I can make bootable ISO images of the cd's using UltraISO and I have tried making a unattended of the Dell XP home.

I made the basic WinNT.sif and placed into the i386 folder. I then made a bootable ISO.

The system (Dell 2350) wouldnt boot from cd.

Help

if the CD is truly bootable, then you have to configure your Dell to actually boot to the CDROM. Most are set to check floppy and then boot hdd.

Done that.

Ok ill go through what ive done. Tell me where ive gone wrong.

My system is a Dell 2350 with 30Gb HD Split into c: 5gb d: 25gb

Also has DVD+rw as drive e:

I like to leave c: alone if possible so I always install windows into d:

Using UltraISO:-

Make CD image of XP_SP1 cd

Extract boot image of XP_SP1 cd

UltraISO now says the iso is bootable.

I then "save as" d:\unattended\XP_SP1.iso

I then find and run "setupmgr.exe"

I follow the instructions changing all to UK and install from CD options (twice)

I then save as d:\unattended\WINNT.SIF

the program then tells me that I have 2 new files:-

WINNT.BAT

WINNT.SIF

I now open D:\unattended\XP_SP1.iso

I goto the i386 folder and delete WINNT.SIF

I add file

and open D:\unattended\WINNT.SIF

This places the file into the ISO

I then "save"

I close UltraISO

I use Roxio easy CD/DVD creator 5 Basic to open the ISO file.

I burn the CD

I should now have a bootable unattended cd .

mmmkay, first.....save yourself a few steps, and create the Winnt.sif file first, and then just make the image. The more times you edit it, the more often errors can arise and they do.

Second, you totally disregard my previous post of checking in the system BIOS whether you have actually told it to boot to CDROM. THIS HAS TO BE DONE.

Just for the sake of sanity, and overall uniformity (go with people know works.....) go here.....

http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/finish.htm

It was the WINNT.SIF file.

It hadnt written to the ISO properally.

Thanx for your help.

wow...

you definately did SOMETHING wrong. In the multiple attempts. It could have been UltraISO or whatever, but winnt.sif DOES NOT determine if the ISO is bootable. Perhaps in one of your edits you changed other things. Just another reason to NOT edit your ISOs, just rebuild them. It's safer in the long run.

Good to know you got it working...

Be sure to read the forum and unattended.msfn.org website before posting again. I've seen your other posts, and it's obvious you haven't or you just skimmed. First the bloody hour or so and read. There is a PDF somewhere someone made so you can print it off, or read it when you're not online.

Also be sure to read the rules.....you broke a couple in your last post.