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…
Here’s a suggestion. Don’t burn the CD directly from the Image file, even if you’ve altered the necessary files. Either use winiso or winimage to unpack the files to the harddrive, or burn a CD from the ISO and copy the burned files to the harddrive. Now that you have a working directory of the XP install files, alter the corrupted files on the harddrive XP directory. I’m not sure how all of the burning software works as far as exact procedure, but I’m sure they all offer this option. Insert a blank CD, manually select ALL of the files on the XP install directory located on the harddrive to be burned directly to the new disk…ie: In Easy CD Creator, the option is make a data CD. Now burn the CD at any speed. This is the process I used and it worked fine the first time around. I’m not certain, but the error may be materializing during that extra step when the burning software converts the ISO file for burning.
It’s just a suggestion.
ZD
Oh yes, I forgot to mention this. Pay attention to what the volume name of the Windows XP install CD should be and make sure you manually name the new CD before you burn it.
ZD
Woohoo! I got it working after downloading the image off the internet then burning with Nero. Thanks everyone!
I have an error where it says something about driver.cab unable to copy. Thing is, it opens fine in WinZip, and I can extract any file I want. Why is this happening?
Just a big thanks to Richard and all with the help. Openened up controls.man on my laptop - content. Opened up controls.man on the PC I was trying to install XP on with DVD ROM - no content. Burned a CD with the directory structure and the controls.man only - booted into existing XP setup , with new CD , swapped to old CD when prompted and Roberts your fathers brother - XP installed no problems.
hi when installing xp prof on my laptop i get an error message that says my vcrtl.man has an error in line 4 or 16. Can anyone help??
Hi! Thanks Richard for your really informative guide. Have recently moved to Germany and wanted to install windows xp professional in german on my Dell Inspiron 8200, which comes bundled with the crappy Windows XP Home.
I have read all the comments on the website. And am ready to try it out. My question however is, would the contents of CONTROLS.MAN work for Windows XP Professional (German Edition) as well? Unfortunately I no longer have the original Windows XP Pro (which I so naively copied onto a blank CD and gave back to my benefactor) so I cant compare the contents as well…
Would appreciate any help in this regard!
Thanks
Tim
Burning image from MSDN Academic Alliance to CD with Prassi PrimoCD Plus 2.1 on an Acer 16/10/40 didn’t work. But with Roxio Easy CD Creator 5 on a TEAC CD-W216E it worked! Read and installed on Acer 16/10/40. I finally can study for my final exam later today and maybe get a little rest!
God bless! –Loren
hey richard nice site! came across this because, of course had the same error, “error: the manifest file does not begin with the required tag or format information: *:\i386\asms”. this was from an iso burn from nero at 12x using a dvd rom to install. then used a cdrw for the next tries.
i tried changing the CONTROLS.MAN with yours above. burned it at 1x with nero checked it and still no luck. so i used winiso to check the iso image and everything looks complete including the CONTROLS.MAN so i tried burning from iso again at 1x with nero then checked the CONTROLS.MAN and sure enough it was blank, checked with notepad.
so my question is, after reading all the replies above, does it matter what operating system you are using initially on making the the CD? if not, then i really think its just my burning media NERO. after being unsuccessful i had to install win2k pro.
my assumption about nero comes from creating a win2000 pro CD from the time-limited version to the time-unlimited version where you have to alter the SETUPREG.HIV file with REGEDIT32. i have the original installation cd but time-limited. did all the necessary applications to alter the SETUPREG.HIV file then burned to cd with nero at 12x and 1x and installed unsucessfully. now i was burning this cd in win2k pro. now im confused because there are successful installs listed above when burning with nero. oh yea also chose to disc at once.. finalize cd.. still unsuccessful. im not giving up though. it might also be from dling it. so im dling 2 more iso’s from kazaa. if anyone can help me please do. THANKS
oh yea and the intial unsuccessful cds of xp were made in windows 98se. then the windows2k pro cds were made on installed time-limited version. created win2k pro cd and had missing installation files next time around ill try to list files unread. i know after the first reboot the TCPIP.SYS file couldnt be read and i think before the boot i dont recall but it would probably after the first boot too.. the browseui.sys i think couldnt be read too.. dont have time right now will list more later. thanks again