Error Message: "Setup Is Unable to Locate Temporary Files" When Running Windows 2000 Setup

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When you run Windows 2000 Setup, the following error message may be displayed:

Setup is unable to locate temporary files.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the hard disk on which Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe placed temporary files is not currently visible to Windows 2000.

RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, back up the hard disk, repartition the hard disk, restore the backup, and then install Windows 2000.

You may need a manufacturer-supplied device driver (or you can manually specify a driver that is compatible with Windows 2000 for temporary Setup files when you run Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe). Please refer to your system guide for more information.

NOTE: On x86-based computers, disks generated by Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe for use with non-CD-ROM-based installations are not suitable for installing from CD-ROM, and you may receive the following error message:

Setup cannot continue. Press F3 to continue.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 2000.

MORE INFORMATION

If a disk image of a larger volume is placed on a smaller volume, the boot sector shows that the partition is larger than the actual partition size. Text-mode Setup is unable to determine the file system type, so it cannot look at this partition for the temporary files.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug