kenneth11zz

I find a small spelling bug for version 1.1a. The word components should be spell as compenents in the [Components] section, not "[Componants]". Yes, definitely add more hidden components if there are other useless components we don't need. *wink* -Kenneth

I'm installing from a CD directly on the desktop computer. I did choose L to delete partition and then the next screen it said "deleting windows files". Maybe I have to format the partition. I'll test it again and see what happen. GreenMachine, if the "Default User" folder doesn't exist, how does the registry tweaks get applied to the "Default User" then? Looking at the User Profile folders now, I notice the "Default User" profile wasn't created after the installation. Only 5 user profiles is created: Adminstrator Sky Sky.Skyee All User All User.Windows -Kenneth

Hi, I'm currently doing some testing using GreenMachine's script. Everything works fine except that creates the following user accounts in the Profile folder. All Users All Users.Windows Sky Sky.Skyee 2. Also, how do I prevent it from logging into the Adminstrator account and log into a selected user account? 3. When I tried to create folders in "Start Menu > Programs" folder using this command in the Install.CMD "MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\", I get access denied. Any reason why? Is this have to do with the fact it is trying to create it before first reboot? Here's sample of my test unattended files. cmdlines [COMMANDS] ".\install.cmd" Install.CMD @ECHO OFF TITLE Installing default programs and settings to Default User. :: ---------- Update MS Components ECHO Starting DirectX 9 Install. START "" /WAIT ".\Install\directx\dxsetup.exe" /opk ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... ECHO Installing Dot Net. START "" /WAIT ".\Install\NETFrame\netfx.msi" /QB ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... ECHO Installing Windows Media Player 9.0 ECHO Please wait... start "" /wait ".\Install\WMPlayer\mpsetupxp.exe" /Q:A /R:N ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... :: ---------- Adjust the Registry ECHO Importing Registry Files. START "" /WAIT REGEDIT /S ".\Install\tweaks.reg" ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... COPY /y "%systemdrive%\Install\Windows\winxp.bat" "%ProgramFiles%" COPY /y "%systemdrive%\Install\Windows\winxp.reg" "%ProgramFiles%" COPY /y "%systemdrive%\Install\Windows\winxp.bat.lnk" "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\" ECHO. ECHO Creating default folders in Start Menu... MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Business" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Internet" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Media" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Unsort" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Utils" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\My Documents\Downloads" MKDIR "%DefaultUserProfile%\My Documents\My Files" ECHO. :: ---------- Add files I do like ECHO Installing Custom Windows Files. XCOPY /E /C /Y /Q /H ".\Install\Profiles\*.*" "%profilesdir%\" ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... ECHO Removing useless folders. RMDIR /S /Q "%systemdrive%\Program Files\ComPlus Applications" RMDIR /S /Q "%systemdrive%\Program Files\Online Services" RMDIR /S /Q "%systemdrive%\Program Files\Uninstall Information" ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... ECHO Removing HotFix Log Files. DEL /F /Q "%SYSTEMROOT%\*.log" DEL /F /Q "%SYSTEMROOT%\*.txt" DEL /F /Q "%SYSTEMROOT%\*.tmp" DEL /F /Q "%SYSTEMROOT%\TEMP\*.*" ECHO. PAUSE ECHO Press any key to continue... EXIT WINNT.SIF ;SetupMgrTag [Data] AutoPartition=0 MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" [Unattended] AutoActivate=No ;CrashDumpSetting="0" ;DisableDynamicUpdates=Yes DriverSigningPolicy="Ignore" ;FileSystem=LeaveAlone ;Hibernation=0 NoWaitAfterTextMode=1 NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1 OemSkipEula=Yes OemPreinstall=Yes Repartition=No TargetPath=\WINDOWS UnattendMode=FullUnattended UnattendSwitch="Yes" WaitForReboot="No" ;OemPnPDriversPath="path1;path2;path3 ...etc." [GuiUnattended] AdminPassword=* ;EncryptedAdminPassword=No OEMSkipRegional=1 TimeZone=4 OemSkipWelcome=1 ;AutoLogon=No ;AutoLogonCount=1 ;ProfilesDir="%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\" [UserData] ProductKey=*** FullName="Sky" OrgName="Home" ComputerName=Skyee ;[Display] ;BitsPerPel=16 ;Xresolution=1024 ;YResolution=768 ;Vrefresh=70 ;[Regional Settings] ;LanguageGroup=15,7,8,10,1 [Identification] JoinWorkgroup="WORKGROUP" [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes [TapiLocation] CountryCode=1 Dialing=Tone ;AreaCode=415 ;LongDistanceAccess="1" [Branding] BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes ;[URL] ;[Proxy] [Components] ;MAIN SECTION Chat=off Dialer=off ;Fax Services Fax=off ;FrontPage Extension FP_Extensions=off ;HyperTerminal HyperTrm=off ;MSN Explorer msnexplr=off ;Outlook Express OEAccess=off ;Sound Recorder rec=off ;volume Control vol=on ;Windows Messenger msmsgs=off ;ACCESSORIES SECTION ;Calcaulator calc=on ;character Map charmap=on ;Clipboard Viewer Clipbook=off ;Desktop Wallpapers deskpaper=off ;Document Templates templates=off ;Mouse Pointers MousePoint=off ;Paint paint=On ;GAMES SECTION Freecell=off Hearts=off Minesweeper=off Pinball=off Solitaire=off Spider=off ZoneGames=off ;HIDDEN COMPONENTS SECTION ;Accessibility Wizard Accessopt=on ;Windows Automatic Update Serice AutoUpdate=off ;Sample Sound Clips media_clips=off ;Utopia Sound Scheme media_utopia=on [Shell] ;DefaultStartPanelOff="No" ;DefaultThemesOff="No" ;CustomDefaultThemeFile="%systemroot%\Resources\Themes\MyTheme.theme" [GuiRunOnce] -Kenneth

Paul, how would you automate it so that it reboot after it is done and then delete it automatially as you suggested? -Kenneth

Here are the following features that I would like to look forward in 2.0. 1. Load an existing winnt.sif 2. Exit button Put an Exit Button next to the Finish button in the Finish Section. That way you don't have to go and select from the Menu. 3. Registry Tweaks Feature 1: The first most important feature is the ability to create and add your own tweaks beside the predefined tweaks by the author. The tweak should at least contains the following fields: Description, Key, Value, and Category. The others are self explaintory except category. What I mean by category is the ability to group and organize your tweaks. See Feature 3 below. Feature 2: Import and Export the tweaks to be able to trade with other users. Feature 3: Able to group the tweaks into category using a tree list structure. A default layout of the registry tweaks should be organized into two main groups: User Tweaks and Local Tweaks. User tweaks only applies to the current users while Local Tweaks applies to all users. Further, you can break it down into subgroups: Start Menu and Taskbars, Windows Explorer, Internet Explorer, Media Player, System, etc... When I have some spare time tomorrow, I'll try to design a good layout for you. 4. Realign the various checkboxes to the left side for listing. That's all I can think of right now. -Kenneth

I have three questions for everyone. 1. When using the DOS prompt, does it support long filename under Windows XP before the first reboot and after the first time logging into Windows XP? 2. Can you copy everyting in D:\Install\XPCD\$OEM$\$1 folder to another directory beside the root drive of C:\? 3. When and what is the safest way to delete the install temporary after you finish the installation? -Kenneth

I see... The reason that I'm asking is because last night, when I do my first test on my unattended file, I notice in the user profile folder, there is two user accounts called Sky and Sky.Sky profile is created. In my unattended file, I specified UnattendSwitch="Yes" instead of UnattendSwitch="No". Also, I'm not using the cmd.txt that you guys suggested yet on my first test. The only reason that I could come up with is that the user account was created automatically the UserData section and then tring to create the same Sky in Welcome Screen that I inputted and didn't prompt me any error but instead created Sky.Sky. More testings to come... -Kenneth

Thanks for all the inputs so far. Please feel free to share your experience on this. As I will be putting this into a guide for others. Yes, I'm testing it myself as I'm learning all this. But to save time, it's always a good idea to ask other's experience. -Kenneth

Does this create two user accounts with the same username? One is created in the user.cmd and then later create another same user account that is specified in the [userData] ProductKey=removed FullName="Sky" OrgName="Home" ComputerName=Skyee -Kenneth

All, I have a few basic questions to ask you guys regarding the syntax of writing and editing an unattended file. 1. Are the ordering of the sections important?For example, are this the same? [Data] [unattended] [unattended] [Data] 2. Are the ordering of the options important?For example, are this same? AutoPartition=0 MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" UnattendedInstall="Yes" MsDosInitiated="0" AutoPartition=0 3. Is quotation around the values is optional? For example, are this same? UnattendedInstall="Yes" MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall=Yes MsDosInitiated=0 4. Are the option name is case sensitive? For example, are this same? UnattendedInstall="Yes" MsDosInitiated="0" unattendedinstall="Yes" msdos=iInitiated="0" And if I left out anything, please feel free to add them. These common questions will be in my mini reference guide that I'm writing. I will post them on this forum once I tested them. -Kenneth

Ahhh... Thanks for the clarification. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to do some hacking and testing with your scripts. For me, my priority is to create three basic unattended templates that I will be posting here. One is the basic template where you can automatic the windows installation without the tweaks or windows component updates. The 2nd template is to include the tweaks only. The third template is to include both tweaks and windows component updates. -Kenneth

Thanks GreenMachine, I'll keep you posted in this topic if I have anymore questions to ask you. Yes, I will write a guide on this with your help. May I e-mail you if it is more convienance sometimes than on the forum? -Kenneth

GreenMachine, thanks for the explaintion of how to create a default settings that can be automatically applied to any new user account that is created on that on machine. Now that I understand the concept, can you provide a mini step guide how to implement it in an unattended installation? That's where I'm confuse and now sure how to apply it. For example, how do you apply the tweaks before the GUI loads as you mention in your solution and so forth. Also, is there a way to save the default settings so you can use in another computer system? -Kenneth

Thanks webmedic, I'll check it out and see how it goes. -Kenneth

To GreenMachine and Wemedic, Can you both provide us an example of your scripts to do this tweaks before the GUIRunOnce? I'm very interested because I have be searching and trying to create a default user tweaks that I can apply to any user. Currently I have to use the Windows Files and Setting Transfer Wizard and a registry file to do it. But only able to automate 80% of it. Reading from what you wrote, this is the solution that I have being looking for. Would really appreciate if you a mini step guide with an example, that would be very helpful. I will test it and post my result for others. Also, I will write a more thorough tweak guide for this for others if you can help me master this. I'm already writing an improved unattended guide that I will send to AaronXP while I'm learning the unattended installation. Now, I'm very interested in auotmating the tweaks and writing a guide for everyone. -Kenneth

Sweet, Webmedic. I look forward to your script. It's so tendious to edit them using a text editor. The worse thing is that there isn't a nice overview about the grammar and syntax of the unattended file. For example, are the option case sensitve, are the section order matter, etc... Maybe I haven't look hard enough to found such info. -Kenneth

DarkPhantasmo, I'm new to scripting and would like to learn about how to add or use your scripts for the unattended installation by reading the codes. Is there any chance that you can zip it and upload it here to share with us? -Kenneth

That's what I thought too. But i was just curious. hehe. -Kenneth

Don't you also need to add this this switch for deleting read only files DEL /F The /F is to force to delete read-only files to be on the safe side? -Kenneth

That's an excellent idea!!! How come I never thought of that before. Oh bumper... Thanks a bunch. -Kenneth

Hi, I would like add comments to each options in the WINNT.SIF. I know that you can add comments on a different line than the option. But can you add comments on the same line right after the option? Method 1: [Data] ;This Setup will running in unattended mode. UnattendedInstall = "Yes" Method 2: [Data] UnattendedInstall = "Yes" ;This Setup will running in unattended mode. Will Method 2 works like Method 1? -Kenneth

One more thing, you might be interested in copying some of the design from Windows Setup Managers. That way, it will make it easier for those who are familar using Windows Setup Managers. -Kenneth

Yo, nice job on the new GUI. I wasn't expecting to implemented the tree list panel so soon. At least not from the email reply that I got. Hehehe Yahoooo... It's awsome... Here are some little advices to make the various listings much easier to read. 1. Checkbox listing. Have the checkbox align to the left side and have the description follow after checkbox. The line warp is should after the checkbox. One example is in in Unattended section. 2. Align everything to left instead of centering. 3. Sort by Group and then sort by Alphebatical Order in Components Section. Example: Games, Multimedia, Utils, Others. That's all now. Thanks again for your awsome program. Ahh... One more thing, make sure you install in a simple installation notes such the requirements for .NET Framework and where to download. -Kenneth

Hi All, Recently I'm trying to figure out how to save the Windows settings after you configure it the way you wanted for two main purposes. One is to reuse the the same setting for a new installation for other computers. Another is for transferring the same setting for a new user account. The minium Windows settings will include: Start Menu and Taskbar, basic Themes and Appearance, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer, Folder Views for Control Panel and Windows Explorer, any settings you configure in Control Panel > System, and also common hidden settings using Powertoys Tweakui. Currently, I'm trying to do with it Windows Files and Settings Transfer Wizard and a customized registry file. However, I can only bel able to save 75% of settings to be automated with this two methods. Some of the settings that is not save such as the Control Panel > Visual Effects, Folder Views for Windows Explorer and Control Panels, etc.. Any suggestions? I really appreciate if you have any hints or know any other tools can help ease this setting deployment. -Kenneth