madensphere

Hi all, well i installed Virtual Box last night, and guess what, my iso's work perfect!!! Just as they would if i copied to disk and ran on a test station. So the problem lyed with VMware in someway?? Any VMware boffin out there have any idea why?? Again Thanks for everyones help!!!!

Im currently downloading VirtualBox and will install later tonight and give it a wirl. Once again, thanks for all your advice and help offered!!!

Hey Netman, thanks for your advice. I am just curious though as to why my script and custom winnt.sif work perfectly when burnt to a disc, but when i run the ISO through VMware it does not work?? Surely if my WINNT.sif file was incorrect then the installation would also fail when i burn it to disc and run on a test machine? <- Which it doesnt, it works a charm once burnt to disc tested. Weird or what?!?!?!!! Thanks in advance.

Hi, thanks for all your support and replys. In response to the last bit of advice, i have already tryed placing it in the i386 folder. I have however sussed it. I burnt the iso to disc and installed on a test machine and everything worked brilliantly. So the problem is with VMware interfering with the installation in some way. Any ideas??? <- As it would be great to be able to test my iso's without having to waist a disc and a test station??

I really need to start reading my posts through before posting them. I can confirm that my directory structure is as follows: $OEM$>$1/Install/Applications Please see attached pic to confirm this. Thanks in advcance for any advice

I have this exact same problem, however, I have everything set correctly, it just will not work no matter what i do, please tell me someone has the solution?!?!?!!

Hi Netman66, thanks for yuor reply. Its was a long and late night last night when i posted and i made an error in my post, I can confirm my directory structure is as you advised: $oem$\1$\install\applications. My Start.cmd file is saved in "Install". Within Applications I have all my app folders, e.g Kaspersy . Any more advice I would greatly appreciate. I mean surely the problem lyes with the $OEM$ folder not getting copied over during install, why would this be though?? Thanks again P.s Sorry about posting serial key. NOOb

Hi, i have read every tutorial out there, i am going crazyyy. Im trying to make a custom XP Home Disc. I have tryed copying files from an original HP OEM disc & Also an XP installation I downloaded. <-- Obviously not at the same time!! I have also tryed all methods using an OEM XP Pro Disc also. Incidently i have successfuly merged SP3 using the MS Deployment tool. I have used the manual extraction method (incidently in one of my 1000 attempts i have used Nlite also) & have added my winnt.sif file saved to my i386 folder as below: [Data] AutoPartition=0 MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes" [Unattended] UnattendMode=FullUnattended OemSkipEula=Yes OemPreinstall=Yes TargetPath=\WINDOWS FileSystem=* UnattendSwitch="yes" WaitForReboot="No" DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore KeyboardLayout="United Kingdom" [GuiUnattended] AdminPassword=* EncryptedAdminPassword=No OEMSkipRegional=1 TimeZone=85 OemSkipWelcome=1 [UserData] ProductKey=X00XX-X0XXX-X0XX0-0XXXX-XXX0X FullName="USER" OrgName="Home" ComputerName=PC-HOME [Display] BitsPerPel=32 Xresolution=1280 YResolution=1024 Vrefresh=85 [TapiLocation] CountryCode=44 Dialing=Tone AreaCode=01379 [RegionalSettings] LanguageGroup=1 Language=00000809 [Identification] JoinWorkgroup=MSHOME [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes [Branding] BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes [URL] Home_Page=http://www.google.co.uk [IEPopupBlocker] BlockPopups=No FilterLevel=Low ShowInformationBar=Yes [WindowsFirewall] Profiles = WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall [WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall] Mode = 0 [Components] msmsgs=off msnexplr=off [Shell] DefaultStartPanelOff = Yes DefaultThemesOff = Yes [GuiRunOnce] %systemdrive%\install\start.cmd ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In my folders directory i have at root - $OEM$ - This is parrallel to I386 & setup.exe ect. In $OEM$ directory is Folder "$1", and in there is "start.cmd", and also another folder named "Applications" (which includes all my progs). So the directory layout is $OEM$>$1>INSTALL>APPLICATIONS. My start.cmd file is as follows: @echo off TITLE JLM-Computing -WINXP Additional Software Installation ECHO. ECHO Hang Fire Whilst I Install Anti-Virus ECHO Microsoft Office ECHO Tune Up Utilites ECHO And All Windows Updates, hold tight ECHO This might take a while depending on ECHO Your System Spec........ ECHO. ECHO Removing useless shortcuts... DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Set Program Access and Defaults.lnk" DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Windows Catalog.lnk" ECHO. ECHO Installing Net 2 Framework ECHO Please wait... start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\net2\netfx.msi /qb ADDEPLOY=1 ECHO. ECHO Installing Net 3 Framework ECHO Please wait... start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\net3\Dotnetfx3setup.exe /qb /norestart ECHO. ECHO Installing Kaspersky Anti-Virus ECHO Please wait... start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\Kaspersky\kis.en.msi /QB /norestart ECHO. ECHO Installing Office 2003 ECHO Please wait... start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\Office2003\office.exe ECHO. ECHO Installing Adobe Reader 8 ECHO Please wait... start /wait %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Install\Applications\adobe\AdbeRdr80_en_US.exe /sAll ECHO. ECHO Installing Sun Java VM ECHO Please wait... start /wait %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Install\Applications\java\jre.exe /s /v/qn ECHO. ECHO O.K Cooking with gas ECHO Restarting the PC in 1 minute... shutdown.exe -r -f -t 60 -c "Windows XP will now restart in 1 minute, this will give enough time for the shortcuts to update and for the shell to fully load before it\'s ready to restart!" EXIT winnt.sif & start.cmd are the only 2 files i have added / modified. I am using the CDIMAGEGUI program to create my image, all with default options. Also i am running windows Vista 32bit. Also, i am using VMWare to test my installations, i have not yet used or burnt a cd. These are my 2 problems: 1> During the Windows Installation, every time without fail i will get an error saying that my autoinstallation settings are incorrect. As a result i have to entre my windows licence code & click continue. After this the whole installation continues completly un-attended and after 15 minutes my system starts up and logs on. Problem No 2, THE MAIN PROBLEM ( the one that has nearly led to me jumping off a large bridge): Once windows loads up and auto-logs on it installs the VMSoftware, and then...... NOTHING!!! It does not even attempt to install any of my programs, there's no cmd/bat screen, no setup screens, no nothing!! Now heres the funny thing, if i go into my C: drive, i would have thought to expect to see a folder there namded "Install" in there along side windows/documents & settings ect. , but as you guessed, there is nothing!! I have gone to folder options and displayed hidden files but still nothing. I know that my start.cmd script works because if i go into my Virtual CD drive (set to my custom XPSETUP disc) and copy over the "Install" Folder located in $OEM$/1$ to my C: , and then run start.cmd - WALLA, The Command Prompt opens and all programs install like a charm. SO, my brain is telling me that the $OEM$ folder isnt getting copied over during the windows install. Why would this be?? And does it have something to do also with the XP KEY not going in automatically? I have tryed copying the $OEM$ folder to I386 but still no joy there either! No matter what i do my "Install" folder will not get copied over to C: during installation. (I have done a search for it also) I will be the happiest man alive if someone has the answer to this extremely annoying problem, as i have quite litteraly spent the last 4 nights trauling through forums and reading up on every guide and tutorial out there.