Quick question to ask the SUPER brains of msfn.

if i remove the Windows XP serial # from the winnt.sif

then each time i would install Windows XP it would ask me for a valid serial correct?

the reason why i am asking this is bec., a friend of mine is offering to pay me

to make a Unattended Windows XP for him.

I told him sure, only if he has a valid serial no, that isn't pirated.

I don't trust him to say the least.

going back to my question by removing the serial from the winnt.sif then

each time the unattended xp is loaded it would ask for a serial.

I'm not sure what this has to do with games, but yes, if you would leave out the serial in winnt.sif, it would ask for a serial each time you install Windows.

Yep, change this line:

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended

to

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=DefaultHide

and remove the whole line ProductKey=XXXX....

can u explain why i need to change...

CODE

[unattended]

UnattendMode=FullUnattended

to

CODE

[unattended]

UnattendMode=DefaultHide

can't i just remove the serial no?

Otherwise you will get an error message....

can u explain why i need to change...

CODE 

[unattended]

  UnattendMode=FullUnattended

to

CODE 

[unattended]

  UnattendMode=DefaultHide

can't i just remove the serial no?

Default hide makes it so it will hide any screen you supply information for. Since you supply everything but the serial number the only thing it will prompt you for is the serial.

Just removing the line that deals with key is enough.

No need to change from FullUnattend to DefaultHide - because that will cause OTHER changes in your unattended setup.

What's the difference?

Having it as DefaultHide will ask for the missing key, when it gets to needing the key, in the normal way.

Having it as FullUnattended will put up a dialog-box - "some required info was missing, blah-blah" - when it gets to the point where it needs your key, and then ask for a key in the normal way.

That dialog-box is no big-deal as far as I'm concerned, since moving method to "DefaultHide" WILL create other differences - stick with FullUnattended. Of course, its your choice though, this is only a recommendation.

what differences prathapml?

I don't trust him  to say the least.

Why is he your friend then? Tell him to do it himself.

Sorry for the short and uninformative answer previously, but I was in a hurry...

prathapml describes the differences for you.

This winnt.sif installs Windows XP Pro or Home unattended, just stop asking for the cd-key, and then continues:

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition=0
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=DefaultHide
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    OemPreinstall=YES
    UnattendSwitch="no"

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=*
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=110
    OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
    FullName="Standard User"
    OrgName=""
    ComputerName=STANDARD

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

Change the timezone, userdata and JoinWorkgroup to what is right for you.