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[bluelou]

Hi folks. I am currently trying to create a windows xp unattended installation by useing RIS to deliver Windows PE. I have followed this article

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;304992

On a computer I boots up useing the PXE. Then I chose Windows PE from my RIS menu. When WINPE is loaded it goes to screen

(see attached file, at the bottom of the page)

So if I choose QUIT from the dropdown box (again see the attached file) it runs the startnet.cmd which I have also editet to call my install.bat file. My Install bat file wipes all partitions, format the disk to 1 partiton. Then I it creates a network connection to a network share on my server which contains my XP source. Then the install.bat runs the WINNT32.exe /unattend command.

So my question is really how am I supposed to do exactly what I describe above, BUT not have to chose the QUIT options from the drop down box (again see the attached file for illustartion)??????

I want to do a PXE boot, choose THe WINPE option in my RIS menu, then the rest should be automated.

ANyone?

Another thing I need to add network drivers for my network card which is not supported by PE (it is a newer card then the XP source is). Where do I place the files on my PE source on the RIS server? Under I386?

BlueLou

[bluelou]

Would I solve my problem by adding these line to my startnet.cmd file?

regsvr32 /s netcfgx.dll

factory -minint

netcfg -v -winpe

net start dhcp

net start nla

[likuidkewl]

I thought you already had them? *why I asked for the startnet.cmd*

Try it and see.

[bluelou]

Oh I'll give it a try

[likuidkewl]

Here is some more info for you, I don't know if you did this already or not:

To start Windows PE from a RIS image
On the RIS server, open a command prompt and run RISetup.exe –add. 
When prompted for a source, point RISetup to your Windows XP product CD. 
Browse to the location where RISetup installed the image. 
For example, \\Server_name\Share_name\REMINST\Setup\Language\Images.

1. Open the i386 folder in the folder of the image that you just created. 
2. Browse to the CD or network share containing your Windows PE files, and open its i386 folder. 
3. Copy the contents of the Windows PE i386 folder into the Remote Install i386 folder that you just opened, overwriting all files if prompted. 
4. Open the Templates folder in the i386 folder that you just copied Windows PE into. 
5. Open the RIStndrd.sif file in a text editor, and on the line that starts with 6. OSLoadOptions, add the switch /minint. 
6. Start a RIS client, and select the operating system image that you created in step 1.

Running the Factory Tool in Windows PE
The syntax of the Factory tool:

factory {-minint | -winpe}

Option Action:

-minint Uses Plug and Play to install the network interface card (NIC). 

-winpe Locates a Winbom.ini file and processes these sections in this order: 
[WinPE.Net] 
[DiskConfig] 
[OEMRunOnce] 
[OEMRun] 
[WinPE], except for the Restart entry 
[UpdateSystem] 
Restart entry in [WinPE]

This is in the .chm on the opk disk.

[bluelou]

It works by adding the lines to the startnet.cmd

regsvr32 /s netcfgx.dll

factory -minint

netcfg -v -winpe

net start dhcp

net start nla

However a starnge thing occurs. When i map a networkdrive to the xp source i have on my server. I try to run winn32.exe /unattend:unattend.txt

But it gives me a warning that the unattend.txt is inaccasible??? When I do Winnt32.exe it works fine. The unattend file is also working as it should when doing the same routine from a floppy???

Anyone knows what this is?

[likuidkewl]

I ran into this before I believe it is your variables in your answer file.

[mbouchard]

Where is the unattend.txt file in relation to winnt32?

[likuidkewl]

Oh my last answer is retarded, that is for %CDROM% installs.

You can try using a batch file to save yourself the hassle of typing mistakes.

As asked above, where is the answer fie located?

[bluelou]

Just found out. It was as u suspected coz of the lines in the unattend.txt file

But one last question. Here is my startnet.cmd file

@Echo Off

Cls

Echo Starting WINPE for Deployments

Echo.

Echo Installing scripting support please wait...

start /wait /min oc2.bat

regsvr32 /s netcfgx.dll

factory -minint

netcfg -v -winpe

net start dhcp

net start nla

diskpart -s diskpart.txt

Format c: /fs:NTFS /v:"" /Q /Y

winnt32.exe /unattend:zunattend.txt

exit

The diskpart.txt file looks like this

REM Disk partition script

REM This script will delete all partitions on Disk 0

REM It will then create a single partition of the whole drive.

Select Disk 0

Clean

Create Partition primary

Active

Assign Letter=c

exit

So the question is really. When runnin with these scripts I get the msg that there is no system partition when runnin WINNT32.exe

However if I boot the computer and skips the diskpart section it works fine. But as u probably have firgured out I need the diskpart. So is there a way to do this without needin the reboot?

[mbouchard]

If you do not reboot after running diskpart, add in /Syspart:C /TempDrive:C, not sure if tempdrive is required though, but it works for me.

winnt32.exe /unattend:zunattend.txt

Is your unattend.txt file named zunattend or is that a typo?

Mike

[bluelou]

It is a typo.

U mean I should add the switched after the winnt32 command or the diskpart command?

[mbouchard]

add it to the Winnt32 command. So it should look something like this

winnt32.exe /Syspart:C /TempDrive:C /unattend:Z:\unattend.txt

[bluelou]

Thnx, it worked fine..

Now I just have to sort out that unattend file..