diamond

I've tried using both the old wpi.hta as well as the new wpi.exe file, both with the same results (which I suppose is a good thing from a programming standpoint. ), Going back to the 'old ways', I've re-hacked the installer.js file and it does seem to remap it; however, in doing so it also wants to load the desktop before starting, causing other problems with the build. Due to the nature of my setup, the RIS part should only matter on the reboot, as I'm not doing an image load in RIS/WDS, but instead doing a unattended install of windows with driverpacks [which allows for portability between machines as it's not a static image for a single machine]. The only change from the planned and intended use of WPI in this case are two things: 1. The program is called from a drive mapping (or UNC mapping if you did it that way) instead of being on the media itself. Here's my runonceex.cmd that's been in use for so long @echo off SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx SET PP= REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installation" /f REG ADD %KEY%\000 /VE /D "Driver Detection Install and Cleanup" /f REG ADD %KEY%\000 /V 1 /D "%SystemDrive%\DPsFnshr.exe " /f REG ADD %KEY%\002 /VE /D "Post Installer" /f REG ADD %KEY%\002 /v 1 /D "%SystemDrive%\map.cmd" /f REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main" /V "Disable Script Debugger" /T "REG_SZ" /D "no" /F REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main" /V "DisableScriptDebuggerIE" /T "REG_SZ" /D "no" /F REG ADD %KEY%\002 /V 2 /D "G:\installs\netinstall\wpi\wpi.exe " /f As you can see, you get a 'standard' driverpacks finisher, then it runs map.cmd, which is just what you think it is - it maps the drive letter. From there we do the office fix and then launch wpi.exe from the network share. This part (without the remap hack) works great, though it has suddenly started going ahead and loading the desktop without waiting for WPI to finish, causing WPI to be in a smaller window than full screen, regardless of the fact I have 'Load Desktop before WPI starts' unchecked. After it goes through some of the installs, I have an option that runs a simple batch to install some 'standard' things, like .NET and IE8. It goes through the .NET files, a few hotfixes then copies a reconnect.cmd file to the C:\ of the local machine. That batch ends and I issue a {REBOOT} command, then the next command is for "C:\reconnect.cmd", which should execute locally to reconnect the drives. A good point this brings up is whether WPI wants to run any of it's files from %WPIPATH% prior to launching the next command after a reboot, as that would help explain why without modification I get a blank-screen installer windows after reboot, as it is trying to launch a network copy before it is connected to the network. You'll have to forgive me as I've never really taken the time to really study your code to see the order of operations, as the program has always done a great job of working and I can't say it's ever really been a needed thing. Finally, I know from other posts that you are trying to get more penetration into larger business market segments, and I'd like to say that I've been successfully using WPI here for several years and it's done a great job for us with a little elbow grease to get it working right originally under our RIS/WDS environment. Thanks again you two for making such a darn useful program! Diamond

Hello everyone, I've been running WPI for several years now, and with the recent upgrade to 7.70 have developed a problem with my existing config (where no problem previously existed). Basically, it's called from a mapped drive letter that is mapped right after RIS setup. Everything runs fine until I have a command that requires a reboot. after the reboot, the installer.hta comes up to a white screen, and looking at the command prompt I notice that the network drives are not mapped. The script that maps the drive letters prior to WPI initially running works great, and use the following syntax (to prevent the 'did you use persistent' questions. ) net use S: \\server\share "password" /u:domain\username /persistent:yes Obviously, it's not as persistent as it seems, but even trying to run a reconnection script following the reboot does not seem to do anything, even if the previous script copies the reconnect.cmd to the local disk first. Any ideas why this would all of a sudden be a problem where it wasn't before? Please note that http://www.msfn.org/board/reboot-then-map-...ll-t126048.html is something I posted similar quite a while back, after speaking with Ritter at that time I ended up taking out my code hacks and doing registry adds instead, in case someone stumbles across that old topic. Any help would be appreciated! Diamond

Yes, that would be a much better idea, I was just in a hurry and didn't want to test whether WPI's reboot command would overwrite my value since it was hardcoded to be at 001; additionally, I'd assume that since it is looking for %REBOOT% then immediately writing the reg keys and doing the reboot, it would overwrite my RunOnce\001 with it's own. In this case, I'm *sure* there's a cleaner way to do it, but laziness won out due to lack of proper testing time.

Good idea, but although it is persistant, in this case we're logging in from RIS to the local computer, so therefore the map script gives a user / password to use to login with... when you check it to be persistant, it will still prompt you for a username and password after trying to map it via the local COMPUTERNAME\Administrator and that password (which, of course isn't the same as the domains "Administrator" for obvious security reasons. I have found a temporary workaround; it isn't pretty per se, but it does manage to get the job done. Here's what I did: The last script that executes, which does the .NET and IE7 I split into two files, the first installs the .NET installers and copys a simple batch file called recon.cmd to the local C:\ The second part was the place where it's ugly.. I modified the code in WPI itself on the reboot section to add an entry before it starts WPI to run that file. Namely, in installer.js, I changed this: Starting on line 165: if (LoadDesktopBeforeInstall) { WriteRegKey("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\WPIresume",'mshta "'+wpipath+'\\Common\\Installer.hta"',"REG_SZ"); } else { WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\001\\","","REG_SZ"); WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\001\\1",'mshta "'+wpipath+'\\Common\\Installer.hta"',"REG_SZ"); } To This: if (LoadDesktopBeforeInstall) { WriteRegKey("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\MapDrives",'C:\\recon.cmd',"REG_SZ"); WriteRegKey("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\WPIresume",'mshta "'+wpipath+'\\Common\\Installer.hta"',"REG_SZ"); } else { WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\001\\","","REG_SZ"); WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\001\\1",'C:\\recon.cmd',"REG_SZ"); WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\002\\","","REG_SZ"); WriteRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\002\\2",'mshta "'+wpipath+'\\Common\\Installer.hta"',"REG_SZ"); } The recon.cmd file simple issues the net use commands, for instance mine is: @Echo off REM - Clear any old map, to ensure that it doesn't try to connect w/wrong credentials net use /d Z: REM - Now, map the drive net use Z: \\SERVER\INSTALLS "PASSWORDGOESHERE" /u:UsernameOfInstaller You do need to create a username (which I did long ago, with a *very* archaic password) that has the appropriate permissions to install your software, and of course change the server, share, password, and username to fit your needs. If Kel or anyone else knows of a cleaner way to do this I'd love to hear it, as I *hate* hacking into the code itself since inevitability you'll update a version and forget about the hack; plus, in many cases it can cause other odd behaviors that the dev's wouldn't have the foggiest clue about (since you created the problem!).

Hello all, I've been using WPI for some time and have always had great luck; however, I'm banging my head on this problem. In order to install IE7 on my RIS based installation, I need to have the computer reboot and resume WPI. That's easy with the %REBOOT% command, and it's easy enough to modify my ris config to auto-login a second (or third, fourth, etc) time. The problem that I'm running into is that WPI loads before explorer and runs off a mapped drive (G: in this case), so after the reboot, I'm at a loss as to how I could map the drives before WPI attempts to load. Since this is a RIS install, and due to the way the images are made, I can't nlite or otherwise integrate IE7 and .Net's into the sources themselves, so I have to install them after windows. Problem is, that if I try to install it before the reboot, IE7 will go through it's paces and 'install' with no errors, but won't actually update the system and has to be reinstalled after the final reboot. Anyone know of a good way to map the drive prior to WPI running on the reboot? First run is no problem, as it's handled as a step in my setup routine, but once it installs most of everything and reboots to do IE7 and my cleanup file, all is lost. Any help would be appreciated. The only thing that I can think of would be to find out at what vector WPI is loading at and try to manually stub the registry to load a script or batch/cmd file before running WPI. (problem is I don't know where WPI is trying to load from) Thoughts? Diamond187

Update: After dinking with this for far too long, I noticed that the 'newer' drivers that I had loaded for some reason took out that PNPID. I replaced it with the older (5.00 from 3com.com, not from other sites) drivers and it finally started working again. Hope this helps someone else if they run into it! Diamond

I've got a few older Compaq Prosignia desktops (P3/550Mhz) that I'm trying to reimage with my XP RIS image... However, it's giving me the old 'nic driver isnt loaded' page for these nics.. Now, I've loaded the 3com drivers into RIS (file version is checked and newest from 3com, 5.00) and most all my other nics work; however, these don't. I know I've loaded the drivers correctly since more than one of my similar 3c90x nics work great (some need the boot disk, but that's just a matter of age). I also know in the 'old days' 3com would change product specs significantly and still call a nic the same thing, making dos drivers a pain in the rear to get working at times. Has anyone else had problems with the 3C905B-TX drivers in a RIS setting? If so, did you fix them, throw a new nic in, or just decide it was finally time to get rid of that computer? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated! Diamond

Thank you sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar!

Just wondering, I'm using the Driverpacks in an RIS setup, and now the versions that I am running are getting a bit dated. I've checked the FAQ and a quick forum search, but I have yet to find the answer to this: If I want to upgrade my driver packs in my RIS directory, can I just copy over the new .7z files and go, or so I need to run anything. And, if I do need to run something in order to upgrade the packs, will all my custom settings (some custom Nics, SoundMAX cards, etc) be retained or will I need to do more manual editing? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Diamond

Again, this is an old topic but google ranks this page rather high, so I figured that I'd suggest another thing that causes this in a RIS or Network environment. We've got several Compaq's here, and it seems that every other one uses a different nic, ranging from broadcom to intel. Either way, this was in Intel Pro100, which apparently according to intel doesn't always use the base drivers in an environment with XP SP2. The fix is simple, in the i386 directory delete [or move, if you want to test] E100B325.SY_ [and in RIS, delete .pnf files and restart binlsvc, of course] so that it will use the updated drivers that you threw in. I went ahead and did the same for the E1000NT5.sy_ file, since I've updated the Pro 1000 driver as well. Here's the link to intel's site article on it: Intel's Article Hope this helps someone from pulling their hair out! Diamond

Hello all, I currently have a fairly involved installation with quite a bit slipstreamed in, and I have included the BTS driver pack. It works great, until I run into some of the SoundMax soundcards, at which time my installer (RIS) will BSOD with portcls.sys problems. Here's my question. I've got a lot of changes that I really don't want to re-do to get this working with RIS properly, and I've followed the instructions on BTS's website to make my own driver pack for the models that I am concerned with. Is there a way to integrate that driver pack into the current installation without rerunning the BTS slipstreamer, or alternately, can I rerun that without having to change everything again? To give you an idea, here is the basics of where to put things to make the BTS work with RIS, so with all the future changes that I will need to make, it would be a lot easier to integrate a few by hand then to more or less redo the image everytime. I figure that I can easily copy the .7z file that I created to the IMAGE\$OEM$\$1 [which is correct for RIS, not normal installs], but what other changes need to be made to other files [DOSNet, winnt, etc]. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! Diamond

- Nevermind, site back up as of now. -

Just wanted to follow up, Schalti's information is good and works like a champ! I've written some VBS files for a lot of our network printers and have tested it and works with a single click. Thanks Schalti! Just a 'final look', I'm sure this could all be done in vbs, but I've always been more comfortable with batch scripting, so for a static printer, here's an example. This is for an LPR printer, Toshiba 4511 Copier/Printer/Fax to be exact: toshiba.vbs: Set objWMIService2 = GetObject("winmgmts:") Set objNewPort2 = objWMIService2.Get _ ("Win32_TCPIPPrinterPort").SpawnInstance_ objNewPort2.Name = "IP_10.10.10.222" objNewPort2.Protocol = 2 objNewPort2.HostAddress = "10.10.10.222" objNewPort2.Queue = "PRINTER" objNewPort2.ByteCount = True objNewPort2.Put_ Then to run it unattended from Runonce, Guirunonce, WPI, etc, the installer.cmd file: @REM This will install the TCP/IP port then install the printer and fax machine for the Toshiba Printer. @cscript I:\printers\TOSH3511\tosh.vbs @rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /if /b "Toshiba 3511 Printer" /f "I:\printerdrivers\Toshiba 3511print\eS4c5c2k.inf" /r "IP_10.10.10.222" /m "TOSHIBA e-STUDIO4511SeriesPCL5c" @rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /if /b "Toshiba 3511 Fax" /f "I:\printerdrivers\Toshiba 3511fax\eS4cfx2K.inf" /r "IP_10.10.10.222" /m "TOSHIBA e-STUDIO Series Fax" Please note that this is from a netinstall, so the drive letters are maps to a shared installation directory. You'd have to change it to local for a CD based install or otherwise. Thanks again for all the help, hope this information helps someone else one day! Diamond

I've done some searching on the forums, and have yet to find a good way to do the following at part of an unattended / WPI installer. Say I have a printer that has a JetDirect card on 10.10.10.14. Let's say it's an HP Laserjet 4000. Is there any way to script the installation of this printer so that you have the HPLJ 4000 printing to port TCP/IP 10.10.10.14, and not just a network map to it? I've found the following information regarding it: Make network port: RunDLL32.EXE tcpmonui.dll,LocalAddPortUI <- this will open the add new TCP/IP port wizard, but I don't know how to do this silently with scripted additions Install Printer RunDLL32.exe printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ia /m "Hp LaserJet 4000 PCL 5e" /h "Intel" /v "Windows 2000 or XP" /f C:\printers\hp4000pcl5e\hp4000p5.inf <- this will install the driver for the printer (if exists on LPT1) with the inf located in C:\printers. The question would be how to redirect the port to be the one created earlier with the above command so that the printer prints to 10.10.10.14 instead of LPT1. After looking at the rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /? screen, I've seen to connect to a UNC printer but not to the TCP/IP port. Any suggestions / help would be appreciated. I've got a couple hundred machines that all printer to different peer printers [so that traffic is not passed through the server] that I need to reload. Adding all these printers manually instead of using RIS/Unattended or WPI/equivalent would take AGES! Thanks in Advance, Diamond

Just a couple thoughts on this, I'm noticing if this is your full unattended file, you will need a couple more things [unattanded] UnattendMode=FullUnattended OemPreinstall=Yes OemSkipEula=Yes [GiuUnattended] AdminPassword=INSERTENCRYPTEDADMINPASSHERE EncryptedAdminPassword=Yes OEMSkipRegional=1 TimeZone=YOURTIMEZONE (20 is CST) [userData] ProductKey=ABCDE-12345-VWXYZ-98765-LMNOP FullName="Your Name" OrgName="Your Company" ComputerName=* {for autogen, or specify here} [identification] JoinDomain=YourDomainName DomainAdmin=administrator {Someone with the rights to join a computer to the domain} DomainAdminPassword=UNENCRYPTEDPASSWORD {gotta love that, or on RIS you can skip above and this and use DoOldStyleDomainJoin=Yes, don't think that works on a CD} Hope this helps. Setupmgr will generate these for you if you want to use the resource kit wizard, and I've used these on 2k before without a problem for the base settings. Diamond