Corp vs Volume vs non-volume Versions?

[nizzehult]

This is and interesting issue! I have the same problem as Thinkster, I have a bounch of IBM laptops with preinstalled OS and want to rewrite the unattended setup for my own purposes, and another goal is to make the OEM-sticker licence key usable (for a reinstall etc).

I have been able to interupt a scripted install wihch is done by IBM/Lenovos own deployment tool: Image Ultra Builder. In this aborted install I can find all those files mentioned here, now I just need help to know exactly which files to copy and to where.

Thise is how my SETUPP.INI looks:

[Pid]

ExtraData=786F687170637175716954806365EF

Pid=76464OEM

These files were found in the ...$OEM$\$$\SYSTEm32 directory

2001-08-23 07:26 13 107 200 OEMBIOS.BIN

2001-08-23 07:24 4 524 OEMBIOS.DAT

2001-08-23 07:24 6 788 OEMBIOS.SIG

These files were found in the \i386 directory:

2001-08-23 07:24 3 770 OEMBIOS.SI_

2001-08-23 07:24 4 624 OEMBIOS.DA_

2001-08-23 07:26 13 113 771 OEMBIOS.BI_

2001-09-05 00:54 4 066 OEMBIOS.CA_

The link to the OEMBIOS Repository posted by Bezalael was interesting, but useless(?) without the right Pid and ExtraData, huh?

Since I can't find an extracted OEMBIOS.CAT can I just extract and use the one found in the i386 directory?

I've read this thread as well:

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

but since I'm using Image Ultra Builder (from a repository) for the deployment I use UNATTENDED.TXT in stead of WINNT.SIF. I hope this will work.

I have been able to read the OEM-key that is used from factory and will use it for my deployment.

I have no access to an OEM CD and all HD's have been reinstalled with a VLK but with Image Ultra I can restore the machines to it's factory status.

Now, what's next? If I copy all 3 (or 4) OEM-files to my i386 directory and chance the Pid in my SETUPP.INI, will that be enough? Every deployment test take 3-4 hours to complete so please spare me some time...

[billium]

When I recreated images with a newly acquire volume license key, it would not take the new key in sysprep. So I simply repaired the OS with the VL disk, leave current file system intact, and used the VL key with no probs. ~bill