diff --git a/src/answer.sh b/src/answer.sh
index 0012bce4..7e086fb7 100644
--- a/src/answer.sh
+++ b/src/answer.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ setXML() {
 
   CUSTOM_XML=""
 
-  removeGeneratedXML "$target" || return 1
+  removeGeneratedXML "$target" || return 2
 
   if [ -d "${custom_files[0]}" ]; then
     error "The bind ${custom_files[0]} maps to a file that does not exist!"
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ setXML() {
   if [[ "${DETECTED,,}" == *"-eval" ]] &&
     { [ ! -f "$file" ] || [ ! -s "$file" ]; }; then
 
-    generateEvalXML "$DETECTED" "$index" || return 1
+    generateEvalXML "$DETECTED" "$index" || return $?
     file="$target"
 
   elif [ ! -f "$file" ] || [ ! -s "$file" ]; then
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ setXML() {
 
   elif [[ "$file" != "$target" ]]; then
 
-    generateFallbackXML "$DETECTED" "$index" || return 1
+    generateFallbackXML "$DETECTED" "$index" || return $?
     file="$target"
 
   fi
@@ -340,12 +340,12 @@ generateEvalXML() {
   local target="/run/assets/$id.xml"
   local source="/run/assets/$normal.xml"
 
-  removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 1
+  removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 2
 
   if [ ! -s "$source" ]; then
 
     source="/run/assets/${normal%%-*}.xml"
-    removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 1
+    removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 2
 
   fi
 
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ generateEvalXML() {
     esac
   fi
 
-  generateAnswerFile "$id" "$source" "$target" "$index" "evaluation" "$remove_selector" || return 1
+  generateAnswerFile "$id" "$source" "$target" "$index" "evaluation" "$remove_selector" || return 2
 
   return 0
 }
@@ -379,11 +379,11 @@ generateFallbackXML() {
 
   [ "$source" != "$target" ] || return 1
 
-  removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 1
+  removeGeneratedXML "$source" || return 2
 
   [ -s "$source" ] || return 1
 
-  generateAnswerFile "$id" "$source" "$target" "$index" "fallback" "Y" || return 1
+  generateAnswerFile "$id" "$source" "$target" "$index" "fallback" "Y" || return 2
 
   return 0
 }
diff --git a/src/image.sh b/src/image.sh
index 9dae8e4a..e9cc8063 100644
--- a/src/image.sh
+++ b/src/image.sh
@@ -796,28 +796,28 @@ detectLegacy() {
 
   # Legacy media is identified from setup marker files rather than WIM
   # metadata. The order is intentional because several releases share markers.
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname 'ia64' -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname 'ia64' -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     error "Windows IA-64 (Itanium) images are not supported by this container!"
     exit 67
   fi
 
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN95 -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN95 -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="win95"
     return 0
   fi
 
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN98 -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN98 -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="win98"
     return 0
   fi
 
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN9X -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname WIN9X -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="win9x"
@@ -830,14 +830,14 @@ detectLegacy() {
       -iname CDROM_S.40 -o \
       -iname CDROM_TS.40 \
     \) \
-    -print -quit) || return 1
+    -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="winnt4"
     return 0
   fi
 
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname CDROM_NT.5 -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname CDROM_NT.5 -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
 
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ detectLegacy() {
         -iname CDROM_IP.5 -o \
         -iname CDROM_IS.5 \
       \) \
-      -print -quit) || return 1
+      -print -quit) || return 2
 
     if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
       DETECTED="win2k"
@@ -859,10 +859,10 @@ detectLegacy() {
 
   # WIN51 identifies the NT 5.1/5.2 media family; the companion marker then
   # distinguishes XP x86, XP x64, and Server 2003.
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -iname WIN51 -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -iname WIN51 -print -quit) || return 2
   [ -n "$marker" ] || return 1
 
-  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname WIN51AP -print -quit) || return 1
+  marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname WIN51AP -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="winxpx64"
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ detectLegacy() {
       -iname WIN51IP -o \
       -iname setupxp.htm \
     \) \
-    -print -quit) || return 1
+    -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="winxpx86"
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ detectLegacy() {
       -iname WIN51MD -o \
       -iname WIN51MP \
     \) \
-    -print -quit) || return 1
+    -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ -n "$marker" ]; then
     DETECTED="win2003r2"
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ detectReactOS() {
   local marker
 
   marker=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 2 -type f \
-    \( -ipath '*/reactos/reactos.inf' -o -ipath '*/reactos/unattend.inf' \) -print -quit) || return 1
+    \( -ipath '*/reactos/reactos.inf' -o -ipath '*/reactos/unattend.inf' \) -print -quit) || return 2
 
   [ -n "$marker" ] || return 1
 
@@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ findImage() {
   local dir="$1"
   local name sources result
 
-  sources=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname sources -print -quit) || return 1
+  sources=$(find "$dir" -maxdepth 1 -type d -iname sources -print -quit) || return 2
 
   if [ ! -d "$sources" ]; then
     warn "failed to locate 'sources' folder in ISO image, $FB"
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ findImage() {
   fi
 
   for name in install.wim install.esd; do
-    result=$(find "$sources" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname "$name" -print -quit) || return 1
+    result=$(find "$sources" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname "$name" -print -quit) || return 2
     [ -n "$result" ] && break
   done
 
@@ -1220,8 +1220,8 @@ readImageInfo() {
   }
 
   if [ -z "$result" ]; then
-    warn "failed to read Windows image information, $FB"
-    return 1
+    error "Failed to read Windows image information!"
+    return 2
   fi
 
   printf '%s' "$result"
@@ -1261,16 +1261,21 @@ validateEdition() {
 unknownImage() {
 
   local msg="Failed to determine Windows version from image"
+  local rc=0
 
-  # Unknown media can continue when a custom answer file or manual mode already
-  # provides the required installation path; otherwise force manual fallback.
-  if setXML "" || enabled "$MANUAL"; then
+  setXML "" || rc=$?
+
+  if (( rc == 0 )) || enabled "$MANUAL"; then
     info "${msg}!"
-  else
-    MANUAL="Y"
-    warn "${msg}, $FB."
+    return 0
   fi
 
+  # Only absence of a usable answer file is a supported manual fallback.
+  (( rc == 1 )) || return "$rc"
+
+  MANUAL="Y"
+  warn "${msg}, $FB."
+
   return 0
 }
 
@@ -1294,9 +1299,20 @@ configureImage() {
   local index="$1"
   local desc="$2"
 
+  local rc=0
+
   # Prefer the exact answer file, then a family-level fallback. Manual mode is
-  # the final supported path when neither can be generated.
-  setXML "" "$index" && return 0
+  # the final supported path only when no usable template exists.
+  setXML "" "$index" || rc=$?
+
+  if (( rc == 0 )); then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  enabled "$MANUAL" && return 0
+
+  # Generation or preparation errors must not be hidden by another fallback.
+  (( rc == 1 )) || return "$rc"
 
   if [[ "$DETECTED" == "win81x86"* || "$DETECTED" == "win10x86"* ]]; then
     error "The 32-bit version of $desc is not supported!"
@@ -1306,15 +1322,19 @@ configureImage() {
   local msg="the answer file for $desc was not found ($DETECTED.xml)"
   local fallback="/run/assets/${DETECTED%%-*}.xml"
 
-  if setXML "$fallback" "$index"; then
-    if ! enabled "$MANUAL"; then
-      warn "${msg}."
-    fi
+  rc=0
+  setXML "$fallback" "$index" || rc=$?
+
+  if (( rc == 0 )); then
+    warn "${msg}."
     return 0
   fi
 
   enabled "$MANUAL" && return 0
 
+  # The family-level template was present but could not be generated/prepared.
+  (( rc == 1 )) || return "$rc"
+
   MANUAL="Y"
   warn "${msg}, $FB."
 
@@ -1361,14 +1381,18 @@ detectIsoImage() {
 
   local iso="$1"
 
-  local image header image_info
-
-  # Return 1 when direct ISO inspection is unavailable so the caller may fall
-  # back to extraction; return 2 when metadata was read but configuration failed.
+  local image header image_info rc
 
+  # Return 1 only when no directly inspectable WIM/ESD payload is available so
+  # the caller may extract the media. Metadata parsing/configuration errors use 2.
   image=$(findIsoImage "$iso") || return 1
-  header=$(readWimHeader "$iso" "$image") || return 1
-  image_info=$(readIsoImageInfo "$iso" "$image" "$header") || return $?
+  header=$(readWimHeader "$iso" "$image") || return 2
+
+  image_info=$(readIsoImageInfo "$iso" "$image" "$header") || {
+    rc=$?
+    (( rc >= 129 )) && return "$rc"
+    return 2
+  }
 
   info "Detecting version from ISO image..."
   detectImageInfo "$image_info" || return 2
diff --git a/src/install.sh b/src/install.sh
index 41e7e6ac..345b8945 100644
--- a/src/install.sh
+++ b/src/install.sh
@@ -79,9 +79,7 @@ selectWindowsImage() {
 
   # Only code 1 indicates that extraction may recover detection.
   if (( detect_rc != 1 )); then
-    skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 76
-    handled=1
-    return 0
+    return 76
   fi
 
   if ! extractImage "$iso" "$dir" "$VERSION"; then
@@ -102,6 +100,10 @@ selectWindowsImage() {
     return "$detect_rc"
   fi
 
+  if (( detect_rc != 1 )); then
+    return 76
+  fi
+
   skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 76
 
   handled=1
@@ -116,11 +118,7 @@ configureMachine() {
 
   local desc
 
-  if ! desc=$(printVariant "$DETECTED" "$DETECTED"); then
-    skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 78
-    handled=1
-    return 0
-  fi
+  desc=$(printVariant "$DETECTED" "$DETECTED") || return 78
 
   if ! checkMemory "$DETECTED" "$desc"; then
     if [ -n "${REUSED_ISO:-}" ]; then
@@ -130,15 +128,11 @@ configureMachine() {
   fi
 
   if ! setMachine "$DETECTED" "$iso" "$dir" "$desc"; then
-    skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 80
-    handled=1
-    return 0
+    return 80
   fi
 
   if ! restoreMachineState; then
-    skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 82
-    handled=1
-    return 0
+    return 82
   fi
 
   if ! supportsUnattended "$DETECTED"; then
@@ -160,9 +154,7 @@ prepareWindowsImage() {
   if supportsXML "$DETECTED"; then
 
     if ! createOverlay "$XML" "$LANGUAGE" "$TMP/setup"; then
-      skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 84
-      handled=1
-      return 0
+      return 84
     fi
 
     if ! createSetupImage "$TMP/setup" "$STORAGE/setup.img"; then
@@ -186,9 +178,7 @@ prepareWindowsImage() {
   fi
 
   if ! prepareImage "$iso" "$dir"; then
-    skipUnattended "$dir" "$iso" "$boot" || return 92
-    handled=1
-    return 0
+    return 92
   fi
 
   removeImage "$iso" || return 96
@@ -684,14 +674,19 @@ setImage() {
 
   supportsXML "${DETECTED,,}" || return 0
 
-  setXML "" && return 0
+  local rc=0
+
+  setXML "" || rc=$?
+
+  if (( rc == 0 )); then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   enabled "$MANUAL" && return 0
 
-  # If a usable source template exists, setXML failed while preparing it.
-  # That is an installation error and must not fall back to manual setup.
-  hasAnswerFile "$DETECTED" && return 1
+  # Only a genuinely missing answer file may fall back to manual setup.
+  (( rc == 1 )) || return "$rc"
 
-  # A genuinely missing answer file is a supported manual-install path.
   MANUAL="Y"
 
   local desc
@@ -906,24 +901,39 @@ detectImage() {
 
   local dir="$1"
 
-  local desc
+  local desc detect_rc=0
 
   info "Detecting version from ISO image..."
 
   # Marker-based legacy and ReactOS detection must run before looking for a WIM.
-  if detectLegacy "$dir" || detectReactOS "$dir"; then
-    desc=$(printEdition "$DETECTED" "$DETECTED" "Y") || return 1
+  detectLegacy "$dir" || detect_rc=$?
+
+  if (( detect_rc == 0 )); then
+    desc=$(printEdition "$DETECTED" "$DETECTED" "Y") || return 2
     info "Detected: $desc"
     return 0
   fi
 
+  (( detect_rc == 1 )) || return "$detect_rc"
+
+  detect_rc=0
+  detectReactOS "$dir" || detect_rc=$?
+
+  if (( detect_rc == 0 )); then
+    desc=$(printEdition "$DETECTED" "$DETECTED" "Y") || return 2
+    info "Detected: $desc"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  (( detect_rc == 1 )) || return "$detect_rc"
+
   local wim
-  wim=$(findImage "$dir") || return 1
+  wim=$(findImage "$dir") || return $?
 
   local image_info
   image_info=$(readImageInfo "$wim") || return $?
 
-  detectImageInfo "$image_info"
+  detectImageInfo "$image_info" || return 2
 }
 
 prepareImage() {