WinXP Pro network installation

[gui_m]

hello!

this the first time i tried this n i have a little problem. i download the UltimateBootCD v2.4. I boot from the cd fine and i load up Bart's Boot CD and mount the winXP image. Know i run dir command on the mounted drive and try running winnt.exe but the thing is no HD's are found... how do i do a network installation by mounting a drive?

[eth0]

Use bartPE with the appropriate storage(such as raid drivers) + network drivers loaded.

map your installshare:

net use [driveletter:] \\server\installshare /user:validuseraccount

step 1

Use Diskpart

rem select future c:\ drive - disk 0 is the primary IDE master disk
select disk 0
rem wipe the disk clean
clean
rem create a single primary partition, mine is 10GB - alter to your wishes
create partition primary size=10000
rem set the drive to mount at c:\
assign letter=c
active
exit

step 2

Then format the new partition

format c: /fs:ntfs /y /v:sys

Step 3

Then run your unattended.

Since bartPE / WinPE is a win32 environment you can now use winnt32 instead of DOS winnt (which would fail anyway)

set AnswerFile=.\unat3.txt
set SetupFiles=.\i386

.\i386\winnt32 /s:%SetupFiles% /unattend:%AnswerFile% /copysource:lang

I run all 3 in unattend.bat like this:

diskpart /s dodisk.txt
: dodisk.txt contains scripted diskpart actions from Step 1
format c: /fs:ntfs /y /v:sys

set AnswerFile=.\unat2.txt
set SetupFiles=l:\i386

l:\i386\winnt32 /s:%SetupFiles% /unattend:%AnswerFile% /copysource:lang

Your $oem$ folders should be inside i386 if you do a network install.

On completion of copy action (t-51 or so) reboot and take out the bootCD.

Sit back, have a coffee and relax

[ravashaak]

I've yet to mess around that much with network installs, although I have performed a couple in the past. However, I plan to delve more deeply into the topic soon just to broaden my experience. Your info should prove valuable. Thanks eth0.

- Ravashaak