After waiting 39 minutes for xp to finish installing on VMware, i get to these errors:

"Cannot find C:\install\main_batch.cmd"

"Cannot find C:\install\hotfixes.cmd"

"Cannot find C:\install\applications.cmd"

Inside my winnt.sif (which is placed in the I386 folder), the relevent section looks like this:

[GuiRunOnce]
%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\main_batch.cmd
%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\hotfixes.cmd
%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\applications.cmd

Inside my "TEST.ISO", the structure is as follows:

WXPFPP_EN
   -$OEM$
     |
      --$1
           |
            --$DRIVERS
            --$INSTALL
                |
                 --APPLICATIONS
                 --HOTFIXES
                 --TOOLS
                 --main_batch.cmd
                 --hotfixes.cmd
                 --applications.cmd

The finished installation in VMware shows:

MY COMPUTER
  |
  ---Local Disk (C:)
        |
         --$DRIVERS
         --$INSTALL
              |
              --main_batch.cmd
              --hotfixes.cmd
              --applications.cmd
          --HOTFIXES
          --TOOLS

I noticed there is no $OEM$ or $1 folder on my local disk (C drive) on my vmware emualtion, perhaps there isnt supposed to be .........Im confused as to why windows cant see the path to my *.cmd files.

Any ideas?

There isnt supposed to be a dollar sign infront of the INSTALL directory

Or the DRIVERS directory for that matter.

Also, check if you have OEMPreInstall=Yes listed in winnt.sif

hm did you read the guide it does not say to do it at all like that..

http://www.MSFN.org/unattended/xp/index.htm

There isnt supposed to be a dollar sign infront of the INSTALL directory

Or the DRIVERS directory for that matter.

From the guide: http://www.MSFN.org/unattended/xp/gettingstarted.htm

..........you want to install extras such as the drivers, applications, hotfixes and such, then create the following directories in the XPCD folder:

C:\XPCD\$OEM$\$1\install\

C:\XPCD\$OEM$\$1\drivers\

So, that is what I did.

I do have OEMPreinstall=YES.

[GuiRunOnce]

%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\main_batch.cmd

%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\hotfixes.cmd

%systemdrive%\$OEM$\$1\$INSTALL\applications.cmd

should be

[GuiRunOnce]

%systemdrive%\install\main_batch.cmd

%systemdrive%\install\hotfixes.cmd

%systemdrive%\install\applications.cmd