Error Message: The System Is Not Fully Installed (216684)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0

This article was previously published under Q216684
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you use the System Preparation tool (Sysprep) on a computer running Windows NT, you may receive the following error message after rebooting:
Windows Message:
The system is not fully installed.
Please run setup again.

CAUSE

The registry setting that Sysprep uses to mark its progress is incorrectly set when some third-party network clients are installed on the computer.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:
For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

WORKAROUND

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: The following steps are to be used with the non-hotfixed version of Sysprep.exe only.

To prevent this issue from occurring, remove the third-party network client from the computer before making the image or running Sysprep.

To work around this issue, install a parallel installation of Windows NT 4.0 in a different partition and then use Registry Editor to change the data value of the SystemSetupInProgress value from 1 to 0:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
  2. On the Window menu, click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
  3. On the Registry menu, click Load Hive.
  4. Click the %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\System file, and then click Open.
  5. Type a name for the key, and then click OK.
  6. Double-click the name you chose in the previous step.
  7. Double-click the Setup key.
  8. Double-click the SystemSetupInProgress value in the right pane.
  9. Change the data value from 1 to 0, and then click OK.
  10. Click the key name you chose in step 5, and then click Unload Hive on the Registry menu.
  11. Quit Registry Editor and then restart the computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0.


Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/23/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbfix KB216684