Anyone had experience delpoying XP PRO via RIS?

[homeskillet]

Hey all. I'm curious if anyone has had the same problem as I that is described in MSKB Article 327536. The only differences I have (as opposed to the article) is that my Domain Controller IS also my RIS server and I have SP4 loaded onto it. The article says the hotfix I would need to fix the freeze problem was (then) to be included in SP4, which I have installed. The article says to apply it to all DC's BUT the RIS server, but mine is both. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Homeskillet

[un4given1]

I have had the same problem. I have not found a workaround for it unfortunately. I will be upgrading to Windows Server 2003 in about a week and I hope that this addresses the issue. I have a method I use that I would be more than willing to share with you if you are interested.

Just to clarify, you get this error after text mode setup restarts the computer, right? It's a stop error BSOD?

[homeskillet]

Un4given1,

For your clarification, yes! It is after text mode restarts the computer. I have 2 different model PC's I am testing this on here at home (along with a W2K Adv. Server with SP4), but I'm not getting a BSOD, just black screens! And, if I manually reboot the computer(s), the message "Setup is restarting" appears (or something similar) and then the computer(s) lock up again!

I have been successful in deploying a XP Pro flat image WITHOUT SP1a, and then having SP1a installed via a batch file called upon by my GuiRunOnce section in my risthdrd.sif, but I figure since MS was nice enough to let us slipstream a Service Pack, It's one less thing I have to script AFTER the OS load.

I would be very interested to see what workarounds you have. I realize I may need to check out Server 2003, or wait until SP2 and pray...

Thanks again,

Homeskillet

[un4given1]

You could also try pushing SP1 using cmdlines.txt and then use the GuiRunOnce to run a batch script for all of your hotfixes.

[homeskillet]

Well that's the kicker. I'd rather not have to push SP1a AFTER the flat image is loaded, but if that's what you're doing, then I will have to continue that way. I'm curious to see what happens with 2003 server. Do you have any other methods you're using?

[un4given1]

I will actually take a second to explain the method I use for hotfixes. Everyone has their own methods. There are a lot of people here who like to slipstream them into the images they create for CDs, but since you use RIS you have the ability to add files and not have to reburn a CD. This method may work well for you.

Here's what I do.

In the $OEM$ directory under $1 I created a directory called HOTFIXES

In $OEM$\$1 i created a file called hotfixes.cmd

here's the contents of the file.

@echo off
TITLE Hotfix Installation Script - by Donald Freeman
echo Collecting list of current hotfixes...
echo @echo off>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
echo echo Please wait while current hotfixes are being installed. This may take awhile!!!>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
dir c:\hotfixes\ie\1 /b>>c:\hotfixes\ie1.txt
dir c:\hotfixes\win\1 /b>>c:\hotfixes\win1.txt
dir c:\hotfixes\win\2 /b>>c:\hotfixes\win2.txt
for /f %%h IN (c:\hotfixes\ie1.txt) Do @echo c:\hotfixes\ie\1\%%h /q /r:n>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
for /f %%i IN (c:\hotfixes\win1.txt) Do @echo c:\hotfixes\win\1\%%i -u -n -z>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
for /f %%j IN (c:\hotfixes\win2.txt) Do @echo c:\hotfixes\win\2\%%j /q /r:n>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
ECHO c:\hotfixes\win\custom.bat>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
echo c:\hotfixes\qchain.exe>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
echo echo - Completed>>c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
echo - Completed
echo.
CALL c:\RIShotfixinst.bat
del /s /q c:\RIS*.bat
del /s /q c:\hotfixes.bat
:end

under the $OEM$\$1\HOTFIXES directory I created a couple directories

$OEM$\$1\HOTFIXES\WIN\1

$OEM$\$1\HOTFIXES\WIN\2

$OEM$\$1\HOTFIXES\IE\1

There are two different types of windows hotfixes and 1 type of IE hotfixes.

IE\1 uses /q /r:n

WIN\1 uses -u -n -z

WIN\2 uses /q /r:n

All you have to do at this point is drop the needed hotfixes into the directories and every time you build a PC you will get all of the hotfixes. When you need to add a hotfix just drop it into the correct directory. There you go! You need only add the launch for the CMD file in your GuiRunOnce

Keep in mind that you can not install SP1 and all of the hotfixes at the same time. You will have to reboot after installing SP1. That is why you should install it from cmdlines.txt

Let me know what you think!

[un4given1]

oops... forgot to mention you need to place qchain.exe in the HOTFIXES dir.

[homeskillet]

Ok, so basically, I can't copy the XP i386 files into a directory, slipstream SP1a into it, instruct RIS to build a new image off of those files, and expect that when I dump the image down to a PC that XP's setup will work at all?

Kinda defeats the purpose of RIS, doesn't it?

So I HAVE to add SP1a AFTER the image is loaded on the PC and has booted once?

I'm not concerned about adding Hotfixes right at the moment, I just want to see (when RIS is done loading a PC) a copy of XP Pro WITH SP1a already installed on it.

But I will say, thanks for the tip about the Hotfixes not being able to be loaded along with the Servce Pack without a reboot. I was jamming them all together to get loaded immediately after the first reboot in XP and I'll be changing that in my batch files right now! I will also see about incorporating your scheme to do it.

Homeskillet

[homeskillet]

If I can get this to work, I will investigate qchain.exe immediately!

Heard of it, haven't worked with it....

[un4given1]

Ok, so basically, I can't copy the XP i386 files into a directory, slipstream SP1a into it, instruct RIS to build a new image off of those files, and expect that when I dump the image down to a PC that XP's setup will work at all?

no. install XP using the base image, but add SP1 to the cmdlines.txt file so that it installs during GUI mode setup. Add the hotfix script to the GuiRunOnce in the SIF file to launch upon first login. You should have the PC autologin once so that this completes. You should also add a script to restart the PC after the files are installed. Make sense?

Qchain is a must when installing multiple hotfixes. It compares files versions/dates and keeps the system from using an old file when a new one was installed.

[homeskillet]

And the light, slowly, comes on...

I didn't realize that you could install programs during the GUI portion of setup. Didn't investigate cmdlines.txt enough....!

Now it makes sense. It does stink that slipstreaming won't work, but I can wait until SP2 I suppose...

Thanks very much for your help. I will be reconfiguring things right now and will post the results.

Homeskillet

[un4given1]

yeah... just place a file in your $OEM$ directory called cmdlines.txt

Create a directory in the $OEM$ directory called SP1

place the SP1 file in there

Place this inside the cmdlines.txt file

[commands]"SP1\xpsp1_en_x86.exe -u -z"

You can add anything you would like here, just make sure to use "" around it. You can not double quote items so if you have an item that has to already be launched with quotes in it then you will need to create a batch file to launch that and call the batch file.

[homeskillet]

Setup the changes you suggested and they worked on both PC's. Now got some new ideas for cmdlines.txt. I greatly appreciate your help un4given1. Thanks alot!

Homeskillet