Server 2003 R2 SP2 WINNT.SIF ignored

[xpman]

EDIT: the original issue I started out with is solved, but I am still stuck with winnt.sif being ignored on the CD (postings #3 and following).

I have successfully been using my XP multi-boot disk for a couple of years now, but trying now in VMWare to add the Server 2003 R2 SP2 x86 to it, I am running into some problems. Reading through the 2003 multi-boot posts, I find that the same methods as for XP seem to be applicable and that I should be doing everything right - still I get stuck half-way through the loading of the "extracted" boot disks:

1. I "extract" the boot disk files using a script on txtsetup.sif. The resulting files are:

1394bus.sy_
acpi.sy_
acpiec.sy_
adpu160m.sy_
adpu320.sy_
afcnt.sy_
aic78u2.sy_
aic78xx.sy_
aliide.sy_
amdide.sy_
arc.sy_
atapi.sy_
biosinfo.inf
bootvid.dl_
cbidf2k.sy_
cd20xrnt.sy_
cdfs.sy_
cdrom.sy_
classpnp.sy_
cmdide.sy_
cpqarray.sy_
cpqarry2.sy_
cpqcissm.sy_
cpqfcalm.sy_
c_037.nl_
c_10000.nl_
c_10006.nl_
c_10007.nl_
c_10010.nl_
c_10017.nl_
c_10029.nl_
c_10079.nl_
c_10081.nl_
c_10082.nl_
c_1026.nl_
c_1250.nl_
c_1251.nl_
c_1252.nl_
c_1253.nl_
c_1254.nl_
c_1255.nl_
c_1256.nl_
c_1257.nl_
c_1258.nl_
c_20261.nl_
c_20866.nl_
c_20905.nl_
c_21866.nl_
c_28592.nl_
c_28593.nl_
c_28598.nl_
c_28605.nl_
c_437.nl_
c_500.nl_
c_737.nl_
c_775.nl_
c_850.nl_
c_852.nl_
c_855.nl_
c_857.nl_
c_860.nl_
c_861.nl_
c_863.nl_
c_865.nl_
c_866.nl_
c_869.nl_
c_874.nl_
c_875.nl_
c_932.nl_
c_936.nl_
c_949.nl_
c_950.nl_
dac2w2k.sy_
dac960nt.sy_
dellcerc.sy_
disk.sy_
dmboot.sy_
dmio.sy_
dmload.sy_
dpti2o.sy_
drvmain.sdb
fastfat.sy_
fdc.sy_
flpydisk.sy_
ftdisk.sy_
hal.dl_
halaacpi.dl_
halacpi.dl_
halapic.dl_
halmacpi.dl_
halmps.dl_
hidclass.sy_
hidparse.sy_
hidusb.sy_
hpcisss.sy_
hpn.sy_
hpt3xx.sy_
i2omgmt.sy_
i2omp.sy_
i8042prt.sy_
iirsp.sy_
intelide.sy_
ipsraidn.sy_
isapnp.sy_
kbda1.dll
kbda2.dll
kbda3.dll
kbdal.dll
kbdarme.dll
kbdarmw.dll
kbdaze.dll
kbdazel.dll
kbdbe.dll
kbdblr.dll
kbdbr.dll
kbdbu.dll
kbdca.dll
kbdclass.sy_
kbdcr.dll
kbdcz.dll
kbdcz1.dll
kbdcz2.dll
kbdda.dll
kbddiv1.dll
kbddiv2.dll
kbddv.dll
kbdes.dll
kbdest.dll
kbdfa.dll
kbdfc.dll
kbdfi.dll
kbdfr.dll
kbdgae.dll
kbdgeo.dll
kbdgkl.dll
kbdgr.dll
kbdgr1.dll
kbdhe.dll
kbdhe220.dll
kbdhe319.dll
kbdheb.dll
kbdhela2.dll
kbdhela3.dll
kbdhept.dll
kbdhid.sy_
kbdhu.dll
kbdhu1.dll
kbdic.dll
kbdindev.dll
kbdinguj.dll
kbdinhin.dll
kbdinkan.dll
kbdinmar.dll
kbdinpun.dll
kbdintam.dll
kbdintel.dll
kbdir.dll
kbdit.dll
kbdit142.dll
kbdkaz.dll
kbdkyr.dll
kbdla.dll
kbdlt.dll
kbdlt1.dll
kbdlv.dll
kbdlv1.dll
kbdmon.dll
kbdne.dll
kbdnec.dll
kbdno.dll
kbdpl.dll
kbdpl1.dll
kbdpo.dll
kbdro.dll
kbdru.dll
kbdru1.dll
kbdsf.dll
kbdsg.dll
kbdsl.dll
kbdsl1.dll
kbdsp.dll
kbdsw.dll
kbdsyr1.dll
kbdsyr2.dll
kbdtat.dll
kbdth0.dll
kbdth1.dll
kbdth2.dll
kbdth3.dll
kbdtuf.dll
kbdtuq.dll
kbduk.dll
kbdur.dll
kbdurdu.dll
kbdus.dll
kbdusl.dll
kbdusr.dll
kbdusx.dll
kbduzb.dll
kbdvntc.dll
kbdycc.dll
kbdycl.dll
kd1394.dl_
kdcom.dl_
ksecdd.sys
lp6nds35.sy_
l_intl.nl_
mountmgr.sy_
mraid35x.sy_
nfrd960.sy_
ntdetect.com
ntfs.sys
ntkrnlmp.ex_
ohci1394.sy_
oprghdlr.sy_
partmgr.sy_
pci.sy_
pciide.sy_
pciidex.sy_
pcmcia.sy_
perc2.sy_
perc2hib.sy_
ql1080.sy_
ql10wnt.sy_
ql12160.sy_
ql1240.sy_
ql1280.sy_
ql2100.sy_
ql2200.sy_
ql2300.sy_
ramdisk.sy_
saport.sy_
sbp2port.sy_
scsiport.sy_
serenum.sy_
serial.sy_
setupdd.sy_
SETUPLDR.BIN
setupreg.hiv
sfloppy.sy_
slip.sy_
spcmdcon.sys
spddlang.sy_
storport.sy_
streamip.sy_
symc810.sy_
symc8xx.sy_
symmpi.sy_
sym_hi.sy_
sym_u3.sy_
SYSTEM32
tffsport.sy_
toside.sy_
txtsetup.sif
ultra.sy_
usbccgp.sy_
usbd.sy_
usbehci.sy_
usbhub.sy_
usbohci.sy_
usbport.sy_
usbstor.sy_
usbuhci.sy_
vga.sy_
vga850.fo_
vga860.fo_
vga861.fo_
vga863.fo_
vga865.fo_
vgaoem.fo_
viaide.sy_
videoprt.sy_
volsnap.sy_
watchdog.sy_
wd.sy_
wmilib.sy_
SYSTEM32\NTDLL.DLL
SYSTEM32\SMSS.EXE

2. I placed those files into a folder called w03a below the DVD root folder.

3. I modified setupldr.bin accordlingly, replacing I386 by W03A

4. I modified the txtsetup.sif, pointing to the somewhat lenghty windows source path on the DVD (which always worked for me for XP this way, although my problem starts before setup begins copying files from the setup source).

5. I load setupldr.bin within w03a. Everything works fine, the drivers are loaded (at least 10 times faster compared to directly booting the 2003 iso directly, which I find strange).

6. Right after the status bar says that windows setup is being loaded, the screen goes black with a white, static cursor in the top left corner of the screen, but compared to my XP boot disks, it does not change to setup but stays this way.

I think the files are right, I modified setupldr.bin correctly (after all, all the disk boots, the drivers are being loaded), so I have no clue where I went wrong. I stuck to the guides I found in the postings here, which look just like what I did for XP, and did`t even find anyone having this particular problem.

Is it obvious to anyone where my mistake lies?

Edited April 18, 2010 by xpman

[xpman]

There was one basic mistake that I noticed, my bootdisk script used the wrong setupldr.bin (from xp pro sp1, which doesn't have to be cracked). However, even using the correct one now, I only get a bit farther: The setup screen appears, prompting me to press Enter, R, or F3, but none of the keys actually do anything. I'd think that at least at this point, setup is loaded and setupldr.bin has served its purpose.

Let me also list the tag files that I have for both XP Pro and 2K3 R2 SP2 x86:

win51
win51ip
win51ip.sp1
win51ip.sp2
win51ip.sp3
win51is
win51is.sp2
win52is.r2

By the way, is the setupldr.bin the same for both the x86 and the x64 versions? I am asking because it also contains references to AMD64, which is nowhere to be found on my x86 setup CD. So, naturally, I don't have it on my multi-boot disk, either.

Edited April 18, 2010 by xpman

[xpman]

Adding the win51s tag files to the DVD root and "extracting" the files again based on txtsetup.sif has done the trick (I can post the current file list again if anyone should be interested).

The installation runs through smootly, however, now my winnt.sif is ignored, which is right in my boot directory (w03a). This works perfectly with XP. I looked through the w2k3 setupldr.bin (am bit aimlessly, I admit), and do not see what could be wrong.

Again, all search results indicate I am doing the right thing.

EDIT: putting the winnt.sif file on a floppy disk (disk image in VMWare, to be precise) works. I only have problems when the answer file is on the CD.

Edited November 22, 2009 by xpman

[xpman]

I had hoped this would not be such a hard question to answer

So to be more specific: Is there anything else I need to do in the setupldr.bin for 2K3 R2 SP3? "winnt.sif" is mentioned (several times, I think). I changed all i/I386 occurrences, even kept the cases.

So be summarize:

1. Manual installation from a multi-boot CD runs through.

2. Unattended runs through just as well when winnt.sif is on a floppy disc.

3. Unattended does not work when I have winnt.sif in my 4-letter boot folder.

Searching did not reveal such a problem, so I probably did something stupid and hopefully obvious to someone. Where's the mistake?

[xpman]

Could someone maybe post their list of 2K03 R2 boot files? Seems like a last straw since it would be strange that this is caused by a missing file.

I even added an I386 directory with winnt.sif to the CD-root to be sure I didn't overlook any instance of I386 anywhere; that didn't work either, winnt.sif only seems to work from the floppy disk.

I also saw some suggestions for problems with the 64 bit R2 version in the meantime, many for 32 bit (pre R2), but by now I am wondering: has anyone actually gotten server 2003 R2 to work in a multi-boot scenarion with a winnt.sif? I am getting a bit "desperate".

[xpman]

Let me also add that this is not a file sorting problem on the disc; all boot files are at the beginning.

I also used an unmodified "single" boot iso where I just added the winnt.sif into the I386 directory. This works.

Maybe I did make a mistake within my setupldr.bin? [i tried to attach it but it seems I am not permitted to do so] Since I am using the x86 version of the OS, I left the AMD64 folders alone. I only changed the occurrences of I386 to w03c.

Still, the problems is unsolved, I haven't got the faintest clue why winnt.sif is ignored in the four-letter boot folder.

Edited April 18, 2010 by xpman

[Kullenen_Ask]

i use full setup files inspite of reduced number of boot files. as all the same files will be optimized it will not get iso bigger, only file number will be big. did you put winnt.sif file to the ROOT\W03A\i386 folder too? maybe help