GreenMachine

First, get a basic CD working, without $OEM$, etc. Then ... trial and error, test and test again. $DOC, and certain others, are "non-supported" directories. There should be a REF.CHM file in DEPLOY.CAB on your 2K CD, and that will give you all the "safe" options. XPCREATE has nothing "special" about it that would make it different than a "standard" 2K Unattended CD.

@darrellw: A quick look at your post shows that your XPCREATE file structure is amiss, and that your XPCREATE.INI file is not that shipped with XPCREATE. Use the standard procedures, and try a minimal CD, using only thies files listed on the Current Hotfixes page. Unless you know what you are doing ... there is no reason to be modifying the files and directory strutures as you have done ... @All: Please include the LOGFILES.CAB file in the NEWFILES directory instead of pasting the log file into the post.

Download and extract XPCREATE. In the file XPCREATE.INI, edit for the correct values for CDBURNER and XPSOURCE Add update files as per the Web Site - Current Hotfixes Place your original XP CD, and blank CD in their drives. Double click on XPCREATE.CMD

Well ... computers are an exact science. Same or different? WindowsXP-KB828741-x86-ENU.EXE 3,231,000 Bytes WindowsXP-KB835732-x86-ENU.EXE 2,710,296 Bytes WindowsXP-KB837001-x86-ENU.EXE 2,972,952 Bytes

2KCREATE? (Click below)

Does look suspicious. Sure test would be to compare the file sizes with those listed on the Current Hotfixes Page on the Web Site. I don't like the "express" part of the name ...

http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/office2003_advanced.htm

After Creation: NEWFILES\LOGFILES.CAB.

Not XPCREATE ... LOGFILES.CAB please ...

You need QCHAIN if you attempt replace a file with a previous version. If this is not the case, you do not need it. In order to know that, you will need to study the contents of each update (which apparently you have done). As for the best order, again this should be determined from the file version number of the updated Windows files. Now, theory aside, I install according to 6 digit hotfix number. I have tested with and without QCHAIN, and the results (for that given hotfix set) were identical. Still, QCHAIN is cheap enough and easy enough, I always use it, so I do not need to worry about it.

Do as RaveRod. All wrapped in quotes. There is a reason ...

DOCABS=NO will prevent XPCREATE from re-creating the DRIVER.CAB and SP1.CAB files. This results in non-updated files on the CD, but should have no side effects in a "test" environment: it simple reduces CD integrity in case certain files are updated, or needed again from the CD. In all production builds, I use DOCABS=YES. The size is the same.

Another one down!

You are welcome, trainee, and welcome to MSFN! In theory, that sounds about right. You do have to know what you are doing ... My personal preference is to rebuild each run. Makes less variables to debug. I set DOCABS=NO, and pick up about 10 minutes per creation. For testing, much can be tested seperatly from an installation. RunOnceEx can be easily tested from a command prompt or batch file.

Does Start - Run - sysocmgr give the same error message?

That code works fine in my tests. Perhaps you have a minor syntax error that is stopping the .INF file? Try reversing the order of the *Add sections, or something. The problem is not in the code ... Try mine ... Shortcuts.zip Shortcuts.zip

That document is OK by me: I did not see any of "my work" there ... Do note that all my web site pages have copyright notices, as does your doc ...

If you have attempted to create a CD with just the bare minumum - Original CD, Service Pack, and ONLY the hotfixes from the Failsafe List - post you LOGFILES.CAB file here. You should NOT be seeing any RUNDLL type errors, something has gone amiss ... Welcome to MSFN!

I install IESP2 from SVCPACK.INF, and then immediatly after I flush the RunOnceEx key, which contains the commands to finish the install. I believe there is no need to wait for the reboot at this stage, as the GUI is not active. That is my theory ... I have not noticed any problems, but I have not done extensive testing. The command to flush RunOnceEx is: RUNDLL32.EXE IERNONCE.DLL,RunOnceExProcess

Yes, FILESCD\I386 is the correct placement. That is also what the site says ... I did add a FAQ about $OEM$, for future reference. I suspect the file renaming of the downloader is due to the download software "limitations". Still, never hurts to do a virus scan ... I would.

Actually, that one even made it to the FAQ! (See link below.)

Yep, the logs tell that ... and more (check your bank statement lately?)

Well?

The Unattended Page should have you covered for 817778. Nothing I can do to get it in earlier. SP2 will fix that ... All files placed in the SVC* directories will be both 8.3ed, and UPPERCASED. The exception is SVC-HF1, which will be renamed according to the hotfix number. This is done, in combination with the file table creation structure used, to insure errorless file copy at the text mode part of setup. And it does. FIles in the FILESCD directory will NOT be renamed. In any event, this is irrelevent to the end user (you!), as these are the files used by XPCREATE. When the files are renamed with a tilda (~) in the name, the actual file name is of no importance, other than the fact that it is unique, and used to identify the files. DO NOT CHANGE THESE NAMES!

That is my understanding ... Test it and post your findings, for the next interested person who finds this thread!