if the Abort function is removed and to let ntlite just run etc, let the tool decide if it see's a fatal error and to abort.
 
So, I restored my previous NTLite 1.5.0.6080. I tried mounting the new Base Win7+"SP2" (Convenience Rollup) - which I had made with the latest v1.6.2.6220 - in that.

It has always worked in the past. But now it's failing too, with the same error messages about the Mount folder. (Even though this mount folder is different from the 1.6 folder.)

I'm beginning to wonder if there's something wrong with the way 6220 is making the Base image, since 1.6 worked fine the first time it integrated the KB's. (This is where the order of KB's has changed in 6220.) I'm using the same Preset from earlier this year, except I disabled the CleanUp this time.

I'm giving up for today. Have to get other things done.
 
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