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Image not automating hard disk setup ?

mikerowsopht
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mikerowsopht

mikerowsopht

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi All, First off a big thanks to the creators of this site, it is by far the best website out there containing this kind of info and I wouldn't have been able to setup an unattended image with app install without MSFN so a big Thank You.

My question is on my image the only part that is not now automated ( and I can't figure it out ) see attached image of my problem

There are 2 screenshots and I cannot automate it and don't know why, can anyone help

My 2nd question is will my image create a differnet SID for each computer or will it create the same sid for every image ( which would cause me alot of problems )

I am currently renaming the pc after image deployment but I hear that renaming a pc does not change the SID??

below is my winnt.sif file which hopefully can show you experts where it is failing on the hard drive: ( removed passwords, etc.. )

[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
Autopartition=0
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
UnattendSwitch="Yes"
OemPreinstall="Yes"
OemSkipEula="Yes"
ComputerType="Standard PC", Retail
FileSystem=*
WaitForReboot="No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
Hibernation="No"

[Display]
Xresolution=1024
Yresolution=768

[SystemRestore]
DisableSR=1
CreateFirstRunRp=0

[GuiUnattended]
EncryptedAdminPassword="No"
AutoLogon="Yes"
AdminPassword="******"
TimeZone=085
OEMSkipRegional=1
OemSkipWelcome=1

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff="Yes"

[Components]
msmsgs=off
msnexplr=off 
freecell=off
hearts=off
minesweeper=off
pinball=off
solitaire=off
spider=off
zonegames=off


[UserData]
ProductKey="**********************"
ComputerName=PC999888
FullName="admon"
OrgName="****"

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale="1809"
UserLocale="1809"
UserLocale_DefaultUser="1809"
InputLocale="1809:00001809"
InputLocale_DefaultUser="1809:00001809"

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents="Yes"

[WindowsFirewall]
Profiles=WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
Mode=0

[Identification]
DomainAdmin=administrator
DomainAdminPassword="*****"
JoinDomain="domain.local"

[GuiRunOnce]
C:\install\start.cmd

post-298487-127955191448_thumb.jpg

Edited by cluberti
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cluberti

cluberti

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Posted 

[Data]
...
AutoPartition=0
...

You've told it NOT to automate your disk setup right there - try these instead:

[Data]
...
AutoPartition = 1
...
[Unattended]
...
ExtendOEMPartition = 1
Filesystem = ConvertNTFS
Repartition = YES
...

This will tell setup to automate partitioning, remove any existing partitions and repartition with one large partition/volume, and make sure it's the size of the drive (or as large as an NTFS filesystem can be).

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mikerowsopht

mikerowsopht

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Posted (edited)

Hi jaclaz,

I have read your link you provided on SIDS but don't know what to make of it to be honest.

I would rather not take the chance if I can so was just wondering if my orignal winnt.sif file

create's a different SID each time automatically during deployment or if it uses the same sid.

********************************************************************************************

Hi Cluberti,

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try, should the code look like the below: ( edited from my orignal winnt.sif file )

[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
AutoPartition = 1       -  autopartition = 1 or autopartition=1               ?? space in between = and 1, does this matter?
ExtendOEMPartition = 1  - ExtendOEMPartition = 1 or ExtendOEMPartition=1      ?? space in between = and 1, does this matter?
Filesystem = ConvertNTFS
Repartition = YES
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
UnattendSwitch="Yes"
OemPreinstall="Yes"
etc
etc
etc

Thanks Again for the advice

Edited by cluberti
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cluberti

cluberti

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If this is a new installation of Windows, then you'll get new SIDs for every installation. If you're taking an existing install of Windows XP and making an image of it to re-deploy (it doesn't appear from your screenshots that you're doing this, but I figure I'll mention it anyway), using sysprep before capturing the image will (mostly) avoid duplicate SIDs.

As to answer files, it's not really important. Here's one of mine you might find useful:

[SetupData]
    OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"

[Data]
    AutomaticUpdates = YES
    AutoPartition = 1
    MsDosInitiated = 0
    UnattendedInstall = Yes

[Unattended]
    ExtendOEMPartition = 1
    Unattendmode = FullUnattended
    UnattendSwitch = YES
    OemPreinstall = YES
    OemPnPDriversPath = drivers\audio;drivers\chipset;drivers\misc\wireless;drivers\modem;drivers\network;drivers\RAID;drivers\touchpad;drivers\video
    OemSkipEULA = YES
    TargetPath = WINDOWS
    Filesystem = ConvertNTFS
    DUDisable = YES
    Hibernation = NO
    WaitForReboot = NO
    Repartition = Yes

[GuiUnattended]
    TimeZone = 035
    AdminPassword = Password1
    EncryptedAdminPassword = NO
    OemSkipWelcome = 1
    OEMSkipRegional = 1
    AutoLogon = YES
    AutoLogonCount = 1

[SetupParams]
    UserExecute="%systemdrive%\temp\unattend.cmd"

[UserData]
    FullName = USER
    OrgName = ORG
    ComputerName = *
    ProductKey = XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

[Display]
    BitsPerPel = 32
    Xresolution = 1024
    YResolution = 768

[Identification]
    JoinDomain = DOMAIN
    DoOldStyleDomainJoin = YES

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents = Yes

[WindowsFirewall]
    Profiles=WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
    Mode=0

[NetServices]
    MS_Server=params.MS_PSched

[NetOptionalComponents]
    Beacon = 0

[Components]
    Accessopt = Off
    Chat = Off
    Deskpaper = Off
    Dialer = Off
    Fax = Off
    Freecell = Off
    Hearts = Off
    Media_utopia = Off
    Minesweeper = Off
    Mousepoint = Off
    Msmsgs = Off
    Msnexplr = Off
    Netoc = Off
    OEAccess = Off
    Pinball = Off
    Solitaire = Off
    Spider = Off
    WMAccess = Off
    zonegames = Off

[PCHealth]
    ER_Display_UI = 0
    ER_Enable_Applications = None
    ER_Enable_Kernel_Error = 0
    ER_Enable_Reporting = 0
    ER_Enable_Windows_Components = 0
    ER_Force_Queue_Mode = 0
    ER_Include_MSApps = 0
    ER_Include_Shutdown_Errs = 0

[Shell]
    DefaultStartPanelOff = NO
    DefaultThemesOff = YES

[SystemFileProtection]
    SFCQuota = 0

[SystemRestore]
    MaximumDataStorePercentOfDisk = 5
    RestorePointLife = 7

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mikerowsopht

mikerowsopht

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Posted

Hi Cluberti,

I did not take an image of a pc but rather copied the contents of our XP Enterprise CD to a new folder and then begun setting up a winnt.sif file and an unattended file using nLite so hopefully it will create a new SID each time and not duplicate them, suppose I will find out soon enough once I start deploying these images.

Thanks also for your sample unattended file, I have stolen parts out of it regarding the hard disk setup and turning off components ( games etc. )

Again thanks for your wisdom, much appreciated.

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jaclaz

jaclaz

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Posted

suppose I will find out soon enough once I start deploying these images.

This is the problem, you are NOT deploying any image, you are INSTALLING from scratch (Unattended), two different things.

jaclaz

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mikerowsopht

mikerowsopht

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Posted (edited)

How Upsetting. I have used my image for the first time on hardware ( IBM Lenovo T61 laptop )

Using my customized CD it says after about 80 seconds when it abouts to start Windows that

"Setup could not find any hard disks installed on this computer, etc, etc...."

Now with these laptops when we get them in the first thing we have to do is go into the bios and change the SATA drive config from AHCI to Compatabillity Mode or else the hard disk doesn't get seen.

This laptop already has this option enabled.

If I use the normal XP ISO disc it see's the hard drive and installs ok although I have to enter all the settings manually.

If I use my customised ISO Image it says "Setup could not find any hard disks installed on this computer, etc, etc...."

so the problem must lie with my winnt.sif file I presume ?

Anyone know the answer or know why it would fail here whereas with the xp image it does see the hard drive ?

[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
Autopartition=0
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
UnattendSwitch="Yes"
OemPreinstall="Yes"
OemSkipEula="Yes"
ComputerType="Standard PC", Retail
FileSystem=*
WaitForReboot="No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
Hibernation="No"

[Display]
Xresolution=1024
Yresolution=768

[SystemRestore]
DisableSR=1
CreateFirstRunRp=0

[GuiUnattended]
EncryptedAdminPassword="No"
AutoLogon="Yes"
AdminPassword="
TimeZone=085
OEMSkipRegional=1
OemSkipWelcome=1

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff="Yes"

[Components]
msmsgs=off
msnexplr=off 
freecell=off
hearts=off
minesweeper=off
pinball=off
solitaire=off
spider=off
zonegames=off


[UserData]
ProductKey="
ComputerName=PC999888
FullName="admon"
OrgName="
[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale="1809"
UserLocale="1809"
UserLocale_DefaultUser="1809"
InputLocale="1809:00001809"
InputLocale_DefaultUser="1809:00001809"

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents="Yes"

[WindowsFirewall]
Profiles=WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
Mode=0

[Identification]
DomainAdmin=administrator
DomainAdminPassword="$
JoinDomain=

[GuiRunOnce]
C:\install\start.cmd

Edited by cluberti
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jaclaz

jaclaz

Posted
Posted

Using my customized CD it says after about 80 seconds when it abouts to start Windows that

Is ALL the customization you performed ONLY the WINNT.SIF you posted? :unsure:

Can you please whenever posting code to enclose it in [ code ] [/ code ] tags (if it's just a snippet) or use [ codebox ] [/ codebox ] ones (if it's more than a few lines), it greatly adds to the readability of a thread.

Examples:

Hi I'm inside  CODE tags

Hi, I'm inside CODEBOX tags and I have a scrolling bar on the right
....
....
....
....

....
....
....
....

....
....
....
....
Nothing else to see, I'm afraid.

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mikerowsopht

mikerowsopht

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Posted

Hi Jaclaz,

I will use the

from now on as I didn't know, thanks.

Bascailly my winnt.sif file is my entire file and it is the only unattended windows file I have in my i386 folder.

I do have another batchh file which launches the installation of programs but has nothing to do with the unattended file.

I was thinking of changing my winnt.sif file from:


[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
Autopartition=0
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"
UnattendMode=FullUnattended

to the below as per Cluberti suggestion although this was for a different problem:


[Data]
AutomaticUpdates="No"
AutoPartition = 1 - Filesystem = ConvertNTFS
Repartition = YES
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

although I don't know if this will solve my problem or not, but sure I will give it a go unless you have further advice?

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cluberti

cluberti

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Posted

I did not take an image of a pc but rather copied the contents of our XP Enterprise CD to a new folder and then begun setting up a winnt.sif file and an unattended file using nLite...

There's only one problem with your post - nLite is expressly forbidden for use for anything other than personal modification of your personal XP source (read the EULA sometime). I strongly suggest you cease and desist use of nLite in your corporation, and stick to just modification of winnt.sif. There's no reason to use nLite for this anyway.

As to the problems with setup, I'm guessing the original XP CD had the IBM disk controller drivers integrated into it, and your customized CD does not. It would make sense to integrate these drivers if possible anyway, that way you wouldn't have to use the older IDE compatibility mode, and use the preferred AHCI. It's even discussed here already.

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