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exhausted newb question re: pre-activated unattended CD

freckles
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freckles

freckles

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OK! Finally posting after many, many hours of research :)

Thanks so much for this forum and all the info and helpful people here :thumbup

I'd like to create an unattended XP Pro SP2 CD. I've installed and looked through most of the nLite options. I've downloaded, but have not tried using VMWare Workstation 5.5 - yet. I've got a retail upgrade XP Pro SP1 CD that I had slipstreamed with SP2 like 2 years ago. The last time I installed Windows was about 9 months ago and it consisted of a fresh install of an HP OS CD with XP Home SP2 that I immediately upgraded with the previously mentioned Pro SP2 CD. For the last month or so, Windows has been giving my laptop lots of runtime and hung app errors - it's time for a fresh install anyway.

In particular, I read the thread about using files from existing installations to build a pre-activated CD and the MSFN Guide page about activating Windows. My computer's C:\WINDOWS\system32 directory has those OEM files, I guess from the original installation, and the WPA file. The Jellybean Key thing shows the retail key. Is it possible for me to build a pre-activated CD with my files?? Also, is it true that the WPA method no longer works with SP2 installs?

Since my Pro disc is retail, I don't mind using the WINNT.SIF method and even calling in if I have to. I just figured it would be pretty nifty if one of the pre-activation methods would work for me.

Looking forward to reading the replies and any other helpful advice for my first unattended CD...

:)

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ZaForD

ZaForD

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Hi freckles,

If you grab the Scripts on this thread it will give you the 4 files from the OEMBIOS set that you'll need to add to the i386 folder of your XP Pro SP2 disk, and a basic winnt.sif to start you off with your UA install. That should make the OS pre-activated.

The problem is your Pro disk being an upgrade. The install may stop and ask for an earlier version of Windows. I don't know of anyway round that, but then again I don't any upgrades, so i've never really looked. :)

Good luck.

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Bezalel

Bezalel

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Is your HP CD an installation CD or a recovery CD? The scripts that ZaForD linked to will not work in the current state of your PC. (Actaully they will work but will not produce the files you need.)

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ZaForD

ZaForD

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Ooop's, sorry freckles, :blushing:

@ Bezalel

Actaully they will work but will not produce the files you need
So the scripts collect the files from the upgrade version, not the OEM version.

Because it overwrites the files when you upgrade, is that right ?

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Bezalel

Bezalel

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Ooop's, sorry freckles, :blushing:

@ Bezalel

Actaully they will work but will not produce the files you need
So the scripts collect the files from the upgrade version, not the OEM version.

Because it overwrites the files when you upgrade, is that right ?

Yes. It will collect the files and key from the current installation (Pro Retail Upgrade).

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freckles

freckles

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Is your HP CD an installation CD or a recovery CD? The scripts that ZaForD linked to will not work in the current state of your PC. (Actaully they will work but will not produce the files you need.)

The HP disc says "Operating System CD" I would say that it's an installation CD since it's setup just like a normal Windows disc, i.e. with the I386 folder, instead of a big image file. It also says "For software reinstallation and repair only" There's a separate disc for drivers and programs.

But I guess regardless, you're saying that even though I can produce those files it won't work for pre-activating, right? How about the WPA method, will that even work?

Thanks for all the replies!!

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Bezalel

Bezalel

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From what you already posted it looks like you have a Pro SP2 Retail Uprage CD. You need to mak a few changes to turn this into a HP Pro SP2 OEM CD.

Replace all the OEMBIOS files in the I386 directory with the ones found on your HP CD.

Replace the last line of the setupp.ini file with the following

Pid=76487OEM

Use a CD-Key from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/oempreac.mspx

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Djé

Djé

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Replace the last line of the setupp.ini file with the following
Pid=76487OEM

Bezalel, do you have documentation about this? What means what, and what to replace? Is google my friend?

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ZaForD

ZaForD

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@ Djé

I believe it works like this:

76487 = type of Windows i.e. Pro, Home, or MCE

OEM = type of install i.e. OEM, Retail, or Corp.

I'm not sure what the changes are though, as I cheat by copying the 'setupp.ini' from the orignal as Bezalel said. :)

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freckles

freckles

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From what you already posted it looks like you have a Pro SP2 Retail Uprage CD. You need to mak a few changes to turn this into a HP Pro SP2 OEM CD.

Replace all the OEMBIOS files in the I386 directory with the ones found on your HP CD.

Replace the last line of the setupp.ini file with the following

Pid=76487OEM

Use a CD-Key from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/oempreac.mspx

Wow. I wasn't even sure that I had the option to use that method. That would really rock!

I guess that makes sense though... Yay! Now I can continue working on my nLite CD.

Thanks so much!

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freckles

freckles

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From what you already posted it looks like you have a Pro SP2 Retail Uprage CD. You need to mak a few changes to turn this into a HP Pro SP2 OEM CD.

Replace all the OEMBIOS files in the I386 directory with the ones found on your HP CD.

Replace the last line of the setupp.ini file with the following

Pid=76487OEM

Use a CD-Key from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/oempreac.mspx

Ugh. Unfortunately, that did not work. Not only did the OEM bypass not work, it did not activate after installation, also it had problems with the key during installation. Oh well. I will try it again with just all the retail stuff in there. Hopefully, activation will go through afterwards :no: .

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ZaForD

ZaForD

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@ freckles,

I made a UA disk following the tips Bezalel has posted here, and it works prefectly.

This is what i did:

1. Copied all the files from the XP Pro upgrade disk.

2. Added the four HP Home OEMBIOS files, overwriting the ones in the XP Pro upgrade /i386 folder.

3. Made a basic Winnt.sif, using the XP Pro number from the link, and added that to the /i386 folder.

4. Edited the Setupp.ini from XP Pro.

5. Made and burnt a bootable ISO.

As i said it installs and activates perfectly.

Try again but this make sure you use the four OEMBIOS file from the HP Home CD. :rolleyes:

also it had problems with the key during installation

Don't copy and paste the number from the web page into your winnt.sif, type it out.

Because the web page has 'spaces' in the number which mess up your winnt.sif. ;)

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T D

T D

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I believe we shouldn't be talking about setupp.ini. setupp.ini is a risky topic unless you want to get banned.

Lets keep it quiet ;)

Edited by T D
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Djé

Djé

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I believe we shouldn't be talking about setupp.ini. setupp.ini is a risky topic unless you want to get banned.

Lets keep it quiet ;)

Then, at least, it has to be explained WHY it is a risky topic. A link to documentation would be enough, tho.

Unless of course explaining a possible reason for geting banned is a good enough reason to get banned. Which AFAIK, is not.

I'm afraid that just stating things out of nowhere, if not of authority, doesn't make the wheel spin much further.

And explaining rules is the best way to not have to enforce them.

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