[sickboy666]

Hello to everybody in this great forum.

I guess you guys can help me with this problem. I have searched the whole forum and found few guys with the same problem, but no answers!

When i try to install the windows via UNATTENDED option and disc is created through nlite, I don't have an option of Repair that you do get with normal CD installation.
There are 2 kinds of Repair in windows installation:

1. Repair console that will open you a DOS environment and you can type all of the DOS commands
2. Repair the existing windows installation with installing all the system files again. This way, you keep all of your Program Files, Registry,dialup connections, desktop...

With UNATTENDED installation, you cant get to any of repair options. But the first one (DOS console) can be loaded while pressing F10 in beginning (when asked to press F6). Thanx to NUHI for this solution.

The main problem is a second Repair option. The one that should install the system files. Since the UNATTENDED installation, from some reason, doesn't recognize the existing windows on your C drive - it doesn't offer you a Repair option! Can this be solved?

I am attaching 4 pictures that should explain everything.

NORMAL INSTALLATION:

- step 1. Here you can choose to enter a console with pressing the R or continue with enter. I choose ENTER since I don't need a DOS console.



- step 2. After pressing the ENTER in step 1, the windows installation recognizes the existing windows on my C drive and it is offering the Repair option (not the DOS console but real repair). Here, you can choose R to do it or continue fresh installation with erasing all the contents from your C drive.




UNATTENDED INSTALLATION:

- step 1. You can see that installation is not offering a Repair option at all. It means it doesn't recognize the existing windows.



- step 2. And if you continue with pressing the ENTER, you will get to this screen. As you can see, only the formatting option is possible. No repair again!




Please, is there any way to make a windows CD with UNATTENDED installation, and still keep the option of Repair the existing windows installations (if they exist)?
Thanx in advance to anyone that might help.

[twig123]

I am curious as well if this is possible...

[ITinerant]

I've been chasing this white whale for over 2 years...
http://www.msfn.org/...opic=20803&st=0
I just googled it to see if anyone has come up with a solution yet.
I didn't see any yet.

[Delprat]

sickboy666, on Jul 2 2006, 11:35 PM, said:

The main problem is a second Repair option. The one that should install the system files. Since the UNATTENDED installation, from some reason, doesn't recognize the existing windows on your C drive - it doesn't offer you a Repair option! Can this be solved?

Unattended = New Install.
That's the way MS did it AFAIK.

One solution is to remove Winnt.sif from I386 before burning, and put it on a floppy : insert the floppy for unattended, don't insert for repair. (sounds so easy... and you can edit winnt.sif between uses, ie change the product key, the user name, etc...)

I presume there is only a check for the existence of a winnt.sif file, thus it can be hacked. You just have to find someone skilled enough to do that...
(this check is done multiple times, look at the floppy drive light)

++

[sickboy666]

Thanx for your reply.
So if i got it right, i just need to move that file to the floppy and thats all?
Can it be loaded from USB disc on key? Since floppy is pretty rare today.

I didnt understand which part needs to be hacked? and why?

Thanx in advance for your help.

btw, good luck on World cup finals this sunday!

[Falcon4]

Depending on the order of file checking you may be able to "hack" it by inserting a floppy with a blank winnt.sif file (0 bytes) and it'll completely ignore the one on the CD.

May.

I'm just guessing. I never tried it. It just makes sense. As far as the USB key one, it again depends on the order. I only see the floppy light come on during the "setup is examining your hardware configuration" part, and USB drivers are loaded long after that. It may not be able to override what's on the CD, if your BIOS hasn't loaded USB-drive support.

Play around with this new knowledge, you may be able to get around it without burning a new CD after all. =)