Woah! Took a second look at the log file again....

<snip>
Starting Download For File URL: http://CD/WINXP.sdc
<snip>

Duh! It's supposed to "download" it from the CD. I had put my SDC file on the hard disk. Talk about a misleading step name....

Now it works!

I figured out what is wrong with VS.net cds. The file name of the .sdc file on the disk should be VSNET_1.sdc for disk 1 and VSNET_2.sdc for disk 2, etc...
However for some reason the filenames on the disks I got from the library are different (something like 1010_VS_DotNET.....). I had to change the filenames on each disk to the correct ones and burn them to 5 new disks(thats a waste) for it to work.

KL, I encountered the problems as you did. Would you mind share some more information how you finally made it? Thanks a lot!

Jack:
Simple fix here. the WINXP.sdc.exe (for XP) program downloaded from the e-academy website expects to find the SDC file (the one you copied from the library-issued CDs) from the CD-ROM drive, even if the misleading program status window would have you think otherwise ("Downloading....". So the solution is to simply pop in your CD containing the SDC file into the CD drive. (having the file on hard disk does NOT work).

Finished installing VS. Went without a hitch. Working fine.
As for just popping in the cd, it wont work unless the file name of the .sdc file on the cd is the same as the one the decryption program is looking for. I had to change the file names of 5 cds coz they were different from what the program was looking for. You can get the file name from the log file that is created when there is an unsuccessful attempt to decrypt the cd. The log file is created in the same directory in which the decryption program is located.

Thanks for replying, KL.

Last time I copied the files to the harddisk.
After I read your message, I wrote the xp file to a CD then right clicked on the file and tried to open with the xp.sdc.exe. It still didn't work.
I am not sure whether I should borrow the original CD from the library again, or, since I have two CDROMs, could that be a reason?

Another quesion: after you opened xp.sdc, what did you get? A installation disk of xp, or you acturally started the installation?

Many thanks!

Jack:

Rightclicking on the SDC file and then trying to run it with WINXP.sdc.exe won't work. Just pop in the CD containing the SDC file in the drive. Now fire up WINXP.sdc.exe. It should find it automatically.

Make sure that your cd contains the (encrypted) file WINXP.sdc. The downloaded program WINXP.sdc.exe is supposed to work with this file.

>>Another quesion: after you opened xp.sdc,....

WINXP.sdc.exe extracts (decrypts, whatever) the SDC file WINXP.sdc to your hard disk. The extraction should produce (among other things) a readme file, and setup.exe. Read the Readme file to get installation instructions.

The above instructions refer only to Windows XP. I've no experience with installing VS.Net, SQL etc.

I found a shortcut that doesn't require burning the renamed VS.NET sdc files onto CD, or burning any sdc files. Just make a directory named "sdc" in the root of your hard drive, and move the .sdc file(s) there. The extraction program doesn't really need to read them from a CD, only from an "x:\sdc\" folder somewhere on your computer.
HTH.
__
Alex

Thats a nice workaround! If only I knew...

KL, thanks for your tips!
It finally works, only after I disabled the Norton Personal Firewall.

Students,

Please note that you can now order the media and have it shipped directly to your home, pretty much for the cost of the media. Details are given below:

This is one of those occasions when you can be thankful you are in the CS Department here at UIC. You can now order online select Microsoft software through the MSDNAA program, pretty much for the cost of the media. The software and cost is as follows:

PRODUCT: PRICING
Microsoft Project Professional 2002 (Single-User): $5.15 US
Microsoft Visio Professional 2002 (Single User): $5.15 US
Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional - Full Install: $11.80 US (Has the programming languages C++, J#, Visual Basic)
Windows XP Professional (Single User): $5.15 US

To get this software, you must be a currently registered CS student. IF YOU JUST RECENTLY REGISTERED, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR ID IS REGISTERED. Continuing students should be fine.

To get this software, go to:
 http://msdn01.e-academy.com/uic_cs/
(Please be patient - the site is kind of slow at the beginning of semesters.)
Then select the "Log In" button. In the login screen, select the link at the bottom that specifies:
 Can't remember your password? Click here for a reminder.
The following screen then allows you to type in your CS account userid, after which you get an email with your password.

The Win XP does not install to new hard disk?
Hi,
I tried to install the Win XP for my brand new computer (without any installed windows on it yet). The big probem is:
The files (CD) we get from the library (after extraction) will not make a bootable CD. Even if I try to book the PC using floppy to DOS, the Setup program only run in Windows!

Does this mean that the Windows XP Pro we get from the library (or download from the e-academy site) is only a upgrade version, and can not be installed to a new bare computer? Anyone has any idea of it? Thanks.

Hello.
I was downloaded the *.sdc file_but how i can unpack it? any help? Or i need special programm to unpack it?

@JeremyX: Dat vraag ik mij ook af! Het lukt me voor geen mogelijkheid!

Can we get 64bit XP?