One of the common causes of Windows errors or crashing is because some system critical files have been corrupted or altered from their original state. This can be due to various reasons such as a malware attack, hard drive issues or simply while Windows is trying to write files, during a Windows update for example.
Of course, users replacing files with incorrect or custom versions is also a possibility. In Windows XP there is a protection measure called Windows File Protection that constantly. It attempts to replace them if they are removed, replaced or altered in any way and the digital signature is not the same as Windows expects. For example, if you were to go and rename the Explorer.exe file (obviously don’t try this), within a few seconds there will be a new Explorer.exe pop into its place. This is because Windows holds a good copy of these core files in the System32 folder. When it needs to replace a corrupted or missing system file, Windows XP will look in a folder called dllcache located in C: Windows System32. If there is a problem with the file in the dllcache also not matching the digital signature, or there is no file present, then Windows will look in the next place on its list which is the i386 folder on the original Windows XP installation CD.
The dllcache folder is hidden by default so unless you have the show hidden files setting turned on in Explorer, you won’t see it. This occurs quite often when you need to run the from the Command Prompt using the SFC /Scannow command. If SFC finds any issues it will attempt to replace the files using dllcache as the source, or failing that, the i386 folder location. Then you will get the dreaded “Insert Disk” dialog box.
The handy thing is, there’s a setting to tell Windows where to look for the i386 folder held inside a registry key, meaning it can be changed to another location. Altering the setting to tell Windows to look for i386 on another drive means you can avoid having to insert the CD every time you run a System File Check and it requires a good copy of a file that isn’t in the Dllcache. The procedure is quite easy, so here’s how to do it: 1. Insert the Windows XP install CD to computer.
Make sure the CD has the same Service Pack as you have on the install. If you’re using XP SP3 ensure you have an XP SP3 CD. Also remember to use the correct Home or Professional version CD for your install. Copy the i386 folder from the install CD to the root of the C drive so you will end up with a path of C: i386. IF you are not using languages other than English, you can go into the i386 folder and delete the Languages and Win9xmig, Win9xupg and Winntupg folders to save around 130MB of space.
Go to Start - Run (or press Win key+R), type regedit and press Enter. Navigate to the following registry key. HKEYLOCALMACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Setup 5.
In the right pane, you should find a Name called SourcePath with the Data value as the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive. Double click on the SourcePath entry and change the value data to C:.
Now whenever Windows looks for the original installation files, it will automatically look on your local hard drive for the i386 folder instead of constantly nagging you to insert the CD. You can place the i386 folder on any drive or in any folder you wish, Windows will look wherever you tell it to, just supply the path up to but not including the i386 folder (e.g. D: backups Windows cache ). Although this should work, there are other keys in the registry that could still cause Windows to ask for the CD. Firstly navigate to the following key: HKEYLOCALMACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows NT CurrentVersion Look for the Name SourcePath, and IF it is present, double click and change it to the same path you supplied to the SourcePath in step 5 above. Another possible problem is if you have installed a Service Pack such as SP3 onto your install because the system will look for the C: WINDOWS ServicePackFiles folder to locate all the files the Service Pack installed.
The below key should have a Name ServicePackSourcePath present which points to C: windows ServicePackFiles HKEYLOCALMACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Setup The last entry to check is in the same location as above but is called CDInstall. If set to 1 it tells Windows it was installed from CD and may try to look for a CD even though you have told it not to. Setting this value to 0 tells Windows it was installed from hard drive or network.
Seems my answers around the I386 direectory have been generating lots of additional questions as well. Let's see if we can clarify they 'I386 mystery'. Let me start by answering a question you didn't ask, because it's related, incredibly important, and the reason that I386 appears in so many of my answers: In my opinion, you should never purchase a pre-installed operating system without also getting the CD-ROM of the operating system that came pre-installed. Clear enough?
Now, let me tell you why I feel so strongly, and how it relates to I386. If your machine has a 'C: I386' directory that contains several thousand files, and that directory takes up over 600 megabytes of disk space then that is the directory I'm talking about. It is most likely a copy of the Windows XP Installation CD-ROM, or the I386 directory that is on that CD-ROM. If you find an I386 directory elsewhere. Say as a subdirectory buried somewhere else on your system, then that is not what I'm discussing here.
Note that I said it's just a copy of the installation CD-ROM. It's not created or installed automatically, it's a copy of the original installation CD-ROM made by whomever set up your machine, usually for two reasons:. They didn't give you an actual Windows XP Installation CD-ROM, so give you the copy on the hard disk only instead. It's a shortcut to make it easier, later, if Windows asks for the installation CD-ROM Those two are related. As an example, when you add hardware to Windows - say you add a new printer - Windows needs to get the appropriate files to support that new device.
Since it wasn't connected to your computer when you set up Windows, those files were not installed then; they need to be added now. Where do they come from? The Windows Installation CD-ROM. But what if you didn't get a CD-ROM when you purchased your computer? By having a copy of an installation CD-ROM in the C: I386 directory, when Windows asks for the original CD, you can tell it to look there instead.
So even though the manufacturer didn't give you a physical CD-ROM, everything you need is already on your hard disk, right there in C: I386. When Windows needs something from the original install CD, it can locate it there instead.
Can you see the flaw in this setup? What happens if your hard disk crashes? What happens if you need to reformat your hard disk? Everything is erased - including C: I386. If you don't have an actual, physical, CD-ROM to reinstall from, you're screwed - to put it mildly. The second reason for C: I386 existing is simple convenience.
Even if you have the CD-ROM, as you should, it's often more convenient to keep a copy on your hard drive. That way, instead of reaching for the CD-ROM each time Windows needs something, you can just tell Windows to pick it up from C: I386, already on your hard disk. In fact, it's such a convenience, and disk space is so plentiful these days that copying the Windows XP CD-ROM to my hard disk is often one of the first steps I take when I'm about to set up a new machine. So what does all this mean?
Well, remember that C: I386 is just a copy of a Windows Installation CD-ROM. Hence:. You may not have C: I386 on your machine.
It's certainly not required. Hopefully you'll have a Windows CD-ROM, should you need it. You may have C: I386, but no Windows CD-ROM. I encourage you to a) backup the C: I386 directory you do have, and b) if you can, pester your computer manufacturer for a physical CD-ROM. You may have both. C: I386 is not required for Windows to function.
I386 Asms Windows Xp Installation
You can certainly copy it elsewhere, perhaps to a different drive, or back it up to CD-ROM or DVD. (Even though it's a copy of a CD-ROM, some manufacturer's appear to add to it, so that the actual C: I386 will no longer actually fit on a single CD-ROM). But it is convenient. Article - November 13, 2005. Alex Lehaen November 19, 2005 3:54 AM Thans Leo, I'm learning again.
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Oeps, now there is commming up a question from me for you to. I love to work with servers and server 2003, do you know where i can vind a simple explenation how to set up an active directory from zero step by step (dhcp, dns and so on), with a commentation about why i have to make a step and what it does? When i'm searching the website of microsoft everything is there but all in small peaces, and for me in a not logical way, it's like having 3 puzzles but don't wich peace belongs where, when i could make a good start simply explained i could help myself the rest of the lurning process because i am a kwik learner. I have server 2003 standard installed and now working with a workgroup well, but i want to learn more more more. Can you help me? Thanks and best greeting from belgium. Toneo April 22, 2006 6:13 AM i am a comp-pro, been running repairs upgrades for a time but this errror is quite unique and i need help,when i tried to upgrdade a mate`s pc from win98 to xp it says setup cannot copyi386 mfc42.dll to c:i tried cleaning he disk its fine,even tried it on another machine was good, i manually copied the cd to a folder, tried installing from the drive still it says setup cant copy the file, i cant suspect the cd nor the rom can i, i need help sir yours looking forward.
Larry July 3, 2006 12:35 PM Leo, I am rebuilding a laptop for my daughter. When Windows98 was the recent operating system I used to build systems by copying the 98 installation cd to C: windows options cabs directory so when the the system needed a file it went directly to the installation source, I used to do this with NT40 also, but am having difficulty doing it with XP pro. The reasoning is when she is away at school if the system needs a file it goes directly to the source of the installation. So can you suggest anything? John July 30, 2006 5:05 AM Hi Leo I've been trying for a week now to install windows xp pro on my old pc.
I originally had xp on it. I decided to back up my files and format, to reinstall. I'm using the original cd and cd key but i'm getting the following error: 'An error occurred copying file cdrom.sys to C: $WINNT$.BT cdrom.sy. Incorrect function' Then there were three options to skip file copy, retry or to exit setup. I also had a problem in the beginning saying NTLDR is missing. So i installed Windows 2000 Professional.
There was also another error much earlier in the boot sequence saying: 'File i386 biosinfo.inf could not be loaded. The error code is 32768' I would gladly appreciate your help John Port ELizabeth South Africa. Dri-Anna October 27, 2006 11:01 PM Leo: eMachines seemed to conviently ignore every request I made for a CD of my XP Home that they installed on my machine at the factory. I was able to find C:/I386 and copied it to a CD. Thank you for the information about I386. Now my question.
Can I386 be used to create a 'Slipstream' DVD which also includes SP2? If so, how would one turn this into a boot disc? Or, am I way out there in the Ozone somewhere even thinking this is possible? Thank you for your time Leo Dri-Anna. Ken July 8, 2007 8:52 AM Just a comment - I have just been reinstalling from my MDG XP discs and the thing glitched when seeking i386 files (iExplore actually) saying it wasn't there. In fact it was but, after a lot of confusion, time and tentative fiddling, is on Disc 1 (no change prompts were received after the previous 'change to disc 2' instruction).
Now the cynical among us might think MDG had done this deliberately to confuse the not very experienced and somewhat faint hearted system re-installers among us, thus prompting a service call! Sarah June 11, 2008 7:25 AM I dunno.I think it might have been that i386 folder that saved my Inspiron 9300's life.
My laptop was a mess-weird pop ups were shooting up on the screen all the time due to a corruption in Roxio, not to mention the laptop had gone through a lot in its 3 year life. I decided to reset my laptop to its factory default by pressing Ctrl + F11 in the boot screen with the dell.com text.
This enabled a complete renewal of my computer by accessing a partition on my laptop that contains a copy of what was on the computer when I started it up for the very first time. Now, even though I had to go through the whole process of deleting bloatware, downloading some free programs I had, and getting updates for most everything, it was TOTALLY worth it. My computer is cleaner, runs smoother, and no more Roxio pop-ups. After I learn how to make an image of my computer, I'm probably going to start reseting my laptop in this process once a year. I hear it's a good thing to do. So if this is what the i386 folder does, DON'T get rid of it!
I'm sure getting rid of it screws up your warranty anyway. Simon September 21, 2008 4:21 AM Hey Leo. Great article - very enlightening!
One question for you. I installed XP SP1 from CD, right, and I've upgraded to SP2 via download. I came across this page talking about the I386 folder in the root of C:, but when I went to take a look at it, it wasn't there!
I installed Service Pack 2 about a week ago, so would it have deleted itself in the meantime? I've shown all hidden & system files, yet it isn't in that directory! I've searched for it, and have found to others in C: WINDOWS DRIVERCACHE and C: WINDOWS ServicePackFiles, so I'm not really sure what's going on. Enlighten me on this!
I would like to make a back up of my Windows XP cd, just in case my original copy get damamged somehow, so I'd like to copy the I386 folder to a blank disc. That is possible, right? Maybe, if the folder existed in the root of C:!! Again, thanks for such great information in the page! Steve December 16, 2008 9:29 PM Re. 'How can I create a Bootable CD from my i386 Folder? You can't, really.'
Do a Google search before you shoot from the hip. Try 'Create a bootable XP CD' I get 32,000 results for that one, with clear instructions for using i386 for just that purpose within the top 10. Both the questioner and the advisor should investigate this new Internet phenomenon called the 'search engine'.
It works with plain english questions. And please, Leo, buy Google a latte. Kitaen Fauxlorin February 2, 2009 1:41 PM I just recently bought The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, and was told by several friends that I would need Applocale to run/install it. When I open Applocale and select the language needed to run the program, it says that the language support for that language has not been intsalled. So when I go to the regional options, and try to install the files for East Asian Language support, it tells me I need the CD. I have no CD. I have no i386 folder.
How do I get this language support i need without eating up 800MB of space? And is there a way to put the language support onto a flash drive, so all I have to do is move a copy of the needed files to the required location(s) when I access a computer? (I can only access using public comps, and they use programs that completely wipe/reset the computer every time it's shut down.
It's like DeepFreeze or something, brings the computer back to a restore point automatically.). A L Miller June 29, 2010 2:00 AM Just noticed your remark that the i386 directory may be too large to fit on a CD (even an extended CD). I don't know whether it is still done, but where a directory is duplicated in a file tree, space can be saved by removing all but one copy of the directory and placing links to the remaining copy where the deleted copies are supposed to appear. If you only read the structure top down, then (so long as there are no cycles in the digraph) all the content appears to be where it should be but the overall space taken is drastically reduced. Before DVDs became common this was often done to make everything fit on one (small) CD.
Monchichi May 3, 2011 12:08 AM Thank you and then thank you again. Finally a bit of tech information that is easy to read, and easy to understand. Now I understand why I don't have an OS disk for my Windows XP from Dell.
What I don't know is why my tech guy didn't know about the copy in the i386 directory. This means that when I search on.exe files that I think are suspicious and they show up where indicated they should AND the i386, it's NOT a virus, etc., just someone's idea for a shortcut. If only they would include that simple information - but then maybe they did and I missed it. Thanks again.
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