Welcome to the Windows unattended installation guide Q&A

[MikeD]

We've been receiving a LOT of feedback and questions about our unattended installation article (http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1703), so channeling all of this into the forum where everyone can benefit seems to be the best idea.

If you have any questions about the procedures in the article or advice for those experiencing difficulties, please post here.

[Shufty]

On the subject of unattended installs, there is a program that does a whole lot of what was mentioned in the detailed article. nLIte (http://nuhi.msfn.org/), it will slipstream servicepacks, make a bootable image, allow components to be removed, integrate drivers for install and also do the unattended install thing. Also a number of tweaks that can be applied built within in the application. Hope this helps some of you on this subject.

[MikeD]

Hi Shufty, thanks for contributing to the thread!

nLite is an excellent program, and it was one of the things we experimented with in the course of making the guide. The build we were working with had some issues with Windows 2000 Server, but other than that it seemed fine. We wanted to highlight the manual method of creating an unattended installation CD most of all, which is what we focus on in the article. That way you can create the CD and learn while you're doing it...
There are a couple of other utilities out there (in addition to nLite) that can quicken the process also. I'll add links to these in a little while.

[stlouis1]

wow, that nLite seems pretty usefull, itll make it easier for me to update my install discs for 4 different machines at home, i hate having to do things manually and then having to redo them

[MikeD]

Just one thing I should emphasize (as I did in the article) to everyone who is experimenting with creating unattended install CDs, whether with our method or a program like nLite:

Use CD-RW disks for testing! Wasting CD-Rs can get frustrating after a while...

[stlouis1]

bah, no difference to me, i waste a dozen a day anyway

[Immersion]

Hi all

Is there a way you can change the default install location of the programs folder (on a fresh install not from within windows) and also the documents and settings folder?

[JohnnyD]

In the [UNATTENDED] section of winnt.sif

ProgramFilesDir="C:\My Program Files"
You can change the default location of Program Files using this entry. Replace the drive letter and folder name as appropriate.

CommonProgramFilesDir="C:\My Program Files\My Common Files"
You can change the default location of Common Files in Program Files using this entry. Replace the drive letter and folder names as appropriate.

in [GUIUNATTENDED]
ProfilesDir="C:\Documents and Settings\"
You can change the default location of Documents and Settings using this entry.

[Immersion]

Thanks for that, much apreciated

[pman]

That nLite works wonders!!!!

[JimSmith1962]

Just a quick browse through the article and I did not see this, sorry if I overlooked it. But does this cover the dreaded F6 raid driver?

[JohnnyD]

Yes, its on page 4 of the guide. Also check out nLite (http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=89) it has this feature and many more included to help simplify this process.

[roy]

nLite is definitely great.

My only question is where to download the newest updates and such. I want to make an SP2 CD that is up to date so that I won't even have to visit the site after the install.

[JohnnyD]

You can download the updates via the Windows Update Catalog (http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/default.asp).
I believe this list is current as of 3/11:
kb890830 (This is the Malicious Software removal tool, I ignore it since its updated so often and on a clean load you should have anything on your system for it to find.)
kb888302
kb890047
kb887472
kb891781
kb867282
kb888113
kb873333
kb887742
kb890175
kb873339
kb886185
kb885836
kb885835
kb885250

kb887797
Media player 10
Journal Viewer
.net (there are also two updates but I'm not sure of the numbers)
kb831240 highmat update

[roy]

nLite is soooo beautiful! I got an install ISO down to 200MB for my laptop. Testing out now to see if it works without a hitch.

[michaelfclarke]

I've just been looking at nLite and it looks very nice indeed - however, I have always done so (ever since Win 95) and will always continue to make my OPK Installs manually.... I much prefer to know EXACTLY what the installer is doing and also the knowledge that if something goes wrong I can diagnose it easier as it's my own winnt.sif, oobeinfo.ini, winbom.ini etc etc files....

But there you go.... :)

Btw it was a nice article... enjoyed reading it.... however, I am slightly confused as for the need of the "source" dir as I don't see it being used anywhere in the article - hehehe.

Anyway - back off to finish an OPK I'm doing to work with a RIS 2000 Server for my corp network.

[Brad31365]

Is there a Control or Alt + keys to install xp unattended?

[keeper_1728]

i just wanna ask how can i download a network install for windows xp home edition sp2? can you give me a link, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rmcjmc]

Is there any way of doing the same thing to Office XP

Just wondering?

[raghvendraxu]

sir,
as i had buyed HP Pavilion they had provided me HP Recovery dvd so that i can install it without worries in which they already provieded as when the whole prossess is complete all the software provided get automatically installed


so i wanted to know is that how i can add my programes in that sc or dvd so that it can installed in only in C: drive and also please tell me that as you have provided tutorial about Windows Unattended Installation in which you have mentioned that in step 6 in that to burn cd

'' '' '' navigate to your 'bootCD\working' directory. Select all of the files and folders in the far right pane and drag them into either of the blank panes on the left.
Now click the 'burn' button on the toolbar and check the 'write' and 'finalize CD' options before burning the CD. As we stated earlier in this PCstats Guide, it's best to use a CD-RW disk for your initial tests, as if there are any problems or errors, the toll of used CD-Rs can mount up fast. '' '' ''

but in that statement you didn't mentioned that what to do about that remaining folder


so i request you to pleae guide me

thanking you
raghvendra

[george p]

Hi guys,

unless you want to do unattended XP installation yourself, forget this guide. Aslo forget nlite, since there is much user friendly solution out-there called Setup Studio.

you can read more about it here:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Authoring-tools/Setup-creators/Setup-Studio.shtml

regards
george

[gvozdok]

Anybody use MultiSet Unattended Installation - www.almeza.com ?

[cbshahji]

i did make coustom copy wo windows xp using nlite, but i have one question, when i put software in installation, can i add activation key for software like office 2007, powerdvd, nero and other software like it?

honestly, i like pcstats, but this guide is way too complicated

[wildthing423]

Hi Shufty, thanks for contributing to the thread!

nLite is an excellent program, and it was one of the things we experimented with in the course of making the guide. The build we were working with had some issues with Windows 2000 Server, but other than that it seemed fine. We wanted to highlight the manual method of creating an unattended installation CD most of all, which is what we focus on in the article. That way you can create the CD and learn while you're doing it...
There are a couple of other utilities out there (in addition to nLite) that can quicken the process also. I'll add links to these in a little while.

well, what are they? the other utilities I mean. as far as I am concerned , there is no one tutorial that will take a true beginner from start to finish, including add ing addons, services packs, drivers etc. with out jumping you all over the net and further confusing you. someone should list exactly what is needed and put it in a list as number 1 in any tutorial.

ie:
create a folder, down load nlite or the other tools that are absent, download all driver packs, download all win addons, or other programs that you want to install and show the necessary mods to any *.sif or text commands and put it in a logical order so that a 10 year old could do it. I have mentioned this before in other forums and it just makes people angry. My contention is, do not market a thing for newbies so that google indexing picks it up as such, and then have it be something other then what it is. there is no true tutorial out there that can teach someone...a true beginner, how to make there own install, in one breath, or one document ...go here then go there then ...wait did you check this then go over there...sheesh...how confusing. I would pay for a tutorial such as this, that included everything to make an install. please do not tell me there is , because I would have found it already.

[AKHandyman]

Well, it seems to me that you might have the experience to do this yourself ... so why not do it? Let us know how you fare, my friend :-