Nakatomi2010 Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 (edited) Alright, so I do a complete install, and when it's done I awnt to reseal the system...Iv'e found that the WINNT.SIF file gets turned into the $WINNT$.INF file in the system32 directory which then becomes the Sysprep answer file is Sysprep is run and needs to be deleted to do what I want it to do....However, once I reseal the system and boot it up again I get prompted for the XP CD, and it wants two files which ARE on the system, I can point them to where the files are, but when a customers receives a system, they wont know that, so I want to know how I can tell the thing where the files are at... One of them is a font file, and the other is a .cls file... The other thing I get prompted for is the CD key, idealisticly I'd like it to not ask for that, how would I go about doing that?Edit: Just a quick side note, the reason I don't want to have to retype the CDKey each time is because basically I use a completely unatended install CD to instal the OS, then I'd probably have WPI copy information over, or a GUIRUNONCE command, or some such, which lets me update the virus scanner, spyware scanner and Windows, THEN reseal the system, since we build systems on a per request basis, so I figure since I do the sysprep on each individual system, having it not prompt for the CDkey wouldn't be critical because it's going to be configured for THAT system....Let me run some of this thought out loud....Let's say the sysprep.inf file becomes the unattend.txt, or WINNT.sif file... So that would mean that if I followed the commands of the WINNT.SIF, then I could integrate the CDKey into the answer file, so all I'd need then is a script which could be called by WPI where I can type in theproduct key, and it would edit the sysprep.inf file with the appropriate information, so that when I reseal the system, all the right information is input where it needs to be....So assuming that's possible, how would I do it? Edited December 12, 2005 by Nakatomi2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddebacker Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Hello,Have you ever tried to make an answer file for your SysPrep? You can do so by running the setupmgr.exe which is part of the deploy tools on the XP CD.I've never been prompted from the XP Cd nor the CD Key (which is in the SysPrep answer file I always create with setupmgr.exe).Look for an updated version of the MS Deploy tools there:http://support.microsoft.com/?id=838080 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 12, 2005 Author Share Posted December 12, 2005 Just did half a minute ago, and while it DID half a** solve the problem, it still asks me for the CD key.... Despite it being typed into the sysrep.inf...One thing that changed is it asking for the location of file, it found the specific .nls file it was looking for, but now had a s*** ton of problems trying to find a font, which made me have to redirect it to C:\windows\fonts.... Even if I copy the contents of that directory to \Sysprep\i386, it wont do it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddebacker Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I got the CDKey problem once... begun crazy about it when I saw that I had typed in the Windows 2003 CD Key instead of the XP one...Be sure to double check the key you type in (I guess you've done it alerady but just to be on the safe side...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 12, 2005 Author Share Posted December 12, 2005 (edited) I actually did 'Shift+F10', when it asked me for it, went to the directory it was in, typed 'notepad sysprep.inf', put it up on the screen, typed in what was written there into the boxes in the mini-setup, then verified itagainst the sticky, character per character match, and when I hit next it worked... It just didn't want to use the one in the file....The method I'm using to do this is a bit convoluted so I'll explain a bit....First I stick in my Multi-Boot DVD, which has Bashrat's driverpacks and RyanVM's update packs integrated. I boot from that CD which uses a WINNT.SIF file to perform the setup unattendedly. DURING the setup it asks for the CD key because I do not specify one in the WINNT.SIF file. At the end of the setup WPI is called, comes up and I select the software to install and install it, at the end of the software installs the system reboots and I update AVG, Ad-Aware, Microsoft Antispyware, and finally Windows itself, then reboot again. At THIS point I would like to run Sysprep to reseal the system so that the next time it's started the customer can read over the EULA, choose whether or not to register with Microsoft, as well as create their own user accounts, if they should so choose.However, the problems I run into is that there are files missing, which is a small issue I've learned how to resolve, and that it asks for the CD key, which I don't want it to.... So yeah.... I used the setupmgr.exe to create a sysprep that had the CDkey in it, but it still asked for it...It's XP Home OEM... Thoughts? Edited December 12, 2005 by Nakatomi2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takeshi Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Something isn't quite right here. The *.nls files are to do with language.Is your master image for sysprep corrupt or of a different language? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 (edited) Depends on your point of view... I deleted the LANG folder to make more space... Basically I'm using a slimmed XP, mixed in with open source software, and a ton of drivers....My technique essentially allows me to have a computer built for a customer within two hours of asking for one... An hour and a half if everything goes right....That's time to build (30 to 60 minutes), time to install (About 45 to 60 minutes) and time to update everything (5 to 10 minutes)....As a quick addendum to this thread... the Sysprep is still not accepting the key, despite it being letter for letter... What's up with that? When you buy a brand name computer they don't ask for the pruduct key.... I got the missing files problem solved, now I just need the Asking for a CD key problem solved... Edited December 13, 2005 by Nakatomi2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddebacker Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 When you say you want to run Sysprep, do you copy the required SysPrep files in the root of you systemdrive and put the sysprep.inf file there?Are you sure you do run sysprep with the reseal option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 (edited) Copied the entire SP2 Deployment kit just to be sure it's all there.... As well as whatever files it wanted while loading, and stuck those into the \Sysprep\i386\ directory, just like it wants...And I DO reseal the system.... And I've got the sysprep.inf file in the %Systemroot%\Sysprep\ directory...One additional piece of info is that it's running Windows XP Home Edition OEMHere's my Sysprep.inf:;SetupMgrTag[Unattended] OemSkipEula=Yes InstallFilesPath=C:\sysprep\i386[GuiUnattended] AdminPassword=* EncryptedAdminPassword=NO TimeZone=35[UserData] ProductKey=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx[SetupMgr] DistFolder=C:\sysprep\i386 DistShare=windist[Identification] JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP[Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=YesObviously the xxxxx's aren't what I'm using as a product key, but you gte the idea... Edited December 13, 2005 by Nakatomi2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddebacker Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Check this one:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;828287Microsoft does not support the use of Sysprep to create a new image of a system that was originally created by using a custom OEM installation image or by using OEM installation media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 Don't think that means it's impossible, just means they don't recommend it... I think.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddebacker Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Wouldn't bet on it I'm afraid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takeshi Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 the Sysprep is still not accepting the key, despite it being letter for letter... What's up with that? When you buy a brand name computer they don't ask for the pruduct key....I've said it all before in the forum about my DELL laptop with XP Pro OEM. The Product key in winnt.sif is used to install the OS, and it went through Sysprep. But the key is different from the one shown on the COA. In fact the installed key didn't go through WGA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakatomi2010 Posted December 14, 2005 Author Share Posted December 14, 2005 This key isn't different different though, is the same one that's on the COA.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now