Hi guys, im getting quite far with my cd now Just one niggle at the moment, namely this screen: http://www.fwibble.org/unattended.png

I can't get it to go away as it ask's me to create a user each time. I have tried the following:

ECHO Adding User "Dave"
net user Dave /add
net localgroup "administrators" Dave /add
net localgroup "users" Dave /delete
net user administrator /active:no
ECHO.

REGEDIT /S %systemdrive%\Install\user.reg

Thats in my main_batch.bat file

and I also have

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"DefaultUserName"="Dave"
"DefaultPassword"=""
"AutoAdminLogon"="1"

In user.reg file.

What I dont get is that the batch files are executed AFTER the Welcome to Windows screen so how does it work? When I ran the code above it gave errors saying the user already existed, well thats obvious as I had to make it to get past the screen..then the batch files ran?

As you might tell im just a little confused right now

Maybe you have a setting wrong in your winnt.sif file. Somewhere in your GuiUnattended section, you should have the OemSkipWelcome option turned to 1.

[GuiUnattended]
OemSkipWelcome=1

I have OemSkipWelcome in my winnt.sif, but the welcome window still pops up, and asks me if I want to activate the window xp...

any other way to avoid the the welcome window screen???

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=*
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=20
    OemSkipWelcome=1

For the time being i would be inclined to remove both of those other sections as they may be interfering with the [GuiUnattended] section.

This does work and you have correct settings in there, i think you need to find out why it dosn't work instead of trying to get around it with the other two sections.

I know this may sound strange but just check that you havent got any trailing spaces on the end of each line, especially the OemSkipWelcome=1 bit.

Also can you post your complete winnt.sif file.

Paul, thanks 4 ur help.

I think I figure what my problem is...

here is my winnt.sif:

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    Repartition=No
    OemPreinstall=Yes
?@UnattendSwitch="no"
  WaitForReboot="No"
  AutoActivate=No
  

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=*
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=20
    OemSkipWelcome=1

I think that I should change"UnattendSwitch="no" to "yes". check out the following informations:

UnattendSwitch="no"

Specifies whether Setup skips Windows Welcome or Mini-Setup when preinstalling Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional using the CD Boot method. IMPORTANT: If you choose Yes then the registry tweaks that are based on HKEY_CURRENT_USER and the Windows XP Powertoys will only apply for the default Administrator account. They will not exist when you create your own new user account afterwards. Choose No so you can enter a new username at the Windows Welcome screen so it logs you in with your own account before GuiRunOnce processes the batch to install your favourite applications, tweaks etc.

You know, all the time i was answering this and examining your posts that is the key i was thinking we were talking about, even when i typed in the other key i thought it was this one.........DOH

Anyway, glad you got it sorted.

Ahh, think i have it sorted now