Visual Studio.Net Installations fails!

[nmepar]

OK, so i've put together an unattended WinXP install, and i have setup RunOnceGuiEx to install all my applications from CD. See my RunOnceExGui.cmd:

cmdow @ /HID@echo off
Echo Beginning Scan for CD ROMIF EXIST D:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=D:IF EXIST E:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=E:IF EXIST F:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=F:IF EXIST G:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=G:IF EXIST H:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=H:IF EXIST I:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=I:IF EXIST J:\win51ip.SP1 set CDROM=J:Echo CD Rom Found at %CDROM% Pause
SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installing Applications" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\001 /VE /D "Preparing Installation..." /fREG ADD %KEY%\001 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\prepare.cmd" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\002 /VE /D ".Net Framework v1.1" /fREG ADD %KEY%\002 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\DotNet11\dotnetfw.exe /Q:A /R:N" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\005 /VE /D "LavaSoft Ad Aware 6" /fREG ADD %KEY%\005 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\Adaware\aaw6.exe /s" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\010 /VE /D "Adobe Reader 6" /fREG ADD %KEY%\010 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\AdobeReader\AdobeR6.msi /qn" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\030 /VE /D "Diskeeper 8" /fREG ADD %KEY%\030 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\Diskeeper\Setup.exe /s /v/qn" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\040 /VE /D "CA Etrust 7.0" /fREG ADD %KEY%\040 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\Etrust\eTrust7.exe /s /sms" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\050 /VE /D "Kazaalite K++" /fREG ADD %KEY%\050 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\Kazaalite\Klite.exe /silent" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\065 /VE /D "MSN Messenger 6.1" /fREG ADD %KEY%\065 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb /i %CDROM%\Software\MSNMessenger\SetupDl\MsnMsgs.msi" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\075 /VE /D "Microsoft Office 2003" /fREG ADD %KEY%\075 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\Office11\setuppro.exe TRANSFORMS=Unattended.MST /qb-" /f     	 REG ADD %KEY%\095 /VE /D "Microsoft Windows 2003 AdminPak" /fREG ADD %KEY%\095 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb /i %CDROM%\Software\Win2k3\AdminPak.msi" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\100 /VE /D "Microsoft Windows Support Tools" /fREG ADD %KEY%\100 /V 1 /D "msiexec /qb /i %CDROM%\Software\Win2k3Sup\Suptools.msi" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\105 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net Prerequisites" /fREG ADD %KEY%\105 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\wcu\setup.exe /unattendfile prereq.ini" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\120 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net" /fREG ADD %KEY%\120 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\setup\setup.exe /unattendfile vs7deployment.ini" /f	
REG ADD %KEY%\125 /VE /D "Microsoft Windows Media Player 9.0" /fREG ADD %KEY%\125 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\wmp9\mpsetupxp.exe /Q:A /R:N" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\130 /VE /D "Importing Registry Tweaks" /fREG ADD %KEY%\130 /V 1 /D "REGEDIT /S %CDROM%\Software\tweaks.reg" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\135 /VE /D "Cleaning Up and Rebooting" /fREG ADD %KEY%\135 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\cleanup.cmd" /f
EXIT

Pretty much all my apps install as expected. However, Visual Studio .Net keeps failing. I've followed the unattended admin guidance from the docs, and performed an administrative setup and created a .ini file, which i then use to perform the unattended setup, for both the "windows component updates" (pre requisites) and the VS .Net installation itself.

Now, what i'm seeing is basically the "Windows Component updates" (which runs before VS.Net) failing, silently with no error message. I've looked for logs and repro'd and i can't find anything to explain why this is failing. What am i doing wrong?

Can anyone else, who has configured unattended install of VS.Net, possibly post their .ini files or steps to make this work properly?

Thanks for your help

nmepar....

[richvz]

Are you installing from a cd or a dvd? cd installation will not work.

To succesfully install visual studio.net from a dvd you will have to create a network administrative install. This will allow your silent install to work . By creating the network administraive install, setup will be able to find the prerequsite files needed to to keep your install from failing.

The prerequsite cannot be installed seperatley from from the visual studio.net installer. that is why your installation is failing.

This will not work

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REG ADD %KEY%\105 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net Prerequisites" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\105 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\wcu\setup.exe /unattendfile prereq.ini" /f

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is missing the path to the unattended vs7deployment.ini file

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\setup\setup.exe /unattendfile vs7deployment.ini" /f

Try

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\setup\setup.exe /unattendfile \%CDROM%\vs7deployment.ini" /f

read the adminreadme.htm file in the setup folder for instructions on creating an administrative install.

pay close attention to section 3

[nmepar]

@richvz - Brilliant! - thats the problem - if you don't explicitly define the path to the .ini in RunOnceExGui, then the installer fails silently. Having changed that, this now works. Thanks Richvz!!!!!!!!

Now only one other problem, I've come across the 'cannot install from CD/ DVD' error now, copying the install files across to the hard disc and then running install works. However, it would be great if i could install from DVD. I am planning on install from DVD, will this work, or do I have to copy to hard disk, install then delete install binaries?

Did you manage to get this working?

from what you are saying, do I need to create the 'network install' type folder structure as per this KB and the burn that to DVD to install? THe KB does not discuss that - does it work?

Any tips?

Thanks for your help mate

[richvz]

I created a network administrative install folder called VisualStudio and 2 sub directoies 1 called vs7 and 1 called pre

I then copied all the files from the Visual studio.net cds to the folder called vs7 and all the files from the prerequisite disk to the pre folder. Copy the vs7deployment.ini file vs7 folder.

Make sure you follow steps 4,5, & 6 found in section 3 creating an administative install found in the admiminreadme.htm file.

I see from your install command you have your other software located in a folder called software. replace your old visual studio folder with the new visual studio network administative install you have just created.

Edit your install command to the following

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /VE /D "Microsoft Visual Studio .Net" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\120 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\vs7\setup\setup.exe /unattendfile \%CDROM%\Software\VisualStudio\vs7\vs7deployment.ini" /f

Now your ready to burn your dvd

[nmepar]

@richvz, thanks for the run down mate, i've put together the folder structure as you mention above, however, now, when i run the prereq setup, i am receiving the following error message. I'm not sure why! - in know that this *should* work, but can't understand what i am doing wrong! Any suggestions?

[05/01/04, 19:14:24] vc70uimgr: [2] Admin deployment is not allowed from a CD/DVD.[05/01/04, 19:14:24] setup.exe; [0]InitializeUIManager(), Start failure

THanks for your help mate

nmepar

[nmepar]

@richvz, one other question for you, re-reading this post, you mention :

setup will be able to find the prerequsite files needed to to keep your install from failing.

The prerequsite cannot be installed seperatley from from the visual studio.net installer. that is why your installation is failing.

Does this mean, that in my RunOnceGuiEx, i only need one entry calling setup with the /vs7deployment.ini file, and that i do not also have to call the prereq setup seperately, just before?

Thanks for your help with this.

Cheers

Nayan

[nmepar]

OK,

for those interested, I've finally concluded that setup from DVD is not possible, and am now installing from harddisk, after placing the install binaries for VS.Net in the \install folder. This adds an incredible 45 minutes to the build process, while setup copies the files across to hard disk. A real pain in the neck really, but I cannot for the life of me work out any other way around this. I believe admin install from DVD does not work.

ho hum.

If anybody has ever managed to get this work, or has any suggestions for improving the above, i'm all ears.

Cheers all

nmepar