I am not using outdated info. I have been following this thread. I happen to administer a RIS server and all of it's images as well as all CD images. I have tested and tested and tested the techniques. I have built over 500 PCs using unattended installation methods. I don't mean to brag but I concider myself somewhat of a pro. I have been doing it for a year and a half. I have managed to accomplish almost anything that can be accomplished during unattended installs, and even things that Microsoft says is not possible on it's websites. You are wrong about the $OEM$ directory. Watch during the text mode setup. It will copy the files you have in your $OEM$ directory to the local PC.

Goodness, I'd hate to see if you DO mean to brag. I ask you to try one simple experiment: open a command window from your file that is called out of CMDLINES.TXT, and tell me where you are. Please. It is not to prove you wrong, it is to insure we are using correct info, that's all. As for your worries running hotfixes at this stage, slipstreaming the hotfixes themseves will eliminate that worry for you, and insure that when your users are requested to insert the XP CD, they will not overwrite your hotfixes. RyanVM? Any luck?

Slipstreaming hotfixes is too much administrative work. My method does not require you to do anything but drop the file in it's directory. It's safe, and it's been tested hundreds of times

Goodness, I'd hate to see if you DO mean to brag. I ask you to try one simple experiment: open a command window from your file that is called out of CMDLINES.TXT, and tell me where you are. Please. It is not to prove you wrong, it is to insure we are using correct info, that's all. As for your worries running hotfixes at this stage, slipstreaming the hotfixes themseves will eliminate that worry for you, and insure that when your users are requested to insert the XP CD, they will not overwrite your hotfixes. RyanVM? Any luck?

It's at the 18 minute mark. So close

And I am looking forward to a finalized slipstream script. I think that'll definitely be the way to go.

5 to go. I do have a script that does all the slipstreaming, hotfixes, etc, if you are really interested. I made it to use it, and I do, but don't post it because I would not look forward to "defending" it or any "mine's bigger than yours" contests.

erm.. you people are talking about slipstram hotfixes but what happens when SP2 comes out and you what the room back to slipstream that

SP2 isn't due out for almost a year (ok, so 9 months)...

The rollup package was due yesterday but had problems, probably won't be due out until next wednesday.

When you "slipstream" an SP it overwrites the necessary files. It does not really add any size to the CD/image

You should never slipstream a SP into an image that already has a SP or hotfixes in it.

erm...same problem as before

No pauses or anything!

Oh, and the only real reason I need to use commands.txt is because I have a bunch of registry entries that I want to be default for all users, and that's the only time to do it.

now thats where i believe you are wrong because i first build up a XP CD with hotfixes etc which as 650MB in size that had bits put on top of old bits etc like the hotfixes... and then i build a new one which had the same stuff program, hotfixes etc.. but there was almost 100MB in size different.

Oh, and the only real reason I need to use commands.txt is because I have a bunch of registry entries that I want to be default for all users, and that's the only time to do it.

you mean cmdlines.txt right? that's what it's supposed to be.

OMFG. Well, I guess I'm wearing the forum dunce cap for awhile...

ARGH!!! HOW COULD I BE SO FARKING STUPID?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!

I=lose.

How much you guys wanna bet it goes a bit better now? Sorry for wasting you guys' time like that...

...Back on track RyanVM that was the answer I was hoping for. Nothing wrong with the UPDATE.CMD, it has to be a combination of WINNT (OEM settings) where the files are placed <ROOT>\I386\$OEM$\ or <ROOT>\$OEM$\, or perhaps something so silly as UPDATE.CMD.txt, or saving in an incorrect format. Did you still see the "1 file copied"?

Well, it was something silly alright

Well, it runs now

Q817787 had errors, though (it looked like it was trying call something from Documents and Settings rather unsuccessfully). Oh well, I'll just put it in the guiupdate.bat file.

Thanks again for the help

And un4given1, I'm going to go through the files to verify that they are indeed the newest versions (I assume they will be).