Remote Installation Services (RIS)

[ChrisH]

I will be putting more stuff on the wiki later. But basically during the later stages of windows setup some registry entries are added that will be the tasks to perform on first logon. To perform this first logon you must also set some registry keys that allows autologon of an admin account.

This list is then processed. In my list I have it install various programs like studio 2004 etc, run a registry optimiser and remove all the auto logon details. This is a good opportunity to use any autoit based installs you have.

I will stick some detail in the wiki later.

[ICTNUT]

@ChrisH: I did used to use nLite for cd based installs and it worked great but I have never been able to get to work properly with an RIS based image.

 

Currently we have 12 apps being installed silently and automatically, including serial numbers and the like, for out ICT rooms.

 

Average time for a complete install of an ICT room PC varies between 35mins to 60mins depending on the number of PC's also being imaged in the same room.

 

Also a side note: By removing components using third party applications such as nLite you maybe, and probobly are, violating the EULA for Microsoft Windows.

[ChrisH]

I have had trouble in the past with Nlite but it works flawlessly for me now. I really do need to trim the install down though as I have 128 meg machines with shared graphics etc which means they already using the pagefile too much so copying files is always slow.

 

Have you tried it since you started using Risult or try AutosRIS that my favorite I ahd trouble with the risult script?

[Jose]

small ris problemo

 

I've got ris working fine on nearly all systems,

but on a few laptops after I type in my username

and password, the client install wizard skips the OS choice menu

and asks me to repartition my disk( all data etc..). All other pc/laptops work fine. on other pcs you get a choice of os image but not on these.

any help would be nice

[ChrisH]

I think that is something to do with the HAL line at the bottom of your sif file

 

HalName=halaacpi.dll

 

Try seeing what HAL your machines are using and see if tis different.

[ICTNUT]

@Tosca:

 

The scripts I use are as follows:

 

First of I add a folder called Install to the following path:

 

\\YOUR_RIS_SERVER\REMINST\Setup\English\Images\YOUR_IMAGE_NAME\$oem$\$1

 

Within this folder there are a number of batch (.cmd) files that correspond to various installs that need to be done and by placing them in this folder the are copied over to the machince during the text portion of setup.

 

Example Files

 

0.cmd

cmdow @ /HID
@echo off

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installing Drives And Applications" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\001 /VE /D "Mapping Network Drive" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\001 /V /1 /D "%systemdrive%\install\1.cmd" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\005 /VE /D "Adobe Reader 7" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\005 /V 1 /D "q:\AdobeReader7\acroread702.exe" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\006 /VE /D "Smoothwall IDT" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\006 /V 1 /D "q:\Smoothwall_Ident\SWIDent.msi /quiet" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\007 /VE /D "User Hive Cleanup" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\007 /V 1 /D "MSIEXEC.EXE /i q:\UserCleanUp\UPHClean-Setup.msi /q" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\010 /VE /D "Microsoft Office 2003" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\010 /V 1 /D "q:\Office11\setup.exe TRANSFORMS=q:\Office11\Setup_Office_20_01_06.MST /qb-" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\011 /VE /D "Macromedia Dreamweaver 8" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\011 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Dreamweaver_8.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\012 /VE /D "Macromedia Extension Manager" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\012 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Extension_Manager.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\013 /VE /D "Macromedia Fireworks 8" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\013 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Fireworks_8.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\014 /VE /D "Macromedia Flash 8" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\014 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Flash_8.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\015 /VE /D "Macromedia Flash 8 Video Encoder" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\015 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Flash_8_Video_Encoder.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\016 /VE /D "Macromedia Patch Update 3.0.1" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\016 /V 1 /D "Msiexec /update q:\Studio8\CT_3.0.1_PatchPackage.msp /quiet"

REG ADD %KEY%\017 /VE /D "Macromedia Patch Update 3.1.1" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\017 /V 1 /D "msiexec /update q:\Studio8\CT_3.1.1_PatchPackage.msp /quiet"

REG ADD %KEY%\018 /VE /D "Macromedia Contribute 3.11" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\018 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb! /i q:\Studio8\Macromedia_Contribute_3.11.msi"

REG ADD %KEY%\019 /VE /D "IS Script 10.5" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\019 /V 1 /D "MSIEXEC.EXE /i q:\MindManager\ISScript1050.msi /qn" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\020 /VE /D "Mind Manager" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\020 /V 1 /D "MSIEXEC.EXE /i q:\MindManager\Mindjet_MindManager_Pro_6.msi /qn INSTALLDIR=C:\Progra~1\MindJet\MindManager6 EULA_REGION=2 ISX_SERIALNUM=XXXX-XXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX USERNAME=USER COMAPNYNAME=JCOMPANY" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\025 /VE /D "IS Script 11" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\025 /V 1 /D "MSIEXEC.EXE /i q:\QuickTime\ISScript11.msi /qn" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\030 /VE /D "Quick Time Player 7" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\030 /V 1 /D "MSIEXEC.EXE /i q:\QuickTime\QuickTime.msi /t q:\QuickTime\1031.MST ISSETUPDRIVEN=1" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\035 /VE /D "Windows Media Player 10" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\035 /V 1 /D "q:\WM10\mpsetupedp.msi /quiet" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\045 /VE /D "McAffee Anti Virus" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\045 /V 1 /D "q:\ePOAV\framepkg.exe" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\050 /VE /D "Cleaning Up and Rebooting" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\050 /V 1 /D "%systemdrive%\install\2.cmd" /f

shutdown.exe -r -f -t 5 -c "Windows will now restart...."

Exit

 

This is the first thing that is run and add all the entires into registry under RunOnceEx and then reboots the machine

 

Within our *.sif file we have set the autologin count = 2 as this is the number we need.

 

Once the machine has rebooted and logs in the registry stuff we entered in 0.cmd is executed and the next .cmd is run

 

1.cmd

cmdow @ /HID
@echo off

:: Create an authenticated connection to the server by mapping a drive.
net use q: \\YOUR_SERVER\RemoteInstall\Programs /user:DOMAIN\USER /persistent:no PASSWORD

:: Change to the Q Drive
q:

exit

 

All this script does is map a physical drive to our remote apps server where we hold all the install files and then changes to it. Once this is done and all the applications have been installed we need to tidy up abit so we run the final .cmd file

 

2.cmd

CMDOW @ /HID
@echo off

:: Start >>
set AUPSM=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu
del "%AUPSM%\New Office Document.lnk"
del "%AUPSM%\Open Office Document.lnk"
del "%AUPSM%\Set Program Access and Defaults.lnk"
del "%AUPSM%\Windows Catalog.lnk"
del "%AUPSM%\Windows Update.lnk"

:: Start >> Programs >>
set UPSMP=%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs
del "%UPSMP%\Remote Assistance.lnk"

set DUSMP=C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Start Menu\Programs
del "%DUSMP%\Remote Assistance.lnk"

:: Start >> Programs >> Accessories >>
set AUPSMPA=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\System Tools"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Communications"

set DUSMP=C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories
del "%DUSMP%\Tour Windows XP.lnk"
del "%DUSMP%\Program Compatibility Wizard.lnk"
del "%DUSMP%\Synchronize.lnk"
del "%DUSMP%\Command Prompt.lnk"

:: Start >> Programs >> Administrative Tools
set AUPSMPA=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Component Services.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Computer Management.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Data Sources (ODBC).lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Event Viewer.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Local Security Policy.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Performance.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Services.lnk"

:: Start >> Programs >> TightVNC
set AUPSMPA=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\TightVNC
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Administration"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Documentation"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Show About Box.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Show User Settings.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\TightVNC Viewer (Best Compression).lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\TightVNC Viewer (Fast Compression).lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\TightVNC Viewer (Listen Mode).lnk"

:: Start >> Programs >> Macromedia
set AUPSMPA=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Macromedia
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Readme Files"

:: Start >> Programs >> QuickTime
set AUPSMPA=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\QuickTime
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\About QuickTime.lnk"
rd /s /q  "%AUPSMPA%\Uninstall QuickTime.lnk"

set UPSMPA=%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories
del "%UPSMPA%\Tour Windows XP.lnk"
del "%UPSMPA%\Program Compatibility Wizard.lnk"
del "%UPSMPA%\Synchronize.lnk"
del "%UPSMPA%\Command Prompt.lnk"
del "%UPSMPA%\Address Book.lnk"

:: Copy Macromedia Licence Information Over
Call macro_licence.vbs

DEL "%systemroot%\*.bmp"
DEL "%systemroot%\system32\dllcache\*.scr"
DEL "%systemroot%\system32\*.scr"

DEL /F /Q %SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.7z
DEL /F /Q %WINDIR%\system32\setupold.exe
DEL /F /Q %WINDIR%\system32\7za.exe
DEL /F /Q %WINDIR%\system32\presetup.cmd
RD /S /Q %SystemDrive%\D
RD /S /Q %systemdrive%\Drivers
RD /S /Q %systemdrive%\Macromedia

net user aspnet /delete

shutdown.exe -r -f -t 5 -c "Windows will now restart...."

RD /S /Q %systemdrive%\install

EXIT

 

All this does is gut out a few shortcuts from the various profiles and remove all the driver files and extra stuff that was copied over during the text part of the setup.

 

All you need to do to kick the whole thing off is add the following to you /sif file:

 

[GuiRunOnce]
%systemdrive%\install\0.cmd

 

And that's it really, by doing our installs this way all our machines get a complete clean install (not based on an image which is problematic in itself) and becouse we use RISult for driver intergration and post-SP2 fixes we have a very stable base image that we simply add .sif files to if we need another set of programs for a particular function i.e ICT, Science, Maths etc...

 

Now as you may have guessed if you add alternative .sif files to the templates folder within I386, for example:

 

XPSP2.sif

XPSP2ICT.sif

XPSP2SCIENCE.sif

 

and number you initial .cmd files to correspond to the .sif file for example:

 

0.cmd --> XPSP2.sif

0a.cmd --> XPSP2ICT.sif

0b.cmd --> XPSP2SCIENCE.sif

 

you can quickly build up a very flexible imaging solution that works, doing it this way our ICT rooms using the batch files above take around 35-40mins each to image from start to finish however we are running a true 1GB backbone so your may take a little longer.

 

I think thats it for now but if I think of anything else I update this post.

 

Any questions please ask....

[tarquel]

Chris - can you post your nlite [RIS.ini] config file [the one you use with AutoRIS] please?

 

Thanks

Nath

[tarquel]

Also, does anyone know why I still get the Welcome to XP section even tho I have:

 

[unattended]
OEMPREINSTALL = YES

[guiunattended]
OEMSkipWelcome = 1

 

Also, the:

[Display]
AutoConfirm=1 

doesnt work either - not particularly very good during a autoinstall hehe

 

Any thoughts as time is going fast

 

Cheers

Nath

[ajbritton]

Do you mean this ?

[ChrisH]

I have the same settings as you nath but only get that screen when the machine fails to join the domain properly.

[tarquel]

No ajb - its not that hehe

 

Its a OK box type.

 

Cheers

Nath

[Inox]

Guys need a quick bit of advice plz...

 

I have a RISPrep image on server and once deployment has finished to a target PC I need the workstation to reboot so it pickes up the GP attached to the GPO the computer object is in and installed office and other software (as per the GP). Does anyone know how to do this via the .sif file or does it have to be done another way?

 

I have tried using

[GuiRunOnce]

Command0="shutdown -r -f -t 00"

 

but have since found out that this only runs once a user logs in (and even then it doesnt actually work).

 

Any help or suggestions would be very welcome, thanks

 

Anton

[ChrisH]

Have it logon on then. I have mine login in once and install some of the awkward software like Studio then it runs a registry defragger and reboots.

[Inox]

ChrisH - does it have to be a specific user (i.e. admin) that logs in? as a teacher tried after ris had finished and it didnt reboot like it should.

[ChrisH]

Well the account will need to have at least local admin I would have thought to use the shutdown command and that will be why the teacher logon wont be running it.

[Inox]

Ok, that makes sense. Gonna go try the "AutoLogin" feature of the .sif file then and see what happens.

 

Thanks for the advice

[ChrisH]

I found that unreliable sometimes and import the autologin reatures into the registry during setup and during the run once part they are removed. You may get lucky though

[Inox]

ok this post has 2 seperate parts/questions to it and any thoughts/ideas would be welcome!

 

The autologin seems to work ok for me, however in the .sif file for the ripprepped image I have the following:

 

[GuiRunOnce]

Command0="gpupdate /force /boot"

Command1="shutdown /r /f /t"

 

I only added the 2nd command to shutdown because the 1st didnt work.

 

When the pc has finished ris'ing it auto logs on as the admin 1 time, during this logon the commands above are processed and I see the 2 CMD windows popup and disappear but then the desktop comes on and it just sits there and doesn't reboot. The only thing I can see that is going on during this is sophos autoinstall. However if I click shutdown from the start menu or run the shutdown command above manually, it shuts down fine, so I dont think Sophos is the problem. (havent tried without it yet).

Any ideas y these commands dont work ?

 

2nd Q is i'm trying to get the drivers for the computers to copy over the c: and install. I have created the $oem$ and $1 folders and put the drivers in as the documentation I have says to do (found them in readme file that came with intel chipset drivers and instructions are specific for RIS) but at the end of the ris the drivers folder within $1 is not on c: and the drivers have not installed. I have got the OEMpreinstall=yes in the .sif file and have set the paths in the sif file - is there anything else I need to do? Ideas on a postcard to....

 

Thanks, I was after those lines

[ChrisH]

Not sure why the shutdown isnt working. I use a reg defrager at the end which reboots the machine when finished and doesnt have a problem.

As for the drivers if you have done exactly what you have said any folder you put in the $oem$/$1 directory should appear on the C: drive. Are you putting it at the same level as the i386 folder?

[Inox]

no, i'm putting $oem$ folder inside the i386 folder, is this right? or should it go outside i386 ?

[ChrisH]

Should be outside Look here for a diagram

[Inox]

I actually tried this last night and all is working now :-) and i'm a happy chappy once again :-) Thanks for the tip ChrisH - not sure where I got it from to put it inside i386, but it was definatly from a guide somewhere on the net ;-p

 

Cheers for the help :-)

[Ste_Harve]

Well i've been playing about with this for the last few days and it's working quite well in a test environment. I've made an XP SP2 CD That has a load of drivers slipstreamed into it so it'll work on all the hardware in school.

 

A lot of applications have been scripted to install when the machine logs on using the scripts posted earlier by ICTNUT, what a big help that was.

 

I'm currently experimenting with setting up different classes of XP and 2K boxes. Yes we're still running some 2K boxes here.

 

Should anyone require any further info on what i've done please either PM or post here and i'll see what I can do.

 

EDIT - Now i'm stuck. I've got the XP image working nicely. I'm trying to get 2K on a box and I don't get to choose what OS to install. It automatically defaults to XP Pro. I'm using the RIS boot disk. Has anyone had any similar problems?

[HodgeHi]

How do you all roll out the latest updates using RIS?

 

Do you just let them install automatically after installation finishes or do you rebuild images regularly?

 

I have been looking at the nlite with the updates sliptreamed into it for the base image and then just updating that on a regular basis.

 

Just wondering if there is a simpler way to maintain an up to date image with all the hotfixes installed.

[ChrisH]

I use this method without any trouble. Others on here have had some problems though.

 

Its not to upto date at the moment but the bulk are there.