I have been searching and experimenting with this topic for a few days now...

I have a multiboot CD with 6 XP installs (2 OEMs and a VLK, each of which have unattended and attended setups) and all of them have $OEM$ folders

Everything works as it should except for the Attended installs.

I want to keep them attended to ensure that the recovery console or repair options could be used. However, I also want the $OEM$ folders to be copied to the drive when XP is installed.

The only way I have attempted to copy them to drive is by using this Winnt.sif, however doing so skips the Recovery Console screen at the start of setup's execution and goes straight to the drive selection screen.

I have experimented with different settings but as soon as I include the [Unattended] tag, the install skips to the drive selection screen.




Did I miss a setting in winnt.sif? Or should I go about this a different way?


In summary, all I want to do is copy the $OEM$ folders to their respective locations on the drive while maintaining the Attended aspect of the install.


Thanks for your help///

I think all you need to do is remove the above. This way, it will halt at the drive selection / format screen...I believe I USED to do it this way...

Thanks for the reply. The thing is, I don't want it to skip anything. It should be totally ATTENDED, as I need to be able to use the recovery console or do a repair install, or set domain settings during install, etc.


I am currently using cmdlines.txt to call RunOnceEx.cmd to install the programs that are copied over. The RunOnceEx does execute, however it throws errors when trying to install because the $OEM$ folders didnt copy.

Hint: your txtsetup.sif in your bootfolder contains all entries of files copied to your hdd by WinSetup. You could add a couple of lines to get your own files copied..

Your best bet is to completley get rid of winnt.sif. Use the svcpack method to copy your files. Just create a batch file that will run inside svcpack.inf. Take note that some envvars do not work in svcpack.inf (at least from my experiance).

@5128 I like your signature.

Thanks Siginet & 5128 ...


I have been spending some time making that work these last few days. Its hard to concentrate on while putting out other fires but hopefully I will be able to test it today.

Looks like a lot of work to make it copy properly since I have to combine some other batch files and streamline the whole system. Plus, it seems that I wont even be able to use OEMPreinstall for the unattended versions because each windows install shares the same I386 folder and svcpack.inf with its unattended counterpart (I also use the svcpack.inf method to install the 60something hotfixes.)


Do you happen to recall which envvars do not work? Currently I am only using %systemdrive%
Any info on this would save me some time since, to test properly, I have to install Windows to the T-12 mark and beyond.

Got it...

Must have full path names to access the files on the CD

Reference this post...

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&...st&p=523434