Microsoft KB Archive/331042

= Remotely administered XPE runtimes do not work correctly =

Article ID: 331042

Article Last Modified on 2/24/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 1

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This article was previously published under Q331042





SYMPTOMS
When you build a runtime for a remotely administered device (also known as a headless device) by using Microsoft Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 1 (SP1), the device does not start correctly. However, because the device is remotely administered, you have no way to know that the device is not starting.

A headless device is a device that does not have any display hardware. There is no hardware to display the status of the device or its operations.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because a remotely administered device does not have a display driver. Microsoft Windows XP-based systems require a display driver to start. Because a remotely administered system has no display hardware, a remotely administered system does not load display drivers. Therefore, Windows XP does not successfully start the device.



RESOLUTION
This problem is resolved by an update to Windows XP Embedded SP1. This update creates a new component that is named Virtual Display Driver. The new component provides the display driver that Windows XP requires. However, the new component does not require underlying display hardware to successfully load and run.

Note The workaround is easier to implement than the update.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, add the NetMeeting component to your runtime. This action provides the system with a virtual display driver.

This workaround has a larger runtime footprint than the runtime footprint of the update.



MORE INFORMATION
This problem does not occur with Microsoft Windows XP Embedded.

Additional query words: &quot;no head&quot; head less headless &quot;no display&quot; &quot;no screen&quot;

Keywords: kbfix kbqfe kbprb KB331042

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