andrewpayne

add the following to your regtweaks: ;Do not use Simple File Sharing [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa] "forceguest"=dword:00000000

sure it'll work - as long as the local exchange is dsl-enabled. DSL uses the same copper pair and analogue tech as the phone system. except fibre or cable phones though. Here in the UK - we have to have a BT line to run our broadband - but the phone works as well for voice.

Excellent resource! Can the mods make this topic a 'sticky'?

Sure! The easiest way: Create the bootable Unattended CDROM and then just point your RunOnceEx or batch files to \\SERVER\SHARENAME\UNATTENDEDFILES for the additional hotfixes and applications. Or if you're very brave - try configuring your Server for RIS (Remote Installation Server) - you'll need bootable network cards on your client PC's.

@ flekso - your Product Key is a well googled Pirate Key. I suggest you post requests when you are using a genuine copy of XP...

me neither!

Now that would be an interesting project!

one in three marriages fail in UK and US - guess that figure could be higher for IT Professionals?

I have a Win2K Post-SP4 Unattended. It has all of IE6 SP1 plus updates. That's the best way?

try 'All Users' this will work - only because 'bob' folder is created for the 'bob' account and hence has special permissions - if one exist XP will create a new folder with the Computer name or domain name as a suffix to ensure that 'bob' is indeed the correct (and authenticated user) 'bob'..... I hope this makes sense?

DELL OEM XP use a special BIOS chip to store XP activation details - hence their restore CD's have a single Key which is only valid on Dell systems with the code burned onto an EEPROM on the BIOS. So even if you have an older Dell unit which was supplied with 2K - you cannot use the XP restore key on this - as the BIOS hasn't got the 'code' If you want to 'farm' the Dell keys - make a note of the keys that are printed on the COA's applied to each workstation

Symantec Corp is MUCH better than Norton on resources! I use ShareaZa for P2P..

GeneralMandible has the right idea - but forget tguys tip as you can ping! Each WinXp machine has LMAnnounce so you should be able to 'see' each other in network places. Make sure: 1. Both machines are in WORKGROUP 2. You have the SAME usernames/passwords accounts on each (preferably with Local Admin access) 3. Turn the blessed XP Firewall OFF! (you should have a router with a firewall on it anyways) 4. Turn Simple File Sharing OFF (Tools/Folder Options in Win Explorer then click View tab - scroll to bottom) et voila! You should be able to 'see' each other and map each others C$ shares

Why reinvent the wheel? MS have produced an excellent 'setup.exe' - you can (with Resource Hacker) change the bitmaps, logos, icons and links/paths to executables and web pages. I cannot see any reason why you would want to create a new 'Welcome Installer' from scratch

Download Resource Hacker - then open up setup.exe from the root of the Windows XP CDROM - you can then explore the settings and commands from there. Try experimenting by changing the existing as it is much more difficult to add commands - it is well worth it!

In order to 'practice' Group Policy settings - create a users Organisation Unit in Active Directory and then set the policies on this - NOT the Global organisation. Then by moving Computers and/or Users into this OU you can avoid inadvertantly applying settings to the Domain Admins and Domain Servers This is also useful if you want certain settings or msi's to be rolled out to certain users. You can have as many OU's as you like - but Users and/or Computers can only reside in 1.

My penny's worth.. I have designed and installed many networks throughout London. I would not advocate using RIS or SMS on your Server 2003 - I use Unattended CDROM's and then join the domain - use Roaming Profiles - and a common shared folder for things like Office 2003 and others that won't fit on a CDROM. Roaming Profiles are great for when one of your users buggers up their PC - they can log onto another whilst you insert CD and wham - 40 minutes later and then they're back up and running. That's for starters B)

35! B) anyone else remember the 8086 PC, 9600 Baud modem and bulletin boards?..Guess not!

2MB SDSL from EasyNet - greased lightnin' (That's 2MB Up and 2MB Down for you Asymetric guys )

'Chelski' of course!

as I also work on computers - well over 12 hours a day

another thing to check: The registry.reg (used by UpdateXP for the PostSP4 hotfixes) has to be a valid file - here's mine: REGISTRY.REG Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ;empty! and UpdateXP.ini should be: [Main] ;*****Run cleanup.cmd after reboot 1=yes 0=no (zero)******* Cleanup=0 ;*****Reboot the computer after installing hotfixes 1=yes 0=no (zero)******* Reboot=0 ;*****This must be a number between 10 and 90****** RebootDelay=90 as this function is carried out by your CLEANUP.CMD

Hi Nutso - No, I meant to say to create a cmd in the same folder as the sun install file which has the full path to execute and just point to the cmd in RunOnceEx ie SUNJAVA.CMD (placed in your INSTALL\2K\JAVAVM Folder) cmdow @ /HID C:\install\2K\JavaVM\j2re.EXE /s /v /qn ADDLOCAL=jrecore IEXPLORER=1 EXIT and in your RunOnceEx, change to: REG ADD %KEY%\004 /VE /D "Sun Java VM" /f REG ADD %KEY%\004 /V 1 /D "%systemdrive%\install\2K\JavaVM\SUNJAVA.CMD" /f much tidier for RunOnceEx - and saves those confusing double quotes which can lead to errors. BTW - If there is an error in RunOnceEx.cmd - it is ignored and the command is not executed.

http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/xpbootlogo/ is an excellent guide. MSFN also has a topic here

Hi Nutso What happens if you remove the Sun Java in RunOnceEx.cmd - those quotes don't look right to me. With RunOnceEx I have learned that if the parameters are slightly complex - make a folder under INSTALL and create a CMD batch file as batch files are much more forgiving!