Microsoft KB Archive/191850

= Convert/Autoconv Fails with "Cannot Create Elementary File System Structures" =

Article ID: 191850

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q191850



SYMPTOMS
Conversion from FAT to NTFS fails and the following error message appears:

Cannot create the elementary file system structures.

The conversion failed

C: was not converted to ntfs

This error occurs on Alpha systems when performing an unattended installation using the following options in the Unattend.txt file:

[Unattended] OemPreinstall = yes FileSystem = ConvertNTFS ExtendOemPartition = 1



CAUSE
This problem only occurs if you apply the Alpha-based hotfix referenced in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 185773

TITLE : NTFS Corruption on Drives > 4 GB Using ExtendOEMPartition

The ExtendOEMPartition option extends the partition to the maximum size of the drive. The above hotfix enables this feature so that it works correctly on drives exceeding 4 GB in size. There is a BIOS limitation on x86-based computers that limit the maximum size of a partition to 7.8 GB. Because this limitation does not exist on Alpha systems, the byte offset may exceed 32 bits. A problem in Fastfat.sys fails any disk access that calculated a byte offset exceeding 32 bits.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

NOTE: This fix applies to both x86 and Alpha platforms and supercedes the hotfix referenced in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 185773

TITLE : NTFS Corruption on Drives > 4 GB Using ExtendOEMPartition

NOTE: In addition to the above file, the following additional files must be obtained from the latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack. The service pack should be of the same language as that being installed:

  x86           Alpha --  Gdi32.dll     Gdi32.dll Hal.dll      Halgammp.dll Hal486c.dll  Halpinna.dll Halapic.dll  Halrawmp.dll Halast.dll   Halsabmp.dll Halcbus.dll  Kernel32.dll Halcbusm.dll Ntdll.dll Halmca.dll   Ntkrnlmp.exe Halmps.dll   Ntoskrnl.exe Halmpsm.dll  User32.dll Haloli.dll   Win32k.sys Halsp.dll    Winsrv.dll Halwyse7.dll Kernel32.dll Ntdll.dll Ntkrnlmp.exe Ntoskrnl.exe User32.dll Win32k.sys Winsrv.dll

Perform the following steps to successfully install this hotfix:

 Start the computer in MS-DOS mode and prepare the drive for Windows NT unattended installation as usual. This includes copying the .\I386 or .\Alpha folder from the Windows NT CD to the install directory on drive C. Copy the fixed files into a temporary folder.  Apply the fixed files and required service pack dependency files to the install directory on drive C. The service pack CD should be that of the same language as that being installed. Because the service pack CDs are in Windows NT Unicode format, they cannot be read directly from MS-DOS. The service pack files may need to be transferred from a Windows NT system capable of reading the service pack CD or the service pack files can be read directly using MS-DOS from the Enterprise Server CD in the "\SP3\i386" or "\SP3\Alpha" directory. The service pack dependency files are listed above. This step can be performed automatically using the Oemsetup.bat batch file if you have the dependency files in an MS-DOS readable format. Otherwise, you must perform this step manually:

Batch File Option
From the temporary folder, run Oemsetup.bat, specifying both the source service pack folder and the target install folder. For example (assume D: is a service pack folder and C:\I386 is the install folder):

OEMSETUP D:\SP3\I386 C:\I386

This copies the necessary files to the I386 and C:\I386\System32 folders on drive C where the installation folder is located.

Manual Option
You can also perform this step manually by first copying Fastfat.sys from the fix to the C:\I386 install folder, and then copy the following files from the latest Windows NT 4.0 service pack to the C:\I386 and C:\I386\System32 folders as denoted below:

     Fastfat.sys     -> ..\I386 Hal.dll        -> ..\I386 Hal486c.dll    -> ..\I386 Halapic.dll    -> ..\I386 Halast.dll     -> ..\I386 Halcbus.dll    -> ..\I386 Halcbusm.dll   -> ..\I386 Halmca.dll     -> ..\I386 Halmps.dll     -> ..\I386 Halmpsm.dll    -> ..\I386 Haloli.dll     -> ..\I386 Halsp.dll      -> ..\I386 Halwyse7.dll   -> ..\I386 Ntdll.dll      -> ..\I386 and  -> ..\I386\SYSTEM32 Ntoskrnl.exe   -> ..\I386 Ntkrnlmp.exe   -> ..\I386 Win32k.sys     -> ..\I386 User32.dll     -> ..\I386 Kernel32.dll   -> ..\I386 Gdi32.dll      -> ..\I386 Winsrv.dll     -> ..\I386

Then remove the compressed versions of these files from the C:\I386 and C:\I386\System32 folders. Compressed files are identified by the last character of the file type containing an underscore (_). For example, delete Fastfat.Sy_, Hal.dl_, Ntdll.dl_, Ntoskrnl.ex_, and so on.

Batch File Option
From the temporary folder, run Oemsetup.bat specifying both the source service pack folder and the target install folder. For example (assume D: is a service pack folder and C:\Alpha is the install folder):

OEMSETUP D:\SP3\Alpha C:\Alpha

This copies the necessary files to the Alpha and C:\Alpha\System32 folders on drive C where the installation folder is located.

Manual Option
You can also perform this step manually by first copying Fastfat.sys from the fix to the C:\Alpha install folder then copy the following files from the latest Windows NT 4.0 service pack to the C:\Alpha and C:\Alpha\System32 folders as denoted below:

     Fastfat.sys     -> ..\Alpha Halgammp.dll   -> ..\Alpha Halpinna.dll   -> ..\Alpha Halrawmp.dll   -> ..\Alpha Halsabmp.dll   -> ..\Alpha Ntdll.dll      -> ..\Alpha and  -> ..\Alpha\SYSTEM32 Ntoskrnl.exe   -> ..\Alpha Ntkrnlmp.exe   -> ..\Alpha Win32k.sys     -> ..\Alpha User32.dll     -> ..\Alpha Kernel32.dll   -> ..\Alpha Gdi32.dll      -> ..\Alpha Winsrv.dll     -> ..\Alpha

Then remove the compressed versions of these files from the C:\Alpha and C:\Alpha\System32 folders. Compressed files are identified by the last character of the file type containing an underscore (_). For example, delete Fastfat.Sy_, Halgammp.dl_, Ntdll.dl_, Ntoskrnl.ex_, and so on.  Run Winnt.exe as usual to complete the Windows NT installation. When the Windows NT installation is complete, apply the latest service pack immediately. This eliminates inconsistent releases of system files.</li></ol>

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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Additional query words: corrupt user domain

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbqfe KB191850

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