answer file problems

[pcdreams]

doing an unattended install from a network share. Everything goes fine until it tries to read the winnt.sif file.

message is

"the script file specified with the /u command line switch could not be accessed

unattended operation cannot continue"

here is the line I'm using

d:\i386\winnt.exe /s:\i386 /u:\i386\winnt.sif

d: of course being the mapped share.

[Incroyable HULK]

Hummm... Winnt.sif is the filename if you want to use it on a CD or DVD media. I think you should leave the name to Unattended.txt if you want to use on a network share.

Also, the $OEM$ folder goes inside your i386 folder, not parallel

[pcdreams]

I was wondering about the unattended.txt. I'll give that a try. I had printed off documetation that showed winnt.sif.

also do I need to create a new answer file? Or can I use the existing one I have for my local install from cd?

I don't know what you mean about $OEM$ though. The answer file goes in i386 doesn't it?

[amp_man]

Also, the $OEM$ folder goes inside your i386 folder, not parallel

umm....

http://unattended.msfn.org/global/oemfolders.htm

yes, the answer file goes in the i386 folder

[pcdreams]

OK still can't get it to work.

her's what I've done. I copied my xp cd to the hd and shared it (allow modify, etc)

created my answer file into the i386 directory.

run my network boot disk (tcp/ip universal) .

I've got my logon script set to map a drive to the share

net use d: \\server\folder

run gdisk to partition/format

run smartdrive

d:\winnt.exe /s:\i386 /u:\i386\unattend.txt

it will grab the files and start windows. However it stops and ask about partitioning.

it shouldn't be doing this. I have repartition=yes set in the answer file.

I also tried it another way. Letting setupmgr create a distribution folder. That was a bust. I could connect but it showed that there was no files.

I'm at a loss. About ready to can the whole thing.

[Professor Frink]

It sounds like something is still missing from your answer file. Can you post it?

I do a network install, and here is my unattend.txt, which works great:

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition=1
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
    UnattendSwitch="yes"
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    OemPreinstall=Yes
    TargetPath=\WINNT
    Hibernation=no
    FileSystem=ConvertNTFS
    ExtendOEMPartition=1
    DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
    OEMPnPDriversPath="*******"

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword="*******"
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    AutoLogon=Yes
    AutoLogonCount=1
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=35
    OemSkipWelcome=1

[GuiRunOnce]
    C:\post.bat

[UserData]
    ProductID=*******
    FullName="*******"
    OrgName="*******"
    ComputerName=*******

[Display]
    BitsPerPel=16
    Xresolution=1280
    YResolution=1024
    Vrefresh=60

[Components]
    msnexplr=off
    msmsgs=off
    Freecell=off
    Hearts=off
    Minesweeper=off
    Pinball=off
    Solitaire=off
    Spider=off
    ZoneGames=off

[TapiLocation]
    CountryCode=1
    AreaCode=717

[SetupMgr]
    DistFolder=c:\winxp\I386
    DistShare=winxp$

[Identification]
    JoinDomain=*******
    DomainAdmin=*******
    DomainAdminPassword=*******

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=No

[NetAdapters]
    Adapter1=params.Adapter1

[params.Adapter1]
    INFID=*

[NetClients]
    MS_MSClient=params.MS_MSClient

[NetServices]
    MS_SERVER=params.MS_SERVER

[NetProtocols]
    MS_TCPIP=params.MS_TCPIP

[params.MS_TCPIP]
    DNS=No
    DNSSuffixSearchOrder=*******
    UseDomainNameDevolution=No
    EnableLMHosts=Yes
    AdapterSections=params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1

[params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1]
    SpecificTo=Adapter1
    DHCP=No
    IPAddress=*******
    SubnetMask=*******
    DefaultGateway=*******
    DNSServerSearchOrder=*******
    WINS=Yes
    WinsServerList=*******
    NetBIOSOptions=0

[Alanoll]

@amp_man

The page depicts where the folders should go, IF NOT installing from a network or RIS distribution share. For some reason, they're slightly different.

@pcdreams

Does any of the answer file get used?

perhaps

d:\winnt.exe /s:\i386 /u:d:\i386\unattend.txt

Would work better, as it will then have the complete path to the answer file (since you mapped the drive)