New to MSFN and need help with OEM unattended Install

[Andycabs]

Hi folks....Im new to posting on here but I have been reading alot of posts on here lately and thought I'd ask a question myself. ..I cant seem to find a straight answer to the problem Im having and I know alot of others are having it too...Heres the problem.. I am trying to create an unattended Installation CD From a Dell OEM Windows XP Home Disk.

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 Home computer. It came with a set of Setup CD's. The one CD is Red and says "Operating System Windows XP Home Edition"... Now im going to assume this is what is called an OEM Windows XP CD... I have slipstreamed it with SP2 and integrated all the hotfixes and burned a new CD. It works fine..installs correctly and needs No activation. But as soon as I start editing the WINNT.SIF file things go wrong. It installs fine....Installs my drivers, Wallpapers,Screen Savers..ect but it wont activate. I have tried averything I could find to make it work but it still wants me to call M$. I have tried the WINNT.SIF Method, The Backup Method and the OEMBIOS Method. It seems that the OEM Disk doesnt Use the WINNT.SIF file. There is one on the disk but it says that it is just a sample and when I replace it with a working file then Windows wont activate unless I call. Now this isnt something that I really NEED or anything. But Im one of those people who like to try to get things to work and this is driving me nuts.

I went to this site as someone sugguested but it doesnt give a key for XP Home http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/oempreac.mspx

I appreciate any help

Thanks,

Andy

[Ctrl-X]

What are the contents of the original WINNT.SIF on the OEM CD? It may say it's just a sample, but there might be something essential in there anyway.

[Andycabs]

This is all that is in the original WINNT.SIF

; Microsoft Windows Codename Whistler Personal, Professional, Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter

; © 1994 - 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

;

; Sample Unattended Setup Answer File

;

; This file contains information about how to automate the installation

; or upgrade of Windows Codename Whistler so the

; Setup program runs without requiring user input.

;

[userData]ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[Data]

MSDosInitiated=0

UnattendedInstall=Yes

I assume that the key that is is shown is fake. I have tried using it as well and it says key invalid. When I use the COA key I get the message that the key has been activated too many times. (yes im one of those people who like to reformat and re-install about once a month). I know I can call M$ and get them to activate Windows for me but I dont want to have to do that. Im hoping there is a way to preserve the Activation info and still use a winnt.sif file.

All im am really trying to do is get my install CD to install some drivers for My VIDEO,Sound and capture cards along with a couple of screen savers and backgrounds. If I can ever get this to work properly I may try moving up to adding some programs.

Something I forgot to add..There is an $OEM$ folder on the disk as well...It contains info for adding the Dell support links and icons to Windows along with MS Virtual Machine and Java. It does not hav $1 or $$ Folder in it. When I try adding the folders with the drivers and screen savers they wont install unless I modify the WINNT.SIF file. Which in turns leads me back to the activation problem

Edited October 5, 2006 by Andycabs

[severach]

>I cant seem to find a straight answer to the problem Im having and I know alot of others are having it too

The crooked answers come from Microsoft. At MSFN we have the straight ones. One straight answer is that you need to edit the key out. Microsoft is hostile against boards that post keys even if they are generic keys that are available to anyone with a Dell.

>But as soon as I start editing the WINNT.SIF file things go wrong.

After installation check the CRC32 of your hidden OEMBIOS.CAT file (see thread) and the the key via any keyfinder. The key should be the one you printed and the CRC32 should be 63875D1F or B6F0EEFD. If it is 2B9D18CF then you have changed something you shouldn't.

>it says that it is just a sample

It was a sample until Dell added the key and made it the Real Thing .

>when I replace it with a working file then Windows wont activate unless I call

Sounds to me like you took the key out. You must use that key to preactivate.

>I went to this site as someone sugguested but it doesnt give a key for XP Home

The keys at Microsoft are generic replacements for the one you already have. The one you have is the best one to use.

>I assume that the key that is is shown is fake.

The key isn't fake. It's the bulk license key issued to Royalty vendors Dell & Averatec that they use to preinstall all XP Home systems. You must use it too if you want to preactivate. Once you know how to build the disk your addons will not interfere with preactivation and you can install as often as you like.

>I have tried using it as well and it says key invalid.

It will be accepted by an XP Home OEM Single User License install. A system with that key can't be activated in any fashion without some more stuff.

>I know I can call M$ and get them to activate Windows for me but I dont want to have to do that. Im hoping there is a way to preserve the Activation info and still use a winnt.sif file.

That's an easy request. Start here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258

[Yzöwl]

Hi folks....Im new to posting on here but I have been reading alot of posts on here lately and thought I'd ask a question myself. ..

Here's a couple of things to bear in mind as a new poster!

1. Read the rules
   
2. Post your message in the correct forum area
   

[Andycabs]

Sorry folks..no need to jump down my throat here...

1. I thought I was in the correct place for posting about Windows XP

2. I X'd out the key but since it wont activate Windows from an OEM Disk on the computer that it came with I figured it was just a bogus key with random numbers that they used for an example.

As I said..the only time I have problems is when I direct the WINNT.SIF to thr $OEM$ Folder. Otherwise it preactivates fine. And somehow it does read the $OEM$ Folder because it will install the Dell stuff from the Cmdlines.txt

Here is the Original WINNT.SIF file

; Microsoft Windows Codename Whistler Personal, Professional, Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter

; © 1994 - 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

;

; Sample Unattended Setup Answer File

;

; This file contains information about how to automate the installation

; or upgrade of Windows Codename Whistler so the

; Setup program runs without requiring user input.

;

[userData]ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[Data]

MSDosInitiated=0

UnattendedInstall=Yes

Now I am trying to get it to install my drivers and such so I am adding a couple if lines

so I added the unattended section

; Microsoft Windows Codename Whistler Personal, Professional, Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter

; © 1994 - 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

;

; Sample Unattended Setup Answer File

;

; This file contains information about how to automate the installation

; or upgrade of Windows Codename Whistler so the

; Setup program runs without requiring user input.

;

[userData]ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[Data]

MSDosInitiated=0

UnattendedInstall=Yes

[unattended]

OemPreinstall=Yes

OemPnPDriversPath="Drivers\000_PCITV;Drivers\001_VIDEO;Drivers\002_AUDIO;Drivers\002_AUDIO\SMAXWDM;Drivers\002_AUDIO\SMAXWDM\SE;Drivers\002_AUDIO\SMAXWDM\W2K"

I have also added the Folders $1 and $$ to the $OEM$ Folder with my Dirvers and such

Now using my modified WINNT.SIF Windows will install my drivers and such but will no longer preactivate

Both WINNT.SIF files have the same key. All I did was add the Unattended section.

I have also tried using this Method http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258 on an already activated setup but it wont work either.

Just something I'll have to live with I guess

Edited October 5, 2006 by Andycabs

[severach]

>1. I thought I was in the correct place for posting about Windows XP

There's a separate forum for unattended installs. Keep an eye on it since a mod may move this thread over.

>Now using my modified WINNT.SIF Windows will install my drivers and such but will no longer preactivate

http://www.driverpacks.net/

They modify WINNT.SIF and other files without damaging preactivation so check it out to see how it's done. You might find that their solution is sufficient for your needs.

[Andycabs]

Thanks for your suggestions...I was finally able to get it to work. I started from scratch with the original CD with no Service packs....Integrated SP2 and all the hotfixes and then I maunually made my WINNT.SIF file. It adds all my drivers and so on and it preactivates. I was able to do the Windows updates with no probs so Im hoping thats all there is to it and no bugs later down the road. Now that I got it figured out i'll probably never use it considering I generally restore with a Snapshot Image and it takes about 10 minutes but atleast im happy

Take care folks