Hi all,

I work in an IT Company.

I've already created an unattended xp sp2 cd with the corporate edition for testing... but as you can imagine we can't load a corporate edition on customers new PC's.

How can i build an unattended xp sp2 cd for "normal" XP PRO and Home CD's? I mean... so i have only to insert the product code?

Thanks for helping me

Luk4S

There's no difference, except that you leave the product key out of winnt.sif

Luk4S

I beleive, you can also use

[unattended]

UnattendMode = ReadOnly

ReadOnly

Specifies read-only answers in the answer file if the Windows Setup pages containing these answers appear to the end user. Like UnattendMode = ProvideDefault, no user interface appears if the answer file contains all the answers on a page. Unlike UnattendMode = DefaultHide, however, the end user can specify only new answers on a displayed page.

Use UnattendMode = ReadOnly in scenarios where an administrator wants to force specific answers on one page but not others.

Thus you can specify everything but the product key.

Correct me, if I'm wrong.

the best way is to use this:

[unattended]

UnattendMode = DefaultHide

I scripted my cd to look to a floppy for the winnt.sif (xp and 2000 do this by default)

Then I pointed my winnt.sif file to the batch files and registry hacks also loaded on the floppy

this way it's quite EZ to have a single home version DVD, as well as a Pro version

All you need to change is the serial #, computer name, and the login info

as long as it's scripted read from the floppy, it's all text

and if there's intrest, I'll post my files for you to check out

Luk4S,

The best thing to do would be to use "Full Unattended" mode (as you already have), and then:

Don't have the line for key in the winnt.sif.

If your setup sees that there is no key specified, it will stop and ask you.

hang on, will any key work then? i though the key was tied to the CD

No, not any key will work, but they are not tied to the CD. Each licence type has a different key generating algorythm. In other words, any OEM XP Home key will work with any OEM XP Home CD. But an OEM XP Home key will NOT work with a Retail XP Home CD (and visa versa) because they have different algorythms to create the keys.

Ok so i missed the boat a little here

Let me see if this is right. I have made a unatended xp pro corporate CD

If i add any XP Pro corporate key when prompted it will work...

Like Luk4S i need 2 cd's that will do oem xp home and pro unatended

So any key will work within its own license? I just need to make unatended versions of both?

Luk4S,

The best thing to do would be to use "Full Unattended" mode (as you already have), and then:

Don't have the line for key in the winnt.sif.

If your setup sees that there is no key specified, it will stop and ask you.

the only difference between "DefaultHide" and "Full Unattended" in this case would be that "Full Unattended" would present you an addidtiona error nag. everything else would be the same (in this case).

Ok so i missed the boat a little here

Let me see if this is right. I have made a unatended xp pro corporate CD

If i add any XP Pro corporate key when prompted it will work...

Like Luk4S i need 2 cd's that will do oem xp home and pro unatended

So any key will work within its own license? I just need to make unatended versions of both?

Yep, that's right, and it's exactly what I do

I would like to see how you set it up to look for the floppy.

This is exactly what I need. I work on a lot of customers computers with retail and oem windows. So I need 4 cds right. oem/retail home/pro Then I just use the disc that corisponds to the customers original.

I love this site!!

I would like to see how you set it up to look for the floppy.

This is exactly what I need.  I work on a lot of customers computers with retail and oem windows.  So I need 4 cds right.  oem/retail  home/pro  Then I just use the disc that corisponds to the customers original.

I love this site!!

Setupmgr creates a winnt.txt file and a batch file for use on a floppy.

@solohelp

If that's what you need, then you might like to have a look at this guide and customize to your requirement. You can have all 4 CDs on 1 CD.

http://flyakite.msfnhosting.com

Great Link Prath!!!