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Unattended XP Installation


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Hi

I want to make an unattended windows XP installation cd that after first boot will run a batch file i wrote which generated, eventually, a winnt.sif file on floppy (or ram drive, i haven't decided yet) then continue the setup with my answer file.

my question is: how and where do i need to put my batch file to run before setup will start ? and how do i tell setup to use my new winnt.sif file ?

Avi

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I'm having a little trouble understanding exactly what you are asking but from the sounds of it, you want to know where to put a batch file that will launch setup?????

You can launch setup from a batch file from a network share, or from a DOS based shell environment from say a DOS 6.22 floppy disk or formatted partition.

Why would you need two unattend files? If you need a second command file that will install other applications you can use any number of methods discussed on this forum. Use the search feature to locate your answer and examples of how-to accomplish the task.

As for the WINNT.SIF file, it will handle the entire installation and can call external scripts and programs to complete the installation. To have it execute during installation put the file on a floppy or copy it into the i386 directory.

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It is difficult to understand exactly what it is you are asking... However, if you are looking to:

1. Boot

2. Launch Batch file (which modifies winnt.sif ?)

3. Launch setup with winnt.sif

Just make a DOS boot disk, launch your .bat file from autoexec.bat, and then run winnt and pass it the .sif file

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what i meant is:

i want to run a batch file that will ask for a computer name and username, based on those answers a winnt.sif file will be created and setup will run according to that file. i do not want to run setup from DOS because its runs very slow (although i load the smrtdrv.exe). i want that my batch file will start after i boot from the windows xp cd and before setup will actually start. I cann't run setup from network share or preformated partition, i need it to run on standalone computers from their cdrom drive.

Avi

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You only have two options. Use a uniqueness database file (udf) like mentioned above, or run your username computername generation process in DOS prior to launching winnt.exe.

Also, try loading smartdrv with 20480 20480 passed to it to speed up loading XP.

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I have also searched for some way to do that, but the options aren't ideal anyway...

-> Use a DOS (or Linux or whatever) bootdisk with a (batch) script to ask and write the computer name, user name and serial to your a:\winnt.sif file. Then reboot and start from the winXP cd. A simple way would be to make a a:\winnt.txt with empty [userData] section at the end of the file, the copy it to a:\winnt.sif, and echo ComputerName="Computer1" >>a:\winnt.sif and similar lines for FullName, OrgName and ProductKey

-> boot using BartPE cd and edit winnt.sif and start installer from there. Haven't gotten it to work, so no more info on this...

-> Make a default winnt.sif with random computer name and change it at T-12 or first boot. This can be done either using GuiRunOnceEx or the GuiRunOnce entry in winnt.sif. There are tools for changing computername, registeredowner, registeredorganisation and the serial number. Changing this one won't work at T-12 apparently, so run it at first logon or so.

This option can then use anything to get the computername from: MAC address, user input, IP address, hardware numbers, ...

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what i meant is:

i want to run a batch file that will ask for a computer name and username, based on those answers a winnt.sif file

If you leave out the answers in the sif file, it will ask you during setup, however you would be waiting 15 to 30 minutes in between questions.

I do have a simialar question myself, Where I work they want me to create 3 different cds of the same OS. all that is diferent is the network settings and password, or it is a standalone pc. I hear that you could have it come up with a multi boot menu, and from there, choose if it is a networked pc or the standalone pc, but my question is would I be able to change the sif file (or change which one is executed) depending on what was choosen?

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