I try to start with answer file from floppy but i can't seem to get the autorun.inf sintax corectly; i try it like this and it didn't work:

[AutoRun]
OPEN=.\i386\winnt t:c /u:A:\unattend.txt

if i change to OPEN=.\i386\winnt32 /unattend0:A:\unattend.txt

so i can test with autoplay while in windows i get ["program not found > windows cannot find winnt.exe > This program is needed for opening files of type "File""] message with a browse prompt and path.

can some1 help me on this one?

I would suggest removing the .\ part, although I'm not sure it'll work.. but I think you're not supposed to have it there.

no that is correct.. but change the a:\ to .\ as well..

i made a whole bunch of tests and the actual sintax would be:

[AutoRun]

OPEN=\i386\winnt32 /unattend0:A:\winnt.sif

or

[AutoRun]

"OPEN=\i386\winnt32 /unattend0:A:\winnt.sif"

i dunnow what difference makes the quotes do ("").

excuse me at the actual boot "winnt" would have to be used instead of "winnt32" and the sintax would become:

[AutoRun]

OPEN=\i386\winnt /u:A:\winnt.sif

Edited June 13, 200422 yr by wolfshade

if im not wrong this would start the windows installation automaticly when you load the cd in windows which i guess is not what you want.

im guessing you want it to load when you boot your computer which i dont think this work (very sure but not 100%)

i think you would need to use cdshell or a modified microsoftcorporation.img to be able to boot at startup

yes i want it to be my boot cd allthough i don't see yet why wont it work this way unless it doesn't parse the autorun.inf but the sp1 file or something instead ... any other ideeas beside booting with floppy and running a batch from it? Or some1 who tried and knows if it doesn't work the autorun.inf way?

P.S. of course i would use winnt and not winnt32

Edited June 13, 200422 yr by wolfshade

i have an "" character in autorun.inf (yes a box like) i guess i shouldn't delete that one -- it might be a EOF flag?

i have an "" character in autorun.inf (yes a box like) i guess i shouldn't delete that one -- it might be a EOF flag?

it could be from a crappy cut & paste job lol, maybe instead of hitting ctrl + V u maybe hit ctrl + B and its a "bold" flag?

regards

If you just want to use a winnt.sif from a floppy, you can boot from CD-ROM and insert the floppy disk directly after you have pressed a key to boot from CD.

If you want to boot from floppy, create a MS-DOS boot disk, insert a CD-ROM driver to CONFIG.SYS (like DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:MSCD001) and add these two lines to the end of the AUTOEXEC.BAT:

mscdex /D:MSCD001 /L:X

X:\i386\winnt /u:A:\winnt.sif

(the oakcdrom.sys and mscdex.exe must be copied to the disk).

If you want to boot from floppy, create a MS-DOS boot disk, insert a CD-ROM driver to CONFIG.SYS (like DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:MSCD001) and add these two lines to the end of the AUTOEXEC.BAT:

mscdex /D:MSCD001 /L:X

X:\i386\winnt /u:A:\winnt.sif

(the oakcdrom.sys and mscdex.exe must be copied to the disk).

Hi,

If you want to install from the DOS, it is recommanded to run SMARTDrive before.

If not, your install is going to take a long time

SMARTDrive 5.0

Actually i have to be 100% percent sure that when booting from CD autorun.inf will be parsed ... although where else would setup get the info to run setup.exe i wonder.

Modifying autorun.inf allows me to keep answer file on floppy and it works in autoplay perfectly -- isn't autoplay kinda boot style? -- the cd ha got to be bootaable and autorun.inf properly writen but just in case anyone who knows FOR SURE! about this please reply.

AUTORUN.INF is a file which exists since Windows 95. This file has only one and no other function: It runs a EXE if you insert the CD-ROM when Windows is already booted up completely (OK and it sets the icon for the actual CD-ROM).

In the case of the Windows XP Setup CD-ROM it runs SETUP.EXE - which is NOT the installer, its only the menu from which you can select the installation.

The boot from the CD-ROM works in a totally different way:

1. The PC reads the boot sector of the CD-ROM

2. The boot sector searches for and executes SETUPLDR.BIN

3. The WINNT.SIF will be parsed and drivers will be probed

4. After all is OK, setup calls SPCMDCON.SYS and SYSTEM32\smss.exe (on the CD-ROM normally in \I386\system32\smss.exe), this is the text mode setup part

5. Now the needed files will be copied to the HD

6. After the reboot WINNT32.EXE will be launched, which runs the GUI mode Setup part.

[EDIT]

OK, another function of AUTORUN.INF makes it possible to add right click menu entries for the CD-ROM icon on "My Computer", but its all only for use within a already installed Windows.

[/EDIT]