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Is there a UI for unattended installs?


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Hello,

I have just joined the unattend install group because I wanted to be able to quickly install Windows to a VM without having to stand there waiting. I made an unattend answer file with the setup utility included on the XP disc. I put the answer file on a virtual floppy disk, and started the QEMU VM with the floppy disk and CD-ROM in. It boots to CD, and says the usual "Setup is inspecting your hardware...", but then the screen goes to black. It stayed like this for over 6 hours without changing, and the drive light was not on. Is this normal?

emu.PNG

Jack

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Pretty sure that's a QEMU setup problem and has nothing to do with unattended. Check your settings. And re-read the documentation.

Also (not sure) but this may/may not help. Honestly can't remember if it directly does XP.

Here is as a very good Unattended reference -
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

The XP/2K3 OPK would really be helpful as well, but is no longer available (unless you know what to look for).

HTH

Edited by submix8c
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If this helps:

1. I am running QEMU by running:

qemu-system-i386 -cdrom VX2PVOL_EN.iso -fda unattended.iso harddisk.vhd -boot d

2. In unattended.iso, I have unattended.txt, unattended.bat, winnt.sif (same as unattended.txt), and sysprep.inf.

3. I tried renaming everything in the floppy to different names, and it still crashes.

4. I am using an ISO for the unattend floppy, does that make a difference? I don't know the format of the ISO. I'm using an ISO because of some problem with using an IMG.

5. Mounting the ISO and using the virtual drive does not work either.

unattend.PNG

(inside unattend.iso)

Edited by JackMacWin
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First -

3 hours ago, JackMacWin said:

V2XPVOL_EN.iso

??? Never heard of that one. There's a VX2xxxx series (I refer to it as SP2b) and that's includes the EOLA Lawsuit changes (beyond SP2). But I'm not sure if a VOL one was ever issued. Could be wrong since they would have had to comply with the lawsuit. (Note that you can't easily slipstream those because the files have been altered by MS.) If you're in an

Second, why aren't you re-creating an ISO with those file inside?

Third, you're trying to install using SysPrep?

Fourth, I'm not sure how to get a CD-ISO to be used as a Floppy.

Fifth - Why QEMU, if I might ask? Any particular reason for not using another Free VM Software?

Last - Why don't you create a "real" Floppy Image and feed that in instead of CD-ISO?

:unsure:

(I'm assuming you mean THIS "Unattend Install Group"?)

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The CD I made the ISO from was slipstreamed with SP2, so it may have been misnamed when making the slipstreamed CD. I wrote it wrong in the main post, it is really VX2PVOL_EN.iso, and that's what I used in the command prompt.

I read Microsoft Support's official article on making an unattend install, which used a floppy instead of the CD, so that was the only way I knew. I'll try making an ISO with the files.

I tried SysPrep just to see if it would work, but it did not.

In QEMU, you can feed any image in via the command-line. Since the IMG was not saving correctly (and giving errors in both QEMU and Explorer), I used an ISO.

I use QEMU because I need a free and fully portable VM, as the VM is going on a USB 3 flash drive.

Yes, I do mean this "Unattend Install Group"... :P

EDIT: I can't edit the ISO because PowerISO has a 300MB limit for saving and editing files unregistered, and it costs too much for me right now. I'll look for other programs (maybe ImgBurn?)

Edited by JackMacWin
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#1 Extract the Binary Boot Image to a folder
#2 Copy the entire CD to another Folder
#3 Insert the files into the appropriate place in Folder #2
#4 Create a Bootable ISO using IMGBURN -or- Burn it Direct to CD

Why is a VM going onto a USB? If you need a RUNNING XP for maintenance work, why not load a Winbuilder "Live XP" ISO via RMPrepUSB?

SysPrep has nothing to do with an Unattended Install (per se) as it's used for Rolling Out Images for "Welcome" (first User Boot) for OEM's and Corporations.

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Ok, it worked! It took an insane amount of time because the write speed of the drive is really slow. The reason why I'm putting this VM on a flash drive is because I want to be able to play games or do other work on ANY PC, so I can just insert the flash drive and start working or playing games I installed. To save space, I decided to use XP. (1.5GB of free space is required vs. 20GB on 7 [don't quote me on that]) Well, now it is working well, and this post can be closed.

qemu-xp.PNG Been waiting for 10 minutes to get past this screen...

P.S. I started the install around 4 PM yesterday, it finished around 12 AM :wacko:

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QEMU runs through a set of "interface" programs, just like any other VM.

USB is slower I/O than (e.g.) CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/HDD.

You're loading a complete OS from USB for the sake of games? :crazy:

Uhhhh, did you notice the OS runs fairly quick when loaded to VirtualHDD or RealHDD as opposed to USB? :unsure:

Oh, well, good on ya, but it'll never get better that that UNLESS you disable LOTS of Services and/or remove Unnecessary Components. Even at that - From USB???

(Hard-core Gamer wants portable XP to play games on...)

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