/makelocalsource

[Dr_Jeff]

I was watching a MS webcast & the presenter mentioned the /makelocalsource switch makes the install copy all of the source disk files to the local drive, thus eliminating the need for the cd in the drive once the gui mode starts at t-39.

I am using the instructions I found at unattended.msfn.org

Now my question, since I am using the unattended install, there is not a bat file that starts the install, how & where do I implement the /makelocalsource switch ?

thanks in advance, as always all help is appreciated.

jeff

[studguy1]

rename winnt.sif to unattend.txt and then use this command to install

winnt32 /unattend:unattend.txt /makelocalsource

Obviously winnt32 works from within a gui (for a upgrade or a reinstall) so u need to have an OS installed

[Alanoll]

or you could use winnt instead

but if you boot from the CD you can't change the parameters i don't think. You'd have to edit the bootsector, and that's not always wise.

If you use a Win98 startup disk or something, you can then use what studguy1 said.

[gosh]

winnt.exe doesn't support the /makelocalsource command, only winnt32.exe does.

-gosh

[ME2U]

Indeed a copy of i386 folder is created on your HD with /makelocalsource switch for the winnt32.exe but this is erased/deleted once installation is completed. So what I do is include a copy command in the T-13 mark so a copy of the local source is copied to the windows directory before this is deleted.

For a new installation, this only works if you have access to a computer tha already has a WinXP os running. What I do is use an external USB 2.0 to IDE connection/box and hook up the target HD there. I run winnt32.exe from the working computer and winnt32.exe does it job by copying the files to the target HD hooked up through USB. Don't forget the other switches such as /noreboot /syspart /tempdrive. After doing this, you can then move the HD to the target PC and it should install by iteself without the need for CD drive.

[Dr_Jeff]

so could I see an example of the cmd file that copies the cd contents to the hard disk

should it be something like

copycd.cmd

Title=Copy CD to Hard Disk

xcopy %cdrom%\i386 c: /s/v/e

exit

& then include it in cmdlines.txt - correct ?

jeff

[Dr_Jeff]

Really what I would like is an installation that goes similar to that of win2k, it needs the cd for the text part, & then the disk can be removed & the machine will complete its setup so that the cd is only needed in the machine for 6-8 minutes for the text mode portion, & then after the first reboot it is no longer needed.

completely unattended.

is this possible ?

jeff

[ME2U]

I don't think this is possible in a CD bootup installation running the normal WinXP setup. If you can copy the directory/files that are created by winnt32.exe on a CD then copy this to the target HD, you can probably get away without the need of removing the HD from the case and just copying the contents from CD. The files/directories you are as follows

NTLDR

NTDETECT.COM

txtsetup.sif

Boot.ini (hidden file, use attrib -H -R to show it)

$WIN_NT$.~BT (with all subfolders and files)

$WIN_NT$.~LS (with all subfolders and files)