Unattended installation Qs

Hi

I've tried to create an unattended installation disk to make installing Xp on our non-RM machines quicker and easier - we have a reasonable range of different machines in that category.

The first disk worked OK except it still asked for partition info and right at the end of the installation (after reboot) it also asked me to enter a user name. I resolved the first issue but not the second.

In my second attempt I tried to add drivers for some of the more common machines we have. Some of these came as zipped files which I expanded into folders and pointed nLite at them. However these folders did still include files like setup.exe. On trying this disk it seemed to be working fine until the drivers bit when it suddenly came up with a "found new hardware" dialogue for a PnP monitor. I've never seen that during an installation before. The resulting installation would not boot completely.

Any ideas what I did wrong?

When I add drivers which parts of the zipped files should I add - just the inf ones?

Thanks

N

Yeah, just the inf ones mate - Nlite should pick them out automaticaly anyway.

I have came across the found new hardware thing too. I have never had a failed installation from it though. Usually just leaving it or telling it to find the drivers automatically works.


Just had a quick google for you and found this.

Windows XP unattended install keeps asking for Plug and Play monitor driver » Digital Formula

Apparently it is a known problem to do with Video.inf

The steps seem pretty easy.


Hope that has helped

If using Nlite, there is an option in there somewhere which disables the mini wizard after installation that will ask you to create a user and enter a name etc.. That might be what is causing the username bit you mentioned.

For non RM machines i use Nlite with RyanVm's Windows Update packs and then this site for all or nearly all of the drivers on any computer or laptop.

In your Winnt.sif file that Nlite creates you can edit it and include a line or two to make it automatically format and partition the first drive and proceed with the install. This saves you manually having to select a drive and format.

Can't remember which line it is exactly but i use something like this below which is taken from the winnt.sif. I expect it is the Autopartition and the Repartition bits. Last time i messed with Nlite which was a while ago i still had to manually add this stuff or i would need to manually set up the drives. This should ensure that after you press a key to boot from cd, you can happily leave it and come back when its fully installed.

[Data]
Autopartition = 1
AutomaticUpdates="Yes"
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
Repartition = Yes
UnattendMode=FullUnattended

Excellent. That's good stuff. I'll look into that.

Thanks so much

N

DriverPacks.net > Portal > News All the drivers you will ever need (or nearly) ready to go into an image

I notice some of driver packs are pretty big - too big I would assume to fit on a CD-ROM along with XP. Are you guys doing network installs or something?

if you still have a RM pc untouched and working then DL and run Device driver backup, restoration, update and removal software for Windows, drivers backup, backup drivers
it will get all the drivers from that pc then you can use nlite to add them to the drivers.cab

i have done all the PCs in our school and have a DVD that boots install OS and the base software.
Office
Adobe
etc...

if you want more info.. go to MSFN's Unattended Windows : Unattended Windows Introduction it will tell you how to tweak your install.. :)

Cool, it's working pretty well now. The driver pack wouldn't work with nLite so I've just ended up collecting drivers manually. I'll have a go at slipstreaming the driverpacks using another tool.

It's nice to be able to go away and come back to the windows fully installed, no driver issues, no tour to turn off etc.

I guess sorting out a network install is next on the list...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nozza

I notice some of driver packs are pretty big - too big I would assume to fit on a CD-ROM along with XP. Are you guys doing network installs or something?

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A fully drivered up XP immage with SP3 is around 900mb. Too much for a CD but hey thats what DVDs are for. to answer your question, yes i use RIS.

Have a look at Autoimage for packaging up the unattended RIS/CD image. It intergrates with nLite, RyanVM,, Driverpacks, and a few other things.

in the driverpacks tab; Method 1 for RIS, method 2 for CD/DVDs (none of the documentation tells you what method to use but choosing the wrong one will make the image fail)
RogueSpear's Forums • Index page


BTW Autoimage makes short work of intergrating the driverpacks, dont use nLite for this part.

if you want to network install i would go for Ultimate Deployment
its linux base lots of help... and it works well i have it running at my school its faster over 1gb network. :) and i have it running off a old dell laptop..
i will dish out XP 2k3 2k and most linux distros Vista is comming soon..

i have 1 optin for every PC and OEM brand cd. and my PXE has a password and default time-out to boot to hd in 5 secons.

next AoE Windows Boots from linux. :)