I have searched but I can't seem to find the problem.
I have a custom WinPE 2.x and it boots great, everything works just like it is supposed to except the [LaunchApps] section of my Winpeshl.ini.

All I'm asking it to do is fire off the startnet.cmd file after my bsexploreshell is loaded.

-------------------------
[LaunchApp]
AppPath = %SYSTEMDRIVE%\bsexploreshell\explorer.exe

[LaunchApps]
cmd /c %systemroot%\System32\Startnet.cmd
-------------------------

That way I can have the nice GUI shell, and also autorun the wpeinit.exe and any other scripts I add to startnet.

I know that the winpeshl.ini is working part way because my bsexplore shell is working great!
Then I can manually run startnet.cmd and it works fine, but why doesn't it run automagically?

Any help is appreciated.
Maybe its something I just missed.

Thanks

In launchapps, the commandline options are separated by a ", " from the executable/command.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...88eb651033.mspx

I had this problem also, but I switched over to using the startnet.cmd only.

Thanks for the reply!
I tried the following combinations, but none worked.

Just to see if anything would work
[LaunchApps]
cmd.exe

[LaunchApps]
%systemroot%\System32\Startnet.cmd

if forgot the "comma" in the first post, but I did try it like this
[LaunchApps]
cmd.exe, /c %systemroot%\System32\Startnet.cmd

That is the article I used whe I created it, but it doesn't work like the help file or article says.

Any other ideas?
Thanks
Kevin

without looking at my winpeshl.ini, maybe this is worth a try?

Bummer none of those options worked.
Don't know why - no errors or anything.
Nothing I put in LaunchApps section gets run, with or without options, or quotes, or spaces, or anything.

Well im stuck with the startnet.cmd window as my shell for now,
I just put a big "echo" banner in it saying DONT CLOSE IT
LOL...

If anyone else has run into this and figured out a way to get it to work let me know.
I am using the following:
WAIK 1.1
VMWare Workstation 6.x to test in
Running on a Vista (no sp1) host

Thanks!

hm, just try enclosing the whole commandline in quotes. It dawns to me that the documentation wasnt really close to reality.

Wait, I am confused here. Are you saying that your startnet.cmd doesn't automatically launch when you boot the PE? If so it sounds like you skipped a step! The default PE setup doesn't even use the winpeshl.ini and the startnet.cmd opens by itself.

Tripedacus, thanks for looking at this post.

No that is not what I am saying. Startnet.cmd launches perfectly all by itself. However following Microsoft's instructions for launching a "custom shell" or "custom apps" etc. It says to use the winpeshl.ini file, the LaunchApp with the AppPath = %systemdrive%\myshell.exe - etc.

Then you are supposed to be able to uset the LaunchApps section to launch other applications after your shell starts.
I followed the directions below using BSExplore as my shell, but it still didn't work:

Winpeshl.ini FilesWinpeshl.ini controls whether a customized shell is loaded in Windows PE instead of the default Command Prompt window. To load a customized shell, create a file named Winpeshl.ini and place it in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 of your customized Windows PE image. The .ini file must have the following section and entry.


[LaunchApp]
AppPath = %SYSTEMDRIVE%\myshell.exe
[LaunchApps]
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\mydir\application1.exe, -option1 -option2
application2.exe, -option1 -option2


Set the AppPath entry to the path to your shell application. The path can be either fully qualified, or you can use environment variables, such as %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Myshell.exe. The AppPath entry does not support command-line options.

Use the [LaunchApps] section to run applications with command-line options. The applications run in the order listed; separate the name of the application from its options with a comma.

When you exit the Command Prompt window or your customized shell application, Windows PE restarts.


This way I wouldn't have the "command prompt" as my shell. I know it is just a cosmetic change (the shell), but I just thought it sounded like a better way to do it.

Thanks!

Yes, It does indeed seem like a better way, but I like having the command prompt there. If you put your custom app in the startnet.cmd, it will open on top of the command prompt. So if your app is full-screen you won't see the CMD anyways. But you can still get to it if you alt+tab there.

If your looking for a cleaner way of launching multiple programs I suggest doing it a different way. Create an xml file with your applications you want to run, save it in system32 and edit your Startnet.cmd

In Startnet.cmd: wpeinit.exe /Unattend=X:\Windows\System32\wpeinit.xml




For the documentation on this go to your Windows AIK Documentation directory: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Docs\CHMs\Unattended.chm

I cannot get LaunchApps work in winpeshl.ini, except the AppPath=... shell line, all other lines are unable to run, doesn't matter it's startnet.cmd, x:\windows\system32\startnet.cmd, or %systemdrive%\startnet.cmd