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changing system parameters unattended


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Hi folks,

my unattended installation runs smooth so far, but I'm still dealing with three problems:

1) Is it possible to rename the "administrator" account unattended, i.e. as a vb-script run before the first login (it-security reasons in our firm; until now we done this at the security policies)

2) How can I increase the size of the eventlog and systemlog? (should be 4 megs)

3) How do I get the old style pattern as default for all users?

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I don't know what you mean by "old style pattern," but Windows has no built-in ability to rename a user without using a GUI. I downloaded a program called renuser.exe (you can find it via Google easily) and simply added "renuser Administrator new_admin_name" to cmdlines.txt.

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3) How do I get the old style pattern as default for all users?
If that sentence means that you want the old-style theme (without the green "Start", blue taskbar, etc.), here's how to do it:

Put this section in winnt.sif:

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff=Yes
DefaultThemesOff=Yes

1) Is it possible to rename the "administrator" account unattended
Yes, use the "netuser.exe" tool attached to this post to do it. Run it from a .cmd file after first login. It should be run from an account different from the one whose name you want to change. Logging in once as "Administrator" would create a folder by that name in "Documents and Settings" which we want to avoid. So see this link - Auto-login a non-Admin.

Download "netuser.exe" and place it in "$OEM$\$$\System32\" folder for easy usability.

Usage of the netuser tool is:

NetUser Administrator /name:new_name

I hope this is easy enough to carry out. Do post back on whether it worked for you, or not.

NetUser.zip

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Yeah, prathapml described one possible method :), another one is a little program called WIHU developed by a board member named Benjamin. It is not solely for this this purpose, in fact it's an installing tool, but you can achieve what you want with it, too, and even more. :rolleyes:

Where are the advantages of WIHU? Well, nothing in particular for your purpose, it's just another way.

Here is the WIHU-thread, but it's long

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Thanks for your answers.

Yes, I meant the old style theme (didn't come over the right word :)

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff=Yes
DefaultThemesOff=Yes

Does this count as default for all new users?

The WIHU Utility looks great!! I think I'll take a further look on the tool.

That leaves one question: how do I change the size of the eventlog unattended?

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Yes, it counts as default for all users you create (in whichever way).

BTW, WIHU might be a bit of an overkill (for a function as simple as renaming the Admin unattended-ly). As for event log, I have no idea - I guess some one who does will trip along to this thread and tell you how to do that.

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Here is my way of renaming the Administrator account DURING setup...

@echo off

%systemdrive%\MSA\Utilities\renuser.exe Guest Disabled
net localgroup guests Disabled /delete

set /p NewAdmin="Enter a new administrator name: "
%systemdrive%\MSA\Utilities\renuser.exe Administrator %NewAdmin%

exit

Add that to a file called "UserSetup.cmd" and place it in the $OEM$ directory. Then add

[COMMANDS]
UserSetup.cmd

to "cmdlines.txt" and place it in the $OEM$ directory.

Note: Change %NewAdmin% to your admin name if you don't want to be asked for it.

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I got all the answers I was looking for. I will put them together here as a help for other people:

1. Renaming the Administrator account:

I used renuser.exe:

a.) put the renuser.exe in the $OEM$\$$\system32\folder

b.) put this line in the cmdlines.txt:

"renuser Administrator MontyBurns"

By the time the cmdlines.txt is executed no user was logged on, so you get the renaming very clean and smooth. the renuser.exe is attached.

2. Own settings for the Eventlog

this reg tweaks sets the eventlog to a size of 4 Megs and lets it override itself when full:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Application]
"MaxSize"=dword:00400000
"Retention"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Security]
"MaxSize"=dword:00400000
"Retention"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\System]
"MaxSize"=dword:00400000
"Retention"=dword:00000000

3. Default use of the classic theme

In the winnt.sif add the following lines:

[Shell]
   CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%SYSTEMROOT%\Resources\Themes\Windows Classic.theme"
   DefaultStartPanelOff=Yes

renuser.zip

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