geemail.email

Hello everyone, I want to prompt for the Time Zone and Regional settings but no matter what I do, they default to the standard values. I also tried using this posting as an example and set the Time Zone within the Specialize pass, but it continues to use the default. Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any solutions\recommendations

I am using an HTA which makes several remote tools available and also uses XML and VBScripts to read the Ghost Console directory structure and offers a list of available images from which to choose. Thanks again

IcemanND, First, thank you for the updated WinPE 3.0 guide, I am using it as a launching point of Ghost images via an HTA. One item to note. In your documentation, when adding the packages, I have to revise the following and highlighted my revisions shown in bold. Set DestFolder=c:\winpe_x86\mount Set PackageSource="c:\program files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\x86\Winpe_FPs" dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-HTA.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-hta_en-us.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-MDAC.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-mdac_en-us.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-PPPoE.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-PPPOE_en-us.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-Scripting.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-scripting_en-us.cab rem dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-SRT.cab rem dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\WinPE-SRT.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-WMI.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-wmi_en-us.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\WinPE-WDS-Tools.cab dism /image:%DestFolder% /Add-Package /PackagePath:%PackageSource%\en-us\winpe-wds-tools_en-us.cab It appears since your original documenation, the name of the CAB files located in the EN folder have all been appended with "_en-us" Also, I did not find any CAB files in either directory for WinPE-SRT. Thanks, Geemail

Understood on the help and manual files. How do I identify what the Exit Code numbers are for each application \ script ?

mritter.... Ok, so I tried the font increase and saw the results...thanks for the suttle reminder that getting bloody is the best way to learn and sorry for the stupid question. If you would like, I can start a new thread but I if not, here is a new question.... Can you point me to additional help file or user manual, explanation or info on the Config Wizard - "Return Code Requires Reboot." and the Reboot Code Section. I have tried searching for pertinent posts, reading the Documentation page of the site, reading through the Manual part of the WPI.exe but I am not finding any explanation.... i must be missing the big help file somewhere!! Wanting to understand how to require a reboot after an installation of an app, then how to insure WPI starts automatically after logon and continues with the other apps that were selected on the orginal run of WPI. Looking to use this as a standalone app installer post deployment of our "golden" or master image as well as for everyday use when manually installing newly released software. I point that out as I wanted you to know I am not incorporating any runonce commands, etc. Just running the WPI.exe standalone from a network share. FYI...as I am sure you are wondering...if thru my testing I can get this to meet my wish list, we will register as a business. Thanks again for your help

Again...thanks for all this info Couple of follow up items: Mr. Ritter: 1. I was able to get the following code to work for the grayed cond: fileVersionGreaterThan("9.3.3.177",getFileVersion("%programfiles(x86)%\Adobe\ Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe")) || !fileVersionGreaterThan("9.3.3.177",getFileVersion("%programfiles%\Adobe\ Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe")) Two things to note...the code as you listed it contained a space before "Reader 9.0" which I removed, also the code you listed showed [color=#1C2837][font=verdana, arial, tahoma, sans-serif][size=2] Did you intentionally specify the color, font and size code? I was unable to get the code to work when I included the color, font and size settings. 2. In WPI\Themes\Windows\wpi.css I changed the color in the following entry: .grayTxt { font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; color: #AA0000; font-size: 8pt; } a. On a 17" monitor at 1024x768 the font size was a little small and hard to read at 8pt....will increasing the font-size have any adverse effect on the rest of the layout? b. You mentioned "In wpi.css there are 2 entries for each type of text", with the above being the "Traditional" one. I am not sure what you mean here, what is the other text you are referring to?

GhostAvatar and Mr. Ritter... Thank you both for your input.... GhostAvatar....I have tested exactly as you said and the following did indeed work for the file version verification for Adobe Reader. fileVersionGreaterThan("9.3.3.178",getFileVersion("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"))==false Mr. Ritter.....I had already tested the above recommendation by the time I got to your recommendation....I will take your recommendation about specifying the %programfiles% variable for Program Files along with the recommended syntax for specifying the Grayed Condition as follows: !fileVersionGreaterThan("9.3.3.178",getFileVersion("%programfiles%\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe")) Also Mr. Ritter....can you tell me which section of the theme's style sheet controls the grayed color....I am using the Windows Theme and looked at the install.css and I see the following section: .WPI_Text { color: GrayText; is there where I would specify a color? Finally....one other thing....using Adobe as an example....I have the Adobe Reader install, then an Adobe Reader Update install....i have wrapped them both together as seperate commands of an application, so when selected, it installs Adobe Reader and when finished, it installs the Adobe Update. The Reader installation is an MSI which on my test computer when it launches, I get the windows Open File Dialog Box and I can select Open and it installs Adobe Reader, then the Adobe Update begins and again, I get the windows Open File Dialog and I can select Open and it installs. I know I can remove the check mark for each file type and then that machine won't prompt again but I would like to automate this and somehow either prevent the Open File Security Warning box or somehow automate the choice to select Open and thereby allowing the string of installations to be automated rather than interuppted by the windows security prompt. Any ideas for circumventing the dialog box? Thanks again for both of your help with this....it is slowly coming together.... Geemail

Sorry about that....I do have the path correctly spelled in WPI....I manually typed the posting and fat fingered it. Any other thoughts as to why I can't get FileVersionGreaterThan to work as a condition? Thanks for the pointer to the Disabling Checkbox....it works perfectly.

Hello, First, love the tool....hoping to put it to good use after testing and resolving all issues. Two Questions: 1. Using WPI 8.1.0 and attempting to use the File System - File - FileVersionGreaterThan condition but cannot get it to work. I can successfully use the FileExists, or FolderExists, or GetFileVersion conditions. Using Adobe Acrobat Reader as an example, once installed, the file version is 9.3.0.148. If I use the Grayed Condition of FileVersionGreaterThan("9.3.0.147",getFileVersion("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Redaer 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe")), the Application Entry for Adobe Reader is not Grayed Out and the color does not change. 2. In the Help File, for "Dependencies" and "Grayed Condition", is states "the entry's color is changed, or can be disabled".....my question is when specifying a Grayed Condition, how can I indicate that I would like the entry to be disabled rather than the color changing? Also, if I want the entry color to change, can you tell me where I can specify what color I would like the entry to change to when meeting the Grayed Condition? Thanks in advance.... Geemail

Thanks Tripredacus....I will follow your guidance and see what I come up with.

Hello WinPE users, I have 2 models which I am unable to find WinPE(Vista) ethernet drivers, if anyone has these models working within a WinPE 2.x environment, please let me know which drivers you are using. Dell Latitude C600 HP/Compaq Evo 510S Thank you in advance for your help

ICEManND, It's been awhile....glad to see this thread is still active and the guide is getting better all the time. To that note...I wanted to let you know, I recently rebuilt my boot cd. Upon doing so, I used 1. WAIK "Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008" 2. Latest set of LAN and MSD drivers from DriverPacks.net (8.05.3) When including all the MSD drivers, I experienced a BSOD with a "Bad_pool_header" message. 1. I rebuilt the ISO without any of the MSD's and it worked without any issue. 2. I rebuilt again and excluded "D, D1, D2, D3" drivers directory from the DriverPack MSD set. This solved the issue. Thought you might want to include an update on page 18 of the guide. Thanks again

Kyor, I have been using the 3Com boot services and I have bene able to successfully boot to my custom WinPE image. However, I would also like to add the WinPE image to a menu and add the choice to the meny to boot from hard disk. Since the 3Com services don't support boot WinPE from a menu, I found this thread which sounded like a solution to my issue. I have followed your step by step guide for PXE boot with pxelinux but without much luck. First, I want to make sure, I can use a windows workstation as my TFTPD server? Also, if I follow your step by step, what is acting as the PXE server? With 3Com, I have to start both the PXE server and TFTP server, but with your instructions, I would only be running TFTPD32. I am running DHCP on another server so I can't run the DHCP server from TFTPD32 and hence, I am not configuring TFTPD32 as a DHCP server. Do I need to somehow add the "pxelinux.0" boot file to my DHCP server? Thank you in advance for any additional guidance you can provide Geemail

Zorphnog, Now you have me feeling really ridiculous....I am not even finding a config.js Here are the exact steps I have done: Downloaded WPI, extracted it to the C:\ For testing, I then copied an executable to C:\WPI\Install To run, I am double clicking on the WPI.hta located in C:\WPI Am I missing the big picture? Humbly, Geemail

Hello all, I am trying to use WPI as a stand alone app for post image deployment installations. I have download 6.3, extracted to the C:\ of a WinXP SP2 workstation running IE7. When I launch WPI.hta, I get the attached errors. My intention is to have users run the HTA by browsing via UNC path and executing the HTA from a shared network folder. Thanks

Nuno, Well, I have not had any success in getting any Remote In capability. I would like to move toward testing VistaPe but I have so much invested in the WAIK build, I just cant justify the transition at this time. I appreciate the follow up and will be sure to contact you down the road when time allows me to look into VistaPE. Take care

I have had the same issue with HP dc7700 and dc7800 workstations. In my case, it is not a problem with the boot cd (WinPE 2.0) or with the driver. The problem is on our Cisco switches and their configuration. We do not enable Port Fast on our switches to ensure stability of the network in case someone gets cable happy. What I did to overcome this problem, (although I despise doing it) is to add the follow in the startnet.cmd start /wait wpeinit CLS ipconfig /renew *Local* ipconfig /renew *Local* When I only added "ipconfig /renew once, about 9 times out of 10 it would succeed in obtaining the IP address. When I added it twice, I have never had it fail on either of the two models which were having the issue. By the way, both the 7700 and 7800 have the Intel 825xx Gigabit Platform LAN Network Device I hope this helps....this drove me crazy for over a week...literally, you have no idea how many drivers I downloaded along with rebuilds of my boot cd. Good luck.

Wrex and Zorphnog, I completed the registry capture of the application, loaded hives and imported reg settings. Unfortunately, my results have me experiencing the same issues I encounter when manually installing the app from within the WinPE environment. I have also requested information from the vendor of the app, they will not provide any support for PE. At this time, I have to step back from this as I must complete the boot cd and move on to v2 of our master enterprise image. My next attempt will be with VistaPEv12. That one will take me some time as I will basically be learning VistaPE and Winbuilder from scratch. My current project list doesn't allow me to allocate the time now, but in the near future. I will do my best to keep you apprised of any successes. Thank you for all your help, I have learned alot through this process and although this remote app will not work using this method, it will be helpful for me to know these steps when I attempt to implement any other apps within WinPE 2.0 Until the next update..... Moe

Thanx Wrex.....testing is underway today, and I will let you know the results. I am trying to line out the reg changes and which hive for which reg changes. One quick question....what is the difference between loading hive for: mount\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\ntuser.dat and loading the hive for: mount\Users\Default\ntuser.dat Thanks, Moe

Zorphnog, If I am understanding your suggestion correctly, you are saying: 1. Build the PE boot disk with drivers, custom files, packages, etc. 2. Boot from the CD 3. Install the software app 4. Map a network drive 5. Create an image of the WinPE boot session (X:\ drive) 6. Create a boot cd using the image The only problem I see with that process is when I have previously installed the software from within WinPE, I don't believe it is giving me the full installation as I am not getting the same install screens, similar but not exactly the same. However, I will try this method because you never know until you try. Question....how do I take the Ghost Image (.gho) and turn that into a bootable WinPE cd? Also, do you happen to know the answer to my previous post about saving off a certain point of the WinPE CD build so I don't have to go through all the steps every time. Even I can get your above suggestion to work, I would like to know how to avoid going through the entire build process every time. As always....your expertise is truly appreciated!

Guys, One other question... Ever since I have started working with WinPE, everytime I want to test a new feature, I am going through the complete process 1. Mounting WIM 2. Installing Packages 3. Copying Custom Files 4. Installing LAN and MSD drivers 5. Committing changes 6. Creating ISO It seems I have read somewhere(can't remember where or can't find the article now), that after I get steps 1 through 4 completed, I can make a copy of some folders so the next change I want to make, I don't have to go through the entire process each time, but rather just mount the WIM with all those modifications and then make any further mods I want and then commit and burn ISO. I know this sounds very confusing but I am hoping it makes a little sense what I am asking. Thanks again, Moe

Zorphnog: I am attempting to get a complete installation of RAdmin 3.1 in the Boot CD to see if I get Remote IN access working. It adds quite a few reg entries and requires a restart which I am unable to replicate when just loading the app after booting from the CD. If there is any easier way...I am all about easy cause I am pretty sure I will mess this up one way or another. Wrex: That sounds like a good approach to accomodating all of the reg entries at one time...have you done it this way before? The only reason I ask is you said...seems like....just curious. I am gonna give this a shot but I need to do it on a machine that is not my WAIK, VirtPC, and ISO build machine....just in case it hoses the local registry. I will post the results of the test....thanks to both of you.....I am now armed with the info...just need to implement.

All, I am trying to import a large number of registry entries into the WinPE 2.0 registry before unmounting and creating the ISO and need some assistance. I have attached a file to this post containing all the reg entries I would like to include within WinPE's registry. Here is where i am at so far(thanks to assistance from Pyrosoft and others): 1. Mount the WIM 2. Run regedit and select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive. 3. Select File | Load Hive, then browse to the location of the Windows PE build (c:\winpe_x86\mount\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\ntuser.dat) 4. Enter a temporary name for the hive, such as WinPE. 5. Browse to WinPE node HKLM. 6. Make modifications(this is where I have number entries to add and would like to know how to do so without manually creating them one by one). 7. Select the WinPE key under HKLM 8. Select File | Unload Hive… and confirm the Yes | No dialog. Questions: 1. How to add the entries without manually creating them? 2. How to know when I add them I am adding them into the correct key? I have reg entries for HKEY_Classes_Root, HKEY_Current_User, HKEY_Local_Machine, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. When I load the hive above, I am only seeing Control Panel, KeyboardLayout and Software Keys. 3. Are all of the keys I am trying to import necessary. As compared to a standard Vista build, which keys does WinPE utilize? Thank you in advance and pardon my ignorance on this topic but I am having a hard time finding documentation on the topic. RegEntries2Add.txt

Pyrosoft, I need some advice and assistance.....please I have captured all registry setting changes before and after an installation of the application....so, as you can imagine, I have hundreds of registry entries. When I follow your instructins on how to update the entries in the WinPE registry, I feel like I am getting lost. Couple of questions.... 1. When I load c:\winpe_x86\mount\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\ntuser.dat, which key entries from my registry changes am I putting in this key I have named RAdmin? 2. I have registry modifications which I want to import into the WinPE 2.0 registry....do I have to manually add all of them, or is there a way to import them? 3. How do I add or import entries into the other keys, HKEY_Classes_Root, HKEY_Current_User, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKEY_USERS? Is there a .dat file to point to for each HKEY? Sorry to be an id*** about this, but I felt guessing was not the correct thing to do at this point in the game. As always, thanks in advance for your support and assistance....

Pyrosoft, Thank you for the reg mod instructions...now I am beginning to understand some of the directions in the other posts. I am unable to do this today, but will be working on this tomorrow and let you know my results. I was able to install RDP for WinXPSP2 from within the booted PE. I have also tried adding trmsrv.dll and reg entries from within PE. Now that I am armed with offline reg mod capability, I will be trying all of it again and will let you know my results. Thank you again, this remote capability is a very exciting topic for me and I am hoping others join us in an effort to get it working. I have posted on a few other sites as well in hopes we can receive as many ideas as possible.