User account not created

[Csimbi]

Hi all,

I have created .INI files with nLite 1.9.4.1 in the past. See them attached.

I have been using these successfully in the past.

I set up a testbed under VMWare to test a new image yesterday.

The installation goes fine, but there is no user account created. There should be one called 'Csimbi', as you can see from the INI files.

When XP starts, only the Administrator account is available on the login screen and I need to create an account manually after I logged in as Administrator.

I tried enabling/disabling auto-logon, but no luck with that.

I wonder if anyone had the same problem and was there a solution for this.

Or, was there any updates issued since April (that was the last time I made an image) that may be causing this problem?

Thank you.

Csimbi_1491.ini

Csimbi_1491_u.ini

Edited August 13, 2009 by Csimbi

[Ponch]

There is no update to nLite since a year and there won't probably ever be (see sticky and locked thread).

User creation with nLite is quite picky. I don't know precisely what the "|False|False|False" mean but one is probably the cause of your problem. My guess is that you used that same ini files on your source and the user is already present maybe as inactive and that readding it as active makes no change or something like that. Do you work on a clean source ?

[Csimbi]

There is no update to nLite since a year and there won't probably ever be (see sticky and locked thread).

User creation with nLite is quite picky. I don't know precisely what the "|False|False|False" mean but one is probably the cause of your problem. My guess is that you used that same ini files on your source and the user is already present maybe as inactive and that readding it as active makes no change or something like that. Do you work on a clean source ?

Yes, I am aware of the situation with Nugi, thank you.

The "|False|False|False" are for the three checkboxes in nLite under the User password section, in this order:

- Blank password

- Must have

- Can change

I tried giving a password and using different variations, did not work.

The thing is that I should not have to change anything, because

The release I am using has been slipstreamed using nLite (only the updates, no users and unattended install). But nLite does not complain about anything, so I assume that it can read back all the slipstreamed files.

I found this in nLite.inf:

[TO]
...
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce","nlite_post_01",0x00000000,"nhelper net1 accounts /maxpwage:unlimited"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce","nlite_post_02",0x00000000,"nhelper net1 user """"Csimbi"""" /add /passwordreq:no"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce","nlite_post_03",0x00000000,"nhelper net1 localgroup """"Administrators"""" """"Csimbi"""" /add"
...

So, I guess nLite does add it to the image, but for some reason the user is not created. Is there any way to find out why? I am not familiar with details, but I guess I could do some investigations using some pointers.

[Csimbi]

I had to dig deep in the closet to find my original disk.

Applied the INI files to it and it works like a charm.

Apparently, something got screwed up along the way...

[sanhose]

Hi all,

I have created .INI files with nLite 1.9.4.1 in the past. See them attached.............................

I had same problem.I think, WindowsXP-WindowsMedia-KB973540 upgrade makes this problem..

Try that, you don't integrated this upgrade with NLite.

Edited August 16, 2009 by sanhose

[Marge]

I'm having a similar problem.

I used the n-lite to slipstream the updates, but when I install the slipstreamed windows, I don't have the initial screen to make an account, It starts directly with the administrator account and the windows classic theme. I only added the updates.

I will try to slipstream without the 973540, and see what is going on...

#edit:

It works. It seems that the KB 973540 is the problem.

Edited August 17, 2009 by Marge

[Guest]

@sanhose I tested with KB973540 and didn't see any problems with user account creation.

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

OK, the same thing just happened to me. The Administrator account shows up on the screen with the password I provided, but my username does not show up anywhere. I haven't included KB973540 at all. Check out my Last_Session.ini. This is what I tried:

-The original XPSP1 CD with SP3 slipstreamed, and then run on nLite;

-The original XPSP1 CD with SP3 slipstreamed through nLite;

-used VirtualPC 2007 SP1 and VirtualBox for testing;

-used LastSession.ini from my previous successful nLited CD (I'm using the install right now);

Another thing which happens is Windows Tour, which I have excluded with nLite; it didn't show previously, but now it does.

Another thing I remembered: we discussed what happens if you give the same name to you computer and your user (HERE); what happens if you give it the same username and registered owner name (properties menu from My Computer)? It's the same on this computer, so it's probably nothing, but it's worth asking.

As to Csimbi's digging through nLite.inf, I'll try it, but I'm also open to other suggestions as well.

Thank you

Edit: csimbi was right, I expanded nlite.inf and found the lines pertinent to this issue. nLite processes them, but for some reason unknown to me, they don't get processed. Is there another way to force the creation of a new user and get it to activate at first boot?

Edited October 20, 2009 by Sp0iLedBrAt

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

I've decided not to let this post die slowly, as I think it needs all the attention it can get, considering the fact a different nLite users report it. I'll post some results later today of what I've been trying (unsuccessfully) so not everybody goes through the same procedure every time.

Edit:

here they are:

1: .NET Framework-switched from 1.1SP1 to 2.0SP2. I used 2 add-on versions which I made with Silent .NET Maker: the first also included KB958481, and the second KB958481 and the latest KB974417. Didn't make any changes; mind you, it worked well up to a week ago. .NET Framework was removed from the Windows CD.

2: the latest updates and hotfixes from MS (October 2009): KB975467, KB974571, KB975254, KB974112, KB975025, KB969059, KB958869, KB971486. No changes with or without them.

Edited October 22, 2009 by Sp0iLedBrAt

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

I've attached the necessary files with my last experiment:

I thought I'd manage to trick the install by adding Autologon to my user name, so everything would go in order. The result was a 1 second error "The system could not log you in" and then the "Applying your personal settings" screen. This screen hangs and nothing else happens.

So, I've discovered the solution to this problem (read closely): I'm dropping my user name and will install using the built-in Administrator account, which offers loads of possibilities, including the COPY option from RunOnce.

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

OK, I take it back. I've been doing a few more experiments and I think I'm very near to the goal. Things are looking nice so far.

I will post the results in the next few days.

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Problem solved. This what you shouldn't do (N.B. I did all of these things at once, so I'm not sure which one REALLY did the trick):

1. Do not remove System Restore;

2. Do not use the same Username as computer name or registered name

3. Do not add recent updates for Windows Media Player; I think -X- is on to something very big HERE

Just made a new install on my PC and am using it to write this.

Edited October 30, 2009 by Sp0iLedBrAt