Unattended RIS XPSP2 Install

[AuxJus]

Hello everyone, let me start out by saying message boards here are great! Really helped me out a lot. Sorry if this is not in the right post too. Ok on to my problem. Made a Unattended XPSP2 DVD with all Hotfixes, additional programs (O2K3, Adobe etc..) removed useless coponents(games, services) an all with N-Lite and WPI to load additional software from CD.. Works great NO Problems! Now, I want to make that Image of the DVD for deployment from my RIS server (W2K3) from network. The DVD works great, but I would have to take a USB DVD Drive to any workstations and Manually do it.

Problem I have is going through the RIS server, upon installation, I must key in Key Code, (is listed in Winnt.sif) and will not call up WPI.cmd. Message states UNC paths not allowed.

Anyone have any ideas? Any help greatly appreciated.

[mmarable]

RIS does not use the winnt.sif file like a CD install would. It uses the ristndrd.sif (for "flat" images) found in the "Templates" folder inside the I386 folder on your RIS server.

It's formated almost identically to the winnt.sif, and so far I haven't run across anything from my winnt.sif that I couldn't put into the ristndrd.sif file.

Put your WPI stuff in the [GUIRunOnce] section (just like in a winnt.sif) and leave the [OSChooser] section at the end alone.

[OSChooser]
Description =" - >  Windows Server 2003, Enterprise"
Help ="Automatically installs Windows 2003 Enterprise Server as well as Big Brother, Control-M, TSM and Symantec."
LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType =Flat
Version="5.2"

You can change the Description (which will be the title that appears on your list of images on the RIS server) and the Help (the long description displayed when you select an image).

You will need to make sure that your network card(s) are supported nativly by RIS, otherwise you'll have to drop them into the image. But you said that it was working but not running WPI and such you're past that point. Just keep it in mind if you try your image on other machines. Microsoft's Knowledgebase has a bunch of articles on adding additional drivers, but essentially you pretty much just drop them into the I386 folder and restart the service (BINL on a Win2000 or Remote Install... on a Win2003).

[broman]

just my two cents

i created a user on my domain and set a batch file to run wpi every time i logon as this user.