Professor Frink

I have used the Custom Installation Wizard to tweak my Office XP package, including using the Profile Tool. But one thing keeps happening -- after the install is done, I log onto the domain and open Outlook. But if I look at the properties of the Contacts folder and go to the "Outlook Address Book" tab, the "Show this folder" box is not only unchecked, it is greyed out! I actually found out how to fix it manually: http://www.york.ac.uk/services/cserv/help/...addressbook.htm I go to "Tools", "E-mail Accounts", "Add a new directory or address book", "Additional Address Books", "Outlook Address Book". After I restart Outlook, the Contacts folder is set up right: The problem is, I really don't want to do that every time a new user logs on! Is there some way to set that up in my unattended installation? And if that can't be done, is there a way to simplify it, like with a BAT file or Group Policy?

bump. Help??

OcTroN and Crusher: Neither of those would work for me, because this is something that only applies to about 20% of my workstations. It sounds like those methods would apply the installatin to every workstation. I've considered creating different unattended setups for different applications, but that would be too much of a pain. I'd prefer to just run the same unattended on every workstation, then go from there. Thanks anyway!

I've decided to incorporate WMP9 into my setup via svcpack.inf. But now I get that stupid welcome screen everytime a new user launches it: Is there some sort of reg tweak that will turn that off? One other question -- is there any reason why I shouldn't include WMP9? Is there any reason why I should stick with the Default XP WMP?

Hmm, that could work. I'll have to play around with that. Thanks!

This is for a specialprogram that was written for our office, but it only affects about 30 users (out of 150+). So I want to let the unattended install run its course and install the standard stuff. Then, as the local administrator, I'd run a BAT file that installs the program on an as-needed basis. Makes sense, right? Here's the problem -- there was a critical update patch that we were given a few days ago. If I include it in the same BAT file, the program ends up not working. This patch will only work if there is a reboot after the initial installation of the program itself. I hope I'm still making sense. Now, I could write a second BAT file for the patch and run that after a reboot, but I'd like to avoid that if I could. Is there a way that I can be logged onto the PC as the local administrator, run a BAT file, force a reboot after the BAT file ends, have it auto-login as the administrator after the reboot, and automatically call a second BAT file? (but not necessarily force a second reboot) Is that doable? Or am I over-reaching?

I didn't try to do any "cleaning up", because I wouldn't know where to begin. I could post the script if it would help. FYI -- this is for the program called Citation Tools 2003 (a free program to install, but requires a username/password to really do anything with it). But let me first ask something else -- is there another program that I coud try that does the same thing as SMS Installer? i.e. - creates a self-executing file?

I am not running a full SMS network, but I am trying to use the SMS Installer to create a package. The problem is that our office uses this one program from LEXIS-NEXIS that dosen't seem to support any type of silent installation. I've tried all kinds of switches, in various combinations, but it never works. (which is strange, because it looks like a standard Installshield package). Anyway, I thought I'd try to create a self-executing package using SMS Installer, as seen here: But I'm having some problems with it. While logged on as the local administrator, I launch SMS Installer, click on "Repackage", and run the installation. It records all the system changes and creates the package. OK, so I then use that package to do an installation during my unattend. But if I then run the program from a domain account, it won't run -- I get an error. Has anyone ever created a package this way and maybe has some pointers for me?

Bullseye! It would be cool if there could be one type of CD set to autorun (audio CDs starting in WMP), and then have all other types do nothing. But if I have to turn them all off, that works for me -- one less thing for my users to bother me about.

Is there a way to turn ff the autoplay feature, so I wont get these types of pop-ups when a CD is put in the drive:

I am installing customized versions of Office XP and IE 6 (among other things) during my unattended installation. But when it's all done, I have an entry in Add/Remove Programs called "IE5 Registration". When I try to remove it, it says it can't find a file, then it goes away. I had this happen before, but I thought it was just an Office 2000 thing (something I did wrong during the customization). Has anyone ever seen that before?

*bump* Is there any way to incorporate a reg tweak involving the "[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-********]" area?

Is there some way to make that type of reg tweak work? I thought I read that somewhere, but I forget.

Using regshot, I found one key that changes when I uncheck the codec box: [HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-343818398-920026266-1060284298-500\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences] "UpgradeCodecPrompt"=hex:00 But isn't that a unique key that will be different every time? I think so, since it didn't work when I applied it during my next install.

When I said that money was not an object, that unfortunately stops at Office XP. (it's a licensing deal). We would have to buy Office 2003 licenses for every user, and that's not an option. Maybe I'll roll out Office XP to a few users and see what happens. As long as nothing Outlook-related gets "broken"!!

Yeah, I don't want to undo any folder settings. And 400 is pretty good. AND it won't be too long before SP2 is final.... I think I'll wait. Thanks guys!!!

Oh yeah, smart tags. I've experienced them, and they are really annoying. Just the sort of thing I don't want my users to see and complain about! Although I suppose I could turn them off via the Office Installation Wizard.... right?

Thanks! But what should I expect that to do to the rest of the folder settings? Will everything just be at a default level?

My office currently uses Office 2000, and I'm wondering if I should upgrade to XP. (money is not an issue). My biggest concern is over any possible problems/conflicts. Will any of the changes between 2000 and XP cause any sort of problem with existing Office files? We use all of the Office products, but are very dependent on Outlook. In varying degrees we use pretty much all of the Outlook features, including calendaring, meeting invitations, delegates, etc. Does anyone know of any Outlook feature that might not work the same? FYI -- some other offices will still be on Office 2000. Maybe I'd be better off being on the same level as the others.......

Is there a tweak to increase the number of folders that Explorer "remembers" the settings for? It's 100 (I think), and I'd like to increase that number. I'm pretty sure I read one somewhere once, but I forget.

Interesting....... I decided to do another install -- I kept everything the same except I didn't install 817787. Yet the codec download box was still checked! Now I'm stumped. Does this happen to anyone else? I really want to avoid having my users get any download prompts.

I have most of my hotfixes running through svcpack.inf, and the tweaks running through cmdlines.txt. But, as per the suggestion here: Hotfixes For Windows XP Professional SP1 I can't install the WMP hotfix 817787 during svcpack.inf. So I run it during my post-install bat file (the one that installs all the programs). This tweak needs to be done during cmdlines.txt, though (because it is the HKCU variety). Is 817787 messing me up somehow?

I am applying the following during cmdlines.txt: ;-----Disable WMP automatic codec downloads----- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences] "UpgradeCodecPrompt"=dword:00000000 But when it's all done and I open up WMP, the "download codecs automatically" box is checked. Am I doing something wrong? FWIW -- I am not installing WMP 9. I am just leaving it with the one that comes with XP.

Here are two new Adobe Reader one I found. I know this one has been posted before: ;-----Disable Adobe EULA----- [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\6.0\AdobeViewer] "EULA"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\6.0\AdobeViewer] "EULA"=dword:00000001 But here are two other ones: ;-----Disable Adobe automatic updates----- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\6.0\Updater] "iUpdateFrequency"=dword:00000000 ;-----Turn off Adobe splash screen----- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\6.0\Originals] "bDisplayAboutDialog"=dword:00000000

What happens if you apply that during cmdlines.txt, and then install Office later? Will an Office reg tweak still hold? And if anyone has any tweaks for Office 2000 (particularly that PST one), I'd really appreciate it.