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…
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. Email me if you have any other questions as I have done this install numerous times. Adios and Good Luck!
Thanks!
1. downloaded MSDN XP Pro image
2. burned to a CD-RW 8x
3. got the stupid manifest error
4. Google sent me here
5. used winiso to look at the image
6. all the files were correct on the downloaded image
7. burned a CD-R at 2x disk at once with Nero
8. checked that CD
Yea, finally got past the stupid error! Thank you, Microsoft, for making everything we do just a little bit harder!
If you go look on the CD, open up the CONTROLS.MAN file, you’ll see that’s it’s broken. It IS empty. Trying to change CDROM is just plain stupid.
I got a similar yet different error message when installing WinXP! My corrupted file was i386\asms\1000\msft\windows\gdiplus\gdiplus.man - line 0. Did anyone else find this file empty?
Jeez… Fûçk Bill Gates and use XP corp. plenty of keygens out there…. C’mon people! Civil disobedience is the only way to bring Billy Bob Gates down.
While I do not condone or support the illegal usage of pirated software, I do support the reduction of power currently held by the Evil Empire! - RDL
Dear, Richard — I have one thing to say about your help in proliferating the abuse of Microsoft software… THANK YOU!!!! That dámn error was driving me crazy after just spending $2K on a new PC and then not being able to even use it… Can’t even think about it now but, once again, thank you. You’re a gentleman and a scholar.
You’re welcome! My purpose of informing the interested public is certainly not to proliferate the abuse of Microsoft software, but merely to point out the ridiculousness of putting up with mediocre products from the Evil Empire. As I’ve stated several times, I ran into the problem with a fully licensed OEM version that I obtained directly from Dell with my PC purchase and desired to help others with the same problem. I am nonetheless very pleased that my tribulations and subsequent workaround has helped so many. - RDL
Well, I’ve had the same problems also, and I’ve wasted about 20 blanks trying to fix the problem!
There are some things I’d like to point out, firstly the *.MAN files are somehow corrupted by the Windows system! This happens either when its copied to an image file from CD or harddrive. It’s not that the text is changed in anyway… its how its written to the disk causing a “crc error” or “bad cd cluster”. I also had the same problem with MSWINCRT.MAN on installation “in the asms\7000 folder” (maybe cuz I have an Athlon x86 chipset?)
The only way around this was copying the ASMS folder from the WinXP CD, to the harddrive and renaming CONTROLS.MAN to CONTROLS.MA_ and so on (there are 5 *.MAN files in the ASMS folder)
E:\I386\ASMS\1000\MSFT\WINDOWS\GDIPLUS\GDIPLUS.MAN
E:\I386\ASMS\5100\MSFT\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DEFAULT\DEFAULT.MAN
E:\I386\ASMS\6000\MSFT\VCRTL\VCRTL.MAN
E:\I386\ASMS\6000\MSFT\WINDOWS\COMMON\CONTROLS\CONTROLS.MAN
E:\I386\ASMS\7000\MSFT\WINDOWS\MSWINCRT\MSWINCRT.MAN
Next, add the *.MA_ files into the WinXP iso image using WINISO, and then delete the old “CONTROLS.MAN” and rename CONTROLS.MA_ to CONTROLS.MAN etc., inside the iso…
hope this helps
lenny
You guys rock! I just used the copy of controls.man file at top and it worked fine. I copied XP onto my hardrive and replaced the file, reburned it and it worked fine… Thanks for the help!