BeenThereB4

Hmmm, since when is gosh a "he"? That might be more interesting then leaving.

It has the same format as an ini file, use the ini read and write functions.

A simple search would reveal that inuse.exe has been mentioned many times. We have known about it for quite some time. A refresher for newbies though.

Are you sure about that, it did not do that for me the last time that I used it!

Very nice! Thanks RyanVM!!

What you want to get past is your idea of "Not booting into Windows". That's why I had you pull the network cable prior to the first boot. Your registry edits will take effect on the second boot when your network cable is plugged back in, thus avoiding network addressing and licensing conflicts. You walk around to each machine twice, but this is an efficient loop because each machine needs time to initialize anyway. Your floppies are labeled with the machine that they are for, this is because you'll be doing this over and over for individual machines as specific machines get messed up by your customers. By the way, I have actually done this many times. One warning: some machines will fail to take the multicast the first time for unknown reasons. Usually a second session will pick up the failures just fine.

On your master image add a runonce command to the registry: regedit.exe /s a:\unique.reg put your unique changes for each machine on a floppy and image then stop by each machine and insert the floppy and pull the network cable and reboot. On your next round to each machine, pull the floppy and insert the network cable -reboot a final time. On and uh - you're done. (send my check to MSFN)

For SUS, don't "Approve" the update (Service Pack 2) in the SUS management screen. The registry entry will block Windows Update and Automatic Updates. Then you're good to go!

No links needed, it's pretty much settled for this site. You will notice that all the top experts here devote their time and talent to unattended. Long and painful experience has been their teacher. Only the others occasionally re-hash the case for imaging.

Don't you just want a command line ini editor? I beleive that GreenMachine uses one with XPcreate.

I never had any luck with copying profiles. It reminds me of creating the perfect install, syspreping it and then imaging it to other types of machines. It seems to work, sometimes for a long time. But then problems show up that can be traced back to the process used. YMMV

@Allanoll It's so tempting to put up another amoeba post, but I'll refrain.

@GreenMachine You may have been thinking of Inktomi, which Microsoft has used in the past.

In my experience this did not get rid of wisptis. YMMV

On the Virtual PC controls- Select CD - Release Image each time you change the CD.

Watch after Acrobat Reader is used, you'll have a new useless process running called wisptis having to do with tablets. It will continue to run until you reboot. Here is a registry file to kill it. Adobe_wisptis__Service_Uninstall.reg

@RaveRod Your dll produces an error in setuperr.log to the effect that it's unsigned. Is this expected?

I think that this thread has been put to rest now. PID checking was not a mistake or bug. It was considered and tested along the way and abandoned at the last moment as I thought.

This "feature" was inadvertently included in some of the betas. After Microsoft discovered it, it was removed. I think it's gone for good now.

Many thanks to all who chatted. On the way home from the chat, I ran into a torrent and was completely soaked. But, I enjoyed it and so: thanks again!!

Would anyone who got the download direct from Microsoft mind posting the MD5?

The files are dated back in March - think it's good? -duh!

A torrent would be perfect for this, when we get one. Notice that the Bureau of Misinformation Rep never posted a link.

Hey prathapml is here! Even if RTM is a day late, he will have it for us now because it's already the 6th in India.

If you get this link, you are The Man I'm going to stay right here on this thread today until you get it! (Hard to do when Microsoft knocks it right off the Web)