$OEM$ Not Getting Copied over during Windows Install

[madensphere]

Hi, i have read every tutorial out there, i am going crazyyy. Im trying to make a custom XP Home Disc. I have tryed copying files from an original HP OEM disc & Also an XP installation I downloaded. <-- Obviously not at the same time!! I have also tryed all methods using an OEM XP Pro Disc also. Incidently i have successfuly merged SP3 using the MS Deployment tool.

I have used the manual extraction method (incidently in one of my 1000 attempts i have used Nlite also) & have added my winnt.sif file saved to my i386 folder as below:

[Data]
AutoPartition=0
MsDosInitiated="0"
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=Yes
TargetPath=\WINDOWS
FileSystem=*
UnattendSwitch="yes"
WaitForReboot="No"
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
KeyboardLayout="United Kingdom"

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=*
EncryptedAdminPassword=No
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=85
OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
ProductKey=X00XX-X0XXX-X0XX0-0XXXX-XXX0X
FullName="USER"
OrgName="Home"
ComputerName=PC-HOME

[Display]
BitsPerPel=32
Xresolution=1280
YResolution=1024
Vrefresh=85

[TapiLocation]
CountryCode=44
Dialing=Tone
AreaCode=01379

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
Language=00000809

[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=MSHOME

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Branding]
BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes

[URL]
Home_Page=http://www.google.co.uk

[IEPopupBlocker] 
BlockPopups=No
FilterLevel=Low
ShowInformationBar=Yes

[WindowsFirewall]
Profiles = WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
Mode = 0

[Components]
msmsgs=off
msnexplr=off 

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff = Yes
DefaultThemesOff = Yes

[GuiRunOnce]
%systemdrive%\install\start.cmd

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In my folders directory i have at root - $OEM$ - This is parrallel to I386 & setup.exe ect.

In $OEM$ directory is Folder "$1", and in there is "start.cmd", and also another folder named "Applications" (which includes all my progs).

So the directory layout is $OEM$>$1>INSTALL>APPLICATIONS.

My start.cmd file is as follows:

@echo off
TITLE JLM-Computing -WINXP Additional Software Installation

ECHO.
ECHO Hang Fire Whilst I Install Anti-Virus 
ECHO Microsoft Office
ECHO Tune Up Utilites
ECHO And All Windows Updates, hold tight
ECHO This might take a while depending on
ECHO Your System Spec........

ECHO.
ECHO Removing useless shortcuts...
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Set Program Access and Defaults.lnk"
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Windows Catalog.lnk"

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Net 2 Framework
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\net2\netfx.msi /qb ADDEPLOY=1

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Net 3 Framework
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\net3\Dotnetfx3setup.exe /qb /norestart

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Kaspersky Anti-Virus
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\Kaspersky\kis.en.msi /QB /norestart

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Office 2003
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\Office2003\office.exe

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Adobe Reader 8
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Install\Applications\adobe\AdbeRdr80_en_US.exe /sAll

ECHO.
ECHO Installing Sun Java VM
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Install\Applications\java\jre.exe /s /v/qn

ECHO.
ECHO O.K Cooking with gas 
ECHO Restarting the PC in 1 minute...
shutdown.exe -r -f -t 60 -c "Windows XP will now restart in 1 minute, this will give 
enough time for the shortcuts to update and for the shell to fully load before it\'s ready to restart!"


EXIT

winnt.sif & start.cmd are the only 2 files i have added / modified.

I am using the CDIMAGEGUI program to create my image, all with default options. Also i am running windows Vista 32bit.

Also, i am using VMWare to test my installations, i have not yet used or burnt a cd.

These are my 2 problems: 1> During the Windows Installation, every time without fail i will get an error saying that my autoinstallation settings are incorrect. As a result i have to entre my windows licence code & click continue. After this the whole installation continues completly un-attended and after 15 minutes my system starts up and logs on.

Problem No 2, THE MAIN PROBLEM ( the one that has nearly led to me jumping off a large bridge): Once windows loads up and auto-logs on it installs the VMSoftware, and then...... NOTHING!!! It does not even attempt to install any of my programs, there's no cmd/bat screen, no setup screens, no nothing!! Now heres the funny thing, if i go into my C: drive, i would have thought to expect to see a folder there namded "Install" in there along side windows/documents & settings ect. , but as you guessed, there is nothing!! I have gone to folder options and displayed hidden files but still nothing.

I know that my start.cmd script works because if i go into my Virtual CD drive (set to my custom XPSETUP disc) and copy over the "Install" Folder located in $OEM$/1$ to my C: , and then run start.cmd - WALLA, The Command Prompt opens and all programs install like a charm.

SO, my brain is telling me that the $OEM$ folder isnt getting copied over during the windows install. Why would this be?? And does it have something to do also with the XP KEY not going in automatically? I have tryed copying the $OEM$ folder to I386 but still no joy there either! No matter what i do my "Install" folder will not get copied over to C: during installation. (I have done a search for it also)

I will be the happiest man alive if someone has the answer to this extremely annoying problem, as i have quite litteraly spent the last 4 nights trauling through forums and reading up on every guide and tutorial out there.

Edited February 4, 2009 by madensphere
appropriate CODEBOX tags added and Product Key removed

[Netman66]

Dude....edit out your product key....

As for why your script doesn't work - your path is wrong. Your OEM structure is like so: $OEM$>$1>APPLICATIONS

Which would mean the Applications folder would be copied to the root of C drive.

Your script is calling this path: %systemdrive%\install\Applications\net2\netfx.msi /qb ADDEPLOY=1

...which would imply everything is installed to C:\Install\Applications.

Either fix the OEM stucture or fix the script to remove \Install.

[madensphere]

Hi Netman66, thanks for yuor reply. Its was a long and late night last night when i posted and i made an error in my post, I can confirm my directory structure is as you advised: $oem$\1$\install\applications. My Start.cmd file is saved in "Install". Within Applications I have all my app folders, e.g Kaspersy .

Any more advice I would greatly appreciate. I mean surely the problem lyes with the $OEM$ folder not getting copied over during install, why would this be though??

Thanks again

P.s Sorry about posting serial key. NOOb

[iamtheky]

its $oem$\$1

not as you typed

$oem$\1$

[madensphere]

I really need to start reading my posts through before posting them. I can confirm that my directory structure is as follows: $OEM$>$1/Install/Applications

Please see attached pic to confirm this.

Thanks in advcance for any advice

Edited February 4, 2009 by madensphere

[iamtheky]

In my folders directory i have at root - $OEM$ - This is parrallel to I386

it should be inside the i386 folder

[madensphere]

Hi, thanks for all your support and replys. In response to the last bit of advice, i have already tryed placing it in the i386 folder. I have however sussed it. I burnt the iso to disc and installed on a test machine and everything worked brilliantly. So the problem is with VMware interfering with the installation in some way.

Any ideas??? <- As it would be great to be able to test my iso's without having to waist a disc and a test station??

[Netman66]

The $OEM$ folder sits at the same level as i386.

The fault lies in the SIF the way I see it.

MsDosInitiated="0" should actually be MsDosInitiated=No

UnattendedInstall="Yes" should be UnattendedInstall=Yes

Depending on whether you want to be prompted for the installation partition the value of AutoPartition set to 0 will prompt, 1 will not.

[madensphere]

Hey Netman, thanks for your advice.

I am just curious though as to why my script and custom winnt.sif work perfectly when burnt to a disc, but when i run the ISO through VMware it does not work??

Surely if my WINNT.sif file was incorrect then the installation would also fail when i burn it to disc and run on a test machine? <- Which it doesnt, it works a charm once burnt to disc tested.

Weird or what?!?!?!!!

Thanks in advance.

[iamtheky]

It is certainly odd for it to work once burnt. Does it work loading from the CD in vmware?

have you tried Sun's virtualbox or M$'s Virtual PC or any other virtual environment, maybe vmware is the cause?

[Trevor]

Try putting quotes to the GuiRunOnce

[GuiRunOnce]
"%systemdrive%\install\start.cmd"

And rename the Applications folder to something like "Apps" and rename accordingly in the batch file.

Try and see if it works!

[TuMaGoNx]

It is certainly odd for it to work once burnt. Does it work loading from the CD in vmware?

have you tried Sun's virtualbox or M$'s Virtual PC or any other virtual environment, maybe vmware is the cause?

Agreed, you should try it

Sure your winnt.sif just fine (quotes make sense on value with space), I once have a trouble with mkisofs (totally different from cdimage). When I use ISO level 4 (wo any other extension joliet or r2) the Filesystem become case sensitive (big problem at DOS part but no problem at GUI part) and $Oem$ is not equal to $OEM$ so on.

Shouldn't be a problem if you use the same image though.

[Geej]

I use VirtualBox 1.6.6 with HFSlip to test in virtual env. No issue so far.

[madensphere]

Im currently downloading VirtualBox and will install later tonight and give it a wirl. Once again, thanks for all your advice and help offered!!!

[madensphere]

Hi all, well i installed Virtual Box last night, and guess what, my iso's work perfect!!! Just as they would if i copied to disk and ran on a test station. So the problem lyed with VMware in someway??

Any VMware boffin out there have any idea why?? Again Thanks for everyones help!!!!