Add files to system drive during install and other stuff...

[timethrow]

Hello all,

I am trying to make an unattended Windows Server 2003 Installation disc and I have a few problems I need help with, DO you know how to install files to the system drive during install (It will copy files to C:\ Silently during install) ???

Thats the most important one, the others are do you know how to install Windows Remote Deployment Services Silently during install ??

Do you know how to get setup to set the CDDrive Letter to E:\ and make just a 10GB Partition to install windows on and leave the rest blank ??

If you can help please do !!
Thanks

[Michael]

nLite will allow you to create an unattended disc and do most of the hard work. You should be able to copy files once the Sysprep process has completed using a scripting method.

Using nLite and the 'Components' option, you may be able to install Windows Remote Deployment Services.

I don't think you can specify a 10GB partition (with nLite anyway). To be honest, 10GB is too small anyway. I'd recommended a minimum of 50GB for a system partition.

I'm not sure whether or not you can specify your optical drive to be E:\, but you could easily change this in Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management once Windows Server is installed.

[pritchardavid]

I think this should do the trick, can't remember if it does hard drive partitons

Updated System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 SP2

Or if your using another service pack version your need to find the correct version of the tool for it, easy to find!

[ChrisH]

For xp 2003 etc and maybe later you can setup certain folders that signify those folders are to be copied to the c: drive or windows. These folders go at a certain level near the source files. The folders are named $ and $$ I think one is the c drive and one is the windows drive if I find a decent link I will post it.

[Arthur]

These folders go at a certain level near the source files.

Click image for more info...

[ChrisH]

That's the one from the MSFN site.

[sted]

you can also create / edit winnt.sif to run batch files /exe/etc on completion or deploy with mdt if on same network

[Arthur]

If you use RemInst=on in your WinNT.sif file with the Windows Server 2003 SP2 install media, does it automatically install RIS or WDS (or RIS and then WDS)? Windows Deployment Services is included in SP2, but the TechNet website doesn't say much more than that. With SP1, you can run windows-deployment-services-update-x86.exe /quiet /forcerestart to install WDS silently, but you would then waste even more time updating Windows to SP2 afterwards (not to mention the 100+ post-SP2 hotfixes).

It's probably not an option, but Windows Server 2008 R2 is a million times easier to automate, deploy and update!

[Arthur]

Using nLite and the 'Components' option, you may be able to install Windows Remote Deployment Services.

Not an option for schools and businesses...

[Michael]

Not an option for schools and businesses...

That's all good, but there doesn't appear to be anywhere on the site where the software can be purchased. The site itself is covered in ads however.

[Arthur]

That's all good, but there doesn't appear to be anywhere on the site where the software can be purchased.

If nLite was free for commercial use, the potential for Nuhi to get sued increases substantially. If he charged for the software, then he would have all the support and legal obligations that goes along with that.

HFSlip (which was quite similar to nLite) was discontinued by its author because of people blatantly using it in corporate environments. It's a shame, because it was really good at integrating hotfixes, drivers etc.

RVM Integrator is probably the closest equivalent to nLite and can be used by school's or businesses.

The site itself is covered in ads however.

The presence of ads doesn't change the EULA.

[Michael]

I accept what you're saying, but it still allows you to work with Professional and Server editions of Windows. It wouldn't be too difficult to restrict it to only Home editions.