VMWare & XP install - infinite loop

[fooboo]

goes through all the copy process (after that long wait too). once all copy is complete, it deletes all files it had copied and starts copying for ever.

this is on VMWare 5.0 running on XP Pro.

however, I have tried to stop it (VMWare) and start again manually (after all copy is complete), and it seems to proceed fine. however, with unattend this is an infinite loop?

anyone seen this behavior?

thanks

fooboo

[InTheWayBoy]

Sounds like you might not be using the right boot loader...

When you make a CD, you include a boot loader. This is usually the file that throws up that "Press Any Key To Boot From CD..." message. So you hit the key to start setup...and after the file copy is done the computer reboots. Now after the first reboot if you hit a key you will start the setup process...resulting in something like you are explaining.

So it sounds like you don't even get the the message, meaning the loader isn't working properly...or may not be there at all. So when you get done with your first boot, instead of rebooting into the GUI mode it's automatically rebooting into the text setup because there is no chance to NOT boot from the CD. Sounds like a headache, but it's not that hard.

You could rip the boot loader from the original CD, or you can download it. I usually use the one that comes with nliteos.

If that's not the case, then I don't know what to tell ya...good luck!

[fooboo]

Thanks, but I am installing from the network, after booting

in DOS mode, via a shared network drive.

I do a 'winnt /s:<> /u:<>' in 16 bit mode.

After the DOS copy completes, instead of booting into

graphical install, it deletes all the files from c:\$WINNT$.LN$

or something like that, and starts it all over again.

Does this ring a bell to anyone?

thx

fooboo

[Takeshi]

Did you include the /t:c at the end?

[fooboo]

no, i did not.

however, i tried with it, but the results are the same.

any other ideas?

thx

fooboo

[Takeshi]

Sounds like this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;282296

[fooboo]

hi,

thanks for looking...

i tried it with oemskipeula=no and it still does the same.

here is my unattend.txt

[Data]

AutoPartition=1

MsDosInitiated="0"

UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[unattended]

UnattendMode=FullUnattended

OemSkipEula=No

OemPreinstall=No

TargetPath=\WINDOWS

[GuiUnattended]

AdminPassword=*

EncryptedAdminPassword=NO

OEMSkipRegional=1

TimeZone=85

OemSkipWelcome=1

[userData]

ProductKey=12345-12345-12345-12345-12345

FullName="a"

OrgName="v"

ComputerName=*

[identification]

JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[Networking]

InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

see anything suspicious?

thanks

fooboo