Unattended and Updated Boot CD for Windows 98

[jaclaz]

Here is a thread where I posted reference to some "Unattended 98" reference I could find on MSFN and elsewhere:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=40303

jaclaz

[soporific]

Thanks jaclaz, you've pointed to one of the posts I remember reading - jimmsta, try adding this to the OPKInstall section:

[OPKInstall]

; The following line changes the product type after the first part of

; setup is complete to activate OEM install features.

HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion,"ProductType",,"115"

Edited August 2, 2005 by soporific

[iWindoze]

Hey everyone, thanks to all for keeping this thread growing ... especially you, MDGx. I'll be posting the full, final version of this project (version 2.1) in a few days but there aren't any major changes just a mega clean up of the code.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your cdshell.ini has some corruption in the code..

recheck the n/n stuff...I had to go line by line

before I figured that one out! ;P

Otherwise it's still a learning experience for me

cuz I've been unable to get somethings but able

to get others...for example eMule refuses to do

installs silently and w/o input, same goes for DX9c

using the 8.1 setup.exe...or is that no longer required?

Thanks again for sharing as much as you have; I'll

be looking forward to version2.0 whenever you get

back to it.

--iWindoze

[soporific]

Your cdshell.ini has some corruption in the code..

recheck the n/n stuff...I had to go line by line

before I figured that one out! ;P

for example eMule refuses to do

installs silently and w/o input, same goes for DX9c

using the 8.1 setup.exe...or is that no longer required?

--iWindoze

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

cdshell.ini: I was wondering about all the weird code - I only adjusted an example that was either already provided or one I got from the net. I'd suggest starting from scratch.

EMULE: I don't know of a silent switch for emule, but I didn't use one. Don't use the installer version of emule, get the zipped archive and make a RAR self-extracting file. You can setup the SFX options to automatically copy the files to the directory of your choice, add an icon to the desktop, shortcut to the Start menu, whatever - there are lots of options. I recommend combining the official release with the MorphXT 7.1 mod.

DX9.0c: no, DX9 still needs the dxsetup.exe from the redistributable 8.1 version

If you do the following exactly, it should work:

1) grab the full version of DX9.0c (33.5MB) and extract it to its own directory

3) overwrite the dxsetup.exe (462 Kb) with the one from v8.1 (46.5 Kb)

4) use this command switch for your code to install it silent and unattendedly: dxsetup.exe /opk (EDIT: or the switch is /silent I can't remember what I put in my SFX file !!! - I'm going to check which one it is but until then here's both switches - sorry!)

5) ideally, to save space you would use WinRAR to make an SFX file that extracts to a temporary directory, then runs dxsetup with the /opk switch.

I guess without the switch you would have been stuck.

Version 2.1 coming soon --- got other projects that need immediate attention ... but won't be long now.

Edited August 3, 2005 by soporific

[iWindoze]

cdshell.ini: I was wondering about all the weird code - I only adjusted an example that was either already provided or one I got from the net. I'd suggest starting from scratch.

EMULE: I don't know of a silent switch for emule, but I didn't use one. Don't use the installer version of emule, get the zipped archive and make a RAR self-extracting file. You can setup the SFX options to automatically copy the files to the directory of your choice, add an icon to the desktop, shortcut to the Start menu, whatever - there are lots of options. I recommend combining the official release with the MorphXT 7.1 mod.

DX9.0c: no, DX9 still needs the dxsetup.exe from the redistributable 8.1 version

If you do the following exactly, it should work:

1) grab the full version of DX9.0c (33.5MB) and extract it to its own directory

3) overwrite the dxsetup.exe (462 Kb) with the one from v8.1 (46.5 Kb)

4) use this command switch for your code to install it silent and unattendedly: dxsetup.exe /opk  (EDIT: or the switch is /silent  I can't remember what I put in my SFX file !!! - I'm going to check which one it is but until then here's both switches - sorry!)

5) ideally, to save space you would use WinRAR to make an SFX file that extracts to a temporary directory, then runs dxsetup with the /opk switch.

I guess without the switch you would have been stuck.

Version 2.1 coming soon --- got other projects that need immediate attention ... but won't be long now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info on DX9, I'll give my process another look

and see if somehow I knocked off those extensions by mistake.

As for the cdshell.ini the trouble appears here:

print c "\n& #092;c

I think that the text editor you used was using its own fonts

and the thing didn't translate too well...

I hope this helps. I'll try and copy my cdshell.ini tothe laptop

next time I get home and see if I can post my 'corrected' version.

Take your time on it; the rush has faded and while I still want

to learn, I'll just have to take things step by step--impressing

my fellow geeks at my home town will have to wait for the next

visit.

--iWindoze

[Cornfused]

I like this thread and I have a question. I have a friend that regularly fubars his 98se box and, of course, I have to fix it. So, is there a way to slip in all the drivers needed for a custom setup of win98SE (mb, vid, lan, ect)? If it's in this thread I missed it sorry.

Cornfused

Edited August 6, 2005 by Cornfused

[soporific]

I like this thread and I have a question. I have a friend that regularly fubars his 98se box and, of course, I have to fix it. So, is there a way to slip in all the drivers needed for a custom setup of win98SE (mb, vid, lan, ect)? If it's in this thread I missed it sorry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no, it hasn't come up yet so you can safely take off your flame-proof clothing

There's two ways as I understand it:

1) using the batch98 utiility to take a snapshot of the system the operating system is intended for. This will create the msbatch.inf file, but there's still the question of including the driver files and how this is accomplished. I would imagine you would use the infinst.exe (inf installer) utility on your driver files, but i'm not sure as i've never done it. maybe someone who has can say something.

- infinst.exe and the batch98 utility are both contained in the Win98 resource kit (v. easy to find)

2) manually adding a link in your msbatch.inf to a folder that contains all the extra driver files. I think. I have only vague memories of this method from my research into this project so if anyone can help, you know what to do.

[Cornfused]

I'll check that out, Thanks.

I tried to add files to the cabs but that turned into an abortion.

Cornfused

Edited August 9, 2005 by Cornfused

[albator]

How can I add the MSBATCH.INF to my cd. ? I had check the site you were talking about. It about multiboot dvd. I just want to add MSBATCH.INF to my 98SE cd and be sure that this cd is stills bootable.

[soporific]

How can I add the MSBATCH.INF to my cd. ? I had check the site you were talking about. It about multiboot dvd. I just want to add MSBATCH.INF to my 98SE cd and be sure that this cd is stills bootable.

Wow, I didn't think this thread would get anymore posts considering the project evolved - to answer your question, all you have to do is make sure msbatch.inf is in the installation directory when you run setup.exe ie if you have all your installation files in c:\win98 ready to install as normal into c:\windows then make sure msbatch.inf is in c:\Win98

- you may have to use the following command line:

c:\win98\setup.exe c:\win98\msbatch.inf

but you shouldn't have to, as setup should find the inf file.

Edited November 11, 2005 by soporific

[singary]

First of all i want to thank all those ppl who invented and shared in producing this cooool project

second there is a big problem i have and i wish to have it fixed with ur help

the problem is that i've done all the procedures that lead to the project and finaly i have it done and completed but when i tried it i have this massage on Dump screen " cannot read or write to Partition C: press any key to continue " and when i press any key i have this message " cannot load or read KRNL386.exe"

if there is any helpi would realy appreciate it

by the way i've used the boot version to boot the project separatly and they worked fine with me and i didnot recieve the error but when i grouped the boot versions in the whole boot version "CDShell " i got error message

any way thanks for the great efforts

[kof94]

i have this massage on Dump screen " cannot read or write to Partition C: press any key to continue " and when i press any key i have this message " cannot load or read KRNL386.exe"

I get this exact problem when running win98 from my multiboot disc. Has any one got any ideas? Could it be a CDImage setting?

I very rarly use Win98 anymore so be gentle if this is a stupid question!

Cheers.

[soporific]

i have this massage on Dump screen " cannot read or write to Partition C: press any key to continue " and when i press any key i have this message " cannot load or read KRNL386.exe"

I get this exact problem when running win98 from my multiboot disc. Has any one got any ideas? Could it be a CDImage setting?

I very rarly use Win98 anymore so be gentle if this is a stupid question!

Cheers.

Um... this is a very old version of this project ... it evolved into this:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=53392

I simply can't help you with any problems you're encountering because there were lots !!! Which is why this project evolved ...

[kof94]

Sorry buddy, my problem is more general.

I started looking of an answer to a problem I have with adding 98SE to my multi-boot.

This was the only topic I found that related to my problem.

So, any ideas why a vanilla, OEM version of SE would cause this problem when executed from CDShell?

Any help would be appriciated.

Keep up the good work.

[soporific]

OK fair enough I see that your problem is more generic than just this project ... i will try to help!

OK, first the easy solution: a lot of people forget that you have to FORMAT your hard drive before you can properly use a Win98 boot CD. This isn't a problem with a WinXP one but it will give you the error that you can't write to the partition. I know that some people forget and then wonder why things don't work. But maybe you know this and the problem is something else.

If the above isn't the problem, please reply to the following questions:

1) Can you get to a DOS prompt at any stage during operation but before the problem occurs?

2) If you can, what has been assigned to the C drive? Is it blank (ie recently formatted), or does it report the CD drive contents. What is assigned to the A drive? (the boot files inside your Win98 boot image should be all there when you type DIR at the A:\ prompt.) Can you type DIR and report what it says?

Next, make sure you are using a proper Win98 boot image -- I remember that I had trouble with the one I made from my Retail edition CD and had to download someone elses from the net. Make sure that your Win98 setup can be installed separate from the multi-boot CD, even if you can't test unattendedly. If this is the problem, I have a boot image that will work with CD shell ...

Next, if you have two CD drives connected, disconnect one of them and see if you get the same error.

Next, confirm your setup files aren't corrupted. I don't think this is the problem, but if it none of the above, i'm starting to run out of ideas so you may as well check.

See how you go with all that.