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…
I have been trying really hard to get XP to work over the past few days but I always no matter what i do get the Manifest Parse Error.
I have followed all the tips of this site ie
Replacing my DVD rom with a cd rom
Makeing a bootable disk
Replacing the controls.man file
And it still doesnt work and all its achieved is losing all my data
Anyone else got any suggestions?
SUCCESS STORY! I tried to install a copy of WinXP Pro, got the Manifest error… control.man errors, and catalog invalid rubbish… Copied entire disk to a folder on my desktop, replaced control.man with Richard’s text… burnt a new CD using Roxio Easy CD creator 5 (memorex700CDR)… Deleted XP folder from PC… removed all programs not compatible with XP… cleaned up HD… Put in XP Pro… and YEEEEHHHHAAAAA, I’m now running XP Pro… Upgraded instead of clean install, running smooth so far… Tx, Richard for your help!
Funny enough i tried to install Window’s XP using my DVD-Rom and i didn’t work even with replacing the Control.man folder.So i installed using my Burner rom…..And it works…So DVD players have a hard time reading the folder but Richards replacement controle.man file really works…THANKS
Heya guys.
I ran into this problem this weekend… I tried replacing the Controls.man and re-burning the CD using Nero but it still doesn’t work. The CD boots fine but it still fails when trying to read the controls.man … I double checked on another computer and the Controls.man file is in the right place and can be read by notepad. Anyway I did a little more searching and in addition to the link above describing how to burn the CD in Nero, another webpage said you need to check Finalize CD, and choose Disc-At-Once as the burning method (which the above link didn’t mention). Trying to re-burn the CD one more time… I sure hope it works!!
I’m encouraged by the other success stories here so I’m trying to stay positive… But god, failed Windows installs has *got* to be one of the most annoying things in the universe!! I hope I don’t have to send my CD back for a replacement because it could take another 5-7 business days to get it shipped 
(everyplace only wants to ship free replacements via Ground unless you pay extra $$, sigh)
I’ll try to write back again if those extra 2 Nero options work.
Still didn’t make a difference.. However I found an article on M$’s page. Going to try doing that now. Also, though the computer I’m trying to install this on doesn’t have a burner, I’m borrowing a cd burner from a friend and I’ll see if it has any better luck finding this file.
For some reason regedt32.exe refuses to run from that shift+f10 command line… tried using regedit on a WinMe box but it can’t do the “Load Hive” thing and it can’t read the System.sav file as a regular registry file so I’m out of luck. The vendor I bought the CD from is replacing it, though I’m going to have to wait for it to arrive.. sigh. Ah well. Hopefully that M$ kb article above can help someone in the future.
Oh yeah, one more *weird* thing. From the Shift+F10 command line I was able to xcopy the whole D:\i386 (cdrom) folder onto my C:\ drive. I rebooted and took the XP cd out. It asked me where the Asms folder was so I put in C:\i386. Still got the same parse error on line 0 in Controls.man
I double checked and the Controls.man file on my C:\ drive is an exact copy of what is posted on this site (with no extra spaces/lines at the beginning or anything). So much for XML being flexible! Anyway a new CD should do the trick, I just hate having to go back to WinMe for a week or so.
Works wonderfully! Just upgraded from Millennium Edition (which is REALLY bad; even Win98 ran better…) using your Controls.man . I don’t understand how it’s possible that my original controls.man was empty, but it works perfectly now. Thanks!
I followed instruction to download the new CONTROLS.MAN from a tripod server, burn a new CD, now instead of getting error in LINE O, I gets error in LINE 4. Any Ladies and Gentlemen out there know why this is and how to go about to overcome it? Please help. Please help!
Worked for me. Thanks