InTheWayBoy

The other thing to take into account is the reliability and stability of the system. An nlited system, while very customized, is also very problematic in different scenarios. Before the flames come, I know it can be polished very nicely, but the sad fact is that it takes many many trials to finally get a tweaked version...and that's only for one specific configuration. In other words, for a consumer it's not bad, but in a corporate or production environment you probably would just opt for the vanilla install. I would like to see a benchmark of the three previously mentioned systems...yet I suggest also throwing in a comparison of a vanilla install vs. an nlite install. They we could begin to see if the time and effort of nlite is truely beneficial in the long run. I could conduct some benchmarks, but I currently have my personal computer at work, so it would be a while.

2000...all of XP's tech and none of the fluff.

I don't know how to do it, but you'll need to adjust the permissions of the drive to allow that to happen. Since you are running the script as the user is logging on, I would think that means that the user limits you have imposed are getting in the way. One way to get around this might be to impliment some form of "RunAs" is the script that can get around your restrictions. Good luck!

Hmmm...might be because it's on the network...doesn't the command prompt have a problem running certain tools from a UNC? However, if that was the problem I think it spells it out a little better for you....just a thought.

Yeah...it's under the scope or server options...044 I believe.

Well I beg to differ...in the example I explained, with file sharing and what not, it is definantly limited to 10 connections. Check this thread: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Networking/Q_21333467.html It references a similar site located in the thread someone posted...it's the tcpip.sys file. They limit it to 10 so that you are forced to buy the higher server level os when you need a large setup. Now that's ten concurrently...if you have fourty people but only nine use it at a time, you'll never see this.

I see...so you want to uncheck the box on the files/drives...didn't see that part before. In that case I have no idea...sorry! Maybe some form of GUI manipulation with AutoIt?

You could look in the sticky about regtweaks...there is a a reg file that has the code to disable that service in the registry. You can integrate that easily...

So I don't get it...you want the quicklaunch icons or not...it's a little hard to read in the middle there. If you want the quicklaunch icons, you can do that several ways. I recently got into AutoIt, and if you used that you could create a simple script like this: FileCreateShortcut ( "C:\file1.exe", @AppDataDir & "\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\shortcut to file1.lnk" ) FileCreateShortcut ( "C:\file2.exe", @AppDataDir & "\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\shortcut to file2.lnk" ) Of course that's just the basic syntax...you can research all the options if you like. You could then take that script and compile it to an .exe (The tools are included with the AutoIt install) which you could then call from a batch file. It's a couple extra steps but it should work.

The tcpip.sys hack allows more than 10 other computers to connect to your computer. Any non server class OS is limited to only serving to 10 other computers...so if you have a small workgroup of say, 15, then you'll only be able to have 10 people access a shared file or printer. That might be a problem with your scenario, but since you're stopped at 3 and not 10 then I would guess not. However, do you happen to have 7 other computers sharing anything while you're trying this? RTM = Released To Manufacturer? Something like that...means it's final code...usually the first release too.

RunWait ( "msiexec /qn /i setup.msi" ) Sleep ( 5000 ) Run ( @ProgramFilesDir & "\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe /regserver" ) FileDelete ( @DesktopCommonDir & "\Microsoft AntiSpyware.lnk" ) That's an AuotIT script that does it all for you...just like it was previously mentioned. You have to have the .msi already extracted. What this does is install the program, wait five seconds, runs the necessary command to fix the stupid error with a silent install, and then deletes the icon on the desktop. After I reboot it autoruns and works fine.

Is this for Folder Redirection? Cause if it is, there is an option when you set that up to allow only the user access...this will block even you, the Administrator. Only way I know around that (The option is grey after you enable the GPO) is to delete the GPO and start again, but don't forget to check this time!

Okay, so here's the next one...hopefully someone will reply to this one We have an external company handle our email at the moment...I want to move away from that, but for now that's how it is. However, one of the features my company wants is to be able to email between the staff while in the complex. These emails SHOULDN'T leave the complex! Right now they are using the external email, which means if they send a document it goes from here to the external mail servers and then back to here...not very efficient. So is there a simple way to accomplish this? We are running Win2003 and Outlook 2003. I was looking at the Server and saw the different email services that are built-in to it...will these be sufficient enough? The other option is to install Exchange 2003, but I don't know that package well...yet! For instance, with the correct config would I be able to use Exchange to handle our external email AND our internal email? Thanx in advance for any help/tips...

Well that would be more along the lines of user rights than GPO...if you setup the users to only have limited access then they won't be able to install anything on any computer they logon as. There maybe some GPO's that help, but from what I've been learning it's not the way to go for that result.

I think you would have to import the .wab files into Outlook, and then setup "Groups" within the Outlook Contact screen...as far as I know the only way Outlook can do what you want is via the "Groups" function, which isn't compatible with .wab files. I would think you could import one .wab, then select all and add that to a new group...repeat for each .wab file you have. As far as the actual way to do it, I don't know off hand, but I know you can right-click in the Contacts screen and make a new group, and within that group screen you can select who is in it...I think you can do it the other way too, by selecting the contacts first and then adding them to a new group.

Here is my RIS.sif: [Data] FloppyLess="1" MsDosInitiated="1" OriSrc="\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%" OriTyp="4" LocalSourceOnCD="1" DisableAdminAccountOnDomainJoin="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" AutoPartition="0" AutomaticUpdates="Yes" [SetupData] OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect" SetupSourceDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%" [Unattended] DUDisable="Yes" UnattendMode="FullUnattended" UnattendSwitch="Yes" OemPreinstall="Yes" FileSystem="*" Repartition="No" ExtendOEMPartition="0" TargetPath="\WINDOWS" OemSkipEula="Yes" DriverSigningPolicy="Ignore" NonDriverSigningPolicy="Ignore" Hibernation="No" WaitForReboot="No" OEMPnPDriversPath="Drivers\00_ASATA;Drivers\00_INF;Drivers\01_NIC;Drivers\02_815;Drivers\02_845;Drivers\02_945;Drivers\02_NVA;Drivers\03_CSB;Drivers\03_LAP;Drivers\03_MAX;Drivers\03_MAXII;Drivers\04_MOD1;Drivers\04_MOD2;Drivers\04_MOD3;Drivers\04_MOD4;Drivers\04_MOD5;Drivers\04_MOD6" InstallFilesPath="\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%" LegacyNIC="1" [UserData] ProductKey="" FullName="Workstation" OrgName="Apex Home Healthcare" ComputerName="APEX001" [GuiUnattended] OemSkipWelcome="1" OemSkipRegional="1" TimeZone="%TIMEZONE%" AdminPassword="*" [GuiRunOnce] "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\WPI\WPI.CMD" [Display] AutoConfirm="1" BitsPerPel="32" XResolution="800" YResolution="600" VRefresh="60" [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents="Yes" [NetServices] MS_Server="params.MS_PSched" [Components] msmsgs="Off" msnexplr="Off" indexsrv_system="Off" fax="On" OEAccess="Off" [WindowsFirewall] Profiles="WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall" [WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall] Mode="0" ;[Identification] ;JoinDomain="%MACHINEDOMAIN%" ;DoOldStyleDomainJoin="Yes" [RemoteInstall] Repartition="No" UseWholeDisk="No" [OSChooser] Description="Apex Healthcare - WinXP" Help="Automatically installs and configures WinXP Pro to Apex Healthcare standards." LaunchFile="%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com" ImageType=Flat Version="5.1 (2600)"

So I've recently moved into an IT position from my previous technican position...I'm pretty exhausted scrambling around learning most as I go, but that's how I work/learn best anyway. So I've got a few questions, and I'm sure I'll have more... On to the topic...logon scripts...specifically printers. I've got a small domain (20 computers) and two Canon network laser multifunction devices. Now before the roll over to the domain they all connected using a TCP port printer setup. I found that was more of a pain for me, so I decided to look into using the Canon's built-in servers and such. I've got them configured to list in the domain, but it's as their own computer, with the printer inside...\\canon\printer Now what I want to do is install these via the logon script. At the moment I have the drivers laying on the domain controller and mapped to all the computers...I have many other sub-printers, and that share contains all the drivers. I'd like to keep it that way, but all the syntax I find on the web doesn't seem to take that into account. Most assume the drivers are already loaded onto the client computer, which I haven't done. I can manually install it fine by just pointing the wizard to the mapped drive and it finds the .inf, but I can't find a way to do that in a script! I found one method, using some .dll (Don't have the page up anymore) that looked like it had a function to install the driver first, and then install the printer...but it never worked right. I really like AutoIT, but I don't even know how to run that as a logon script properly...I have autoit.exe in the sys32 of every client, but I don't know if the file association is set. I have a VBS script that takes care of my drive mapping very nicely, so that's something to consider as well. I was looking at this program called Policy Maker that supposedly does this via GPO, which would rule...I downloaded a mini free version, but it only allows custom registry GPO's. Of course, that didn't work either...but that was for a different problem. I know the driver name, inf location, printer name, and share info for the printers...I just don't know how to line it all up...thanx!

How are these two domain talking to each other...is it over the internet? If so, are we sure that there aren't any firewalls blocking any ports...google gave me this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q179442/ Of course I'll be in your shoe's in a few months, so lets hope you get this nailed Good luck!

You're right...not much info on disabling that...it's technical name is "Attachment Execution Services" but I couldn't find any real info on it other than what it does. Funny thing though is on my XPSP2 RIS Install I don't get those at all...here's my winnt.sif: [Data] MSDOSInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" [Unattended] UnattendMode="FullUnattended" UnattendSwitch="Yes" OemPreinstall="Yes" FileSystem="*" TargetPath="\WINDOWS" OemSkipEula="Yes" DriverSigningPolicy="Ignore" WaitForReboot="No" [UserData] ProductKey="" FullName="User Name" OrgName="Company" ComputerName="Computer" [GuiUnattended] OemSkipWelcome="1" OemSkipRegional="1" TimeZone="35" AdminPassword="*" [Display] AutoConfirm="1" [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents="Yes" [Identification] JoinWorkgroup="WORKGROUP" [Shell] DefaultThemesOff="Yes" [Components] msmsgs="Off" msnexplr="Off" indexsrv_system="Off" Now that isn't the actual RIS winnt.sif, but I use the same options in it, except for the extra fluff RIS needs. If you want, I can post the actual RIS winnt.sif tomorrow when I get back to the complex...

I don't think that has anything to do with DriverSigning...that is a new feature with SP2, so look for something along that lines. I don't have an answer, but I figure that might help you along. Also, google the text it says, minus the actual file...that should at least bring up relavent results...good luck!

I think you can just rename it into XXXX.dat like the guide says...it's all the same to the program.

I used to use a .bat before I found AutoIT...seems more logical, even if you don't know anything. Here's some sample code: :Delete A Folder (The 1 is to recursively delete, or remove the folder and everything in it) DirRemove ( "C:\Folder" ,1 ) :Copy A File...the first value is the files you want to copy, the second is where you want to copy them too FileCopy ( "c:\old\file.exe", "C:\new" ) Check the attatchment for a little cheat sheet I made myself. After you make the file, you can even turn it into an .exe real quick, and just run the .exe from WPI. All the tools are included with the install of the program. AutoIT_Reference.txt

I've got: 512MB DDR400 - Samsung chips, don't know who the manufacturer is 512MB DDR400 - SuperTalent - 32Mx8 The SuperTalent, while generic in my opinion, is the better of the two...it's got a little heatspreader thing on it...cheese! If you can buy a UPS label and email me it I'll drop it in the mail.

I think you need to use a new bootloader for WinXP SP2...the one in the guide doesn't work if I remember correctly. I use the one that comes with nlite...you can download and then extract and look for 'boot.bin' and then use that instead. You'll still need to the the hex editing and what not but it should work after that. Good luck!

I use a mix for my network. If I'm in the complex then I usually use Remote Desktop or UltraVNC. If I'm at home and have my computer then I use UltraVNC. If I'm on the road, or at a computer that doesn't have UltraVNC, then I use LogMeIn, which is an excellent tool that doesn't seem to be too popular yet. It's free (Of course they have better versions that cost $$$), it doesn't require any router configuration (Uses tech similar to GoToMyPC), and it's got a really nice interface. www.logmein.com