when i boot from my CD, it says line 1 of winnt.sif is invalid.

winnt.sif:

[Data]
    AutoPartition=0
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
    DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
    OemPnPDriversPath="drivers\nVidia44.03;drivers\Lan;drivers\eizo"
    UnattendMode=ProvideDefault
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    OemPreinstall=yes
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    WaitForReboot="No"
    AutoActivate=no

[GuiUnattended]
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=105
    OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
    ProductKey=private;)
    FullName=""
    OrgName=""
    ComputerName=winXP

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=MSHOME

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Components]
    msmsgs=off
    msnexplr=off

[Shell]
    DefaultStartPanelOff = Yes

[GuiRunOnce]
    $OEM$\$1\install\batch.bat

anything missing or wrong here ?

[GuiRunOnce]

%systemdrive%\install\main-setup.cmd

like that

should i just add

%systemdrive%\install\main-setup.cmd

and then it will work ?

howcome it says: line 1 of winnt.sif is invalid ?

I had that problem with line 93 but i can see that you have put $OEM$\$1\install\batch.bat just put

%systemdrive%\install\batch.bat as the $OEM$\$1\ is for windows to no which files to copy in setup

Line 1 is [Data].. hmmm. I don't know if its XP Setup being stupid, but I don't see anything wrong with that line. But try the following:

Add

;SetupMgrTag

before [Data]

Most of the winnt.sif files created out of Setup Manager includes that line. I know its a comment, but try adding it anyway. Also, do what Terminator3 said about replacing $OEM$\$1\install\batch.bat with %systemdrive%\install\batch.bat

I had the same problem when I tried the cd in virtual pc and used an iso-file.

when I replaced the winnt.sif within the iso-file it could not be read any longer.

I had to generate a new iso-image with the right winnt.sif and it worked again.