Simple unattend.txt

[finnishguy]

I have newer installed Windows XP before and I'm a complete newbie with these things.

I want to install Windows XP Home so that Documents and Settings folder is in drive D:

I want that the setup asks me all the questions that it would ask with a normal (not unattend) install.

Will this work if I boot with boot diskette and say:

R:\i386\winnt /s:R:\i386 /unattend:A:\Unattend.txt

R: = CD-ROM drive.

A:\Unattend.txt

[GuiUNattended]
    ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"
    TimeZone=125

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=ProvideDefault
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS

[UserData]
    FullName="My Name"
    OrgName="Organization"
    ComputerName=COMPUTER

[TapiLocation]
    CountryCode=358
    Dialing=Tone
    AreaCode=015

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=HOME

Hope you understood something about this...

Thank you for your answers beforehand!

[GreenMachine]

Welcome to MSFN, Finnishguy. Where you from ...

That is certainly the general idea, though I have not checked all the spelling and syntax.

On the otherhand, you can simply rename the file to WINNT.SIF, and place it in the I386 directory of your CD. It will be used for all installations, without that command line, which would result in a considerably slower install.

Last suggestion, use Virtual PC, or VMWare to test your installation, before going to the trouble to test "live". There is a VPC link on THIS page.

[finnishguy]

How much slower will the installation be if I use boot disk (or cd)? I will use smartdrive.

Does the installation ask the "Documents and Settings" folder or is this the only way to move it?

If I rename that Unattend.txt to WINNT.SIF and move it to i386 folder and burn a new CD with the bootsector of original XP-CD, will the installation work like this:

1. I put burned cd in cd-rom drive

2. change the boot order in BIOS

3. boot my computer

?

[GreenMachine]

Uncomfortably slower, even with smartdrv.

The "Documents and Settings" directory selection is, as I understand it, an undocumented and slightly buggy feature. Setup will never ask this question.

WINNT.SIF in I386 will result in varying degrees of installation automation, depending on the answers included in this file. The procedure is not different than a normal CD based installation, with the exception that some, or possibly all, questions will not be asked.

Take some time to read either the Unattended Guide (http://unattended.msfn.org), or the help files in the DEPLOY.CAB file on the Windows XP CD (CDDRIVE:\SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPLOY.CAB), you won't regret it. (Neither will the other forum members ... )

[finnishguy]

If I add this WINNT.SIF into WindowsXP CD, will it work as normal Windows XP CD, but "C:\Documents and Settings" will be "D:\Documents and Settings"?

It'll ask all the questions etc?

[GuiUNattended]
   ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"

Thank you for helping me so quickly!

BTW. I'm from Finland (as you can see from my nickname and the flag)

[GreenMachine]

Now, if you believed I did not know you are from Finland, how could you possibly trust my advice?

There are minimum requirements for WINNT.SIF, and I sure do not remember them. I do know that the DEPLOY.CAB file has the information and the tools to get you going. Make a minimal WINNT.SIF, and add the one line you have listed, and you will be fine. Read one of the two suggested readings I left, and you're questions will be answered. Trust me ...

[finnishguy]

Don't this work alone? Do I have to use the 'setupmgr.exe' tool and then add the code below into file created by it?

;WINNT.SIF begins
[GuiUNattended]
  ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"
;WINNT.SIF ends

[GreenMachine]

... Take some time to read either the Unattended Guide (http://unattended.msfn.org), or the help files in the DEPLOY.CAB file on the Windows XP CD (CDDRIVE:\SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPLOY.CAB), you won't regret it. (Neither will the other forum members ... )

Did you try it ...

[finnishguy]

I have read the "ref.chm" file.

I generated WINNT.SIF like this with 'setupmgr.exe'

I can't test it until I get my XP Home CD from store.

Does installation work if WINNT.SIF is made with 'setupmgr.exe'?

There's my code:

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition=0
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
    ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"
    UnattendMode=ProvideDefault
    OemPreinstall=No
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS

[GuiUnattended]
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=0
    TimeZone=125

[UserData]
    FullName="myname"
    OrgName="myorganization"
    ComputerName=COMPUTER

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=HOME

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

Thanks for your patience!

[GreenMachine]

That looks fine.

Virtual PC is still a good option: no one gets it all right the first time!

Good luck