Question about $OEM$ directories.

[Surreal Killa]

$1 = C:

$$ = WINDOWS

$Progs = Program Files

$Docs = Documents and Settings

So say I wanted to put files in all of those directories, couldn't I just put 'WINDOWS', 'Program Files', and 'Documents and Settings' folders in the $1 directory? It makes more sense to me to do it that way, but I'm wondering if there's a reason for the separate $OEM$ directories . I know you can change the defaults, for example my Program Files folder is called Apps, so I would put 'Apps' in the $1 folder. But do you see my point? Why have 4 different directories when you could combine them all into the $1? Unless there's a good reason for it. Thanks in advance for any info.

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

My guess would be that they might be copied at different stages of the install process

for example:

say $1 is copied first and you have a special win.ini you wanna use (just as an example) so you stored it in $1\WINDOWS\win.ini

then more setup stuff happens and the win.ini file is extracted from the cab and overwrites your c:\WINDOWS\win.ini (or errors out -not sure which -this is all hypothetical)

then $$ is processed but your win.ini file isnt in it so it doesn't get copied.

end result = you don't get you modified file but the windows default file instead.

but thats all just guessing. they might just be legacy variables leftover from an older version where they had some distinct difference.

[Surreal Killa]

Yeah. I should probably stick with them just to be safe.

[BikinDutchman]

My 2 cents: the $1 is volume 1 (I believe there can also be $2: volume 2 etc)

The Windows etc is defined separate from the volume #

[wintertiger]

My 2 cents: the $1 is volume 1 (I believe there can also be $2: volume 2 etc)

The Windows etc is defined separate from the volume #

Good theory, but I don't think its correct. I was actually reading the guide on unattended installs the other day here on MSFN, and I remember it saying that $1 represented the volume XP was being installed on, as you use a specific drive letter to reference other volumes. I may have to test this though just to be sure, as I never even thought about a $2 folder before.

As far as the original post, I agree that there is probably some kind of time difference, where $1 is copied before setup commences, and its also probably for templates where Docs&Settings and whatnot are under different names on different disks, just my two cents though, it could easily be what was said before, a leftover from something else.

[Surreal Killa]

$1 is the %SystemDrive%. I'm going to try putting all my directories into the $1. If it doesn't work I'll post in here again.

[AgiHammerklau]

Here´s a little overview about the structure of OEM folders.

Maybe it helps.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true

Agi

Edited October 27, 2007 by AgiHammerklau

[BikinDutchman]

Well, I tried the $OEM$\$2 theory but that had no effect, nothing writting to the second volume .

But, another thing to consider is folder permissions: the Windows, Program Files, Documents and Settings (and Windows\System32) all have non-inherited permissions.

Folders in $OEM$\$1 are created on the system drive with permissions inherited from the root. So this becomes also a matter of timing. If a $oem$\$1 Windows folder is created first, it will have inherited permissions. Also the windows installer may not like a Windows folder already present.

An then, the Windows folder may be assigned another name, like WinNT32 or whatever. I assume (hope) the $oem$\$$ contents will end up in the actual "windows" folder no matter its name.

And lastly "Boot drive" and "System Drive" are not neccessarily the same, for instance in dual boot configuration. The link provided by AgiHammerKlau is not to clear about that.

[AgiHammerklau]

Sorry, didn´t find the good english ones anymore, but I remember there is a pretty good one at winfaq.

btw. have a tripleboot ( C:W98SE Bootpartition, D:W2K Systempartition, E:W2K nlite Test Systempartition) and after running into the same $OEM$ problems, stopped using OEM folders.

Agi