Undocumented Winnt.sif

[os2fan2]

I set Windows XP sp2 up from Windows 2000, to install in drive f:

It created the usual C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT, and F:\$WIN_NT$.~LS, and then proceeded to install the files and run HIVE*.INF. At which point it failed. I backed these directories up to a ghost image, so i could modify my HIVEFIX.INF.

In the process, I discovered it created a WINNT.SIF, with some undocumented section in it:

; WINNT.SIF
[data]
EulaComplete="1"
; what this does, i don't know.  LNL no longer exists here.
uniqueid="J:\WINNT\LNL"
; J:\winnt = directory where win2k lives.

[Networking]
; created by running setupmgr.exe
; you can still connect to another network, eg JoinWorkGroup=Eildon still works.
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[OobeProxy]
; created from running setup.sif Windows 2000
Enable=1
Flags=9
Autodiscovery_Flag=0

You still get five of the screens when OOBE runs, but not all of these.

[os2fan2]

The directive "InstallDefaultComponents=Yes" was documented in the deploy.cab that comes with the W2K reskit update 1, largely with the effect the same as clicking "default settings" in the setup.

Still, the unattended.doc in the W2KSP4 deploy.cab, nor any of the ref.chm in WinXP/2k3 mention it.