1st Attempt woes. Works in virtual PC...

[bodycount316]

I finally created my first unnattended XP CD with SP2, hotfixes up till last week, winmedia player 10, no msn 6, and no msnexplorer.

I followed Basic training step by step, created all my files and tested the ISO with virtual PC and the only error I got was near the end, while installing media10. Something about the swtich being wrong and to use /?.. I used the same switch as the hotfixes, if this is wrong, how do I add the media10 to the list of updates?

So after running a successful installation on virtual PC, I burn the CD, disconnect my IDE drive, plug in the Sata (reason for re-installing in the first place) and drop the CD in. Boot from disk and walk away when the blue screen comes on. Supposed to be "unnatended right"?, like the virtual install.

I come back to my PC about 40 minutes later, and I'm back at the "press any key to boot from CD", but as time ran out, I get a "ERROR, Could not load operating system" or something like that. I reboot the PC, boot from CD again, let the blue screen go and stay there. Choose the C: drive to install and it tells me there's already a windows folder there. So I instruct it to delete and re-install and it goes off, doesn't ask me to format or anything, copies system files, reboots, same thing. If I'm not there to hit a key I get the "Error, could not load operating system" again, and if I do hit the key, it again tells me there's already an install , and only option is to quit or delete the folder and re-install.

Now I've reconnected my main drive, fired up the virtual PC program and am running an install from my CD, not iso, and it's going through fine so I don't think it's the CD.

Can you think of anything I may have done wrong? Do I need to install drivers to support Sata? When installing this, I just have a blank Sata drive installed. Oh btw, I could use the Sata as a slave before, but now that I've attempted to install an OS on it, I can't boot with the 2 drives attached, it gives me the "Error" Screen. the minute I disconnect the Sata, the IDE boots fine.

Sorry for the diatribe, any help is much appreciated.

Edited July 12, 2005 by bodycount316

[maxXPsoft]

I'm sure you need to be testing aginst the Sata for the Install if its installing to that and it will need drivers

Yes I have another answer maybe you or others don't want to hear,

I work on building an application for XP Unattend. Been doing this for nearly 2 years and the very biggest thing I've discovered.

VM Sucks

Once you get it working for that theres is a chance it won't with a real life Burn.

Been there done that countless times till I finaly gave it up(VM)

I now burn to CD-RW/DVD-RW and test on a second partition or even another hard drive changeing and experimenting till I get it right.

I do know once I have what I want it will work for a real situation. No Questions...

Edited July 12, 2005 by maxXPsoft