Zaker

I wish this thread was more active. Anyways, I created a PE2.0 x64 CD without too many problems. The best part so far is that Vista recognizes so much newer hardware. Thanks for the help.

Good news. I have built and booted to an x86 version of PE2.0. I will attempt to make an x64 version. Any helpful hints ? As always, we have almost no time to develop the solution! Thanks.

Greetings. I posted once before on this topic and got some good answers, but have read some MS articles that I found troubling. I received my copy of Windows Server 2003 x64 Enterprise. But I still do not have the new server model that I need to really test this. The docs I have been reading make it look like I cannot use PE1.6 or PE2.0 to boot the server, run diskpart and format, then map a drive and launch an unattended setup (WINNT32.EXE) of Windows Server 2003 x64. Mentions you must use a 64bit OS to start the install. Is that the case, or do you think what I am trying to do will work. I would like to use this setup: PE1.6 or PE2.0 to boot IBM x3850, map a drive, run diskpart/format, then launch d:\AMD64\WINNT32.EXE with unattend.txt setup. Thanks in advance.

Greetings. I am preparing to build an unattended install of Windows Server 2003 x64. My goal is to boot the server with PE (old or new version), run diskpart then format, then launch the install from a network share containing the x64 code. I read that this might not be possible, as the x64 Windows install cannot originate from an x86 booted server. Can someone clarify this? Am I going to be able to do what I am hoping to, boot to PE, launch Windows 2003 x64 setup? Thanks.

I'm using PE2.0 and trying to build a 2k3 server and have this issue. So creating the logical and extended partitions as fat32 first works? How do I tell the 2k3 setup to convert both to NTFS? Please advise... Or is there a better solution? IBM x225.

I should add that the initial screen, 'Windows is loading files' shows up fine, as does the next screen where the bar moves across the screen. Its the screen with the background that is unreadable. On the server it looks fine. I cannot find out how to change display settings in PE2.0. I replaced the new boot image with the old PE boot image, as the old one is much smaller, and thought it might work, not the case. Thanks.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have successfully built a PE2.0 boot CD and using it locally on my IBM x225s it works great. Using the RSA2.0 card (remote management out of band) the display is all *garbled*. I do not have this issue using PE1.6. It is unusable when accessed this way. I replaced the new PE2.0 boot image with the old XP like-one from PE1.6 and I still have the issue. I need to access/rebuild my servers remotely so this is a big issue. Any ideas on how to fix? Thanks.

Does 2.0 come with Vista then? Any version of Vista in particular? I will look into using 2.0 as you recommend. Thanks.

Starting a project to deploy Windows 2003 Server x64. Will the newest nLite work to integrate SPs, hotfix's, and drivers? Thanks in advance.

Greetings. We currently use PE1.0 to install Windows Server x86. Starting a project to deploy Windows Server x64 servers. What version of PE do I need to obtain? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the responses. I put together a list from a new 2k3 server. Fed these into nLite and had 6 questions about Direct Mirgration, do you want to use the regular method, and 2 questions about overwriting newer files. I can post the exact question about Direct Migration, but I would guess anyone answering this post has seen it. Questions...what exactly does the Direct Migration error refer to? It was successful on all 6 using the regular method. And, as always I said to NOT overwrite newer files, makes sense I assume? CHEERS!

Greetings. We currently build our 2k3 standard servers and include all patches that were ever required. This list is now about 120 patches. Some must be superceeded by now, and would like to cut this number down to feed to nlite. Is there a list of all required patches for w2k3 that I use for reference? Thanks in advance.

Yes it is the newest nLite, 1.3 rc2. The hotfix's that it fails on, all are currently being installed via batch at the end of the base build. Will try d/l a few fresh from MS, but it doesnt make sense. does nLite care if the hotfix's are renamed at all? Thanks

All the hotfix's referenced are for Windows 2003 Standard Server, and are currently installed on all production machines.

Thanks for the quick response. I selected only Hotfix's and seen some other 'stuff' in there, but it was gone after nLite was complete. No issues with nlite.in_ or the last session files. My issue is, I got a load of errors while running it. I created a log of these to find out whats going on. Log is attached. I am sure I am doing something wrong. CHEERS! nLite_Log.txt

Would like to slipstream ALL required Windows Server 2003 hotfix's into CLEAN source, but change nothing else. I have all the hotfix's in a directory, nLite slipstreams most, some have errors. but notice that there are additional dirs added etc. and not sure what else. I would only like to slipstream hotfix's into what I customized at this point, and have nLite make no other changes. Is this possible? Thanks in advance.

Could you please explain what that will do to solve the issue? I searched around for autologon.reg, and found a bunch of links, but most weren't related. Thanks in advance...

I found it very easy. I use WINPE to bootup, DISKPART to create the partitions that I want, then format the drives as NTFS. Launch the Win2003 setup and you're good to go. All this is run via batch files here and it works great...

So should I assume by getting no replies that I am just plain dumb, or that noone has a solution... Either way, it won't hurt my feelings... Thanks.

During the final bootup after building a Win2k3 Standard Server via unattend.txt, the GPO renames the Administrator account. I used to be able to perform an AutoLogon to finish off my build, but this fails now as the Administrator account is not there. Is there any way to specify another account for the unattend.txt process to use, to perform final config on the server? Thanks in advance... Sean

I have emailed you my email address...thanks again. For all that have been helping... I have modified the txtsetup.oem file, and dir structure to try and get around the error, NFRD960.SYS could not be found, and it doesn't matter what I do, the error is the same. It doesn't look like its a syntax issue within txtsetup.oem. I have tried modifying the path to the source in oemsetup.oem, although I'm not sure PE uses this boot, but either way it doesn't change the error. I have tried copying the NFRD960.SYS file to multiple locations, no change. I am not using Barts PE stuff, just working with the original PE1.2 CD, and the IBM Serveraid files. The error occurs right after pressing the ANY key to boot to the CD. PE starts up and while the white bar is going across the bottom of the screen, I get the error. If I use the stupid diskette and press F6, it will boot. Hope this helps explain my nightmare a little clearer. Thanks.

I did exactly as you posted, didn't even touch the txtsetup.oem, and I STILL get the following error; The file nfrd960.sys could not be found. Press any key to continue. I don't even know what to try at this point. You mentioned that you had just done this and got it working. What is different about our testing? I am using the newest Serveraid d/l from IBM. The raid controller is the new 6i. The server model is the new x225 (8649). I am even following the exact dir structure that is posted in this thread. Unfortunately, I have to get this working ASAP because it has taken so long that it's affecting the project now. Is there anything else that I can do here? Thanks in advance.

Cost isn't a big issue, but I'm impatient and the CDRWs take too long. Since I have had so many other issues with burning PE, I have switched to CDRW. Cheers!

The last posters command works for me as well. It did not work until I specified the full path to ETFSBOOT.COM. That was 2 days and 10 CDs wasted...

Thanks for the help, I think I'm getting somewhere now. I followed your instructions, and get the following error now during PE bootup when the bar is going across the bottom during hardware inspection; The file nfrd960.sys could not be found. Press any key to continue. Then of course it reboots when I do... Here is my dir structure, winpeoem.sif, and my txtsetup.oem. I have NOT modified the txtsetup.oem file. Please assist if possible. Much appreciated. ---------------------- DIR STRUCTURE: \i386\system32\drivers\additional_oem\ibm_serveraid The txtsetup.oem and a readme.txt exist here. Under this structure is; windows\win2003\scsi\driver\server\i_v These files exist here; ibmnfrd3.cat nfrd960.sys nfrdci04.dll oemsetup.inf My winpeoem.sif file is as follows, under system32; ------------------------------------------------------------ ; ; WinPE OEM driver list ; [Version] signature="$Windows NT$" ; ; Use this section to replace the inbox driver ; list with your own files ; ;[massstoragedrivers.replace] ;mydriver = mydriver.sys ; ; ; Use this section to append non-pnp drivers to ; the list of the drivers already present ; in the inbox ; [massstoragedrivers.append] ; mydriver = nfrd960.sys ; ; ; Use this section to load pnp/non-pnp oem drivers ; in addition to the inbox driver list ; ; OemDriverRoot : Indicates the path relative to ; the system directory of WinPE. If ; none, then specify "" ; ; OemDriverDirs : Specifies series of directories separated ; by comma. Each specified directory has the ; txtsetup.oem which has the information on ; what driver to load. ; ; e.g. OemDriverRoot = "" and OemDriverDirs = drv1, drv2 ; indicates to the WinPE that under WinPE's system32 directory ; there are two directories named drv1 and drv2. Each of these ; directories contain txtsetup.oem file which lists which ; driver to load ; [OemDriverParams] OemDriverRoot="Drivers\ADDITIONAL_OEM" OemDriverDirs=IBM_SERVERAID ------------------------------------------------------------ My txtsetup.oem is as follows; [Disks] d1 = "IBM ServeRAID Device Driver Diskette", \windows\win2003\scsi\driver\Server\i_v\NFRD960.SYS, \windows\win2003\scsi\driver\Server\i_v d2 = "IBM ServeRAID Device Driver Diskette", \windows\win2003\scsi\driver\Server\powerpc\IPSRAIDN.SYS, \windows\win2003\scsi\driver\Server\powerpc [Defaults] scsi = NFRDDotNet32 [scsi] NFRDDotNet32 = "IBM ServeRAID 4M/4Mx/4L/4Lx/5i/6M/6i Controller (Windows Server 2003)" IPSDotNet32 = "IBM ServeRAID 2x/3H/3L/4H Controller (Windows Server 2003)" [Files.scsi.NFRDDotNet32] driver = d1, nfrd960.sys, NFRD960 dll = d1, nfrdci04.dll catalog = d1, ibmnfrd3.cat inf = d1, oemsetup.inf [Files.scsi.IPSDotNet32] driver = d2, ipsraidn.sys, IPSRAIDN dll = d2, nfrdci04.dll catalog = d2, ipsraid3.cat inf = d2, oemsetup.inf [Config.NFRD960] value = parameters\PnpInterface,5,REG_DWORD,1 value = parameters\Device,NumberOfRequests,REG_DWORD,128 [Config.IPSRAIDN] value = parameters\PnpInterface,5,REG_DWORD,1 value = parameters\Device,NumberOfRequests,REG_DWORD,128 [HardwareIDs.scsi.NFRDDotNet32] id = "PCI\VEN_1014&DEV_01BD", "nfrd960" id = "PCI\VEN_9005&DEV_0250", "nfrd960" [HardwareIDs.scsi.IPSDotNet32] id = "PCI\VEN_1014&DEV_002E", "ipsraidn"