"Setup Is Starting Windows..."

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 15, 2005

My UAXPCD as of today had no issues with Installation at all. I used it to Install XP in My Desktop PC for numerous installations without any problem. The same I386 folder, with just edited svcpack.inf from time to time, is used in my office environment, and there again it did nothing adverse. But, today I ventured into a Compaq Pressario 2200 Laptop belonging to one of my colleague, and the installation could not proceed beyond a few steps. I just narrate what chronologically happened in Pressario:

1. Press any key to boot from CD ====> Pressed.

2. Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration.

3. Windows Setup > Press F6 > Press F2

4. Setup is Loading Files (Windows Executive) > > > ..> Windows NT File System..

5. Setup Is Starting Windows....

My Harddisk light blinked for a few times, then CD-ROM reading lens blinked for a few seconds.

I waited for 30 minutes but no examination of Harddisk and partitions took place. That's all about my Unattended venture into Laptop.

Some other interesting observations that I carried out thereafter are as follows:

A. The same CD if used anywhere except the said Laptop gives no trouble at all. Setup is Starting Windows and It really takes off and completes smoothly.

B. If, instead of My UAXPCD, I use Vanilla XP+SP2 Slipstreamed CD for the Installation in Preassario 2200, Setup never hangs when it's starting windows. HDD is examined and Partitions displayed without any hitch.

I'm totally confused. Which one is Faulty? Either Laptop HDD or my UAXPCD? If you read carefully, i can't put anyone of them at fault, honestly. Why such things happen? Does anybody have similar issues faced anytime? Can anybody come out with some advice.

I eagerly wait.....

**Gee** · September 16, 2005

Well, it sounds like you have something in your Winnt.sif that the notebook doesn't like. Thus causing it to hang before the GUI loads.

Sorry, but I would put the blame on your Unattended CD. Especially since a regular CD with SP2 loads without a "Hitch"

**Martin Zugec** · September 16, 2005

Are you using CD or network installation? This was common problem with emm386... Just run the installation and give it some time (maximum timeout I saw was 2 hours)

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 16, 2005

@ Martin et. al.

I'm using CD-based install. Probably, I've sorted out the source of problem. My UAXPCD is specifically built for Desktop, as my WINNT.SIF contains this line:

[unattended]

ComputerType = "ACPI Uniprocessor PC", Retail

Now, as i understand when setup detected hardware configuration, it expected either the following line in [unattended] section

ComputerType = "Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC"

or no mention of ComputerType at all, there.

I think for Laptop, this the HAL that's detected by setup and recognized as such.

Am i wrong here? or there're some other issues doing this dirty trick?

I expect some insightfull comments here by my erudite forum mates.

**rikgale** · September 16, 2005

Do you use BTS driver packs????

If so try without the MassStorage pack, I had a similar problem on my test bed and was curred by removing the afore mentioned pack!

I hope that this cures you

Rik

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 16, 2005

@ rikgale,

Nope, I use traditional method of keeping a Driver folder inside $1. Sometimes, I use Drivers.EXE, an sfx archive and extract it from DetachedProgram.

What I ask you is that such setting of ComputerType is not the source of trouble?

As you use Laptop, I think you'll be able to say your ComputerType by just looking at Device Manager.

Waiting for your kind response....

**Martin Zugec** · September 16, 2005

And if you remove that entry?

BTW it is classical mistake during deployment, I spoke about it yesterday at presentation Include only necessary settings, dont define settings that you dont need to..

**rikgale** · September 16, 2005

Ok MOON, you got me stumpped. Over to the experts...............

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 16, 2005

2 Martin,

Yeah, If I remove that entry, I think surely, setup will decide the HAL type on its own. Omission has no effect as such information is not left by Microsoft at the mercy of User's choice. Microsoft always thinks that their beloved OS is going to be used by rich, deep-pocketed, wealthy n00bs. And, asking ComputerType to input, is a very difficult question for them. So, Instead of asking them, MS made Setup intelligent enough to identify HAL on its own. While I'm no n00b, yet am a perfect id*** to casually include such parameter inside WINNT.SIF.

I wish i could have attended your presentation, not yesterday, before burning the CD, which is at least 10 months back.

BTW, why don't you maintain such interesting experiences upon which you base your presentations in your blog at least. There you totally ignore Deployment these days. If you restrain us from being enlighted with your sweet-and-sour-experiences in the company of sysprep and winnt.sif, etc. then we'll be robbed off the chance to share and learn a "good samaritan's" experiences. This is as good as paying attention to someone's scream for script ( may be another id***, or the same one?)

**Martin Zugec** · September 16, 2005

BTW I changed blog address to http://msmvps.com/martinzugec...

I promise next entry will be about common mistakes during deployment phase

**Martin Zugec** · September 17, 2005

Added post about common problems during deployment projects Check my blog

Martin

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 17, 2005

Martin,

I checked your latest blog. Deployment advices shared by you are just gems. It always keeps my head in place. BTW, just one more request. Can you please post a bare minimum WINNT.SIF, irrespective of any pre-determined deployment situations, which in the way, always spares USER intervention throughout the whole setup. Thereby, I'll be really informed about how many unnecessary entries I'm actually using in my WINNT.SIF. While forum members are running well ahead of time and space, Forum UA Guide is lagging behind enormously.

Hope, you understand my concern. Thanks..

**Gee** · September 18, 2005

Here is my winnt.sif, it is fully unattended. I have removed useless things, like MSN Messenger, MSN Explorer and Outlook Express

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition=1
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"
    AutomaticUpdates=yes

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    OemPreinstall=Yes
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    Repartition=Yes

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=***************************
    EncryptedAdminPassword=Yes
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=35
    OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
    ProductKey=*****************************
    FullName="Your Name Here"
    OrgName="Your Company Here"
    ComputerName=*

[TapiLocation]
    CountryCode=107
    Dialing=Tone
    AreaCode=555
    LongDistanceAccess="*67,"

[RegionalSettings]
    LanguageGroup=1
    SystemLocale=00001009
    UserLocale=00001009
    InputLocale=1009:00000409

[FavoritesEx]
    Title1=".url"
    URL1="http://www."
    Title2=".url"
    URL2="http://www."

[Branding]
    BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes

[URL]
    Home_Page=http://www.
    Help_Page=http://www.
    Search_Page=http://www.google.com

[Proxy]
    Proxy_Enable=0
    Use_Same_Proxy=1

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=Workgroup

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Components]
    msmsgs=off
    msnexplr=off
    AccessOpt = Off
    Deskpaper = Off
    Fax = On
    Media_clips = Off
    OEAccess = Off
    WMAccess = Off

[Shell]
    DefaultStartPanelOff = Yes

[TerminalServices]
    AllowConnections = 1

[WindowsFirewall]
    Profiles = WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall

[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall]
    Mode = 0

[IEPopupBlocker]
    AllowedSites=www.google.com

Edited September 18, 2005 by Gee

**MOONLIGHT SONATA** · September 18, 2005

@Gee,

Thanks for the WINNT.SIF posted by you. It's already devoid of a lot of unnecessary entries. But, probably, i couldn't make you understand my idea of "Unnecessary" entries. Again i try: By unnecessary entries i mean those entries for which setup can take decision on its own. In other words, those entries for which, irrespective of Deployment environment, Setup will never throw any query at you. In your posted WINNT.SIF, I enquire, if the following sections are really deleted, does Setup has any problem doing its job Unattended?

***********************************************

[FavoritesEx]

Title1=".url"

URL1="http://www."

Title2=".url"

URL2="http://www."

Home_Page=http://www.

Help_Page=http://www.

Search_Page=http://www.google.com

[iEPopupBlocker]

AllowedSites=www.google.com

******************************************