Windows stops responding when you try to install Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 by using a Sysprep image

When you try to install Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, or Microsoft Windows XP Professional by using a Sysprep image, the mini-setup program does not start as you expect. Instead, the computer stops responding (hangs).

This issue occurs if the Sysprep image that you use to install Windows was created from a Windows installation that uses a different hardware abstraction layer (HAL) than the HAL that the destination computer requires.

Note Although the deployment of a Sysprep image that has an incompatible HAL might work in some cases, Microsoft does not support this installation scenario. For example, if you deploy a Sysprep image that uses a Standard PC HAL to a computer that requires an ACPI Uniprocessor PC HAL, the computer may start successfully. However, Microsoft does not support or test this configuration.

To resolve this issue, re-create the Sysprep image from a Windows installation that uses a HAL that is compatible with the destination computer.

To determine if the HAL of your Sysprep image is compatible with the destination computer, follow these steps:

1. On the computer that you created the Sysprep image from, use the Windows CD to perform a typical Windows installation.
2. After Windows is installed, click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Click Devices by type on the View menu if this option is not enabled.
4. Double-click Computer to view which HAL is loaded.
   
   For example, the HAL may appear as "ACPI Uniprocessor PC."
5. On the computer where you want to install Windows by using the Sysprep image, use the Windows CD to perform a typical Windows installation.
6. After Windows is installed, click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
7. Click Devices by type on the View menu if this option is not enabled.
8. Double-click Computer to view which HAL is loaded.
9. Determine if the two HAL types are compatible.
   
   The following list describes the computers that you can deploy a particular Sysprep image to based on the HAL type in the source computer:
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses a Standard PC, Non-ACPI PIC HAL (Hal.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL type:
     • Standard PC, Non-ACPI PIC HAL (Hal.dll)
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC, ACPI PIC HAL (Halacpi.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL type:
     • Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC, ACPI PIC HAL (Halacpi.dll)
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses a MPS Uniprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halapic.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL types:
     • MPS Uniprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halapic.dll)
     • MPS Multiprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmps.dll)
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses a MPS Multiprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmps.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL types:
     • MPS Multiprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmps.dll)
     • MPS Uniprocessor PC, Non-ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halapic.dll)
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses an ACPI Uniprocessor PC, ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halaacpi.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL types:
     • ACPI Uniprocessor PC, ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halaacpi.dll)
     • ACPI Multiprocessor PC, ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmacpi.dll)
   • You can deploy a Sysprep image that was created on a computer that uses an ACPI Multiprocessor PC, ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmacpi.dll) to a computer that uses the following HAL types:
     • ACPI Multiprocessor PC, ACPI APIC MP HAL (Halmacpi.dll)
     • ACPI Uniprocessor PC, ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halaacpi.dll)

For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about how to use Sysprep to prepare images for disk duplication, visit the following Microsoft Web site: