Cartoonite

It probably has to do with the options you set in your WINNT.SIF file. You should post it (Please either use code tags or post it as a text file link.) so that we can take a look.

How's this coming, Ctwizzy? Got everything sorted yet?

You could try this. Essentially the same for loop, just taking the input from a different location. FOR /f "tokens=*" %%f in ('dir /ad /b "%allusersprofile%\.."') DO ( del "%allusersprofile%\..\%%f\My Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures.lnk" ) Since I assume you have to manually create the useraccounts.cmd file to be placed on the floppy, you could replace that script with a user.txt file and then create a single useraccounts.cmd that would then sit on the uA CD itself. Users.txt User1 password group User2 password group User3 password group User4 password group Useraccounts.cmd(on CD) if exist A:\Users.txt ( for /f "tokens=2,3,4*" %%f in ('type A:\Users.txt') do ( net user %%f %%g /add net localgroup %%h %%f /add ) ) You can then call the delete script using the same Users.txt file as coded in my first post. If you are using custom groups for your setup, you can create those from a text file with a for loop on your uA CD too. Groups.txt Group1 comment Group2 comment Group3 comment Group4 comment AddGroups.cmd(on CD) if exist A:\Groups.txt ( for /f "tokens=2*" %%f in ('type A:\Groups.txt') do ( net localgroup %%f /COMMENT:"%%g" /add ) ) The only downside I can see to doing it this way is that you can't create users or groups with spaces in them. Then again, I don't really see why you would want to anyway.

Wahoo! My prayers have been answered! *Bows and pays homage to briandugas*

Thanks. I have to figure there was a reason that I earned the original nickname my current handle derived from (Cartoon).

Dammit. Now I will never figure out what screen he was talking about! *Sighs.*

I believe so, since there was another user posting what seemed to be a problem directly related to that message not appearing. Since this message only appears if there is a bootable OS installed on a hdd that is listed after the CD-ROM where the CD is booting from in the boot sequence, I'm curious as to why exactly you want to remove it.

I believe so. Either remove it completely or change it to: FileSystem = ConvertNTFS That should sort it for you.

*Hangs head in shame.* I think I'm going to have to go do a manual install of XP. It's been so long that I'm clueless. Or maybe you will take pity on me and can post a screenshot or two?

Still a little confused here. Are you talking about the screen where you have to input a user name for one or more users? (I believe the screen has a set of boxes to input names for up to 5 or 6 users, with the first one being labeled "Your Name.")

I know it's not your intention, prathapml. Was just a comment on how often you seem to have that little piece of knowledge that makes my understanding of a topic complete. Kudos to you, and thanks for all of your help

Please be more specific, C00l_IcE. Which screens are you getting? Maybe you could also post your answer file so that we can take a look?

Not sure about the network printer, but the reformatting is done via an entry in WINNT.SIF [Unattended] Repartition=Yes Since the default behavior for Windows XP is to quick format your chosen partition with the NTFS file system, this is the only line that is needed.

I believe there is a way to change things like the font type/size, window size and all the colors, but I think the layout itself is hardcoded into Windows. Not 100% sure on any of this, though, so don't quote me.

Shouldn't really make a difference. Adding @ to the start of a batch line should just ensure that the line is not echoed, regardless of whether or not "echo off" has been set previously. Hence the reason so many batch files start with the line @echo off

If it is a network environment ("Several servers and workstations...") I suggest forgoing the use of CDs and/or DVDs at all and just using RIS to perform network installs. Size then ceases to be an issue because you can use an entire hard drive to host the install files if you like.

Could you please provide a little more information about the specifics of your system and/or CD? I don't think there is enough here for us to properly address the issue.

You need to add the AutomaticUpdates line to your WINNT.SIF [Data] AutoPartition=1 MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" AutomaticUpdates=yes If this line is missing, or is set to anything other than "Yes" or "1," the Help Protect Your PC page will be displayed, effectively halting your uA process.

Use a registry tweak to set the Administrator account as the default logon account. Autologon.reg Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] "DefaultUserName"="Username" "DefaultPassword"="Password" "AutoAdminLogon"="1" This is the exact file that I use to accomplish this on my own uA CD (with username and password removed, of course). I register these settings from cmdlines.txt which is run, if I remember correctly, at the end of GUI-mode setup (around T-12 or T-13). Not sure what "Welcome screen" you are referring to. If you mean the annoying "Take a Tour of Windows XP" or whatever bubble that pops up in your system tray on a fresh install, that's a regtweak as well. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour] "RunCount"=dword:00000000 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour] "RunCount"=dword:00000000 If that's not it, I also found this when I was looking for that last tweak, maybe it is the one you are looking for: ;----- ;----- Determines whether the Welcome to Windows splash screen, Welcome.exe, ;----- appears the next time the user logs on. ;----- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\tips] "Show"=dword:00000000 If that's not it either, I'm out of ideas for now. Good luck.

One-upping me, as always, I see, prathapml. Thanks for that addition, though. It was annoying me that I didn't really know how that part of the install worked. (Just not enough to actually go out and ask someone at 5 o'clock in the morning. ) I second prathapml's request. Please do post back letting us know whether or not this fixes your issue.

There isn't a variable or key that I know of, but you should still be able to do it with a fairly simple script. Create an additional file on your floppy called Users.txt. Put a list of users in it, one per line, as such: Users.txt User1 User2 User3 User4 Then use a simple for loop to do each of the required deletions like so: FOR /f %%f in ('type a:\users.txt') DO ( del "%allusersprofile%\..\%%f\My Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures.lnk" ) This example should delete the Sample Pictures from every user's My Pictures folder. Use of %allusersprofile%\.. ensures that the command will target the proper file regardless of whether or not the Documents and Settings folder has been moved from its default spot on the system drive. Otherwise, %systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%%f\... can also be used. Hope this is clear, since I'm writting it after being awake almost 24 straight hours. I'm heading to bed as soon as this is posted.

It sounds to me like this is a boot-sequence error. Rather than booting off the the hard drive like it is supposed to after the reboot, it is booting off the CD again. When it boots off the CD, it re-reads the WINNT.SIF file and starts the whole installation process over again. Every XP and 2000 CD I have used to install has always prompted me to "Press any key to boot from CD" if the CD-ROM is listed before a bootable hard drive in the BIOS boot sequence. Whether during an attended or an unattended install, not pressing a key skipped booting from the CD and booted from the hdd to continue the installation. I'm not exactly sure what controls this behaviour. I believe it is related to the boot.img file that is used to burn the cd. If you used the .img file that is included in the zip file download of CDImage, I don't think the image file is the issue. I use that same image file to burn my ISOs, and don't experience the same issue. I suggest taking a look at how the boot sequence is configured in your system's BIOS. If you have more than one hard drive installed in your system, make sure that the one where you are installing Windows is the one listed. If it does not currently have an OS installed on it, it can be placed either before or after the CD-ROM drive, as per your preference. However, if there is an OS installed on your boot hard drive, the hard drive must be listed after the CD-ROM. When booting from the CD to install Windows (first boot) you should receive the message "Press any key to boot from CD" if there is an OS installed on the hard drive. Otherwise the installation should begin automatically. Once the text-mode portion is complete and the PC reboots, the BIOS will again be consulted to determine the proper boot order. If the hard drive appears before the CD-ROM, the PC should boot immediately from the hdd and continue with GUI-mode installation. If the hard drive is listed after the CD-ROM, you should be prompted to "Press any key to boot from CD." If you press a key, the computer will then boot from the CD and restart the installation process from scratch. If you do not, it should continue booting from the hard drive and continue with the previous installation after about 10 seconds. If you are not being prompted and the PC is booting immediately from the CD without any input from you, then there is something wrong with the boot information on your CD. Unfortunately I don't know how to determine exactly what that problem is. I can only suggest using the xpboot.img file provided in the CDImage zip file, or extracting the one from your original XP CD using a tool like ISO Buster. Hopefully this will at least give you a starting point for your troubleshooting. Good luck.

[deleted] Sorry, misunderstood the issue.

I can't guarantee this will fix it, but you can try adding [Unattended] UnattendSwitch=yes to your WINNT.SIF file if it's not already there. I found ref.chm to be a little confusing on the exact purpose of the two entries. I have both OEMSkipWelcome and UnattendSwitch in my WINNT.SIF, and it seems to work fine. Hope this helps.

I think you are on the right track, but I believe your path syntax is still a little off. The %systemdrive% in your first example will be replaced with the drive letter of the Windows drive when the command is executed from the batch file. So, assuming Windows is installed on the C: drive, the actual command executed by the script would be: start /wait C:\\servicos2\\software\\AdobeReader6\\AdbeRdr60_enu_Full.exe -p"-s /v\\"/qn\\""\par Since you are attempting to install from a remote folder, and not the local PC, the %systemdrive% variable is not applicable. It also appears to me that you are using a line of code intended for use when importing registry keys from RunOnceEx.cmd rather than when executing installs directly from your Batch_file.cmd script. I believe the proper syntax would be: start /wait \\servicos2\software\AdobeReader6\AdbeRdr60_enu_Full.exe -p"-s /v\"/qn\""\par Hope this helps.