[Solved] Multi boot DVD - svcpack.inf doesn't execute files

[andregcasal]

Hi there!

I have a multi boot DVD with several boot folders for each OS. The thing is that svcpakc.inf doesn't seem to launch any of its files...

My original svcpack.inf:

[setupData]CatalogSubDir="i386"

[setupHotfixesToRun]

CMD\RunOnce.cmd

CMD\CleanUp.cmd

My fixed svcpack.inf:

[setupData]CatalogSubDir="\i386"

[setupHotfixesToRun]

CMD\RunOnce.cmd

CMD\CleanUp.cmd

See the diference? That little "\" in CatalogSubDir="\i386" made all the diference. If anyone has this problem here's the solution. This bugged me for quite a long time...

But now is solved!

Cya

Edited May 21, 2006 by andregcasal

[slatz]

I may be wrong but you can't run a cleanup cmd until everything is installed, the way I see this is that the cleanup cmd is deleting all your installation apps before they are installed. But like I said I could be wrong as I am not an expert in the field. Also your winnt.sif file has to say YES to the OEM Preinstall question. Hope that helps, maybe someone with more experience will hav a better answer.

[andregcasal]

First of all, thank you for your answer slatz!

What you say is right for some installations, but not this one, because the only function of CleanUp.cmd is to apply Registry Tweaks and delete some files that exist inside %SystemRoot%. Besides the installation SFX's are inside the DVD, thus not able to be deleted

I'll explain the working way of my DVD a little bit more:

T-40 - txtsetup.sif copys Tweaks.reg to %SystemRoot%

Tweaks.reg is cabbed into TWEAKS.RE_

T-39 - Winnt.sif's DetachedProgram creates a tag file named "SOFTWARE.TAG" in %SystemDrive%.

Every boot folder has it's own winnt.sif. If i want to unattendedly install software I call the correspondent boot folder with the DetachedProgram feature in the winnt.sif file, so it creates the ta file (SOFTWARE.TAG). If I don't want to unattendedly install software I call another boot folder that doesn't have the DetachedProgram featura in winnt.sif.

T-13 - Svcpack.inf installs obligatory software and launches RunOnce.cmd & CleanUp.cmd

Svcpack.inf launches SFX's that just add/overwrite themes, cursors and user account pictures (UAP.exe) and installs XPize v4.3. Then launches RunOnce.cmd & CleanUp.cmd

[setupData]CatalogSubDir="i386"

[setupHotfixesToRun]

Software\Themes.exe

Software\Cursors.exe

Software\UAP.exe

Software\XPize43.exe

CMD\RunOnce.cmd

CMD\CleanUp.cmd

1 - RunOnce.cmd calls the Install.cmd (which is inside the DVD at %CDROM%\Software\ and is the same for every OS).

2 - CleanUp.cmd & Install.cmd are launched at the same time.

3 - Install.cmd checks for the tag file SOFTWARE.TAG as if exists installs the extra software it was mean to install. Then deletes some unnecessary files generated by the installations.

4 - CleanUp.cmd copys the CD Source files to %SystemRoot%\Source\, applys Tweaks.reg and finally deletes some unnecessary files inside %SystemRoot%, like BMP's.

As you can see, aplications are installed from the DVD, not copied to the HD, thus not needing the OEMPreInstall=Yes.

EDIT: Updated the 1st post so people can understand my problem more easily.

André Casal

Edited May 20, 2006 by andregcasal

[T D]

I'm not sure but I don't think you can have extra folders in i386\svcpack, and be able to execute from them.

You can have RunOnceEx that installs from a CD here

Edited May 21, 2006 by T D

[andregcasal]

Hi T D!

Thanks for your answer but i don't want to use the $OEM$ folders. I just love my configuration, it's extremly easy to maintain or update plus gives me some more cool features applyable to multi boot CD/DVDs.

Anyone knows what is needed for svcpack.inf to execute files? Please...

[T D]

Read carefully, RunOnceEx from CD is the link-to in my above post.

Regards

[andregcasal]

Hi T D

I've read your post carefully in the first time. And my answer to your post remain the same. Thanks for your answer but i don't want to use the $OEM$ folders. RunOnceEX requires $OEM$ to work and I don't want to use them, plus my real problem was getting svcpack.inf to execute files, which i finally could manage to solve.

I had this code inside my old svcpack.inf:

[setupData]CatalogSubDir="i386"

[setupHotfixesToRun]

CMD\RunOnce.cmd

I kept trying to solve my problem my trial and error and discovered that what i needed was this:

[setupData]CatalogSubDir="\i386"

[setupHotfixesToRun]

CMD\RunOnce.cmd

So, my problem is solved. Thanks everyone!

[T D]

Nothing in the $OEM$ folders in my above post gets copied, that's just the location that windows executes the cmdlines.txt and runonceex.cmd

One backward slash made all the difference, who would have known?

[andregcasal]

Hi T D!

Afaik cmdlines.txt only executes if OEMPreInstall=Yes (in the winnt.sif). I don't want to use $OEM$ folders because in a multi boot DVD they apply only to that OS. I'm trying to make a multi boot DVD where you can install files to all OSs, using the same source. Installing software directly from the CD/DVD. That's why i don't want to use OEM folders

[T D]

I dunno why, but I have a multiboot DVD and I've set 2k, 2k3 Server and XP to share the $OEM$ folder and it works for me...

This may need to be explored further.

You don't need to use cmdlines.txt. You could just put the batch in i386\svcpack and mod the svcpack.inf. Not sure if the RunOnceEx would execute on first user logon, you may need to add

rundll32.exe iernonce.dll,RunOnceExProcess

to the end of your batch.