I found the learning curve for XPcreate and Unattanded installations quite steep, and have only recently figured it all out and gotten everything working in exactly the way that I want. Maybe there isn't much demand for a newbie help thread, in which case there won't be many responses, and that's fine. However, if there are people out there with basic questions on how to set things up, then I thought it would be useful to consolidate those posts into a single thread, rather than start a new thread each time (something I did myself with a few early problems). I would, of course, try to answer as much as I could from my relatively limited knowledge, and I'm sure veterens would pick up the slack. For my part, I've gotten my Unattended CD working, with all of the listed updates except about 7 that I didn't want. I;ve also integrated a desktop image, my settings, drivers for every device, and about a dozen programs/software through GUIRUNOnce. Plus a very large and rather comprehensive list of registry tweaks compiled from the regtweaks thread in MSFN. I'll assume I've done my initial duty to give back to the forums that solved my problems so quickly and efficiently, regardless of the number of responses, and of course, (hehe) I'm here to stay. I've very quickly found MSFN to be a place with exactly the kinds of people that I love to consult, and it is a community defined by its plethora of knowledge and ability. That being said, fire away.

Thanks, ank. It's always a pleasure to see those that are ready, willing and able to help out!

Is merging .REG files from CMDLINES.TXT the only way of modifying the Default User profile during XP installation?

I attempted another way, editing the HIVEDEF.INF before burning my XP boot CD. I converted my custom .REG file from .REG format to .INF format and added the lines to the HIVEDEF.INF file under one of the AddReg sections but I receive errors at the T-39 mark (beginning of GUI setup) about no digital signature or something like that.

Currently I perform my XP install with, other than the slipstreamed SP2, a typical XP installation disc. Then, after first login I load the Default User NTUSER.DAT into REGEDIT (mounted as 'Default' under HKEY_USERS) and then merge my custom .REG file. The first login is done with a throw-away account created during OS installation so I don't care that it doesn't have the new default user profile settings. It gets deleted after joining the machine to our domain anyway.

T-39 should be your hardware portion of the setup. CMDLINES.TXT isn't called until T-12.

@pinion: There are many different ways. The Undattended forum has many, as does the XPlode forum. Not really an XPCREATE specific thing.

I managed to make a working stripped version of windows 2000 with sp4, but since I can't use it to integrate hotfixes and drivers, should I use XPcreate to do the trick? Can XPcreate and nlite be used together so that they dont mess each other somehow? The biggest question is can I use the image created by nlite, or should I have "clean"(original) image of windows 2000 for XPcreate for integrating different hotfixes and drivers.
This is basicly what I want for my new windows 2000 CD(Important ones marked with [B ]:
-SP4 integrated
-useless stuff deleted from cd
-Some critical hotfixes integrated
-DirectX 9.0c
-VIA Hyperion 4.53
-Omega drivers for geforce

It would be great, if I could make this fit on small 8cm CD(210mt), if you have tips for what do delete from windows 2000cd, I would be most grateful

XPCreate works from a "clean" cd.

NLite does not always work OK from an XPCreate modified cd.
Best to test and see how it goes for you.

I'm afraid I need to give you my standard reply: make a XPCREATION with desired hotfixes and service packs, and then take that as the baseline for nLite. If there are any problems afterwards, please post them in the nLite thread: I cannot debug that part.

Okay, but I'm not using CMDLINES.TXT. That is my point. I wanted to insert my tweaks into the HIVEDEF.INF file (which is used to create the Default User NTUSER.DAT file during install). I converted format from REG to INF and copied into the HIVEDEF.INF file but XP SP2 install always fails at T-39 mark.

As I've said earlier, test one modification at a time, and you will find the guilty party. I believe that the hives are read right at the begining of installation. I tend to suspect the modifications that you make to the hive, and not the fact that you have modified them, especially if you are adding values, not just modifying existing values. In any event, diligent trial and error always works ...

I think my greatest question would be... is there a single page that defines the details around the folder structure arrangement eg the 001 etc layout and the way to modify the txtsetup.sif doc so as to be able to add drivers by hand ?

no insult to GM but one of my drivers seems to be conflicting when i use xpcreate so i wouldn't mind knowing the details behind the process so i can see if i can get around the issue personally

Oh and one more i'm trying to slipstream the new radeon drivers into the install and i was reading about using an iss file from the installshield setup (which i can see) but with the new set each item in the pack eg multimedia drivers, vid drivers and control panel each have one so would i need to extract out the install and include a path for each of the three iss's in the winnt.sif or would a single iss do for all three ?

i'm sure i've got more but these are the big ones on my mind atm

thanks guys, i appreciate the chance to ask

WhtKnight

@WhtKnight: The directory naming conventions are "defined" by Microsoft, and can be found in the Unattended Guide ... somewhere. The actual names is not so important, the importance is in the (alphabetical) order in which they will be processed. First should be Motherboard Chipset drivers (001). As I remember, Mass Storage Devices, i.e. Disks, are number 6 (006). The reasoning behind this is to avoid conflicts. If you are only installing the RAID drivers, there will be no conflicts, and the naming will become less important. I would suggest installing only the RAID drivers until you have mastered that, to avoid confusion and ease debugging.

The Drivers Forum has a few threads that discuss RAID drivers, and TXTSETUP.SIF modifications. The method XPCREATE uses, and I believe (obviously) is the best is discussed on the GreenMachine Web Site, I have yet to see it fail ...
http://greenmachine.msfnhosting.com/READING/addraid.htm

As for installs using ISS files, that is a horse of a different color. You are not simply making the drivers available for Windows during install, rather running the vendors installation package. I have tried that once or twice, but really have very little experience with it. Again, I would direct you to the Drivers Forum, but remember it is more of an install than a driver question.

I hope this gets you going. So much for obscurity!

I'm hoping for a bit of help to try and find out where I have gone wrong here.

I have added the directory $OEM$/$1/DRIVERS/006/via to FILESCD and inserted my drivers in the via directory.

I then created a winnt.sif in FILESCD/I386 and modified OEMPnPDriversPath so that it is now OEMPnPDriversPath=/DRIVERS/006/via/

I then ran XPCREATE and got the message SATA drivers not found.

I have tried modifying DOPATH in XPCREATE.ini (think it was DOPATH writing this from a work machine so don't have the ini file in front of me to check) to get XPCREATE to pull the drivers from the driver location automatically.

However I still keep getting the message SATA drivers not found when I build my image in XPCREATE

I get the $OEM$/$1/DRIVERS/006/via directory (with all files in it) copied to my ISO but when I burn the disk and try and get the install started I still don't find any via SATA raid drivers and because of this no hard drives in my machine.

Can anybody see what I have done wrong, i'm thinking its something simple that I have overlooked but can't for the life of me see what it is.

I suspect that XPCREATE.INI has not been correctly modified, or you are using unsupported (by XPCREATEA) drivers. Post NEWFILES\LOGFILES.CAB, and I can take a look.

Log file attached.

I'm using latest VIA raid drivers downloaded from viaarena the filename is VIA_RAID_V310E.zip

Link supplied below:

VIA Raid Drivers

The link says 300E but the download is actually 310E

Oh just in case its useful I have attached the XPCREATE.INI that i'm using. I figure it will be a lot quicker to look at that and see if I have made a stupid mistake than trawl through the other log.

Thanks. Actually, LOGFILES.CAB is what I really like to see attached: it is simply XPCREATE.LOG compressed into a CAB file. I don't need XPCREATE.INI either: it is included in the XPCREATE.LOG , which is in turn in the LOGFILES.CAB. This is not a reprimand, more a note for future users! I also wish they didn't make me download 6 Mbs on my dial up connection for those RAID drivers: they should really make the F6 diskette available (again, not your fault!).

So, now that I've got that off my chest, the problem is that I have not added support for those drivers, other than that you did fine! Please PM me an email address that I can mail you a modified XPCREATE.LOG file.

Waiting on you ...

I'm posting here because I have a total n00b question.

My delima is this:

I work at a computer repair shop, and we wipe and reload machines 20 a day. Slipstreaming SP2 into the WinXP cds we have would save us a lot of time and bandwidth. So: I've asked my friend, who has done this many times, and he says XPCREATE is tops. But, anyway, the CDs we use at the store to wipe and reload are just burned copies of Windows XP Home or Pro OEM. We use the user's product key (usually afixed to their case) when we W/R, so everyone's copy is unique.
So I'm trying to slipstream SP2, and I can't get my XPCREATE to find this boot/xpctboot.bin - there's no boot directory on my CD. So, I poke around the forums, and GM suggests using a real CD, not a fake burn whatever (i.e. don't use a pirated CD). So, I actually go and borrow the store's master copy (which is just a winxp home oem CD, but it is real with the holographics and stuff), and XPCREATE still isn't finding it. There's no boot directory, and no file called *boot* on the CD. Yet, it is bootable.

I'm confused. I'm sure this is a n00b question, and I'm going to get pwned by everyone for not digging deeper into the forum, but... there you have it. I'm sure it's something simple, and any help would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance.

~wx

Make sure in the ini file, that you use the drive letter without the colon:

XPSOURCE=F

-NOT-

XPSOURCE=F:

Substitute whatever your actual drive letter is. Otherwise it won't find it....

Actually, it is simple. There is not boot.bin file, or boot directory on the CD: XPCREATE extracts the (invisible) boot image, and stores it in the BOOT directory where you run XPCREATE.

The reason for the original CDs is that there you are sure of a good copy, and I can be sure that noting has gotten screwed up in the process used to copy the original CD.

Here is what you should do: Install XPCREATE to an empty directory, do not modify the XPCREATE.INI file, and run it a first time to create the directory structure, and a second time to make your first ISO/CD. After this run, XPCREATE will have extracted your boot image, copied your XP CD to the hard drive, and done it's thing. Work from there adding your user specific files. Please PM me, and I will give your further suggestions.

And ... Welcome to MSFN!

Strange, I thought it was the other way around ...

Still, just let XPCREATE run a first time without any "user intervention": you will be better off.

Thanks, GM, I'm following your suggestion now.

(I have to download sp2, I'm at home now, and I first posted at work where we had the file on a shared drive, so... I'll try this is a bit).

If I can get this to work, I'll head over to unattend.msfn.org to see how to answer all the questions except for the product key one... that would save a little time too.

Thank you again for your help.

Sounds good. I'll check in later tonight to see how you've done! There is probably something that can be done for the product keys.

Eh, don't really want anything to be done for the product keys. When we wipe and reload a user's machine, we need to put in the product key that they paid for. It might slow the process down a bit, but it's necessary to ensure we stay legal and that users can still register w/ microsoft. Usually it's not a big deal, as we can either find their sticker of auth or use magical jellybeans to find the key.

However, being able to put in the area code, time zone, and stuff like that would be cool...

But, I'll look into it before I bug anyone about it.

Again, thanks for the product and the help!

As you wish ... but anything is possible!

Check your email / personal messages, please ...

If you use sysprep and reseal the pc (as oem's should hehe ) by default, it will ask for the product key when the end user loads up the pc again for the first time

Trying to get the local retailer I help to understand this and....I think he does - finally uses sysprep (I should be on commission from microsoft methinks hehe)

I'm sure there are numerous details of sysprep elsewhere on the msfn forums about this - i dont want to go into detail here as GM might shout at me hehe

* at GM*

hehe

Regards,
N.

Hrm, now XPCREATE gets to the point where it's downloading:
-- 8:29:57 -- Downloading: SVC-X2M\mm20enu.EXE
-- 8:57:23 -- Downloading: SVC-X2M\mm20enu.EXE

And iOpus File Manager sits there, saying "Downloaded 0 bytes (total size unknown)"

I've done this 3 times now, and it always stops at the same spot. If you tell iOpus to cancel download, it will, and it will go on to download the next thing in the list just fine.

I've searched the forum, and one thing mentioned with download problems is to check your firewall, but A.) mine's off and B.) why would it download some files and not others?

~Wx

@ it_ybd:

We do have an install server that does that for us. For reasons that p*** me off and that I'm not going into, the install server is on a different subnet, which crosses a router that set us back the GNP of some third world countries and works less well than a linksys cable/dsl jobbie, so we don't use it when we wipe a user's machine - we just use CDs. I guess we could make an install server on the other subnet. But, anyway, we deal with so many computers that need so many obscure drivers and stuff that we have to be able to use them after installing the os. Plus, the EU may want us to install software for them, or whatever. Also, I am not sure that some of our customers would know a windows XP key sticker from a NASCAR promotional sticker.

But, yeah, our system builder uses sysprep and a drive blaster whenever he can.

What would be really nice is to have a local windows update server - something where you just point the browser at 10.0.0.254 or something, and it behaves just like windows update, and is able to update windows 95, 98, me, 2k, and XP depending on whatever that specific computer needs. This wasn't possible 8 months ago; i know microsoft is attempting to make something that can do this.

xiaodown:

hehe Dont blame you...lucky my app server at work is local hehe It seems a long winded way (for a install server - surely they/you can set one up locally ) so no wonder you dont use it.

Anyhow, as this is for newbies I dont think we should carry on talking about this here but by all means PM me if you want to carry on talking about this - for now, I'll simply say that some amazing things can be done with using just a cd (as I'm sure you know) and would save you less work - sysprep is very easily possible from a cd install....I'll stop there but as I said PM me if you want to "chat" more on it



I take it you havent used the Windows Update Server (SUS) which you can set up locally on a 2000 server and get it to download all or a custom set of updates for XP & 2003 (it may cover 2000 as well - I dont have one running at work myself but the county network which I access has one and, well, not sure if they know if its working yet hehe) which you can then use as a local windows update service.

I've set up some of our admin clients to point to it which is very easy - pm me if you need a few details on that.

again...a different discussion

Regards,
N.

xiaodown:

Just a comment on something earlier you said....



If you have a local copy of this file already somewhere (make sure its the exact one) copy it to the SVC-X2m directory and make it read only. Then the downloader wont be able to delete it - you may get a 'access denied' message appear but it should work still

ahhhh...it seems they've released 2.1 and may have changed the location of the files. Take a look at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloa...es/default.mspx

I cant seem to find a direct download link for mm20enu.exe anymore

hmmm....doesnt even seem to be listed in the windows update catalog lists anymore (searched the Windows RTM, SP1 and SP2 lists). Guess they expect you to update to SP2 for this now - v2.1 inc in SP2)

bah!

Regards,
N.

Something wrong here ... Please post your LOGFILES.CAB for me to take a looksee. If that has not yet been created XPCREATE.LOG.

Also, though I've not used it, I was under the impression that the SUS server DOES work like your own local Windows Update Server, though it is in the process of being re-evaluated/rewritten.

Please post the logs so I can get a grasp on what is going on.

Thanks

@GM:

hehe I've edited the other post now - yep, you're impression is quite correct from the instructions I've been told by our county IT helpdesk on advising me about it.

I've edited the other post and the one before you one here (trying to keep one step ahead of you - impossible I know hehe )

@GM:

The file doesn't appear twice in the log, that's two different entries from two different attempts at this process. I opened the log files while it was waiting to download, and that's the step at the very bottom.

The half hour between accounts for the time that I let it sit, and then I removed the files and started over from scratch.

Gotta go to work, will work on this more later tonite.

~Will

Any updates on this? Could be something as simple as a proxy or firewall issue.

hehe I think I'll quote myself:



Please prove me wrong

Then again, they may have put the file avalible again - dont see why not if you cant even download mm20enu.exe

Regards,
Nath

**** ... Right you are: they have removed the links, and now MM2.1 is "only" available via Windows Update. If anyone finds the direct download link before me (from Microsoft), please feel free to post it!

*smugly grins*

Told ya

On the 31st Aug, I couldnt find it *anywhere* (and couldnt find a link for 2.1 either) - Windows Update, download center, nowhere (except 3rd party sites)

Whats the link for 2.1? I take it that you've got it!?



Its included in SP2 tho right?

Regards,
Nath

Actually, I don't have the link yet. It is supposed to be available from Windows Update. One would have to monitor the network to see where that file is coming from. So ... if someone finds it, please share!

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download information page by M$

Thanks, Bilou. I saw that article, and then looked on Windows Update, as suggested. No luck there, or even in Windows Update Catalog. Strange ... Part of the reason I only support the latest updates: in this case SP2.

I don't have an available XP SP1 box (mine are all at SP2).
If someone has MM 2.1 listed in their available updates list, please send me a quick email before downloading / installing it - I'll send you the address of my proxy so I can catch the address of MM 2.1 in the logs.

-J

I looked at one pre-SP2 box, and it wasn't showing the MM 2.1 download ... Anyone else see it?

Windows Movie Maker 2.1Says, then a look here: Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download says, *Edited for content.*

Therefore one can only assume that it's not part of a download but an inclusion in Windows XP SP2, which is the only way it can be obtained at this time.

I do believe that you are correct, DisabledTrucker.

Due to issues like these, I am only going to be "supporting" the latest updates, e.g. XP SP2.

delete this thread, since i posted here:

newbie questions

hey.

will xpcreate install the hotfixes, after i renamed them? eg: from windows-kb1234-enu.exe to kbxxx.exe?

thanks in advance!

regards,

nimrod

Yes, it will. Type I Hotfixes will be renamed to the KB number.

i successfully burned a sweet cd yesterday with xpcreate. im surprised that it worked w/o errors. nice work on that tool so far, really.

the next thing i test is, if it creates dvds as well as nice as cds with included custom drivers.

theres a next version to be released soon?

Why "surprised" ?

The current version will create DVD sized ISOs. The next wersion, due out soon, supports DVD burning.

Welcome to MSFN!