snelephant

I would like to copy a few applications from my Vista install DVD to the destination root. This can be done the old fashioned way using the $1 folder in conjunction with <UseConfigurationSet> tag, but as warned, this copies the entire contents of the 'sources' folder (several gigabytes) to the root during setup, adding a considerable and unnecessary delay to setup. Is there an alternative? Note that I simply want to copy these application folders from my install DVD to root during Vista setup. I am not trying to install the applications automatically during setup. I am not trying to inject drivers or system files. Also, I don't want to use additional media (thumbdrive, etc.), I'd like to work from a single install DVD. Any tips greatly appreciated.

Sure, unattended Win2003 and unattended WinXP are the same--if your goal is use a $1000 Server OS to play MP3s on your desktop. I am setting up a domain and the differences are, at the risk of understatement, not insignificant. While both 2003 and XP share much of their kernel, they have obviously distinct purposes: one is a server OS, the other is not. MS designed 2003 and XP to serve disparate functions and consequently incorporated mutually exclusive components, each requiring their own unique strategies for unattended deployment. There are issues in deploying a domain unattended, for example, that have no equivalent in XP. Here is a typical challenge: how do you rename the domain administrator account? Renaming local accounts in WinXP is trivially simple. But Win2003 requires an entirely unique set of command line tools (DSmod) to manipulate objects in Active Directroy on a domain controller. This is to say nothing about unnattended forest integration, unattended certificate services, unnattended IIS authentication...the list is goes on. I didn't even know there had been a separate site devoted to unattended Win2003 concepts. Sounds like a great idea.

It is possible to rename the Administrator account on domain controllers. Indeed, Microsoft encourages it for security reasons. My problem is that their site only provides instructions for renaming the admin account using group policy and I don't know how to change a specific group policy setting automatically. I was thinking, however, if group policy is simply a GUI for the registry, isn't it conceivable that I can rename the admin account using a registry tweak? If so, where can I find the key and what is the appropriate syntax?

These two threads: Example #1, Example #2, both describe unattended methods for renaming an administrator account. However, the relevant commands (net, renuser, etc.) return errors when I try to rename the administrator account on my domain controller. Attempts to rename other user accounts in the domain seem to succeed. I just can't rename the domain administrator. I am careful to include the domain parameter where required. Any clues?

Making great strides on my Win2003 unattended CD but have not found a way to autmatically add a file server role. So far I have installed the OS and some apps, promoted the server to a domain controller, and set up DNS--all automatically. I can establish select roles such as application server and web server by adding the appropriate item under [COMPONENTS] in the answer file. But which component would I add to create a file server? (On a related topic, my setupmgr.exe does not include a step for specifying installed components. I have to build the [components] section by hand. I have seen this step in screens of other setupmgr walkthroughs. Am I using an older or incorrect version of setupmgr?) Thanks in advance.

Follow up, A little trial and error revealed that cmdlines.txt CAN be used with an unattended Windows 2003 CD despite MS's claims that cmdlines.txt works only over a distribution share. In my tests the silent Win 2003 setup did in fact call cmdlines.txt. The evidence is in my completed installation, which contained changes that only could have been implemented by calls from the cmdlines.txt in the #OEM$ folder. This worked using an ISO and VMware. I might post results from installs with a real CD at a future time.

Follow up, After some experimentation, I successfully installed daemon tools in Windows 2003 silently and without rebooting by using the following switch: daemon.msi /qr REBOOT=Suppress

The following Daemon tools start command and switch works great in my silent Windows XP install: start /wait %systemdrive%\Install\Applications\Daemon\daemon.msi /quiet /passive /qn /norestart But this same command fails under Windows 2003. It gives an "Incorrect Parameter" error message. The program installs under Windows 2003 successfully when using the regualar attended mode. Can anyone suggest a solution? I am using DaemonTools v346.

I am trying to build an unattended CD for Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition. I have discovered that some of the instructions given on this site for silent WinXP installation do not seem to work for Windows 2003. Look what I found on the microsoft site Choosing a Method for Automating Post Installation Tasks in Windows 2003.: I intend to use a CD, not a distribution share. Does this mean I can't use the cmdlines.txt that I used in my WinXP unattended CD? My cmdlines.txt file contains commands to launch useraccounts.cmd and other essential batches. What are my alternatives if I can't use cmdlines.txt? I tried [GuiRunOnce] with no success yet.

Is there a way to display the recycle bin on My Computer but not on the desktop? The regtweak that removes the recycle bin from the desktop also seems to remove it from My Computer. ;[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum] "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"=dword:00000001 Value 1 removes the icon from both the desktop and from My Computer. Value 0 displays the icon in both locations.

The JRE files from both of Ryan's links are still rebooting after installation.

Killing it? Hmm, I doubt I could kill the prompt without killing the entire install process. If anyone can correct me on this, please do. Is there any other way to answer or bypass this prompt automatically? Hep! Hep me!

Dear Fellow Absentee Installers, A recalcitrant Flash Player install prompt during Macromedia Studio MX 2004 setup is the last remaining obstacle in my comprehensive unattended Windows installation. I use a previously created setup.iss file and the following command to install the full suite: ...StudioMX2004\fscommand\setup.exe -s Installshield proceeds smoothly and silently through the various apps until reaching the Flash MX 2004 setup, at which point the install pauses and prompts the user as to whether they want to install the Flash Player. Another member who has encountered the same problem while installing only Dreamweaver has posted an image of the offending prompt in the follwoing MSFN thread: Flash Player Install Prompt Interrupts Macromedia Studio Silent Installation My first attempt at a solution was to install the Flash Player prior to installing Macromedia Studio. However, I still recieved the prompt to install the player during Flash MX setup. Any suggestions?

I would like to use the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" (migwiz.exe) that is built into Windows XP to configure a few remaining options that I have been unable to set using reg files. Is there a way to run this wizard unattended? Allthough I don't have much experience with them, perhaps a script of some sort could walk through the wizard, point to my prepared settings file, and complete the process unattended? Snelephant

Oddbasket, your start menu fix for the main "Registry Tweaks.zip" file works! It returned my start menu from the "classic" style to the new XP start menu style. yea, i got dat too with a tweak from the 1st post. i fixed it but now i can't remember which it was, but i think it was this: try this instead, if it's not this, u can always change back to the above. ;Disable File Delete Confirmation [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer] "ShellState"=hex:24,00,00,00,3e,20,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\ 01,00,00,00,0d,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00 Furthermore, not only did your tip fix the start menu, it also correctly implemented the disabling of file delete confirmation. The previous setting did not disable delete confirmation. As of the time of this writing, the master tweak file at the start of this thread still contains the possilby erroneous recycle bin tweak. Is this a glaring bug or does it perhaps serve some purpose I am unaware of? Thanks for the tip Basket, Snelephant

Follow up to my Start menu inquiry: Though I'm not certain this is the relevant tweak in the posted reg file, I nevertheless I toggled the following dword to both 0 and 1. Neither setting has any effect. The start menu remains in classic mode. ;----- ;----- Classic Menu (change to 00000001 to enable classic look) ;----- [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoSimpleStartMenu"=dword:00000000 Snelephant

Hi, I too am using the reg file that originates this thread and am very pleased with many thoughtful XP tweaks included--great work guys. There is one important change I wish to make. I want to use WindowsXP's standard new menu rather than the classic menu created by the regtweak file. After merging the file, the standard menu option is not even available in the start menu properties, and I can't find the portion of the reg file that specifies the menu setting. Any tips or pointers? Thanks, Snelephant

Hi, Been looking for sometime with no success. Can anyone suggest registry tweaks to accomplish any of the following: 1) In the Local Area Connection Propoerties: "Show network adapter icon in notification area when connected." 2) In a folder: Tools-->Folder Options-->General tab: "Single click to open an item \ Underline icon titles only when I point at them. " 3) Folder toolbars: a) Unlock the toolbars, b) Show small icons, and c) Disable "go" button. While I'm in the neighborhood I should also ask if there is a way to incorporate into my unnattended install a file dumped from the built-in Windows XP "Files and settings Transer Wizard"? This could potentially eliminate some registry hacking. Has anyone tried? Thanks for the help, Snelephant