How to Display Hidden Dialogue Boxes During Windows GUI Setup

[Ascii2]

In this thread I shall attempt to address and hopefully acquire a correction to a great annoyance of Windows XP and Server 2003 GUI setup that I believe may also be of interest to anyone who runs unattended Windows XP/Server 2003 setups.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 setups during the GUI part of the installations have progress and options dialogue box windows. Each dialogue box is hidden unless [shift] + [F11] is typed or input is required (the annoyance).

I would prefer the dialogue boxes to always display.

For an unattended Windows installation for which setup parameters are fully specified by answer file (WINNT.SIF), the dialogue boxes would never display unless [shift] + [F11] were typed for each dialogue box; that is quite undesirable for an unattended installation.

Two possible options appear available:

1. Modify Windows Setup to always display dialogue boxes.
   
2. Run code (either a script or program) that unhides the dialogue boxes. (The code may be started at T-39 using DetachedProgram from WINNT.SIF answer file)
   

I would prefer the second (2.) solution.

I have stated this thread to organize the finding and discussing a solution of this problem by any means available.

I believe the MSFN.org forums has members qualified to implement option number 2 and have also started a thread in the Programming (C++, Delphi, VB, etc.) forum discussing implementation of the solution (2.) for this problem. That thread is located at:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=131355

See next post.

EDIT: Considering that the default show state of the dialogue boxes is hidden, I suspect that many users may have been unfamiliar with the dialogue boxes during the GUI part of Windows XP/Server 2003 setup. The dialogue boxes are similar to those used in older NT Windows setups like for Windows 2000. I have attached images showing what the dialogue boxes, once set visable look like:

Edited March 28, 2009 by Ascii2

[Ascii2]

I have run Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 GUI setup many times and have taken note of when hidden dialogue boxes become available. (Although, I have not noted when the Windows Server 2003 GUI setup hidden dialogue boxes become available, I suspect the time points to be the same.) I note the time points during the GUI setup below:

T-37: Fist Dialogue Available
	Installing Devices

T-32:  Second Dialogue Available
	Networking Settings

T-29:  Third Dialogue Available
	Installing Components

T-22:  Fourth Dialogue Available
	Performing Final Tasks
		(Install Start menu items, Register components,
		 Saves settings, Removes any temporary files used)

[Ascii2]

Initial post has been updated with screenshots and text including and proceeded by "EDIT:".

Edited April 2, 2009 by Ascii2

[GrofLuigi]

Now that you posted pictures, I see this is "Classic Setup Look" and/or "Black Background" option in nLite.

I use it all the time and haven't found any use of it yet, except for speeding up the process and avoiding poisoning with marketing mumbo jumbo.

GL