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XP doesn't appear to use answer file

smotrs
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smotrs

smotrs

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Hey there, I've done a few unattended installs with W2K, this is the first one with WXP. and it doesn't appear to want to use the answer file. I used the deploy to create it, renamed it to winnt.sif and modified the winnt.bat file so that it will run from the CD same as I have done for W2k. But it still doesn't repartition, reformat or anything else it's supposed to do from what I'm seeing. :angry:

Here is my answer file or winnt.sif,

[Data]
AutoPartition=1
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=Yes
Repartition=Yes
TargetPath=Windows
UnattendSwitch=Yes
WaitForReboot=No

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword="*"
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=50
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=4
OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
ComputerName="*"
ProductID=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
FullName="Customer"
OrgName="Corporation"
ComputerName=""

[GuiRunOnce]
Command0="%systemdrive%\sysprep\source.cmd"
Command1="%systemdrive%\sysprep\serial.vbs"
Command2="%systemdrive%\sysprep\sysprep.exe -quiet"

[Display]
ConfigureAtLogon=1
BitsPerPel=16
Xresolution=800
YResolution=600
Vrefresh=70

[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

my winnt.bat file,

@rem SetupMgrTag
@echo off

rem
rem This is a SAMPLE batch script generated by the Setup Manager Wizard.
rem If this script is moved from the location where it was generated, it may have to be modified.
rem

set AnswerFile=.\winnt.sif
set SetupFiles=.\i386

.\i386\winnt32 /s:%SetupFiles% /unattend:%AnswerFile% /copysource:lang

It's pretty much the same thing I'm using for W2K which does work as expected. Also, it's XPsp1a which I'm getting ready to slipstream to SP2 but that shouldn't make a difference. But it starts up, finds the CD, checks for hardware, setup begins loading files, reports it starting windows, (this is all the blue screen at the beginning), says it's processing information file and then asks if I want to install, repair or quit setup. This is followed by the EULA, whic his followed by the partition screen, etc.. etc..

Thanks for any assistance that can be provided.

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smotrs

smotrs

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Do you install XP from a CD or from a harddrive/partition?

Installing from a CD. The winnt.sif and winnt.bat where placed in the <CD>:/i386 folder. I then created an iso image that I test with VirtualPC. I thought maybe it just wasn't working in VPC, so I burnt a disk and tried it with the same results described above.

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smotrs

smotrs

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I removed the winnt.bat file, recreated my iso and tried again, same results as before. It still continues to ask about partitioning, formating, whether I want to continue setup, repair or quit and the EULA.

I'm stumped on this one, I figured hey, W2K has been working fine for all my attempts at unattended, shouldn't be that much different to do XP so let's see. Guess I was wrong :)

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BritishBulldog

BritishBulldog

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The first few lines of my XP winnt.sif are as follows..

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

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    OemPreinstall=yes
    UnattendSwitch="yes"
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    FileSystem=*
    WaitForReboot="No"
    DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
    

notice the difference in the [DATA]UnattendedInstall & MsDosInitiated entry and

[unattended] UnattendSwitch & WaitForReboot, you have no "

plus your TargetPath has no backslash.

my autopartition is 0 because i pick the partition myself.

I dont have a winnt.bat file and mine works fine

So far i have gathered that these two sections are the most important section in the winnt.sif. without these correct the unattended install would not even start.

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smotrs

smotrs

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Ok, I'm trying this with the following changes to [Data] and [unattended],

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

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=No
TargetPath=\WINDOWS

Everything else is still the same, but I removed my entries for [GuiRunOnce] and made OemPreinstall=No to see if it can get that far. I even removed the second entry of ComputerName and have it beng named 123. Right now its' formatting the drive, it already asked me about the EULA which leads me to believe I'm still stuck in the same place. But I'll try anything now.

Formatting complete, now it's copying files needed for installation.

Copying complete, system restarts.

Windows splash screen comes up, it then continues setup with Collecting Information, Dynamic Update and Preparing Installation already complete. Installing windows will take approximately 33 minutes. After a bit, it comes to the part where it asks me my Regional and Language options, followed by the Name and Organization input screen.

I'm canceling it now.

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ixion

ixion

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have you fiddled with the bootloader of this CD at all? Is your CD actually booting into \i386 or have you modified it so that it boots from \boot\ etc and then continues to install from elsewhere at all?

A common method of "shrinking" the overall size of the CD is to start the windows install from inside windown using the /noreboot switch and use the temprary files created for the CD instead as an example... this removed additional unneeded language files etc

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smotrs

smotrs

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No, havn't messed with the bootloader in any way, I'm using BCD to create the iso image, then I tell Virtual PC to use that image or I burn it to a CD which is what I've done with W2K in the past.

Near as I can tell, it's booting from the i386 folder as I don't have a boot folder for it to boot from.

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smotrs

smotrs

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Bulldog, I copied the data and unattended sections you posted, dropped them into my file (replacing my entries entirely) and am running it now. It already asked me about the EULA, partition information (which is expected due to AutoPartition=0) and is currently formatting now. I'll know for sure when it gets past the copying install files part.

Nope, did the same thing, asks for Regional and language settings followed by the followed by the Name and Organization input screen. At which point I just cancel it.

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smotrs

smotrs

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afaik your switch for unattendswitch should be "yes" not yes

also your wait for reboot should be "no" and not no

try that?

Trying it now. As I said, I'll try anything once, twice, 10 times. :) quick question, should those be Uppercase first letters or lowercase? I don't believe case matters but I'm gonna try it as Upper case first letter first.

Well, that didn't seem to make a difference either, it asked all the questions like before. :huh:

Edited by smotrs
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smotrs

smotrs

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Another quick question, I'm using an XP-SP1a, as that's all I have, what versions are you guys using? SP1, SP1a, SP2? I tried to slipstream to SP2 but there has been talk that on a W2K machine, it's likey I'd be unable to integrate it.

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