Creating an Unattended Windows XP CD

[Mark_Venture]

Btw, I found two other ways to add the Raid/SATA drivers to your Unattended CD so you don't have to press F6 and feed a diskette...

HERE and HERE

They look to be similar to the way I posted and am using EXCEPT these ways look easier.. They do NOT require editing the i386\hivesys.inf. You only add about 3 to 5 lines to the i386\txtsetup.sif and add the normal OemPnPDrivers Path stuff to the WINNT.SIF

Again, while the examples are based on different cards than we've discussed here, they can be adapted to the card you're using by looking at the .INF and sample TXTSETUP.OEM files included with the driver for your card.

Please note: I have not tested these ways. I am still using the way I posted back to this thread in september/october.

[tamarelle]

Originally posted by Mark_Venture
hmmmm... The link I posted earlier that I followed to get the text mode Raid drivers supported doesn't mention that... Which instructions did you follow?

I'm still using the same txtsetup.sif that is in the Edited_Files1.zip posted earlier in this thread (on this page... Creating an Unattended Windows XP CD see my post at 09-13-2003 01:38 PM )

Keep in mind, I am using USA WinXP Pro Corporate with SP1 slip streamed... so if you are using a different language version it might be slightly different.

If you are using the instructions I am, and I posted the link to, post BOTH your original and edited i386\hivesys.inf and i386\txtsetup.sif files and I'll take a look.

I didn't edit the hivesys.inf file because I couldnt remember where the instructions were.

[Mark_Venture]

Originally posted by tamarelle
...I didn't edit the hivesys.inf...

That might b ok, based on those other two links to alternate ways I just posted...

just post your txtsetup.sif if you still want me to take a look at it.

[tamarelle]

Originally posted by Mark_Venture
That might b ok, based on those other two links to alternate ways I just posted...

just post your txtsetup.sif if you still want me to take a look at it.

Mark I cannot post the entire txtsetup.sif its too big!

CAN i EMAIL it to you?

Thanks Tamara

[Mark_Venture]

Originally posted by tamarelle
Mark I cannot post the entire txtsetup.sif its too big!

CAN i EMAIL it to you?

Thanks Tamara

ZIP it and attach to a message. It should work... My EDITED_FILES.ZIP earlier had my TXTSETUP.SIF, HIVE and the raid drivers for the two cards...

If no, PM me and I'll send you my email address.

[tamarelle]

here it is

[tamarelle]

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!

I now have a working copy of windows 2003 that does the following:

1. loads up my Promise raid files perfectly without pressing F6.

2. Installs the os without need for adding a name, password, country or serial number.

This is great.

Now I want it to add my hotfixes which it will do using xpcreate I think I am trying that soon.

My problem is that I also want it to install my Radeon, dX9, and Intel INF drivers and even my sound card drivers.

Right now I have "oempreinstall" set to no. and there is no reference to the oem drivers for the drivers I want in my winnt.sif so I am a little unclear how windows is installing the RAID drivers.

Anyway now I will try it with the other stuff.

Tam

[tamarelle]

hmmm

I am beginning to realise that the working cd I created only partially worked.

Its true that I didnt have to press F6. But I did have the promise floppy disk in my "A" drive and it apparently picked up the drivers from that.

I tried to create a disk adding only the OEM preinstall "yes" in my winnt.sif file and now I get an error message

windows could not find the file "$oem$\win2003\fasttx2k.sys" please press any key to reboot.


so I am going to add that folder my $ôem$ folder but I somehow doubt this is going to do the trick.

I don't remember now what else I have done to mix things up so badly

Tam

[tamarelle]

I FINALLY did it!!

Thanks to Mark and your wonderful hivesys.inf files and your other files you posted

They were a little different as I am using a different os and language but it was like butter I just downloaded your files and made changes to mine according to the source you mentioned and using your txtsetup.sif and hivesys.inf files

I installed it and it worked PERFECTLY!!!

I did not press F6

and the raid/SATA drivers installed beautifully and silently

I just used a cd I created and it installed the raid drivers, my serial number and name, then it installed DX 9, plus the intel inf files, THE HOTFIXES for windows server 2003, and even my 3Com drivers for my NIC!!!!

So once its done I have nothing to do but put in the files I want. The OS is already good to go!

I even found an oembios file on the net and it installs that so that the desktop is preconfigured for me!!

I am just thrilled!!

Thanks Mark and to anyone else who helped me

Well really this whole forum is gold!!

Cheers

Tam

[Mark_Venture]

wow. that was fast.. and I didn't even have time to check out the file you posted.

Glad you got it working!!

[T-Hammer]

Ok i am going to start this project now, i am going to use a winnt file maker from MSFN org, as it will be easier, i will need some help adding applications, i want it to install with runonceEx so it gives it that classy look, can you guys help me? Would i be able to make it install the Americas Army Game silently, if so how?Cheers People

[Mark_Venture]

Originally posted by T-Hammer
Ok i am going to start this project now, i am going to use a winnt file maker from MSFN org, as it will be easier, i will need some help adding applications, i want it to install with runonceEx so it gives it that classy look, can you guys help me?

We will try. I've just switched to using RunOnceEx right now for some of the MS updates and patches. I haven't installed any apps/games that way yet.

Originally posted by T-Hammer
Would i be able to make it install the Americas Army Game silently, if so how?

If we can't find the right switches to install "silently" I found a great program to automate responses, etc.. AutoIT v3 from http://www.hiddensoft.com/autoit3/

I am using it to install the Widcomm bluetooth drivers for my USB BT Dongle. (I could not get "normal" silent installs to work on it, so I used AutoIT to complie a script that takes care of everything for me. While its NOT "Silent" (i.e. you see the screens/selections while it installs) there is no interaction on my part. I don't have to press or click anything.

[tracirose]

Hi I am new and just came across this tutorial and had a question. Is it possible to create this disk using Windows Me & XP upgrade??

TIA,
Tracirose

[Mark_Venture]

Originally posted by tracirose
... Is it possible to create this disk using Windows Me & XP upgrade??

Welcome...

Um, that is a good question. I don't know the answer.

Every one I've seen do it has either a Retail or OEM XP home or Pro cd. I have not seen anyone mention using an Upgrade version.

If you have the time, give it a try and see. Then let us know how you make out.

[mclinksc]

Mark_Venture

Good work done; done the same in w2k pro but left out the via part, burned - rebooted - w2kpro booted and found all three of my drives - C drive - maxtor 60gb on ide ports, and my two 40gb on the promise sata ports.

Again, good work done

Mark Clinkscales