Two Seperate WINNT.SIF Files

[sparhawk]

ok, i got it to work on a windows XP pro install with the .sif on a floppy dirve.

now what i want to do is have part of the .sif file (all but the name and cd-key) on the cd and those two answers on a file on the floppy.

also i tried to make a .sif file for windows XP home but it didnt recognize it on the floppy. any ideas as to why it didnt work with the home install?

[GreenMachine]

OK. Where do you think XPCREATE fits into the picture? Sounds like you need to read the MSFN unattended guide. I don't think there is a way to have WINNT.SIF in two different parts.

[sparhawk]

XPCREATE fits in with the fact that this is what i am using and thought there might be a way to make it work using something special in this program set.

[tarquel]

I'd just like to quote the homepage of XPCREATE:

"XPCREATE is a utility program that will combine an original XP distribution and assorted hotfixes and updates to produce an up-to-date XP Distibution CD"

As you'll notice, it *doesnt* say that its primary goal is a unattended setup of windows xp.

This said, it is possible, although I admit, I dont know whether using multiple .sif files will work (I havent used multiple sif files but have used a single one on the cd).

If you want the sif file on the cd however, you need to place it in the FILESCD directory, creating the i386 directory like this:

<yourxpcreateinstalldir>\FILESCD\i386\winnt.sif

It will then be incorporated into the building of the cd - I believe that this needs to be done *before* you start the creation process (but its been a while and I'm not 100% certain there).

I dont whether you can use additional answer files on a floppy disk as well as placing one on the cd (seems quite likely for obvious reasons) but like GM said, you'll need to consult the unattended section(s) of the MSFN forum or Microsoft's site.

I dont think the xpcreate process would change anything to prevent the normal proceedures from taking place.

There has been other mentions of unattended setup's on this section of the MSFN forum, although I'm not sure if they/we've mentioned using more than one answer file.

Good luck & please let us know if you have success - I'd like to know the answer myself in the question of more than one answer file

Regards,

Nathan H.

[GreenMachine]

Again, I don't consider this an XPCREATE issue ... You are best off in the Unattended Forum.

[tarquel]

Agreed! It doesnt have anything to do with XPCREATE - the process will take the files as needed - so as GM & 'moi' have mentioned, you need to go to the Unattended section:

Try http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=70 for example or maybe looking at microsoft's website for using winnt.sif/unattend.txt/answer files.

Good luck!

Regards,

Nath

[GreenMachine]

Actually, if one has standard info, and the other user-definable info, why not just merge them, and only use the floppy version? That said, to use the floppy WINNT.SIF, XP Setup needs to be started with command line parameters, e..g. a network or DOS based install.

Again, there are always work-arounds. I would be more tempted to create a CD for each installation, which could be used for subsequent installations, after the user has once again fubared everything.

[sparhawk]

the thing is that there are so manny different users i would like to have all the "general" info (such as what workgroup to be in, we have a default admin password, basicly everthing but the user name and cd-key) on the actual CD, so that if one of the other tecks here uses it to install they only halft to enter the cd-key and username into an answer file on a floppy righ tand the rest of the info is on the cd, safe from some of these people :/

[Skyfrog]

to use the floppy WINNT.SIF, XP Setup needs to be started with command line parameters

No, it checks the floppy drive automatically for a winnt.sif file when you boot from the CD. If found the file is used; there is no need for any command line parameters, just boot normally.

[GreenMachine]

Thanks, Skyfrog. Obviously, I'm showing off my ignorance once again!

Assuming you are correct, I would say that should work fine for sparhawk's requirements. The only thing lost by not having WINNT.SIF in two parts is that a bit more info will need to be entered in installations without the diskette. Still that is minimal, and much can be entered with a simple return.

... Thinking about it now, if the floppy WINNT.SIF overrides the CD WINNT.SIF, then we could just include a generic WINNT.SIF on the CD, and a custom, complete WINNT.SIF on a floppy.

Bottom line: there should be an easy and acceptable solution. I cannot test this week, but if you, sparhawk, have time, see if that works for you.

[Drgnfyre]

It's been a while since I've tried, but I do believe my previous attempts to have a winnt.sif on CD and floppy met with great failure.

What might be an option would be to build a 'multiboot' type of cd. I use XPCreate's image as my primary source, and then I use some of the tactics described out at FlyaKite's msfn page ( http://flyakite.msfnhosting.com ) to build a menu, etc.

Currently, my All in one XP CD has XP Pro and XP Tablet on it, with about 5 options for each. One of the options is for a 'clean' boot of XP with no cd-based winnt.sif associated.

You could build a CD that had your 'generic' winnt.sif as one option, where they'd have to enter the username and key if they hadn't built their floppy yet, and a 'floppy' version that would not have a winnt.sif associated with it, which would then grab it from floppy, if available.

Granted, your floppy winnt.sif would have to be the whole thing, but you could put the items that change frequently at the top for easy modification.

IF there is a way to make it take a floppy winnt.sif over CD based, that would be a better solution, but I'm 99% certain that will not work.

Good luck - just throwing out ideas as I think of them. (I know my option would be a lot of work, but it might be worth it if it would save you time in the long run).

[GreenMachine]

... IF there is a way to make it take a floppy winnt.sif over CD based, that would be a better solution, but I'm 99% certain that will not work. ...

Well, that's too bad ... I'll test this out in a week or so, and see what I can come up with.

[tarquel]

just a small note to say that an answer file on the floppy disk would be called:

unattend.txt

NOT like on the CD where it is called:

winnt.sif

(at least, the last time I did a floppy-based answer file it was hehe but then again, maybe I've forgotten )

All the details regarding a answer file are in the reference/deployment guides you can get i.e. OPK Tools/CD, various website, indeed, even this lovely forum is likely to have such info in one of the unattended sections.

Regards,

Nathan

[GreenMachine]

I've never tried the floppy method (I think I burried all my old floppies), but I believe you need to call WINNT.EXE (or WINNT32.EXE) with parameters if you don't name it WINNT.SIF. Then again ... guess I may have to get a shovel and dig up my floppies to test.

[tarquel]

Try and you shall see - again....it was a long time ago I did it but all I remember is having to put this file on the floppy disk and have it in the drive as the setup process starts...

Mind you, that could have been with the OPK CD & network install but all I remember is that before I tried creating a custom XP CD (with the winnt.sif file) I had used a unattend.txt answer file and then read that I had to change it if it was going to be on the CD.

Its all in the OPK .....er....somewhere

Regards,

N.