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New WinPE Windows XP Deployment question(s).


szwicker

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This looks great! Thanks.

Some questions after looking at it:

1. Should I copy the i386 folder from my various installation media into the win2k or winxp folder or should I go one step in and just copy all the files & subfolders from the i386 folder but not the folder itself into the ClientOS\wxp folder?

2. Is there a way for me to populate the CD key info into the field with each selection I make?

3. Would it be difficult to add other selectable options such as: install IIS, etc.

4. What about editing the graphic interfact layout? Would I want to use Frontpage for something like that?

Thanks a million.

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More questions:

First, here's where I'm at , currently: I've copied the folders & files into my winpe folder and created a new image with it, etc. At first, I was getting an error message where the system didn't know what to do with default.hta. I recalled that I hadn't run buildoptionalcomponents.vbs on it yet.

I did so and copied in the files along with oc2.bat. The system would start and then reboot. I edited oc2.bat and removed "exit" at the end and tried again. That seemed to work as it brought up the Windows Server Setup screen. I attempt to start the install but one of two events occur:

1. The system reboots without attempting the installation (or so it would appear0.

2. I'd get a script error: c:\n\custom\instos1.vbs. THE SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE FILE SPECIFIED.

Any suggestions?

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More questions:

  1.  The system reboots without attempting the installation (or so it would appear0.

  2.  I'd get a script error: c:\n\custom\instos1.vbs.  THE SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE FILE SPECIFIED.

It has been a long time since I have edited this script, will need to make some changes to my zip files to reflect my current production scripts. But here is an updated launch.vbs that should work for you.

On the first issue, was the reboot happening after some command windows flashed on the screen and if so, did you launch PE after the reboot? Where were you getting the file not found error?

launch.zip

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1. Should I copy the i386 folder from my various installation media into the win2k or winxp folder or should I go one step in and just copy all the files & subfolders from the i386 folder but not the folder itself into the ClientOS\wxp folder?
Take a look at the clientOS and server folders. I have placed the folders for each OS/Server there, you would just need to copy in the appropriate i386 folder in. You can only have 1 OS/Server per PE disk unless you are using a bootable DVD which I have not tried to do.
2. Is there a way for me to populate the CD key info into the field with each selection I make?

Remove lines 418 and 420 from the launch VBS file I just uploaded.

3. Would it be difficult to add other selectable options such as: install IIS, etc.
No, just add what you want to the unattend section.
4. What about editing the graphic interfact layout? Would I want to use Frontpage for something like that?

you can, I think that I originally set this up using Frontpage but then started to use EditPlus, my vbs editior.

Hope this answers your questions, let me know if you have any more.

Mike

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I am working on a similar method of having one interface for the install of serveral OSes. The HTA interface is setup with dropdowns for OS, Hardware,... and then generates an unattend.txt file to a 'cleaned' c: drive. The OS source files are on a 2nd CD.

The problem I have run into is that WinPE will allow the CD to be changed and keep running (using the /inram switch), but winnt32 will not start running from the 2nd cd when it's swapped.

I tried to copy the I386 folder to the C: and start Winnt32 from there and it worked, but it's not pretty or fast to copy the CD to the C: Drive.

Any experience with using a second CD for OS installs from a PE boot?

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Update:

I put the new .vbs file into place. The install appears to work properly at first. It appears to accept the information I typed in, formats the c: drive and then copies over the files and begins the installation. It goes through properly but at the end, it appears to "loop". It seems to reformat the drive and start copying the files to the c: drive all over again.

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One way to check and see if it took the info you entered is to add a pause (msgbox "pause") to the launch.vbs file around line 199, this will allow you time to view the scripts and the unattend.txt file.

As to the loop do this, add a Msgbox "pause" just below this line

WshShell.Run "cmd /c rename c:\nt\custom\instos.vbs instos1.vbs",1,TRUE

then look in the folder. Tell me what you have in this folder and post the instos1.vbs file.

Mike

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Are you adding anything to the XP i386 that makes it too large to fit on the PE cd?

One possible way to get 2 CD's working is, with CD1, setup your clean HD and copy a script to the drive. Run that but have a pause, msgbox or a loop that waits until a particular file/folder is seen in the system drive (CDrom). Then you could switch the CD's and either click OK on the msgbox or the script could just pick up when it finds the file/folder. This might work but I have not checked it.

Also, one reason we copy down the i386 folder to the HD is that the files will be present if there is ever a need for the setup CD, which helps with system file checker and add/remove windows components.

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Question:  How would I add a "pause command" to the vb script?

To my knowledge you can't.

Chris or Mike would know better though.

Depending on what you are trying to do... There are several ways of doing this.

The command WSCRIPT.ECHO "TEXT STRING" will display a box with "TEXT STRING" and an OK butotn. This will pause the script untill the user clicks the OK button.

The command is WSCRIPT.SLEEP <value> will pause for the duration of the value and then continue the script. No input required.

Example..... WSCRIPT.SLEEP 5000 pauses for 5 seconds then continue.

Chris

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