nLite 1.4.9.1 breaks RAID driver use

[mesheree]

I really don't know what you're trying to accomplish, so it is hard to help.

I am trying to accomplish being able to use nLite to integrate a SCSI driver and tweak the Windows XP install. That's what nLite is supposed to do, right?

I think I might have figured it out... nuhi posted on this thread, that nLite uses a file called cmdlines.txt for autologon (and to rename the administrator account, which I don't care about). Where is cmdlines.txt? In the $OEM$ folder. What option needs to be enabled for crap in the $OEM$ folder to work? OemPreinstall.

Autologon was one of the options that I was using. So I'm going to try it again tomorrow, without autologon.

Is this documented in that oft-mentioned help tooltip next to the OemPreinstall option? If not, it should be. I can't read it, or find any help file for that matter, without actually making changes to an actual Windows installation--and I don't happen to have one of those at home. I guess that would be Idea #2 for the suggestion box.

Perhaps VM is doing some kind of fake F6

That is precisely what enabling OemPreinstall does. It's an option that's built into Windows setup, which nLite manipulates. It has nothing to do with VMware.

are you using Server, Player, Workstation or ...?

VMware Server 2 on Ubuntu Server 8.10.

[johnhc]

mesheree, you can always open nLite (as long as you have a source to point it to) and look at any Task, Help, etc, then simply click Cancel. If you get to the point where it says 'Do you want to start processing', click No. I need to look at some things and run an experiment on my VM, so, I'll get back later on the rest. Enjoy, John.

EDIT: I also should point out that you need make no changes to view items in nLite. You only need a valid Windows folder. Since I still have seen no Last Session, I point out that all the Last Sessions, with date/time codes can be found here: C:\Program Files\nLite\Presets

cmdlines.txt is in the $OEM$ file and you must have OEM Preinstall enabled - READ the help, PLEASE!

EDIT2: I think the nuhi (nLite owner/author) thread you pointed to is no longer valid (2006). The cmdlines.txt calls nLite.inf, nLite's main inf. Take a look at it (nLite.in_). I suspect AutoLogon has nothing to do with your problem. I learned nothing from my VM experiment. Can you point me to where you got the SCSI text mode driver? I am running XP x64 and will need a different driver to test.

After we see your Last Session, we may be able to offer better advice. Enjoy, John.

Edited April 3, 2009 by johnhc

[mesheree]

From everyone's responses, I gather that I haven't been clear enough. Here is a more concise version of what I've found:

Windows XP offers two different methods of SCSI driver integration. One of them only works with OemPreinstall="Yes", and one of them only works with OemPreinstall="No". As far as I can tell, nLite does not implement the OemPreinstall="Yes" method at all.

Also, using nLite's 'autologon' option or changing the name of the Administrator account depends on 'cmdlines.txt', which in turn depends on OemPreinstall="Yes", and this is not documented in the help tooltips.

So, this is my tested-and-working workaround: Don't use nLite to enable autologon or change the name of the Administrator account. As far as a solution, I think that's going to require changes to the nLite program--it needs to either change driver integration methods in accordance with the OemPreinstall option, or warn about dependencies.

Thank you to everyone, for all your help!

Edited April 3, 2009 by mesheree

[g-force]

Don't use nLite to enable autologon or change the name of the Administrator account.

I use nLite for years, always renamed "Administrator" to "ADMIN" and enabled Auto-Logon for this account. No problem.

I integrate a real bunch of Textmode-Drivers, I created myself a package (outdated). No problem.

Edited April 4, 2009 by g-force

[mesheree]

d1 = "Promise FastTrak 376/378 Driver Diskette", \fasttx2k.sys, \

d2 = "3ware Escalade 6000 Storage Switch for Windows 2000/XP", \3waregsm.sys, \

These lines go in a txtsetup.oem file. Your method requires OemPreinstall="Yes".

nLite's method uses the txtsetup.sif & dosnet.inf files instead. nLite's method requires OemPreinstall="No".

[Fernando 1]

nLite's method uses the txtsetup.sif & dosnet.inf files instead. nLite's method requires OemPreinstall="No".

That is not true.

You can integrate any textmode driver into a bootable XP CD with the OemPreinstall="Yes" setting.

Preconditions:

1. You have to use a clean (=untouched) XP CD as source.

2. You may not use the F6 option.

[mesheree]

You can integrate any textmode driver into a bootable XP CD with the OemPreinstall="Yes" setting.

Preconditions:

1. You have to use a clean (=untouched) XP CD as source.

2. You may not use the F6 option.

In your PM to me, you told me that a "clean" XP CD is defined as one that does not have winnt.sif.

Winnt.sif is the only place where OemPreinstall can be set. I think all of you should study Windows Setup before subjecting me to any more of your knee-jerk "NO IT'S NOT!!!" reactions.

My solution is not a theory. I have duplicated the incompatibility with and without nLite. nLite's failure is that it does not document its dependencies, which, at least for the two options in question, deviate from Microsoft's.

Thank you, everyone, for your help.

[Fernando 1]

In your PM to me, you told me that a "clean" XP CD is defined as one that does not have winnt.sif.

Winnt.sif is the only place where OemPreinstall can be set.

There is no reason for being angry.

The truth is, that a clean (=untouched original) XP CD doesn't contain a WINNT.SIF file.

Consequence:

If you want to integrate any textmode driver by using nLite, you should use a clean source. This way you avoid any problem with the OemPreinstall="Yes" setting.

Regards

Fernando