thanks but that doesnt really help me. seeing as i would like to keep my install files and my wpi files not in the same directory. if this is the only way to make it work of course i will do it that way but i would like to know how/why i'm getting my error so i can better understand wpi. i can coax mine into working but i would ike it tow work as i intended originally.

i think i found the issue. it was in generate.js

here is my original

function FindCDRom()
{
	position = "generate.js";
	var i, li;
	if (foundCDdrv) return cddrv;
	li = GetCDRomDriveLetters();
  for (i=0; i<li.length; i++)
  {
 	 if (FileExists(li[i]+'\\WPI.ico'))
 	 {     
    cddrv = li[i];
    debug("Found CDROM as drive " + cddrv,1,2);
 	 }
  }
  
  if (cddrv=="")
  {
 	 a = fso.GetAbsolutePathName(".");
 	 while (a.length>=3)
 	 {
    //debug("Trying ... " + a, 1);
    if (FileExists(a+'\\WPI.ico'))
    {
   	 cddrv=a;
   	 debug("Found CDROM as folder " + cddrv,1,2);
   	 break;
    }
    if (a.length==3) break;
    a = a + "\\..";
 	 a = fso.GetAbsolutePathName(a);
 	 }
  }

  if (cddrv=="")
  {
  cddrv = WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\SourcePath") + "\\";
  cddrv = cddrv.substr(0,3);   
  debug("Found CDROM as from registry " + cddrv,1,2);
	}

	foundCDdrv = true;
  return cddrv;
}

i'm gonna try and replace all the wpi.ico's with WIN51 and run it again.

Look at your command line. You are trying to open an .msi file, but don't include the

msiexec /i

command to make it start. Try that!