Trouble with network drivers on unattend installation (XP PRO SP2)

[dunkie12]

Hey guys,

I'm using the unattend build as an SOE Builder to save time when making an SOE image for new PC's. I've been having a very large amount of problems with network drivers for any machine built with the SOE builder. If the OS installs the network driver itself, it won't initialise the card properly and the connection becomes unstable. When I attempt to remove the driver, windows prompts that it could not load the device driver, and that it may be required to start the computer.

Any attempt to load a new device driver results in windows giving the error that it could not load driver files for that device.

Removing drivers using safe mode produces similar error messages also.

A copy of my answer file is below:

;SetupMgrTag

[Data]

AutoPartition=0

MsDosInitiated="0"

UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[unattended]

UnattendMode=FullUnattended

OemSkipEula=Yes

OemPreinstall=Yes

UnattendSwitch="Yes"

ResetSourcePath=e:\i386

TargetPath=\WINDOWS

Repartition=No

WaitForReboot="No"

OemPnPDriversPath="Drivers"

DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

FileSystem=*

[GuiUnattended]

DetachedProgram="%SystemRoot%\System32\cmd.exe /c @ECHO something>%SystemDrive%\XPPRO1.TAG"

AdminPassword=adminpassword

EncryptedAdminPassword=no

OEMSkipRegional=1

TimeZone=255

OemSkipWelcome=1

AutoLogonCount=2

[userData]

ProductKey=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

FullName="Username"

OrgName="CompanyName"

ComputerName=*

[RegionalSettings]

LanguageGroup=1

SystemLocale=00000c09

UserLocale=00000c09

InputLocale=0c09:00000409

[identification]

[Networking]

InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[shell]

DefaultStartPanelOff = Yes

[Components]

AccessOpt = on ; accessibility wizard

Calc = on ; calculator

CertSrv = on ; certificate services compontents of the certificate server

CertSrv_Client = on ; web client components of the certificate server

CertSrv_Server = on ; server components of the certificate server

CharMap = on ; enables insertion of symbols and characters into documents

Chat = off ; chat client

Clipbook = on ; clipboard viewer

Complusnetwork = on ; COM+ network access

DeskPaper = off ; desktop wallpaper

Dialer = on ; phone dialer

Dtcnetwork = on ; DTC network access

Fax = on ; Fax components

fp_extensions = on ; Front Pager Extensions

fp_vdir_deploy = on ; Visual Interdev RAD remote deployment

freecell = off ; freecell game

hearts = off ; hearts game

hypertrm = on ; hyperterm

IEAccess = on ; installs visible entry points (shortcuts) for IE

IEHardenAdmin = off ; harden IE for administrators, power users

IEHardenUser = off ; harden IE for users

Iis_Common = off ; common set of files needed by internet information services

Iis_Ftp = off ; ftp service

Iis_Htmla = off ; html based administration tools for iis

Iis_Inetmgr = off ; microsoft management console based administration tools for iis

iis_nntp = off ; NNTP server.

iis_nntp_docs = off ; NNTP server docs.

iis_pwmgr = off ; personal web manager, valid only for w2k professional

iis_smtp = off ; SMTP server.

iis_smtp_docs = off ; SMTP server docs.

iis_www = off ; www service

iis_www_vdir_printers = off ; Web printing components

iis_www_vdir_terminalService = off ; Installs terminal Services Active X control into the virtual directory

IisDbg = on ; script debugger

indexsrv_system = off ; indexing services, requires iis_common, iis_inetmgr, iis_www and com = on

inetprint = on ; internet printing, requires iis_common, iis_inetmgr, and iis_www

LicenseServer = off ; Disable Terminal Services licensing.

media_clips = off ; Sample Sounds

Media_Utopia = off ; utopia sound scheme

minesweeper = off ; game

mousepoint = off ; mouse pointers

Mplay = on ; Windows media player

msmq_ADIntegrated = off ; Integrates MSMQ into AD

msmq_Core = off ; MSMQ core components

msmq_HTTPSupport = off ; Enables MSMQ to use HTTP

msmq_LocalStorage = off ; Allows messages to be stored locally

msmq_MQDSService = off ; Provides AD and site recognition

msmq_RoutingSupport = off ; Provides MSMQ routing

msmq_TriggerService = off ; associates message arrival with com objects

msnexplr = off ; Installs MSN Explorer

msmsgs = off ; Disables Windows Messenger

MsWordPad = on ; Word Pad

NetCis = on ; microsoft com internet services, requires iis_common, iis_inetmgr, iis_www and com = on

NetOc = on ; additional optional networking components, requires [NetOptionalComponents] section

ObjectPkg = on ; object packager

OEAccess = off ; hide Outlook Express icons

Paint = on ; MS Paint

pinball = off ; game

rec = on ; sound recorder

reminst = off ; remote installation services

rootautoupdate = on ; OCM update root certificates

RStorage = off ; remote storage services enable the use of tape libraries as extensions of ntfs volumes

solitaire = off ; Solitaire game

spider = off ; spider game

Templates = on ; document templates

TerminalServer = off ; Installs Terminal Services on SERVERs only

TsClients = off ; if TsEnable = On then tsClient files for creating client disks, appx 10MB

TsWebClient = on ; Installs the ActiveX component for terminal services. requires IIS

vol = on ; volume control

wmaccess = off ; show Windows Messenger shortcuts

wmPOCM = off ; show Windows Media Player shortcuts

Wms = off ; windows media technologies components

Wms_Admin_asp = off ; windows media technologies server administration tools web components

wms_admin_mmc=off ; Windows Media MMC snap in

Wms_Server = off ; windows media technologies server, requires Wms_Admin

zonegames = off ; Installs MS Game Zone internet games

[NetOptionalComponents]

LPDSVC = 1

[iEPopupBlocker]

BlockPopups=No

As I'm using the Multiboot DVD method, the .tag file name changes for each boot folder, but otherwise the answer file is the same for each installation. I've used the runonceex method combined with .tag files to cover which programs are being installed between the different SOE versions.

Any ideas on the driver issues? I'm not including any driver files in the folder referenced because of the issues caused... Should I be excluding the extra driver information in the [unattended] section?

[dunkie12]

Never mind, I found the solution... It seems the iPass MSI file that I created was nerfing the network drivers after installation. So I'm back to an attended installation if iPass because they don't have a silent installation switch that bypasses the EULA. I've contacted them for a copy of the installer without one, but that's gonna take some time...