Unattended Install XP SP3 and RunOnceEx

[mhmallory]

I was attempting to use Gosh' method of installing packages with XP Pro SP3 using RunOnceEx guide at http://gosh.msfn.org/using_runonceex.htm. I modified the files according to the directions, but I get the following setup error.

Here are the steps I followed.

1) Edited xp source file txtxsetup.sif and added the following -

[HiveInfs.Fresh]
AddReg = hivedef.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivesys.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivesft.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivecls.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hiveusd.inf,AddReg
AddReg = hivesxs.inf,AddReg
AddReg = dmreg.inf,DM.AddReg
AddReg = unattended.inf,newhive
runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0
unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,,3,3

2) Edited xp source file dosnet.inf and added the following -

[Files]
d1,runonceex.inf
d1,unattended.inf

3) Created file unattended.inf in source i386 folder and added the following -

[Version]
Signature=$CHICAGO$

[newhive]
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",,0x00000012
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",Title,0x00000000,"Applying custom settings"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",Flags,0x00010001,0x00000020
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\Infs",,,"Applying Inf's"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\Infs",1,,"rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall XP 128 ..\Windows\Inf\runonceex.inf"

4) Created file runonceex.inf in i386 folder and added the following:

[Version]
Signature=$CHICAGO$

[DefaultInstall]
AddReg = RunXP

[XP]
AddReg = RunXP

[RunXP]
;http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=232509
HKLM,"%RunOnceEx%\",Title,0,"Installing Applications and Extras"
HKLM,"%RunOnceEx%\",Flags,0x00010001,20
HKLM,"%RunOnceEx%\install001",,,"7 Zip"
HKLM,"%RunOnceEx%\install001",1,,"%10%\Install\Packages\7z465.exe /S"

[Strings] 
RunOnceEx = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx" 

5) Created the folder <my source drive>\$OEM$\$$\Install\Packages

6) Placed 7 Zip program in <my source drive>\$OEM$\$$\Install\Packages\7z907b.exe

I have google'd the forum, but I'm at a lost. Any help would be appreciated.

mhmallory

[g-force]

Hm, this guide seems a little bit too complicated to me.

I prefer this one: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/59/

[mhmallory]

@g-force

Thanks for the reply. The process looks tough at first, but once you dissect the bottom of the page and break it down into basic steps it's hot is bad as it looks. I think I'm getting the error from txtxsetup.sif. I think the entries

runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,,3,3

are in the wrong place. I tried moving it to -

[sourceDisksFiles]

runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,,3,3

but no go. Also, I think the runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0 might be wrong. I'm google'ing to find a simple method to decode the string. So far I'm looking at http://www.msfn.org/board/txtsetup-sif-lay...ce-t127677.html

as a guide to attempt to decode it.

Thanks,

mhmallory

[mhmallory]

So far what I have been able to gleam out of the following matrix -

filename = status, subdir, size, 3, 4, 5, diskid,subdir, upgradecode, newinstallcode1, newfilename, newinstallcode2, 6

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,,3,3

So far I think '_x' references a compressed file. I don't what 'x' is yet, but I know the source file is not compressed.

TIA,

mhmallory

Edited September 24, 2009 by mhmallory

[mhmallory]

Okay, made some progress.

I created on source $OEM$\$1\Install\Packages\7Zip\7z907b.exe, which was copied to destination.

I made the following changes in txtxsetup.sif -

[sourceDisksFiles]

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,0,,3,3

runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0

This executes unattended.inf, and copies runonceex.inf to %windir%\inf. I just now have to figure out why runonceex.inf did not get executed. I will debug runonceex.inf, but I'm sure it finds the source file. It just did not run because the application did not get installed.

mhmallory

Edited September 24, 2009 by mhmallory

[g-force]

Are the reg-entries written to registry when you execute the INF manually in running system?

[mhmallory]

@g-force

This is where I'm at so far.

Found another post http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t12964.html. And as I thought in txtxsetup.sif

[sourceDisksFiles]

runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,_x,,3,3

Does NOT work in SP3. However the following in SP3 works:

[sourceDisksFiles]

unattended.inf = 1,,,,,,0,,3,3

runonceex.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0

I can test in VMWare runceex.inf by right clicking on the file, and choose "Install" After installing, I executed rundll32.exe iernonce.dll,RunOnceExProcess and logged of and back on to see the .inf run. This did help me find a syntax error.

The next file I'm debugging is unattended.inf. I'm having a problem with this line, which does not load into the registry. When using <shift> F10 regedit at T10, and search for runonceeex key, it is empty.

HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\Infs",1,,"rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection XP 128 ..\Windows\Inf\runonceex.inf"

I do not know what ..\<dir> means when used like this. I know ..\ means to move up one in directory tree. I going by trial and error to see if something like %windir% will expand in the string.

TIA

mhmallory

[g-force]

I think it would be possible to do it this way - but still too complicated to me.

Why don`t you use the simple RunOnceEx-Method?

The INF-Method would be okay, but I can`t help you any further, sorry.

[mhmallory]

@g-force

I have it pretty much working. I think there were some changes in SP3 rundll32 which produces some errors in the registry. I have commented out the offending strings, and changed the ../<string> to ./<string>.

[Version]
Signature=$CHICAGO$

[newhive]
[b];HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",,0x00000012
;HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",Title,0x00000000,"Applying custom settings"
;HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx",Flags,0x00010001,0x00000020
;HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\Infs",,,"Applying Inf's"[/b]
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\Infs",1,,"rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection XP 128 [b].[/b]\Windows\Inf\runonceex.inf"

I have attached the error I get in the registry. I was using autoruns to monitor the registry. This works as advertised, but documentation needs some updating. Good learning experience though.

If I could get some help from someone to resolve the syntax of the offending strings, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again,

mhmallory

Windows_XP_SP3_reg_error.zip

Edited October 3, 2009 by mhmallory