yogger

In my current environment, I'm using active setup run scripts that create user specific registry settings and copy/create files. This has been working fine under xp, but with Windows 7, I'm constantly getting UAC prompts. I need suggestions on either a better way to do something for users as they logon to a machine or to get past the UAC prompts. Thank you

I have about 1000 machines with Office 2003 (mostly SP3) that I need to add .net Programmabilty Support too. I've tried running setup with a transform to install the components but haven't gotten it to work. Any suggestions?

I was running into the same issue with Dell hardware myself. You might also want to install this hotfix as well: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910678.

You need to unpack the updates. There are a few ways to do this. Run it from a command line with a /extract option or unzip it with something like winzip/7zip. I prefer the later method, especially with a lot of files. You should get a .msp, a bunch of text files and maybe a few other things depending on the patch. the .msp's are what you care about. Put them in the updates folder and everything will work.

I have a prf file that is not completely running when outlook starts for the first time. It generates the mailbox name and gets the correct mail server, but the PST file is not created. If I manually run the prf at anytime, the PST works. Or if I kill the first run keys and readd the importPRF key in the registry and run outlook a second time, it works then. It is the same prf that we've used for a while with no changes. I thought about doing an activesetup/runonce to import prf, but not everyone that logs onto a computer needs to have outlook configured. Any suggestions? custom.PRF.txt

I have an image working for several models of laptop and desktop. When loading on one model (using ghost) of laptop the reboot after entering time/date comes to a black screen. There is no HD or network activity and no difference if I boot in safe mode. If I load a snapshot of the image prior to running sysprep it will run just fine but when I rerun sysprep, I have the same issue. This is an older model of laptop and has other images that work on it. I am using the same sysprep.ini from the previous images. Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do for trouble shooting?

We have a word document that will be e-mailed out with a link to a ppt file on a sharepoint site. Currently it is opening in presentation mode, but they want it to open in edit mode. I've verified that the file is indeed .ppt not .pps. Does anyone have an idea?

As part of my post image process I have several programs that need to run with user interaction but require admin rights. On the first reboot this is not a problem since windows keeps everything hidden then, but I have several reboots to go through. Needless to say I don't want my users to ignore the program and go mucking about as the local admin. I'm looking for suggestions on what would be the best way to hide everything and minimize the chances of that happening.

While we do use sms for most of our updates, sometimes we need to ship out a machine before sms will get to it. So I wrote a vbs script that will scan the directory it's run from for all the hotfixes in it, then check the registry to see if they are installed, if not, it will install them. I also use this to chain non-hotfix updates that we deem neccessary. It does not do anything to check if it's relevant or if it's been superceeded. I can post the code if it sounds like something you want.

Should the updateUPHAL line be anywhere in particular under [unattended]? I just did a test, base install of xpsp2 on something with HT, sysprep, load it on another machine, loaded fine, but didn't process the drivers completely. I had put it as the first line under [unattended]. Thank you for your help so far. nevermind, that sysprep.inf was messed up from an earlier test. Should have double checked my work.

Thanks. My machines aren't that old, everything that I am supporting with this image will be P4 of some kind, but not everything has HT or duo core yet. Do I need to copy any extra files over to the image for the uniproc hal/kernel?

I am doing a new image as there is new hardware coming soon. I don't care too much about the machines that are out there, but if possible, I may do a post image fix for at least the IT people. Just need to know the best way to do it so the image will remain compatible with the older models that don't support ht/dc.

Ok, here is my scenario. I have about 6k workstations spread across about 15 different models (mostly Dell, but some HP/Compaq and IBM/Lenovo). We are getting more and more machines with Hyperthreading/Duo Core and would like to be able to take advantage of them. Are images are currently deployed via a bootable dos cd/dvd using ghost 8.2 and am under preasure to keep it universal image. I need some help figuring out the best way to do this. Our image is about 2.3 gigs so I have space on the DVD to put winpe for now but would prefer something that could run inside XP itself. Are standards are fairly standard so I'm comfortable with a lookup table of machine model X needs this hal and Y needs this one but if anyone has a safer suggestion, I would take it. What files if any do I need to change besides the hal*.dll and ntkrn*.exe? Are there registry changes to make? I've read through a few message boards but they seem to be incomplete as far as exactly what changes need to be made. Any help would be appreciated

Yeah, thats what it seems like to me, was just hoping someone figured out a work around. If only Dell will do the same. Do you have that run automatically or have someone do it manually? I've though about doing that, but am afraid to trust my users not to interupt the process and turn their PC's into paperweights.

The 260's don't seem to have a 32 bit update util, so you need to do that from dos somehow. I was originally working on a dos kix script for the ones that can't be updated in windows and use cdshell on the boot cd to switch between pe and dos, but I can't get it stable for whatever reason. Right now, I'm leaning towards either throwing the BIOS updates into post image (makes me nervous) or making a prompt when someone with admin rights logs in to make them do it (one of our techs should always be working on the machine after post image anyway). But I have to have this all done next Friday, so it may just wait till the next image at this point.

Dell's Bios updaters are 32 bit and run fine from inside windows xp/2k, but gives the error about not being an admin when run from PE. Just hoping someone else had run into that issue and got it working. I do have some backup plans if this doesn't work though.

I think you would need something to create a boot sector on the hard drive. Just copying files won't work. The format /s does create the boot sector though. Although the idea of a small ghost file sounds better to me and if you need any additional files added later, you can just update the ghost image instead of rewriteing any copy scripts.

It is possible to do a BIOS update from inside PE? I'm using Dell Optiplex PC's and Latitude Laptops with the 32 bit programs. I've got logic to test what model it is and check if the BIOS is up to date or not, but when I run the BIOS utility from Dell, I get "Program Access Denied" and "Please make sure you are logged in as an administrator" errors.

Thank you, that did the trick.

I figured it out. the permissions on the key were borked. I redid the iso and tried to run my app, but it's still erroring out until i manually do a set command. I double checked the registry hive and both temp and tmp point to where i want them but nothing shows up when i do a set.

Thats what I was afraid of. I'd started digging through the registry but after two files and finding 20 keys, I gave up. Was hoping someone else got it working.

I'm able to open it in regedit and it shows up under hklm. But when i click on it I get a message: "cannot open zzz_default: error while opening key"

Thanks. I am trying method one, I have all the files on my HD, full control of the files, and read only turned off but I get an error opening key. Am I doing something wrong? I can't try method two right now because I don't have access to the original files, I'm taking over someones position and don't have time to rebuild from scratch (just start and they want something next week....)

Does anyone have information on how to add all the changes needed for vbs support without using oc.bat? I would just like to speed up the startup time if possible?

Is there a way to set environment variables (specificaly temp) other than using the 'set' command through startnet.cmd? I'm working on a custom program and I would rather run it with winpeshl.ini than leave startnet open