Weird thing in Win XP Pro installation

[Twisted Maniac]

Hello, i'm installing windows xp pro with unattended setup;

but i have some errors during the 2nd stage of the setup, when setup copies some files to the HDD.

Setup prompts me that it can;t find some files on the cd and that i have to push enter to retry.

I have to push enter for like 5 times and then setup finds the file and continieus.

also, when windows boots up "for the 1st time" i get a bleu screen and the pc automatically reboots (the bleuscreen stays for 1 second and then a reboot) after that i never see the screen anymore....accept for a registry crash i have after my scripts :S

I install windows from the original cd and have the winnt.sif and my scripts on a floppy.

i'l show you folks my files and i hope you guys can help me!

winnt.sif

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition = 0
    MsDosInitiated ="0"
    UnattendedInstall = Yes
    LocalSourceOnCD = 1 

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode = FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula = Yes
    OemPreinstall = No
    TargetPath = \WINDOWS
    WaitForReboot = No
    UnattendSwitch=Yes 

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword = "masked"
    EncryptedAdminPassword = No
    OEMSkipRegional = 1
    OEMSkipWelcome = 1
    TimeZone = 110

[Display]
    BitsPerPel = 32
    Vrefresh = 75
    Xresolution = 1024
    Yresolution = 768

[UserData]
    ProductKey = masked
    FullName = "masked"
    OrgName = "masked"
    ComputerName = Workstation1

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup = WORKGROUP

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents = Yes

[RegionalSettings]
    LanguageGroup = 1
    SystemLocale = 00000409
    Userlocale = 00000413
    InputLocale = 0409:00000409

[Components]
    msmsgs = off
    msnexplr = off
    freecell = off
    hearts = off
    minesweeper = off
    pinball = off
    solitaire = off
    spider = off
    zonegames = off

[Shell]
    DefauLtStartPanelOff = Yes
    DefaultThemesOff = Yes

[GuiRunOnce]
    a:\script.bat

script.bat

@echo off
ECHO.
ECHO Removing useless shortcuts...
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Windows Update.lnk"
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Set Program Access and Defaults.lnk"
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Windows Catalog.lnk"
Echo Done.
Echo.
Echo Applying Users...
a:\CreateLocalUser.vbs
Echo Done.
ECHO.
ECHO Copying Standard Wallpaper...
copy a:\desktop-image.jpg %SystemRoot%\Web\Wallpaper\desktop.jpg
Echo Done.
ECHO.
Echo Applying Registry file...
regedit /s a:\logon.reg
Echo Done.

logon.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Disable Welcome Screen and uses Classic Logon
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"LogonType"=dword:00000000

;Disables Windows Tour bubble popup
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour]
"RunCount"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour]
"RunCount"=dword:00000000

;Disable ALL BalloonTips
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"EnableBalloonTips"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"FolderContentsInfoTip"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\tips]
"Show"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"StartButtonBalloonTip"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"ShowInfoTip"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSMBalloonTip"=dword:00000000

;set wallpaper
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General]
"BackupWallpaper"="c:\\windows\\web\\wallpaper\\desktop.jpg"
"Wallpaper"="c:\\windows\\web\\wallpaper\desktop.jpg"

CreateLocalUser.vbs

Option Explicit
' On Error Resume Next

Dim objComputer, objGroup, objUser, objWSHNetwork, strComputerName, strFullName, strPassword, strUserName

Set objWSHNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network")
strComputerName = objWSHNetwork.ComputerName
Set objComputer = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputerName)

' Create Service Account

	Set objGroup = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputerName & "/Administrators")

	strUserName = "masked"
	strFullName = "Administrator Service Account"
	strPassword = "masked"

	Set objUser = objComputer.Create("User", strUserName)
	objUser.SetPassword strPassword
	objUser.FullName = strFullName
	objUser.SetInfo
	objGroup.Add "WinNT://" & strComputerName & "/" & strUserName
	objUser.SetInfo

' Create Workstation User Account

	Set objGroup = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputerName & "/Users")

	strUserName = strComputername
	strFullName = "Default User Account:" & strComputerName

	if isNumeric(right(strComputername,2)) then

  strPassword = "masked" & right(strComputername,2)

	else

  strPassword = "masked" & right(strComputername,1)

	End if


	Set objUser = objComputer.Create("User", strUserName)
	objUser.SetPassword strPassword
	objUser.FullName = strFullName
	objUser.SetInfo
	objGroup.Add "WinNT://" & strComputerName & "/" & strUserName
	objUser.SetInfo

PLZ help me, i'm gettin sick and tired of those errors.

[webmedic]

try the way I have mentioned to do these things. I cant say for sure what you did but I have my setup working almost flawlessly and have been doing multpiple test setups a day for almost a month now. You know in all that testing that I have learned a few things. Mostly I learned the ways not to do things.

;SetupMgrTag

[Data]

AutoPartition = 0

MsDosInitiated ="0"

UnattendedInstall = Yes

LocalSourceOnCD = 1

what is the local source on cd for?

also use the login method i mentioned and get rid of that admin password

[GuiUnattended]

AdminPassword =*

EncryptedAdminPassword = No

OEMSkipRegional = 1

OEMSkipWelcome = 1

TimeZone = 110

oh one more thing you have default themes turned off this may be why you cant get a dektop.jpg set also.

I thought like you at first and started shutting all kinds of things turned off till i started getting issues. In the end I cut it out.

this

[GuiRunOnce]

a:\script.bat

should be this

[GuiRunOnce]

%systemdrive%\install\script.bat

and also the same for you vbscript unless you are loading them from a floppy.

[neophyte]

I don't think it would be your script.

I think it could possibly be an issue with RAM.

If you have more than one stick, try installing it with only one stick in it at a time (if it fails, just repeat the process until it works).

I've had a similar issue (and seen it many times as well), and it was caused by a faulty RAM stick.

[Twisted Maniac]

yes, i'm loading them from a floppy.....but could i let that script run in [unattended] to?..if yes, how can i let that run from floppy?

[webmedic]

well I'm not sure why you are loading it from a flopy and I guess it should work I was just curious. As for unatended it should work just fine even with a flopy it whould be easier though to jsut put it on the cdrom. One less thing to fail.

[Twisted Maniac]

yes, well...this is for a standardisation of installing workstations....and i sometimes have to change the computername in the sif file....so i can;t make such a cd

(my boss wants it automated AND i want to make it work like this cuz i know it;s possible )

how do you set in the [unattended] section that i want to execute script.bat from a floppy after installation before reboot?

i think that;s the final thing i'm lookin for.

and neo...

i'm gonna check out that memory suggestion of yours, i have 4 sticks of 64MB in it...just need to "perfect" my scripts

[webmedic]

ok that makes sence but I can't help you there. I have seen some instructions for booting from a flopy and using a bat file for unatended install with custom winnt.sif files but I have never used this method.

For the rest well I already know it works and I'm happy with my cooky cutter installs for my oem systems. I dont have to support a multy system network with this installer and so can use generic network setings instead of using domain authetication or any munber of other things. I wish you luck as I think most of the floppy stuff I have seen was actually for windows 2k and not xp wich seems ot do things just a little different.

[Twisted Maniac]

tnx for the help webmedic, still gotta findout if it'll work...

1 more question; what is the registry tweak/code to set (FOR ALL USERS) windows xp to the classic style,startmenu (and logoff button in startmenu), with my own desktop.jpg ?

and neo, changing the memory worked man! tnx! I removed the current dimms and replaced them with a 512MB dimm works gr8!

[neophyte]

No probs. Glad that sorted the issue.

Oh, and BTW, if you place Winnt.sif and Winnt.cmd (or .bat) into the i386 folder, the setup process will automatically load those (using Windows XP), and complete the setup process.

[webmedic]

well i'm not sure about hte classic thing but if you look at hte desktop pic you wull see it is set to local machine already which is for all users.

[Twisted Maniac]

i did it different this time...i made a classic theme with my prefered background, saved the theme and set it as default in my winnt.sif file

[Shell]
CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%systemroot%\Resources\Themes\custom.classic.Theme"

and in my script i added the line to copy the desktop.jpg and custom.classic.theme to the hdd.

how can i add the logoff button to the start menu for every user? i've seen the setting for a single user...now i was wondering how to do that for all users in the windows register... (this is my finishing touch...would be nice if it will work)

[webmedic]

how are you doing it for a single user. Show the goods so I can see. If it's a reg file it's pretty easy to make it multiuser.

[kpalser]

I'm not quite sure if it works, but you could put your winnt.sif on your floppy, copy it to e.g. c:\ by autoexec.bat and then start the installation by

cdrom:\i386\winnt.exe /s:cdrom:\i386 /u:c:\winnt.sif

[Twisted Maniac]

kpalser,

if u just put the winnt.sif file on a floppy and set your cd-rom drive to 1st bootdevice in the bios, windows xp will autostart and look @ the floppydrive for an answerfile or cmdline.txt if it finds one the setup will use it (got that from unattended.doc)

webmedic,

i use this: (copied it from the register when i set this for an admin, tested it by putting it into the HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT but that did not work nor in machine.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Hidden"=dword:00000001
"ShowCompColor"=dword:00000001
"HideFileExt"=dword:00000000
"DontPrettyPath"=dword:00000000
"ShowInfoTip"=dword:00000000
"HideIcons"=dword:00000000
"MapNetDrvBtn"=dword:00000000
"WebView"=dword:00000001
"Filter"=dword:00000000
"SuperHidden"=dword:00000001
"SeparateProcess"=dword:00000000
"ListviewAlphaSelect"=dword:00000000
"ListviewShadow"=dword:00000000
"ListviewWatermark"=dword:00000000
"TaskbarAnimations"=dword:00000000
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002
"StartButtonBalloonTip"=dword:00000002
"TaskbarSizeMove"=dword:00000001
"TaskbarGlomming"=dword:00000000
"StartMenuAdminTools"="NO"
"StartMenuFavorites"=dword:00000001
"StartMenuLogoff"=dword:00000001
"StartMenuRun"=dword:00000001
"StartMenuChange"=dword:00000001
"CascadeControlPanel"="NO"
"CascadeMyDocuments"="NO"
"CascadeMyPictures"="NO"
"CascadeNetworkConnections"="NO"
"CascadePrinters"="NO"
"StartMenuScrollPrograms"="YES"
"IntelliMenus"=dword:00000001
"NoNetCrawling"=dword:00000000
"FolderContentsInfoTip"=dword:00000000
"FriendlyTree"=dword:00000001
"WebViewBarricade"=dword:00000001
"DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000000
"ShowSuperHidden"=dword:00000001
"ClassicViewState"=dword:00000000
"PersistBrowsers"=dword:00000000

[webmedic]

ok when i was using that batch ot reg tweaks I used it like this.

;Stuff
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Hidden"=dword:00000001
"ShowCompColor"=dword:00000001
"HideFileExt"=dword:00000000
"DontPrettyPath"=dword:00000000
"ShowInfoTip"=dword:00000001
"HideIcons"=dword:00000000
"MapNetDrvBtn"=dword:00000000
"WebView"=dword:00000000
"Filter"=dword:00000000
"SuperHidden"=dword:00000001
"SeparateProcess"=dword:00000000
"ListviewAlphaSelect"=dword:00000000
"ListviewShadow"=dword:00000000
"ListviewWatermark"=dword:00000000
"TaskbarAnimations"=dword:00000000
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002
"Start_LargeMFUIcons"=dword:00000000
"Start_MinMFU"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowControlPanel"=dword:00000001
"Start_EnableDragDrop"=dword:00000001
"StartMenuFavorites"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowHelp"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowMyComputer"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowMyDocs"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowMyMusic"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowMyPics"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowPrinters"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowRun"=dword:00000001
"Start_ScrollPrograms"=dword:00000000
"Start_ShowSearch"=dword:00000001
"Start_ShowRecentDocs"=dword:00000000
"Start_AutoCascade"=dword:00000000
"Start_NotifyNewApps"=dword:00000000
"Start_AdminToolsRoot"=dword:00000000
"StartMenuAdminTools"=dword:00000000
"TaskbarSizeMove"=dword:00000001
"TaskbarGlomming"=dword:00000000
"NoNetCrawling"=dword:00000001
"FolderContentsInfoTip"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTree"=dword:00000000
"WebViewBarricade"=dword:00000001
"DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001
"ShowSuperHidden"=dword:00000001
"ClassicViewState"=dword:00000001
"PersistBrowsers"=dword:00000000
"CascadeNetworkConnections"="YES"
"StartButtonBalloonTip"=dword:00000002
"Start_ShowNetConn_ShouldShow"=dword:00000042

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General]
BackupWallpaper"="c:\\windows\\web\\wallpaper\\Sunset.jpg"
Wallpaper"="c:\\windows\\web\wallpaper\\The Beach.jpg"

ok Notice i use hkey_local_machine so they appl to all users. Hope this helps.