EOTB

Thanks for the reply. I have thought of doing this as a last resort - I am testing now to make sure that I can change the registry to tile the image. I was hoping for a way of making the background that specific colour, rather than modifying the image, as you must agree it is a bit of a bodge job - especially for our customer’s machines. I can't believe that Microsoft would have limited the ability of changing this during setup.

Hi Guys, I have got quite far in my quest for an unattended network build of vista, but I have got to the point of configuring bits for the desktop and come across this issue. I have seen a lot of issues with backgrounds being reset to black etc, but nothing this specific. Just a note which may affect the below: I noticed when I was installing Vista manually from the CD, on changing the background from the standard image to a specific color (10 59 118), it changes OK until you reboot. It then set it black. If you change it again and then reboot it is OK from then on. OK, setting the color during the Vista Setup... I started by entering in the autoaunattend.xml file under the FirstLogonCommands entering registry entries which I have copied into the WIM, eg: regedit /s c:\source\reg\Background.reg The background.reg file consisted of (which was taken by comparing before and after registery exports for changes): [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors] "Background"="10 59 118" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop] "WallPaper"="" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General] "Wallpaper"="" "BackupWallpaper"="" This didn't work, even after a reboot. Other registry imports worked OK using the same method. I have also tried directly editing the NTUSER.DAT in the Default User profile in the WIM image and making the above changes, and this also didn't work. In both cases, the normal background picture stays intact. Does anyone know if there is a way of changing the background during the unattended setup??

Hi Guys I have a script that I wish to run to copy the Administrator profile to the Default user as I wish every new user login to take on the Administrator profile settings. I have created the scripts to create a 'copy' user, reboot and login as copy and then reboot and login as administrator again once the profile is copied. To normally copy the profile you would goto System Properties, Advanced Tab, User Profiles Settings. Select the Administrator profile and then select Copy To and enter c:\documents and settings\default user. I have found a Microsoft CopyProfile utility (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ed182a96-f3a6-4fdd-862b-1ae03dc130c1&displaylang=en) which you are able to perform this operation at the command-line or in a script. In the readme it states the following commandline: CopyProfile.exe administrator “C:\Documents and Settings\Default User” Everyone. When trying to run this it gives the following error message: Invalid permitted-to-use account name. This to do with 'Everyone'. I have tried Administrator, omitting it and also changing the path - but I always get the same error. I have also tried to rebuild the PC. I have got this to work on a PC that is connected to a Domain. Has anyone else used this and encountered the error. Could someone else try this utility on a non-domained PC and see if it works. Thank in adv Adam.

Thanks for info Adam

Hi, Has anyone attempted this? Do you know which licence type is installed. I require Perpetual. I have scanned though the switches in the install guide, but I can find any thing. Anyone with any idea would be appreciated Cheers Adam

JPamplin, Your previous post was correct - that is what I am trying to accomplish This is what I am doing. The problem is, on the reboot, how does the script know that the drive has been fdisked and/or formatted (using AEFdisk)? For example, if the script is run on a PC that has a C:\ partiton of say 500MB with no files on it, it would automatically try to format the partition and start the install cycle.Basically, you need a condition in the script before the Fdisk command to see if the Fdisk has been run and created the partition. I will not install Windows XP just Windows systems. I have to assume they will have random OS on them. I would be quite happy to install on a smaller partition (eg 5GB) and use the extend partition and the convert to NTFS functions in the answer file - if this helps as I think you can use AEFisk to query the size of existing partitons? Cheers Adam.

I am installing from DOS from a network share. I have to fdisk/format the drive, copy the i386 directory over to the c:\ (otherwise it cannot find some files later in the install) and then run winnt from the c:\. Do you know of a way to run the install from a network share, and use the answer file to format the drive an copy the entire i386 folder to the c:\?? Cheers Adam.

Cheers for that it works a treat! I had totally forgotten about the c:\nul jobby! C:\NUL is also found on a non-formatted partition! Unfortunatly is does not solve the problem if there is already a FAT partition on the HD I could run the IF EXIST command and search for files which exist on various OSs, but there is always the chance of overlooking on, which would mean that it would not Fdisk and try to format to existing partiton instead. Any other ideas Cheers Adam

This is quite cool! I assume it would would for text (by changing the code) also? I am attempting to create a script to Fdisk, Format and then install Windows XP in one fell-swoop by using a Bootable CD, rather than a floppy disk. I have become stuck when trying to figure out how to automatically inform the script that the AEFdisk and format has taken place after the needed reboot and to automatically start the Windows installation script. I will be installing Windows XP on systems that have no partitions (eg brand new disks), FAT32 and NTFS. Any ideas? Cheers Adam.

Hi guys I am in the middle of extracting all the registry entries from my Windows XP standard setup. I am performing this by exporting the registry before and after a change and then using a compare program to see what has changed (called Compare IT http://www.grigsoft.com/wincmp3.htm). I wish to be able to set all the entries in to the 'Default User' profile before I login to Windows, which I am sure is not going to be a problem. Using the REG command, I can open the Defaut User's NTUSER.DAT file, make what ever changes I need and close it again. When the user logs in for the first time, all the changes I have made to the 'Default User' profile will be copied over with all the settings I have changed. Now down to the problem! The first entry I have attempted this with is not working - The Explorer Status Bar (not IEs bar) The two entries I have found to change are (in Bold): Before (Status Bar Off) After (Status Bar On) The Streams entries do change inconsistently, although it is only those two Hex codes which change, so I am not sure if these changes are anything to do with it. The ITBarLayout changes between 24 (off) and 34 (on) everytime. The things that don't work: (In all cases below, the settings in the registry were changed when logged in as the user I changed) Editing the 'Default User' with the entries (using Reg Load/Unload), creating a user and logging on as it. Changing a users profile logged in as another user (using Reg Load/Unload), and logging on as the user. Changing the registry of the currently logged on user For all the above, I have also tried logging on/off, rebooting etc between changing the settings The things that DO work: Performing a profile copy from System Properties>Advanced>User Profiles Settings. Copying the NTUSER.DAT to another user profile. **This means that is it a setting in the registry HKCU and not a file!** Other Points I have used a real-time file monitor to check that Windows is not writing any files, but it is only writing settings to the NTUSER.DAT Do you guys have any ideas of what else I could try? Cheers Adam.