Manifest Parse Error…
You receive the following message: “Manifest Parse error: Invalid at top level of document” when installing Windows XP for the first time and the installation fails because it cannot correctly parse the CONTROLS.MAN file. At no point does Microsoft’s installation program allow you to select an alternate source location for the file. It doesn’t even allow you full command prompt access. And the Recovery Program is useless, as it doesn’t even allow you to copy directories or copy using wildcards!
That’s what happened to me, too, after I decided to give Microsoft one more chance to have one of its operating systems on my main computer. I must be a glutton for punishment, because rather than scrapping it completely, I decided to figure out how to get around the problem. Old habits, like most computers running Microsoft operating systems, die hard.
I’ve heard everything from “it’s a copy protection scheme” to “it locks you out after three installations”. I’ve even heard of hundreds of people who have experienced the error from fresh-out-of-the-shrink-wrap, boxed versions of Windows XP. I couldn’t even get my freshly opened XP CD direct from Dell to work properly. Also, many folks prefer to install from CD copies and keep the original disks in close-to-pristine condition, yet rumors abound that as many as 60-70% of the copies experience this same problem. It must be another one of those undocumented Microsoft features.
The /i386/asms/6000/msft/windows/common/controls/controls.man file on the CD is corrupt. Copy your entire CD to your harddrive, use my version of the CONTROLS.MAN file (don’t forget to change the file extension!), and burn another CD. In theory, you could copy the entire i386 directory to your harddrive, replace the damaged file, and then run \i386\winnt.exe to install, but if you really want a reliable and stable system, it is not wise to install the XP operating system over an existing, older OS. So burning a CD is the only viable option for a fresh, clean install.Whether the new OS works well enough to dissuade me from breaking down and purchasing an iMac remains to be seen…
joenrene - check that the files burnt onto your CD OK - do all the *.MAN files contain what seems like meaningful data when read from the CD? My guess is yet again for some reason they are screwing up during the burn process. I suggest burning again and verifying the *.MAN files are all OK on the CD before attempting the install.
It may take a few burns to get them all OK. Try varying burn speeds and maybe different software if you have no luck.
Dom -All the *.MAN files contain what seems like meaningful data when read from the CD. I then attempted the install with the same error gdiplus.man line 4. I do not have any other burn software to verify if my 2x burn is bad.
The main problem with these files, from what I can see, is that they violate the way cd’s are made. The directory length, along with the file name can be no logner than 64 characters on a cd-rom encoded with joilet, as is the XP cd’s. Unfortunately, MS has decided to push that number when burying these files. Some burning software might not recognize this file name scheme, and just leave files empty.
I counted 46 characters in the file name
I386\ASMS\6000\MSFT\WINDOWS\COMMON\CONTROLS\CONTROLS.MAN
Some drives may not support joilet correctly, especially when in the ghetto setup program. Your drive might default back to 32 character ISO 9660 mode 3, which EVERY cd drive faster than 2x has. Looking at my 2k pro cd, I can’t seem to find stuff that is more than 32 characters deep. Everything is in 8.3 format in the i386 dir, with short names. Perhaps this is the flaw we’re all seeing with XP cd’s?
Shawn.
Someone gave me a copy of XP Pro copied with Nero, which obviously gave the manifest error! I made an image file from it with CD Mate, replaced the controls.man in WinIso. Saved it and renamed to .bin. (No ISO files used). Burnt new CD with CD Mate using standard settings (including burning at max speed). Then installed XP using the usual FCKGW… key, and it worked fine. Simple as a pimple. Many thanks for the file!
Thnx Richard…had some difficulties just copying the CD to hd, but put some muscle into it and forced it to work. Copy-paste-drag-n-drop, replace… Burned the new CD using Nero 5.5.5.6 with no hitches. Now my $%&$ CD Key won’t work, BAAAAHHHHH!!! >:( Yes, I love MSFT… Thanks for the resource nonetheless.
hey i have this problem with windows xp rebooted after showing the logo load up screen…it just stops there i can’t get into my system, recently my computer came up to a pop-up screen that says it’s missing the asms file or folder i guess…does anyone know what i can do to fix it? ..it started out with just a modem prob, because my sister updated our modem and i happen to click roll back because it said it would go back to the most recent driver for our modem but i ended up with a lan\dsl\cable connection..i thought i could replace the file because our original os is win me and i decided to use the recovery cd..well that made it worse, it kept goin to safe mode and the other choices in the black screen… then i tried to repair the console now it just reboots.. finally i got to that screen, in the installation part which is sayin missing asms or something like that, i can’t really elaborate on that part much…sorry.. i’m on my friends computer right now.. but if anyone could help mne out that be GREAT! i would reformat, but there are important documents that i need for school..
Can anyone tell me if the following content is right in the “vcrtl.man” file ? I am getting the manifest parse error for this file and not for the “controls.man” file:
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″
standalone=”yes”?><assembly xmlns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1″
manifestVersion=”1.0″> <assemblyIdentity
type=”win32″ name=”Microsoft.Tools.VisualCPlusPlus.Runtime-Libraries”
version=”6.0.0.0″ processorArchitecture=”x86″
publicKeyToken=”6595b64144ccf1df”/>
<dependency
optional=”yes”>
<dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity type=”win32″
name=”Microsoft.Tools.VisualCPlusPlus.Runtime-Libraries.Resources”
version=”6.0.0.0″ processorArchitecture=”x86″ publicKeyToken=”6595b64144ccf1df”
language=”*”/>
</dependentAssembly>
</dependency>
<file name=”mfc42u.dll”
hash=”d9357dbe54a1f754cd8d662323acdeb100a0b0d1″
hashalg=”SHA1″> <comClass
description=”Font Property Page”
clsid=”{0BE35200-8F91-11CE-9DE3-00AA004BB851}”/>
<comClass description=”Color Property Page”
clsid=”{0BE35201-8F91-11CE-9DE3-00AA004BB851}”/>
<comClass description=”Picture Property Page”
clsid=”{0BE35202-8F91-11CE-9DE3-00AA004BB851}”/>
</file> <file name=”mfc42.dll”
hash=”138a2057b090678d865720ed22276b00ede39168″
hashalg=”SHA1″/> <file name=”atl.dll”
hash=”60f116cba40bf191e78dd71177de8de79d79c50b”
hashalg=”SHA1″> <comClass
description=”Registrar Class” clsid=”{44EC053A-400F-11D0-9DCD-00A0C90391D3}”
progid=”ATL.Registrar”/>
<typelib tlbid=”{44EC0535-400F-11D0-9DCD-00A0C90391D3}” version=”1.0″
helpdir=”"/> </file>
<file name=”msvcp60.dll” hash=”0d48860c3fdc649067ae29ef95635443d9d7064d”
hashalg=”SHA1″/>
<comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name=”IAxWinAmbientDispatch”
iid=”{B6EA2051-048A-11D1-82B9-00C04FB9942E}”
proxyStubClsid32=”{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}” numMethods=”35″
baseInterface=”{00000000-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}”/>
</assembly>
hey everyone…I just wanna say that I have had these problems too about parsing errors and invalid files and whatnot, but I just re-downloaded the iso from microsoft and burned it and it worked fine…so maybe the errors just lie in the download and not in the actual image.
For those who have replaced the CONTROLS.MAN file but still get the parse manifest file error (this time in line 4 rather than line 0): the other files in the i386\asms\…\CONTROLS\ folder (the .CAT file and the .DLL file) may be corrupt too. I’ve done a compare with working files, it showed that .MAN and .CAT were completely screwed and the .DLL was OK in the first half (that’s why it showed DLL version correctly), but the rest of the file was broken as well.
After replacing all 3 files with their working versions (I took them from xp home cd) the setup went ok.
Hope this helps.
Thanks to everyone. I will share my experience as well.
A guy in my company downloaded JP_WinXP_PRO_x86_build2600_ISO.IMG and burned it to a CD (probably high speed). Using the CD, I got the manifest error when trying to install Japanese Windows XP on a second partition of the hard drive. The particular file that had problem was GDIPlus.MAN. However, I can open and see GDIPlus.MAN just fine (it’s not blank). I also compared it to the copy on our MSDN Windows XP (English) CD using ExamDiff — they are identical.
The guy used the same ISO image and burned a CD again, only this time with x1 speed. It worked.