WINNT.SIF entries ignored during setup

[jimbobmcgee]

I'm having some trouble with my unattended install of Windows XP Pro (SP2). I have used nLite to integrate drivers and tweak the setup a bit. I have also manually edited WINNT.SIF to alter a bit more. It seems, however, that some of these settings are not taking effect on installation.

My main concern is that the custom location for the Program Files folder is not being used. Below is my WINNT.SIF file, can anyone see where I have gone wrong?

[Data]
AutoPartition=0
MSDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes
AutomaticUpdates=yes

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=GUIAttended
UnattendSwitch=No
OemPreinstall=Yes
OemSkipEula=Yes
TargetPath=\Windows
FileSystem=*
Repartiton=No
WaitForReboot="No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1
ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common"
KeyboardLayout="United Kingdom"
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=*
TimeZone=85
OemSkipRegional=1
OemSkipWelcome=1
ProfilesDir="E:\Documents and Settings\"

[Display]
BitsPerPel=32
Xresolution=1024
Yresolution=768
Vrefresh=85
AutoConfirm=1

[UserData]
ProductKey="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

[TapiLocation]
CountryCode=44
Dialing=Tone

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
Language=00000809

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Components]
msmsgs=off
msnexplr=off
freecell=off
hearts=off
minesweeper=off
pinball=off
solitaire=off
spider=off
zonegames=off
Fax=On

[Shell]
DefaultStartPanelOff=Yes

[GuiRunOnce]
Command0="%windir%\copy_i386.bat"

[IEPopupBlocker]
BlockPopups=Yes
FilterLevel=High
ShowInformationBar=Yes

Thanks,

J.

Edited September 8, 2005 by jimbobmcgee

[Asin]

What settings exactly aren't taking effect?

I can tell you this much though, your drivers won't be installed since you don't have an OemPnPDriversPath property in your [unattended] section. Any drivers that are install will be inbox Windows XP drivers.

[Chunk]

ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"

CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common"

Where are these documented as valid entries? They don't show up in ref.chm. This may be your problem...

[jimbobmcgee]

What settings exactly aren't taking effect?

The 'ProgramFilesDir' one is my main concern. But other, little, things such as 'AutomaticUpdates'

I can tell you this much though, your drivers won't be installed since you don't have an OemPnPDriversPath property in your [unattended] section.  Any drivers that are install will be inbox Windows XP drivers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's interesting, because those seemed to install without issue. My audio, video and network devices are installed whereas, when I do an install of the boxed XP, they are not. nLite must have added them another way?

ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"

CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common"

Where are these documented as valid entries? They don't show up in ref.chm. This may be your problem...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got those entries from here. They worked for my XP SP1 install a while ago. Has support for these flags been discontinued?

J.

[Asin]

Oh, so I guess that you can't get passed the Automatic Updates section where Windows configures the network settings and adds users?

You'll need to set UnattendMode = FullUnattended and UnattendSwitch = Yes.

[Chunk]

The 'ProgramFilesDir' one is my main concern.  But other, little, things such as 'AutomaticUpdates'

You can verify the AutomaticUpdates setting is doing its job by noting if the "Help Protect Your PC" wizard runs on the first reboot. If the wizard displays, your right, its not working. I DO successfully use this entry in my installs.

Has support for these flags been discontinued?

I got the latest Deployment Tools from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en

and its not listed so I would guess its no longer supported.

[jimbobmcgee]

I got the latest Deployment Tools from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en

and its not listed so I would guess its no longer supported.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where can I get the latest ref.chm, I can't seem to find it...

Has anyone else tried to use the ProgramFilesDir key in an SP2 install, i.e. can anyone confirm that this is not valid any more?

Why would MS change this after so long?!!

J.

[Yzöwl]

Change it to

   CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"

Also I use this

[RegionalSettings]
    LanguageGroup = 1
    SystemLocale = 00000809
    UserLocale = 00000809
    InputLocale = 0809:00000809

Hope this helps!

[Chunk]

I got the latest Deployment Tools from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en

and its not listed so I would guess its no longer supported.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where can I get the latest ref.chm, I can't seem to find it...

Has anyone else tried to use the ProgramFilesDir key in an SP2 install, i.e. can anyone confirm that this is not valid any more?

Why would MS change this after so long?!!

J.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Download the deployment tools (link above), and ref.chmn is in the .cab file. To clerifiy, I don't know if it still works or not, I only noted that I couldn't find it in the latest version of ref.chm.

Good luck,

Chunk

[Incroyable HULK]

You can have your Program Files folder on the D:\ drive as long as there is a D:\ partition already created and formated BEFORE you install Windows.

[jimbobmcgee]

You can have your Program Files folder on the D:\ drive as long as there is a D:\ partition already created and formated BEFORE you install Windows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a formatted D:\ and E:\. It looks like Chunk may be right; ProgramFilesDir seems to have disappeared into the ether. I can't find a reference to it anywhere on Microsoft's site. It must have been removed when they started producing SP2 disks.

I love the way Microsoft remove things without telling people; it's a bit like the Ministry of Information, isn't it?!

J.

[Incroyable HULK]

Not true,

My installation is based on Windows XP SP2 and I have

C:\Windows

D:\Program Files

E:\Documents and Settings

working perfectly

Edited September 9, 2005 by Incroyable HULK

[jimbobmcgee]

Not true,

My installation is based on Windows XP SP2 and I have

C:\Windows

D:\Program Files

E:\Documents and Settings

working perfectly

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's interesting. Has yours been done from a SP1 disk, with SP2 applied to it (because my old SP1 disk allows the same setup, without issue).

Alternatively, could it be because mine is an OEM disk, as opposed to a volume edition?

J.

[Yzöwl]

No the version of XP has no effect, you have made an error.

Start again with a new directory structure and fresh source files.

Also as I stated in my previous, ignored, post why rename Common Files to Common, when you are happy to leave all other directory names unchanged.

I also gave you correct information for your regional settings, to which I have also had no response.

Start again with a new directory structure and fresh source files.

[jimbobmcgee]

No the version of XP has no effect, you have made an error.

Start again with a new directory structure and fresh source files.

Also as I stated in my previous, ignored, post why rename Common Files to Common, when you are happy to leave all other directory names unchanged.

I also gave you correct information for your regional settings, to which I have also had no response.

Start again with a new directory structure and fresh source files.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have not ignored your post. I appreciate the regional settings and have integrated them into my WINNT.SIF file. I have tried to perform this (with a fresh source directory structure) three times now.

I'm sure I have made an error but I cannot spot it.

Thank you.