Drivers From CD (Simple Method)

Updated: 11/08/05 (The old AutoIt Method is available here.)

This is not my method. Major thanks to idle.newbie and hp38guser, as most of this is their work.
Thanks also go out to Pyron for making SetupCopyOEMInf.exe and WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe, which are used in this method.
The info from this outline is from this post, and, more specifically: here, here, and here.

This is a method of automatically installing drivers (which are located on your CD), for devices that are plugged into the computer that WindowsXP is being installed on. This new way uses a Batch file. Why another way, you ask? The reason is simple:
This method does not need the use of a FAKE setup.exe, nor does it need extra lines in TXTSETUP.SIF (like other methods do). It's very simple and straightforward.

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Download the attached zip file, and unzip its contents to $OEM$\.
(There are 6 files in the zip: 7za.exe, Drivers.cmd, nircmd.exe, Process.exe, SetupCopyOEMInf.exe, WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe)

(These files will run from the CD, and are never copied to the Hard Drive.)

2. Open up winnt.sif (located in i386), and add two lines under [GuiUnattended], as shown below:

If you WANT the cmd window (batch file) to show, use THIS code:
Winnt.sif

If you DO NOT want the cmd window (batch file) to show AT ALL, use THIS code:
Winnt.sif

(If you want more info on this coding, see this post, and this post.)

3. Place any drivers you want to have auto-detected into $OEM$\Drivers (you must create the directory).


Notes:
-= This method does not require any files to be copied over the the HDD - it runs totally from the CD.
-= Plug'n Play devices are detected during Windows Setup after the DetachedProgram stage (t-39), which is when this script is run, so Windows Setup will detect and install all applicable drivers.
-= If you are using a Normal XP CD (SingleBoot), don't worry about spaces in the folder names. (For example: "Wireless Card Drivers" will work just as well (even though there are spaces in the name) as "Wireless_Card_Drivers").
-= If you are using a MultiBoot Disc, you can also use spaces anywhere - EXCEPT in SourcePath. Example (red=won't work; green=will work):

-= Also, please note this method will not work for MassStorage Device drivers.
-= It should be noted that WatchDriverSigningPolicy works most of the time, but occassionally the dialog for the installation of unsigned drivers pops up nevertheless. Pyron said he has no idea why, but Setup seems to ignore the registry values sometimes.


If you are still confused, here is a sample XPCD layout (colors correspond to the steps above):



More Info

What's In It?
The attached zip contains the following files (ALL should be placed in your $OEM$ directory):

7za.exe
7za.exe is the command line version of 7-zip v4.23 (link).
This file is used only if you add a "Drivers.7z" file. (It will extract the "Drivers.7z" to the Hard Drive).
If you are not using compressed drivers, it is safe to delete this file.

Drivers.cmd

NirCmd v1.80
Created by NirSoft (link)
Used to run Ticker script.

Process.exe v2.03
Created by Beyond Logic (link)
Used to pause setup, set process priorities, and kill processes while drivers install.

SetupCopyOEMInf.exe
Created by Pyron (link)
It scans a dir recursively and calls SetupCopyOEMInf for every .inf it finds (which copies a specified .inf file into the %windir%\Inf directory).

WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe
Created by Pyron (link)
Basically, this makes it so that when Windows finds non-signed drivers (non-WHQL), it doesn't care.
The source for WatchDriverSigningPolicy is here. Although the attachment doesn't seem to be working, the basic outline of the code is in the post.


How Does It Work? (A Much Simplified Guide)
When Windows Setup reads the GuiUnattended section of winnt.sif, it will load up our Drivers.cmd code.
The Drivers.cmd file will first pause Windows Setup (using Process.exe).
Next, it will activate WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe so that we can install unsigned drivers.
The batch script will then determine if compressed drivers exist. If so, it will extract them.
Then it will run SetupCopyOEMInf.exe to scan every subdirectory in $OEM$\Drivers (or %systemdrive%\Drivers if compressed drivers exist) and add copy all the .inf files so that Windows will recognize and install drivers for every PnP device (that you included drivers for).
Finally, we resume Windows Setup (again, using Process.exe).


What About Compressed Drivers?
If you use compressed (.7z) drivers, make sure to ADD your compressed "Drivers.7z" to the $OEM$ folder. The batch will automatically detect the compressed drivers (make sure it is named "Drivers.7z"), unzip it to the Hard Drive (using the included "7za.exe"), and then scan the Hard Drive (instead of the CD) for .inf files.



Updates:
11/08/05: Major updates:

• Solved the problem of setup continuing before all the .inf files are scanned and integrated.
• New Method - (Batch file instead of AutoIt) - Windows Setup will now pause (based on this post and also this post and this post).
• Added Process.exe v2.03, and NirCmd v1.80 to the zip - These are the programs we use to pause Windows Setup.
• This method now works with compressed drivers - just add your "Drivers.7z" to the $OEM$ folder. The batch takes care of the rest.

10/11/05: New upload again. This time, the Drivers.au3 file is altered again, and the code to be entered into winnt.sif has been changed. This entire method runs from CD (no files copied over!) This is all from this post. Again- I personally tested this method (as has hp38guser) and it works!
08/01/05: Re-uploaded the zip file. The only updated file in the zip is the Drivers.au3 - it's a smaller file, with less coding (i.e., no extra crap, as per hp38guser's request (here). It has been tested, and is working.

Attachment Updated: 11/08/05
MD5 Hash: E6FCD3B433BA04D0F0CC96CB7613DA0A

Download from Mirror 1

Download from Mirror 2 (please try above link first...)

This post has been edited by a06lp: Nov 30 2005, 05:50 PM

Please note this does not work for any MassStorage Device. Only plug'n play hardware is detected and installed during Windows Setup.

You can add drivers for any hardware on cd. Whenever you change hardware, Windows will recognize your new hardware and will ask for your cd.

This is my favourite driver installation method.

Maybe it'd be useful if you'd say in the first post that this is a method where drivers are kept, and because they are installed from CD/DVD, you'll always need to insert your CD/DVD to install new drivers.

Or did I miss that part?

You are correct. However pnp-devices are detected during Windows Setup after detachedprogram stage so during Windows Setup all drivers are detected and get installed.

If drivers are included for hardware not available during Windows Setup, only the inf's are copied to the Windows INF directory.

And therefore, this seems to be a great way to install any hardware. If it's in your system now, the drivers are installed during setup.

If you later add a component, and the drivers were originally on the cd, it will ask for the cd.

(I think this is correct - let me know, hp38guser)

I have a request because i don't know how to change the drivers.au3 AutoIt code.

I always install Windows from a Network share or from an i386 source folder located on the hard drive (WINNT32.EXE /s:<source_path>) booting first the box with WinPE/BartPE.

My Drivers folder is located on %SystemDrive%\Drivers.

Could you post a modified AutoIt script that search \win51ip.SP2 on local HDD instead of CD. I just need a new subroutine to set $instDrv to another letter than CD letter.
Optional (i can edit the original au3 to replace with my IDTag):
Can you set the IDTag win51ip.SP2 in a variable for use with others Windows versions.

Suit yourself. Replace by to look for win51ip.SP2 on local hdd

@Bashrat

Couldn't this (however modified) replace the current KtD method in DP Base:

For method 2 this would mean:



This would have the following advantages:

- no limitations to the OemPnPDriversPath problem
- no double work, this way we don't have to use SetDevicePath and SetupCopyOEMInf which safes (a little) time

I believe that this would be quite an improvement

(hp38guser mentioned this before though )

This post has been edited by erik_demon: Jul 25 2005, 07:03 PM

@hp38guser

Thanks!
change done successfull.

Another question. My unattended install is based on "Windows Server 2003, Web Edition Setup"

The autoIT script don't delete the 3 files in @SystemDir.
I have tried to change strings WinWaitActive("Windows Server 2003, Web Edition Setup", "") and WinSetTrans("Windows Server 2003, Web Edition Setup", "",170) with no success.
how can i check the string to use?

@all
When installing only digitally signed drivers (with a cat file), the WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe is not necessary. I have edited the drivers.au3 autoit script and add a semicolon in front of both lines with WatchDriverSigningPolicy.exe process and successfully unattended install (on a real box, not on a VirtualMachine) Digitally Signed  Drivers.



This post has been edited by Bilou_Gateux: Jul 26 2005, 03:08 PM

It looks like a really interesting approach.
Thanks to both :
hp38guser
a06lp


jaclaz

OK, please don't download these files anymore. The script above contains some unuseful strings. I have asked the TS to remove it, but did not respond to my request.

Here's the correct driver.au3 script:


The following files go into $oem$\$$\System32:



These files go into $oem$:



Users who only use WHQL drivers can use the following code:


This post has been edited by hp38guser: Jul 28 2005, 09:05 AM

@hp38guser:
I recieved your PM, and have been waiting until my next clean install to test the script, and verify that it works. once it does, i will update the first post with all changes that need to be made.
I have also asked you to please explain the script you made more fully, so that we can understand the logic behind the script, and why it works. When you have a chance, please post that (or PM it to me), and I'll update the first post with it.


@all:
for now, however, the download in the first post DOES work (even though it may contain some unneccesary things).

This post has been edited by a06lp: Jul 28 2005, 10:02 AM

@hp38guser:
Thanks for cleaning the code and post again.
Just finished my UA install (on real box) and just discover it. Too late to check this time with 2K3. i will report on my next install...

@a06lp:
Maybe can you add some credits on 1st post to shalti for the original idea of setupcopyoeminf.exe coded by Pyron.
and then ask BtS stickying this post instead of

• Unlimited number of drivers + keeping the drivers., Exception: MassStorage drivers. by schalti
• SOLVED: drivers from CD, possible even without winnt.sif! by Pyron

Just a suggestion...

This post has been edited by Bilou_Gateux: Jul 28 2005, 02:19 PM

That is from the first post - it's a direct link to schalti. But the real credit goes to the creator of the program.

As for stickying this post - that's not my decision...

This post has been edited by a06lp: Jul 28 2005, 10:00 PM

Updated first post. As of this post, everything is updated and working. =)

[nevermind...]

This post has been edited by a06lp: Aug 12 2005, 11:39 AM

couldnt we include support for 7zip archives?

I believe we can if we do it this way

actually, id much rather have it all contained in the autoit script...mainly because of the "RunWait" command...the problem with presetup.cmd is that windows setup DOES NOT pause when executing it, so you could potentially end up with only half the drivers extracted when windows hunts for drivers (at least I heard that was the biggest problem)

You can't let wait the Windows Setup with AutoIt. However you can force the Windows Setup to idle-mode for the time being.
Reason for me to use AutoIt is the ProcessClose function. When using nLite sometimes Taskkill would fail if you have removed lot's of components