InTheWayBoy

What burner and burning program are you using?

Okay...let's say you are using Notepad to work with the file. Get it all ready, then go to file and then save...when the dialog box pops ups enter in the file name you want to save it as. file.cmd for instance...now the trick is to enclose that with " " like this: "file.cmd" If you have that in the name spot it will save it as whatever is in the quotes. Of course, if you save a file as a bat file and it's not correct syntax then you're still not gonna get it working. As for where to save it...what are you doing with it? Need more info as to what the batch is gonna accomplish.

Have you entered in the AutoConfirm I spoke of? Cause I bet that's where you're getting hung up. Why not post your current *.sif so we can see where you're at now...

In that case you are good to go!

Now we all know we here at MSFN are so quick to blast someone who doesn't search first...and I agree in many cases. However, there are some issues with the search function here that prevent effective searching. For instance, I was replying to a post about RIS servers, and found that you can't search for just "RIS". This kinda makes it hard to find info about. I understand the load issues with allowing such a simple search term, but that makes it a little un-fair to people who get flamed for not searching. Any suggestions?

Also, something to think about in regards to IceBlackIce's suggestion about WinPE. As far as I know, if you boot WinPE from a RIS server, you can't use the network afterwards...because the network is transparently serving you the files, so it can't be used by WinPE. I think that's how it goes...I know I've heard a lot of people b***h about it, and maybe there is a fix, but I have yet to find one.

Here's a nice run-down of a RIS process...and it's here at msfn of course: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=52667 That's at least a standard process...if you need anything special, then you'll have to figure it out via searches or posting here. I've only been using RIS for a few months now, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I use it at my new job, where we have a domain containing 25+ computers. They are all Dell's, which mean they are all Intel based so that makes my life a little easier. On the first roll-out I could do approximately six units at a time without causing any problems with the network or server. I haven't had the balls to test more, but I will have to soon. One RIS client takes about 30 minutes to go through properly...so it's much faster than other methods I've tried. And the PXE booting is awesome, since you don't need to have anything but an account on the server to work your magic. The concept of RIS is to allow you to push an install over the network. By default it's just a plain jane Windows install. But almost all of the techniques used in an unattended install will work with RIS, with a few exceptions. I've noticed that if you have the machine join a domain during setup that seems to screw with my GUIRunOnce, since most of the time the first user who logs on isn't a domain admin...I haven't gotten around that yet. So for now I have RIS install and do it's thing, and then I walk up to the machine and manually join it to the domain. Since you're on a domain now, you could also use Group Policies to push various software installs, as long as they are MSI installers. That takes a little work off the RIS install. In regards to your boot disk question, if your clients don't natively support PXE then you can make a disk using RBFG.EXE, but sadly that is a closed disk, meaning you can't add support to it. I'll tell you this though, I would invest in some new NIC's that support PXE and just be done with it. First, it's a floppy...those things suck. They break, and many new computers don't have a floppy drive. Secondly, since you can't add support to it, I feel like it's kinda useless. But that's just me. A few tips for you: 1. Triple check the *.sif you are using...RIS adds some extra things to a standard *.sif, and many relate to disk partitioning. By default I believe it is configured to blank your HD and make one big partition. Not a bad thing, but something to watch out for. 2. RIS will only do one partition, so if you have some scheme that requires two or more partitions, then you'll need to look into some extra steps....WinPE can help in this area. 3. When making a RIS server, please put the RIS file store on a seperate partition/drive. When you install RIS you also install SIS, which is a service that does something similar to CDImage. If you have multiple RIS images, which you will after some time, it will take all the identical files and replace them with links to just one...save you space. Problem is that this effects the whole drive, so if you have other things on that drive they may get optimized. Problem with that is if you want to move things to a different drive it can make it harder, as you might be dealing with a link and not an actual file. 4. To use RIS you need a user that has the ability to join computers to a domain...at least this is what I hear. I personally do all the RIS loads, so I just use my domain admin account. But if you want your users to be able to do it, then you'll need to delegate them the right to join the domain...I know that's not the whole thing, but it will at least get you in the right direction. 5. If you do anything to the image file, you should restart the "BINL" or "Remote Install" service first. This will force the RIS server to refresh the images, so any changes should be applied. NOTE: Some changes require two attempts before they become live...the first time you will still get the error, but the second time you try it should work. This is mostly when adding drivers. The first time you access the new drivers (Say, for your NIC), it will error out again, but will make it so that the next time it won't. Try again and all is well. 6. The RIS layout of an image is a little different. You'll have an I386 folder like always, but inside that it's different. I don't know how, but it looks like RIS expands a few things, so the source isn't the same as from the CD. I could be wrong on this one. 7. *.sif files are stored in the I386\templates folder of the image. You can have as many *.sif files in there as you want, with each being it's own menu selection. So lets say you have a vanilla install of WinXP SP2 on the RIS server. You could have one *.sif that would be a normal install, one for a unattended install, one for an unattended install with an $OEM folder, etc. Each *.sif would get it's own menu selction. 8. If you add an $OEM folder, it goes parallel to the I386 folder, not inside it. I've always done it that way, even on my CD's. But I recently read an M$ article that said to put the $OEM folder inside the I386 folder...but that was for a CD install. For RIS it is always parallel to the I386 folder. 9. If you have the ability to, you can use a neat feature called GUID. This is a long string of numbers and letters that are unique to a machine, much like a MAC address. If you get that info (All mine are on the PXE boot screen...I just hit the "Pause" key and wrote it down for each one) you can go into AD Users and Computers and add a computer. One screen will as for the GUID...enter it in as you saw it (Include spaces!), and then finish. What that means is that anytime a computer with that GUID connects to RIS, it won't ask you for the computer name, it will just punch it in for you. Makes RIS that much easier... 10. If you have any computers with a crazy HD config, I recommend you blank it first. This was only an issue for me when I was using a RIPrep image, which is a mixture of RIS and Sysprep. All the Dell's here had like three partitions that obviously were for the system restore and diagnostics Dell had. So I had to blank the drive and then everything was fine. Remember, RIS is mostly designed to just work with one partition. Whew...that's all I got for now...guess I should get back to work now

First off that $100 is for OEM...which should mean that you need to buy hardware with it to be legit. While newegg may still sell it to you, it's still kinda shady...a retail version of home will cost you around $200 from certain places. Secondly, that new CD might work. As far as I know, it would have to be an OEM version (Which it probably is if it came with a new PC), would have to be newer than the older version (Probably SP2, so you should be okay), and would not have to contain much enhancements to it. Meaning...Dell's XP CD's are almost a vanilla source, but they put a few extras in it. A logo here, a few extra drivers there...not much to worry about. But if they have done a major over-haul of the source then you may not be happy with the results. You might be able to use the disk, but you'll be forced to suffer through any enhancements they have added to it. Thirdly, if you can find almost any WinXP PC, there is probably an I386 folder on it that contains the WinXP Home source. You could copy that to a CD and use that, as long as it fits the above mentioned guidelines. You will probably have to add the boot file, so maybe grab nlite and let that do all the work. And Finally, you could just find someone else who has an OEM computer and copy their disc...same rules apply again. I know the CD's you are talking about (Color Coded), and the OS disc you lost (Blue right?) is nothing more than a standard WinXP Home with a few tweaks, so you don't NEED it for the system to function, as the tech mentioned.

Since I'm kinda new to AD/GPO this may be a silly idea...but why not delete the GPO, take ownership of the root folder and have it apply to child items, and then make another GPO and not select the "Exclusive" setting? I think I did that on a beta server once and I seem to remember it being okay...but seems to easy.

The first part should never be in quotes...and while you don't need to enclose every variable in quotes, I think it's better practice to get in the habit of doing it, so as to not get screwed by a simple thing.

Yeah, the laptop is fine on the DNS side...if I logon locally, or the few times I was able to get on the other day it all worked fine. The DHCP of the laptop is leased from the server, with DNS and WINS configured as well. I don't have the exact error, but it's something along the lines that the domain does not exist. Although if I logon locally I can ping it, see it, and access shares after I put in a domain user/pass...

Well if you knew what all the entries are, you could use the "REG" command, which can be used in batch files. They syntax is explained here: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documen.../en-us/reg.mspx Now if you don't have all the entries, then you may want to look into some kinda install watcher...I've always heard InstallRite was a good, free program that does that. And if you want to go a step further, you could enlist AutoIT to do all the dirty work for you. You would still have all the pitfalls of the previous two, in that you need to know what you want to enter and there is coding associated with it, but it's simple and effective. And once you've got it all tested, you can convert the script into an .exe for easier deployment. As for the extracting part, just make an SFX with WinRAR or 7Zip. I use the 7Zip SFX as you can customize the hell outta it. There are numerous topics on here that detail it. I ended up detailing how I do this briefly here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=52981&hl= It's at the end, second to last post. Good luck!

I think I have a RIPrep image, which is similar, that works on either an IDE or SATA drive...support for both is built-in no matter what, so that might be a problem if it isn't on yours. Another tip...Hyperthreading. Any chip that has Hyperthreading, or Dual Cores, will fall under the MultiCPU HAL, where as a Non-Hyperthreading CPU with still be a SingleCPU HAL. That was an issue with my RIS images...might be giving you grief as well.

[Display] AutoConfirm="1" BitsPerPel="32" XResolution="800" YResolution="600" VRefresh="75" Notice the "AutoConfirm" option...enjoy!

Okay, so I've got my domain just about perfect...for now But I do have one big issue still...a wireless laptop! GRRR! I have an AP with WEP enabled plugged into our switches...I've disabled DHCP in the AP, and the client connects fine to it. The problem is when I go to logon to the domain. It will usually b***h and moan about the domain is not there, even though it obviously is. It's a Centrino wireless, so it has the nice Intel app. It's much better than most I've seen, and has a pre-logon connect function, so that it's got network access before the logon. But even with that I've still got problems. I actually had it working the day before, without any 'hacks' but today the user is saying it's doing it again. I know you can do wireless with a domain, but I'm obviously missing something. Any tips, tricks, or suggestions? Could it be related to any settings in the AD or GPO? I keep hearing about 'slow-link' stuff and I'm wondering if that is playing a part in this...it's connected at 24MB so I don't think that is 'slow', but it is less than 100MB. I'm probably gonna hook it up through a wire for now. The other question is what will the user do when they are away from the domain. I figure that means they'll have to logon locally, but what's the best way to set that up? Is there a way to setup some kinda thing were if the domain is no found that it will auto logon locally? And I have Offline Files enabled, so the user has their documents with them. But since that is tied to the domain account, will the local account be able to see them as well? Thanx in advance!

I don't think you can delete it...at least not within the running OS. You could try booting to an alternative OS and then delete the "RECYCLER" folder in the root of the drive. You'll probably need something with NTFS access, unless your went with FAT32 when you installed Win2000. Your best, and cheapest, bet is to compile and use BartPE. It takes some time, but it's worth it. You can find the program here: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder And they have a great support forum here: http://www.911cd.net/forums There is a WinPE forum here on MSFN, but it's not as good as the one I just listed. Good luck!

Depends on what the server is doing...AD, FTP, File Server, HTTP, etc...more info I think is needed.

So you had it as a RAID array, broke it down to a master/slave, then removed the bad HD and you are now getting further, but you still get stopped after the install finishes? Hmmm...any chance you could try a different HD? Meaning, none of the previous two? The error message you are getting...it's a black screen with white text, happens before you see the 'splash' screen? Also, is the RAID controller still installed or configured to be in RAID mode?

Then you probably have some bad hardware...ram, cpu, hd...take your pick. If you are getting errors at that low a level then it's probably not the software. You say you can get through installation, but it crashes at load. Is the CD you are installing it from a known good copy. No scratches or beta unattended install? And what kinda hardware are you running?

Yeah...PsTools rule! Forgot all about pskill though...thanx!

Very pleasing to the eye...but you need more info. I know a lot of it is here on the forum, but some basic things would be nice: 1. More Screenshots! 2. Better explaination of the different versions...not between the regular and unattended version, but between 1.2, 3.2, 4.0, etc. 3. Bug list You could link to posts here on the forum, but to rely on just the forum is a little weak in my opinion. Otherwise it's a sweet site! Thanx~

Watch out for that...if you plan on using XPH, that isn't included with it...only XPP has that.

You need to use this syntax: RunWait(@ComSpec & " /c " & 'start /w c:\installs\wrar3501.exe /s', "", @SW_HIDE) When you run something like "net" or "copy"...built-in commands. Or so I've been told

I too use AutoIT, but I use it a little differently: RunWait ( @ScriptDir & "\setup.exe /S" ) Sleep ( 5000 ) DirRemove ( @ProgramsDir & "\XP Codec Pack 1.2.4" ,1 ) As you can see, you can install it silently with the "/S" switch, I use AutoIT to cleanup after the install as I don't like random icons and shortcuts...enjoy!

I don't know exactly how, but that is controlled via a registry key...it's per user so you'll probably need to mess with the default profiles reg hive...here's the key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders In that there are several items...all can be changed to a local drive or UNC. Even though it's called "My Documents" in the registry it's called "Personal"...you should be able to figure it all out, as they have the value listed so it's simple.