Registry settings not applyed @ t-9?

[big_gie]

Hi,

I was using the cmdlines.txt way to run things @ t-12 and everything worked fine. I just moved to the winnt.sif's [setupParams] way to launch XPlode. So XPlode loads @ t-9 and execute everything. But when the first login occurs, I don't have some registry tweaks I applyed. For exemple, my default web browser isnt Opera, even if I installed it @ t-9. Same thing for Thunderbird, witch loads a reg file to make it default...

If I look in the HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software key (wich I think is where reg tweaks are applyed before the first logon) I can see them. But on the new account there are not present. The reg tweaks are applyed BEFORE the user are created...

Am I missing something from the t-9 method???

Thank you very much.

[[BM]Crusher]

is your new user account created BEFORE xplode runs and does the registry tweaking?

if not, then use cmdlines.txt to add the user account before xplode runs

[big_gie]

No my users are created AFTER the reg import. I'm doing this because I want my tweaks to apply to everyusers. Thats why I'm importing tweaks in the HCKU before any users are created. I tough that since no users were created yet, the changes would go to HKEY_USERS\.Default, and when I create a new user the tweaks would be already applied.

Am I missing something???

Before, I was using the cmdlines.txt to launch XPlode:

[Commands]

"..\Programmes\XPlode\XPlode.exe /log:#SYSTEMDRIVE#\XPlode.log"

(the XPlode.xml is in the same folder as XPlode.exe)

That was launching XPlode @ T-12. XPlode was calling a JScript file that configures the computer (reg tweaks, OEM information, etc.) and after this it creates users. That was working.

Now if I change the way I call XPlode, it doesnt seems to work:

...

[setupParams]

    UserExecute="%SystemDrive%\setup\xplode\XPlode.exe /xml:#SYSTEMDRIVE#\setup\xplode\dd4550.xml /log:#SYSTEMDRIVE#\XPlode.log"

...

Why those 2 methods should be different??

thanks

[Alanoll]

T-9 : The default User Hive is no longer loaded. It's more like in the shutting down phase of a normal computer, so any settings in the User account most likely won't take effect.

for the user settings, go back to T-12

[big_gie]

Thanx Alanoll!!!

That's what I was missing!!!

Its a bit disapointing since I would have prefer the t-9 calling; I have multiple winnt.sif for multiple computers. So calling multiple xplodes from cmdlines.txt isnt easy...

Is there a way to "load the default hive" @ t-9?? If so I could achieve what I want...

Do you have an idea Alanoll?

Thank you very much

[Alanoll]

well....

how many different configs are there?

each is probally going to take it's own XML file right? each with a unique name?

what you could do....is create a batch file to run from cmdlines.txt

TITLE Loading User Configs
IF EXIST %SYSTEMDRIVE%\setup\xplode\dd4550.xml GOTO DD4550IF EXIST %SYSTEMDRIVE%\setup\xplode\someother.xml GOTO SOMEOTHER
:DD4550REGEDIT /S dd4550.reg  (or whatever you call)GOTO END
:SOMEOTHERREGEDIT /S someother.regGOTO END
:ENDEXIT

that's a workaround, and just from the top of my head....

[big_gie]

I'm actually calling a .js file from cmdlines.txt like this:

[Commands]

"wscript ..\Programmes\scripts\xplode.js"

and the .js script:

Shell.Run(SourcePath + "Programmes\\XPlode\\XPlode.exe /xml:"+ SourcePath + "Programmes\\XPlode\\" + Network.ComputerName + ".xml /log:" + systemdrive + "\\XPlode.log", 0, true);

So XPlode is called with the appropriate .xml.

But I have also "generic" installation: unattended but without program installation. But the computer name would be the same, so xplode would called the xml too...

Thats why I wanted to use the winnt.sif's [setupParams] to call different XPlode....

T-9 : The default User Hive is no longer loaded.

Is there a way to reload it?

Thank you very much

[big_gie]

I've found this:

As I mentioned earlier in the chapter, you can also use Reg from the Resource Kit to load and unload hive files via a command line. For example, suppose I have a user?s profile called ntuser.dat under c:\documents and settings\Jsmith that I want to load into a temporary key called jsmithtemp. Using Reg, I could do so using the following command:

Reg Load HKU\jsmithtemp "c:\documents and settings\jsmith\ntuser.dat"

The advantage of using Reg to perform the load operation is that I can use it as part of a scripted solution. For example, in the following listing, I use the previous Reg load statement as part of a scripted batch solution to change jsmith?s screensaver timeout:

Reg Load HKU\jsmithtemp "c:\documents and settings\jsmith\ntuser.dat"

reg add "HKU\jsmithtemp\Control Panel\Desktop" /v ScreenSaveTimeout /d 500 /f

Reg Unload HKU\jsmithtemp

So it is possible...

How to use it is a different story...

EDIT: It could be possible to load all the config of the default user, but would it be worth it? If someone has a great idea I'm all open to that.

I think I'll just stick with the t-12 method...

[Alanoll]

you could go with that method....

in your XML file.....

add the Reg command to load

%DefaultUser%\ntuser.dat (i think that's the right varialbe), if not you'd have to find out what variables are available.

then in your regtweaks that you want to put in the DefaultUser , change all the entries from HKCU to HK\Default or whatever you load the hive to.

then unload it. It might, worth a shot.

[big_gie]

Do you think it could be possible to load it to hkcu ? That way it could "fool" setup that it didnt "unload"...

What are the feedbacks of people installing programs/hotfixes/tweaks at t-9? Does programs complain?

Is there other things that do not act as "normal" at t-9, except that even the default user isnt logged in?

Thank you very much.

I don't have time right now to test this way, but you can be sure I'll test it sometime. If it would work I think it could be great.