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…
Everyone, I have found the easiest way to resolve this stupid error. I have been getting this same message for quite some time and finally found a fix. All you have to do is start the installation and after Windows XP copies the files to your HD and reboots, wait until you get the setup screen that says installing windows. Take out your Windows XP CD. Wait until it asks you for it, then reinsert the CD. Give it a few seconds, maybe 15 seconds, take the CD out again. Each time you take the CD out you will get message that you need windows XP cd to copy a certain file. Do it once or twice more and the installation should continue without a problem.
I tried a few of the solutions posted here before coming up with my own combination that works well and easily:
Andrew wrote above on Sept 12, 2002:
[quote]
Actually you can get around having to do a full reinstall by letting the system restart after it encounters the error and removing the Windows CD. It will continue setup right where you left off and ask for the “asms” file and you simply click OK and it will let you enter in the path to the file. At this point you insert a floppy disk which you’ve made to have the complete file tree (all folders the same) as on the CD down to the CONTROLS.MAN file. Make sure that your CONTROLS.MAN file is correct (4kb or so) and then in the path change “E:/I386″ to “A:/I386″ and hit enter. This should do the trick. It will read the Manifest file from the floppy and when it’s done it asks you to reinsert the Windows CD and installation continues as normal.
[end quote]
The disk you make has to contain all three files in that CONTROLS folder — the .cat, .man, and .dll files. That way, Setup looks for the .man file, finds the working one you put on the A-drive, and can still find the .dll file that the .man file refers to.
Easier than burning a new cd… and it works!
I tried the floppy disk workaround suggested by Andy above… Setup read the floppy disk for 30 seconds or so and I thought I was home free, but then I got the error message:
“An error has been encountered…
One of the components that Windows needs…
Data error (cyclic redundancy check),
If you are installing from a CD, there might be a problem with the disc; try cleaning the disc or using another disc.
If you are installing from the network, it is possible that not all of the files were copied correctly to your drive. Run the disk checking utility on your installation drive from the Recovery Console and start setup again.”
Is something wrong with how I created my floppy? I copied in the correct “controls.man” content and duplicated the .dll and .cat files on the floppy. I created all of the folders in the i386 directory but not on the entire CD. Do I need to recreate EVERY single folder on the CD (there are tons) or just the i386 tree? Or could something else be causing the problem?
Richard, thanks for creating this awesome resource.
Follow-up to my comment above:
It works now! I went ahead and replicated the ENTIRE directory tree from the CD onto a floppy and then included just the three files in the Controls folder (with the fixed Controls.man). To replicate all the folders on the floppy, I just copied the CD to my hard drive and then erased every file in every folder (took ~30 mins) and then copied the resulting empty directory tree onto a floppy. Then everything went off without a hitch as described by Andy on May 6, ‘03. I now have XP Pro up and runninng.
Thanks again to everyone for enabling me to circumvent the evil empire.
***
Error:
SXS.DLL: Syntax error in manifest or policy file “E:\I386\asms\6000\MSFT\VCRTL\VCRTL.MAN” Line 11.
***
Error:
Installation Failed E:\I386\asms. Error Message: A component’s file does not match the verification information present in the component manifest.
***
Fatal Error:
One of the componenets that windows needs to continue setup could not be installed.
A component’s file does not match the verification information present in the component manifest.
What can i do about this? When i get this error XP setup restarts my computer and attempts to start setup again but it gets the same error, how do i fix this? It keeps going into an infinate loop. I have tried several times but keep getting the same error.
How do i fix this, please help me out.
if it helps i had this error from an original copy of xp, i made an iso and keep it for back up purpose on my computer. well i made a burn of it at 8x. tried it and the above fix and got all kinds of other errors of corrupted files. i just got the original xp disk made an iso of it again and reburned it and it worked fine. chances are if this happens its due to a corrupt iso file (or other cd image file). making a copy from the original should work just fine.
The fix to all is in the WinXp files folder of
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/login99ph
When Windows XP installs, it makes a directory named $win_nt$.~ls to your main drive. It copies almost all the CD files to it. Manifest files like VCRTL.MAN or CONTROLS.MAN check the files. Component files do not match component verification when they do not became identical to the original CD’s. To fix this. They should first all be of the same time and end with 12:00PM. I have a file copy program i made. Available to you if you email me. And if you ned the fix to VCRTL.MAN component manifest error. Download the fies in my briefcase link above and then copy them to the $win_nt$.~ls\i386\asms\6000\msft\vcrtl\ folder. Or if you got more problems email me, or post. Ill read it once i get more money. Im out of dough, and im a hacker/programmer. See ya!
Dont forget to make abootdisk first. If you dont know DOS, just email me.
Thanks for the great wealth of information Richard!
I’m getting the GDIPLUS line 4 error. All the .man files on my CD are fine. If fact, I used the same CD to do a successful install on my other virtually identical PC. I’ve tried copying the .man files to hard drive, floppy drive, pulling out the CD and nothing keeps me from getting this error. I’ve reformatted my hard drive 5 times. I’ve re-installed Win98 and tried to upgrade from there twice and it always comes down to this error!
Any help would be appreciated.
I was getting the “vcrtl.man error in line 21″. So I just edited vcrtl.man in edit and overwrote line 21 with a bunch of spaces. XP installed fine after that.