FireGeier

If you're using an OEM DVD activation is done by *.xrm-ms file, which is located in $OEM$\$$\SYSTEM32\OEM, AFAIK. So to get it worked like described in guide AND to keep the auto activation, you need to create a new ISO that contains the $OEM$ folder from original OEM DVD but remove the folders Setup and Panther from $OEM$ folder before creating the new ISO file. Confirmations about that procedure would be apreciated, cause I don't have an OEM DVD, so these informations I got as feedback from others. Regards, Martin

GUIDE UPDATE: No new HowTo this time. But I've added a sitempa/toc, added a short explanation how to use the batch modules, unitized the layout and have tried to make it a bit more concise. Comming soon: 1. HowTo: Adapting boot.wim to start your own tools/scripts/shell before unattended setup (German Version here) 2. "Workarounds" for OEM DVDs Regards, Martin

Hello ashleyoneill! I've no experiences with WDS but I think this thread on MSTechNet could may help you out. Regards, Martin

This does not work with cab files. Will work for msu files only. Do you get any kind of error messages? Martin

Hello again! Well, you're partly right. Haven't mentioned that in Basic Answer File section, cause I'm using SkipMachineOOBE tag there, so you will not be prompted for the language. This was working fine for US English and German. Cause both are the main languages and they are not localized - like Canadian English for example. I've listed this setting later in the guide (Copy profile section). But you're right! If you use a localized language Version. Than you need to add that, to get it setted for the final desktop. I will add that to the guide! Thanks, for pointing me to it! EDIT: Strange! I start loosing the overview of my own guide! Here it's listed already! Do you do it manually or using the batch. If you're using the batch, you need to let run preplab.cmd of VU Batch Modules to prepare your system first OR you need to adapt the pathes inside offline_update.cmd. If you do it manually have you copied the Vista DVD to your hd? If you still should have problems, please describe a little more detailed, what kind of error messages you're getting and where your Vista DVD is located on hd or if you've done everything using VU Batch Modules. Thanks and Regards! Martin

Hello spacesurfer! You're right, you can certainly. But you will may see a GUI (disclaimer, prompt for reboot). You're right again. My mistake. Haven't done the cab installation under running Vista, but supposed to work using OCSetup. 1. right click command prompt and choose run as Administrator, cause OCSetup needs to run with administrative privileges. 2. type the following command into command prompt window: start /w ocsetup <pathToCABfile> But haven't tried out yet. Just got it from WAIK help. Regards, Martin

Hello Sgt_Strider! Yes, this is what I want to say. You could try to install the control panel separatly in auditUser pass, like the other apps! If this does not work, than you would have to install the whole dirver package during auditUser pass. But than you will may prompted for driver signing. Found no way so far to disable driver signing control. I have to mention, that the whole driver installation is more complicated, than it was in XP. That is the worst part of Vista unattended setup. It's not my list and it's still under progress, but I think this is what you're looking for. There was a further list here on forum, if I remember right. Are you talking about the language you're prompted for in Windows Welcome screens? If yes, I've explained that later in the guide. If no, than please let me no which setting you're talking about exactly, cause you may have to set it for localized languages than. I would add it to the guide, once I know what you're talking about exactly. Thanks for the feedback! Regards, Martin

Hello swbchen! If you want to install them "online" you use the following command: wusa <pathToMSUfile> /norestart /quiet The switchs /norestart and /quiet are optional certainly. Regards, Martin

Hello wax21! I could imagine that you may have to use a data image to capture the user folder stuff from the other partition and apply that, too. Or you may have to use user folder location tag again when applying the image. But I'm just thinking, cause haven't done that before. Regards, Martin

Hello coucou! I appreciate your help in building a pdf. But please do not publish it for the moment, cause I still remove some mistakes from the guide and change the layout a little bit. This weekend I brought out the English partitioning guide, which is more actual and a little bit better again than the German version. Give me one more week please. Than you may could redo the pdf with actual version. Is that ok? I want to avoid, that different versions of the guide are in the wild. That could cause confusions and a lot of requests. Hope you will understand! Thanks again for your effort! Regards, Martin

Hello Sgt_Strider, That's right! The batch is an alternate only. Part I and II doing the same thing at least. That means, you can't use exe. or .msi installations. You can extract .msi or .exe driver packs certainly. So you will have folders with infs. You could install these infs than using the method. But keep in minde that some of these packages install applications - like most video adapters do. These applications will not be installed using the described method. It could cause trouble if you install the infs first, using the described method and install the apps of the drivers later. But you have to trial and error for that. Yes, that is a know problem and alreday described in Guide. Look here. This value describes how often Administrator will be loged on automatically. "2" is the lowes value that works for me. So it should log on Administrator 2 times only. But if you don't have created an other account so far it will still log on the Administrator automatically. Don't know if I should call that a bug. If I remember right that happens if you use SkipMachineOOBE on true. Try to remove SkipMachineOOBE from your answer file and than follow the steps described here on MSTechNet. Ask again, if this was not detailed enough! Regards, Martin

You're right xochipilli! I've answerd without thinking! Where is your Autounattend.xml located? In the root? Than you could try to move it into sources folder? There are seven further locations where you could put it into. Look here on MS TechNet for more information: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true May be one of these locations will work better for you. Regards, Martin

Hello xochipilli, I found out, that it can take - depending on system - up to 20 seconds untill USB stick is mounted durign PE pass. So in worst case it can happen, that setup is started already and has looked for Autounattend.xml before the USB stick is mounted. To toubleshoot that you need to adpat boot.wim and put in a cmd that loops for a while. So system has enough time to "wait" for the stick. Look here to get an idea what I'm talking about. Regards, Martin

Thanks a lot folks! Good to hear, that my free time seems not to be wasted than! Thanks again! Regards, Martin

GUIDE UPDATE: Now available: HowTo: Partitioning and Partitioning XML snippets Regards, Martin

Yes, that's part of your problems. OEM DVD will hold an oobe.xml. This could interfear your oobe settings. Mount install.wim and check out here for an oobe.xml: %WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\oobe.xml %WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\default\<language>\oobe.xml %WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\<Country>\<language>\oobe.xml If you find it rename it, unmount and commit install.wim and try again. Rename $OEM$ folder on the root of your DVD, too. Regards, Martin

So the error does come up when you apply an image, that you've captured before? Right? Regards, Martin

Hello kretmatt, These are "dead" tags: <Gadget1 /> <Gadget2 /> <Gadget3 /> They will cause problems, so remove them! Note: This will troubleshoot the Sidebar problem only - hopefully. Don't use <SkipMachineOOBE> on true, if you try to create an user account in oobe pass. Remove the <SkipMachineOOBE> tag completly and do all the settings, described here. BTW, what kind of Vista DVD do you have? OEM, Upgrade or Full? Regards, Martin

Hello wax21! Could you please tell a little bit more details? When does this error message come up? Regards, Martin

Hello extrasoft! Thanks for the feedback. Like urie said, Setup does not like empty tags inside xml. But what's realy strange is, that for some it's working with the path entry and for others it is not. I think I will change the guide than, and remove the path section or add a note. Thanks, Martin

Hello extrasoft! Please try to remove the following section from your Autounattend.xml: <Path>install.wim</Path> Regards, Martin

Hello Phorze! Problem 1: Applications are not installed I've just recognized that I haven't add the AutoLogon in auditSystem mode to the guide. So this was my mistake. Sorry for that. I've updated it now. So please check for the change: You need to add Windows-Shell-Setup \ AutoLogon component to auditSystem pass. Than use Administrator as Name and set LogonCount to 5 or may be more if you need some reboots. Problem 2: Prompted to create user account You don't have the following part from basic Autounattend.xml inside your xml: <OOBE> <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage> <NetworkLocation>Home</NetworkLocation> <ProtectYourPC>2</ProtectYourPC> <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE> <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE> </OOBE> Note: It's not recommended to use <SkipMachineOOBE> set to true, so please check out the Copy Profile section, if you want to create your own accounts and find out how to by pass welcome screen without using <SkipMachineOOBE>. Regards, Martin

Well I guess, that they are using an install.wim which they've captured before. So it's may not like the "original" install.wim and it has already been modified. Martin

No, it's not that easy with Vista, cause there is no real installation procedure anymore. That means that the folder structure of the later Vista OS is already present inside install.wim. Setup is just extracting this folder structure to your target system and does some configuration (drivers etc.). So, changing the Windows directory would be more complicated. Don't missunderstand: I don't say that it's impossible but it's not that easy defenetly. Regards, Martin

Hello Mercury_22! First of all: I don't want to dispute! I've just one question: Is there any side effect using peimg for a full Vista Version, cause actual WAIK help says: So from "official" side it's not designed to integrate something in the full Vista image. Don't missunderstand: I know that this does not mean automatically, that it does not work for a full image as well. It may work and it seems to work fine, but I can't tell for sure, cause I don't have the knowledge. So if you know exactly than please let me know. WAIK help (actual) does say about pkgmgr: So if I use package manager I know for sure, that it will install the updates correctly to a full Vista image and check dependencies. This is the ONLY reason why I prefere this mehtod. It's not better or worser than yours and it's not more complicated or less complicated than yours. It's just the official way of doing it. So far no one could answer or has answered my question and so I stay with the "official" way of doing it. Expect from that I respect your and all the others work for sharing this mehtod and the knowledge about! But an exact answer of my question would be highly aprecciated! Thanks 'n' regards, Martin