Executing Office2003 Setup just opens a folder!

[ran]

Well, I need more help, I think.

I've setup a 2 CD install batch file that, after checking for the presence of the XP CD and the Office CD, should run my unattended.mst file with the setupPro.exe of Office 2003 (SP1 slipstreamed).

If I execute the following command:

start /wait %OfficeCD%\setuppro.exe TRANSFORMS=%OFFICECD%\Unattended.mst /qb-

from the batch file, it just opens up a windows explorer folder window browsing the drive containing Office 2003.

However, if I execute the same command from the commandline, or another batch file (in which that command is the only one), it seems to work fine. (NOTE that I have to change the %officeCD% string to the actual drive letter.)

I have no clue why it is doing this. I know that %officeCD% is getting the write drive letter, because I checked (running @echo %officeCD% to see what the variable was) and by the fact that it opens up the windows explorer folder window in the correct drive.

any ideas?

Ran

[MHz]

Where is the msi installer that you are using the transform file on?

[ran]

Thanks for responding,

The msi installer is in the root directory of the Office 2003 CD. In other words, the setuppro.exe and the Unattended.mst are in the same directory.

If I use a cmd shell and simply type theat line, it works..but not if I execute from the batch....I think it has something to do with the %OfficeCD% variable..but I can't for the life of me figure out what the problem is....

Ran

[agenta]

Try using MSIEXEC to install the MSI directly.

START /WAIT MSIEXEC /I %OfficeCD%\PRO11.MSI TRANSFORMS=%OFFICECD%\Unattended.mst /qb-

[ran]

Thanks for the idea, Agenta

This just gets weirder and weirder. It's definitely something with the %OFFICECD% parameter.

If I enter this into my Office2003.cmd:

copy %officeCD%\setuppro.exe h:\tmp

I get the message, "The syntax of the command is incorrect."

That's just bogus. If I replace the %OfficeCD% string with the drive letter I use for testing purposes (using Daemon tools) it works flawlessly.

So, I'm clearly having a problem here with the %OFFICECD% string.

As to the MSI installer, it tells me I have "Incorrect command line parameters" when I attempt to use it.

Well, here's the OFFICE2003.CMD I've generated (with *MUCH* thanks to SiMoNsAyS )

Note, it's still got some error checking code, ignore that.

cmdow @ /hid
@ECHO OFF

TITLE Installation of Microsoft Office 2003
COLOR 0a

:CDsearchA
FOR %%a IN (c: d: e: f: g: h: i: j: k: l: m: n: o: p: q: r: s: t: u: v: w: x: y: z:) DO Dir %%a\XPProSP2.txt >NUL && SET XPCD=%%a || echo %%a failed
IF NOT Exist %XPCD%\XPProSP2.txt GOTO NeedXPCD

:CDsearchB
FOR %%b IN (c: d: e: f: g: h: i: j: k: l: m: n: o: p: q: r: s: t: u: v: w: x: y: z:) DO Dir %%b\setuppro.exe > NUL && SET OFFICECD=%%b || echo %%b failed
IF Not Exist %OFFICECD%\Unattended.mst GOTO NeedOfficeCD

REM ******Now starting Office 2003 SP1 Installation******
ECHO.
ECHO  Installing Microsoft Office 2003 SP1...

start /wait msiexec /i %OFFICECD%\pro11.msi TRANSFORMS=%OFFICECD%\Unattended.MST /qb-

GOTO END

:NeedXPCD
cmdow @ /RES
ECHO.
ECHO Your Windows XP SP2 CD was not found.
echo.
echo Please insert Windows XP SP2 CD into upper CDdrive...
ECHO.
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 3000 >NUL
cmdow @ /HID
GOTO cDSearchA

:NeedOfficeCD
cmdow @ /RES
ECHO.
ECHO Your Microsoft Office 2003 CD was not found.
ECHO.
ECHO Please insert Office 2003 SP1 CD in lower CDdrive...
ECHO.
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 3000 >NUL
cmdow @ /HID
GOTO cDSearchB

:END
EXIT

[MHz]

What was the command given, when you made the mst file? A msi file needs to be the setup file to be used with the mst file.

[ran]

Mhz,

Thanks for joining the hunt.

I followed the "advanced" Office 2003 directions here at MSFN for the Unattended. The key here is if I just go to the directory and type the "start /wait etc..." at a command prompt, no problem it begins the silent install.

I just don't get what could be wrong with the %OfficeCD% parameter, if in fact that's the issue (just my guess at this point).

Ran

[MHz]

Using more that one variable on the same commandline may be the problem.

Are you using something like? Set officecd = d: prior to using the variable.

You could use a batch to set working dir to your setup files, that would save the usage of variables being used in your command.

[MHz]

Try in your command script

cd %OFFICECD%
start /wait setuppro.exe TRANSFORMS=Unattended.mst /qb-

[ran]

Well, as indicated in the batch file code above, I do have the statement, set OFFICECD=%%B.

and if I echo back %OFFICECD% I always get the right drive that the image is mounted in.

So.......

To overcome having to use %OFFICECD% in the commandline that executes the Office 2003 setup, I did the following:

PATH=%PATH%;%XPCD%;%officecd%

start /wait setuppro.exe TRANSFORMS=Unattended.MST /qb-

I don't understand *why* that works, but it does. Once the %OFFICECD% variables are removed from the start line, it works fine.

I'd *REALLY* like to know why that is messed up...but... if I can get it to work with setting the path, I'll take it!

Ran