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Gosh's Unattended Tips And Tricks


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I realize that you can add different wallpapers to show up on the desktop tab by placing them in the $$\Web\Wallpaper dir, but how do you set one to be default, instead of Microsoft's bliss.bmp (the one with the grassy hills) ?

I just add my fav. wallpaper(s) to \$oem$\$$\Web\Wallpaper\ in .bmp format, then use a couple of reg. hacks to make it the default, i.e.:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]

"ConvertedWallpaper"="C:\\WINDOWS\\Web\\Wallpaper\\Windows XP.jpg"

"Wallpaper"="C:\\WINDOWS\\Web\\Wallpaper\\Windows XP.bmp"

Works like a charm :)

Does this work with roots that aren't even c?

Or can I use some dynamic route like %systemdrive%?

Can you please suggest to me easy ways to do it? thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

Can someone tell me how to change drive letters (of the folders other than boot and system drive ofcourse) at the setup time in an unattended install?

I use win98 and xp dual boot. I install the prog files for both os on the 98 drive to save space .For this I can simply change the value of progfiles in winnt.sif.

However I have a mix of ntfs and fat volumes. as ntfs are not accessible in 98, the drive letters are inconsistant from 98 and xp. So I move them a bit around to make it convinient. It would be gr8 if I can do this b4 installing apps in unattended as the drive letter is prone to change.

thanking you in anticipation....

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Every week someone replies to this thread. I don't mind because it keeps the thread alive. But im wondering, where are you guys getting this thread from? Are you guys finding this thread from my website?

-gosh

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lemme see,

hmmm.. first I wanted an unattended xp cd and googled for it. I came across this wonderful manual at unattended.MSFN.org which links to gosh.msfnhosting.com. I was really fascinated not only about reduction of source, or AIOs' but everything that could b found here. Then I ecide to dig deep and, phew..., here I am. landed right in this thread.

:) ^_^

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Thanx a lot,

a good idea the "FOR %%d..." climax, but

to finish the grat idea from gosh i use a if error question to react:

cls
@echo off

echo.
echo Search for the CD-ROM Path...
if exist A:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=A: goto exist
if exist B:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=B: goto exist
if exist C:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=C: goto exist
if exist D:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=D: goto exist
if exist E:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=E: goto exist
if exist F:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=F: goto exist
if exist G:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=G: goto exist
if exist H:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=H: goto exist
if exist I:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=I: goto exist
if exist J:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=J: goto exist
if exist K:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=K: goto exist
if exist L:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=L: goto exist
if exist M:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=M: goto exist
if exist N:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=N: goto exist
if exist O:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=O: goto exist
if exist P:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=P: goto exist
if exist Q:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=Q: goto exist
if exist R:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=R: goto exist
if exist S:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=S: goto exist
if exist T:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=T: goto exist
if exist U:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=U: goto exist
if exist V:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=V: goto exist
if exist W:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=W: goto exist
if exist X:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=X: goto exist
if exist Y:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=Y: goto exist
if exist Z:\WIN51IP.SP1 set CDROM=Z: goto exist

:not_exist
echo Ready.

echo.
echo Your CD-ROM-Path is not trackable.
echo This Batch works only if Windows XP Professional SP1 is in your CD-ROM-Drive.
goto exit

:exist
echo Ready.

echo.
echo Your CD-ROM-Path is: "%CDROM%"

:exit
echo.
echo To close this window press [ENTER]
pause > NUL
exit

The code from climax is better for the cleanup part in a batch...

...
FOR %%d IN  (c: d: e: f: g: h: i: j: k: l: m: n: o: p: q: r: s: t: u: v: w: x: y: z:) DO IF EXIST %%d\RECYCLER rmdir /S /Q %%d\RECYCLER > NUL
FOR %%d IN  (c: d: e: f: g: h: i: j: k: l: m: n: o: p: q: r: s: t: u: v: w: x: y: z:) DO IF EXIST "%%d\System Volume Information" cacls "%%d\System Volume Information" /E /G %USERNAME%:F > NUL
...

I Hope the "System Volume Information"- Part is a new tweak in the XP unattended Forum... [Thanx ;-)]

Stop! Here i have one more for a unattended defrag...

- You can youse it with the "FOR %%d" idea from climax in a task.

%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Defrag.exe C: /F /V

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I realize that you can add different wallpapers to show up on the desktop tab by placing them in the $$\Web\Wallpaper dir, but how do you set one to be default, instead of Microsoft's bliss.bmp (the one with the grassy hills) ?

I just add my fav. wallpaper(s) to \$oem$\$$\Web\Wallpaper\ in .bmp format, then use a couple of reg. hacks to make it the default, i.e.:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]

"ConvertedWallpaper"="C:\\WINDOWS\\Web\\Wallpaper\\Windows XP.jpg"

"Wallpaper"="C:\\WINDOWS\\Web\\Wallpaper\\Windows XP.bmp"

Works like a charm :)

Does this work with roots that aren't even c?

Or can I use some dynamic route like %systemdrive%?

Can you please suggest to me easy ways to do it? thanks.

Yes it is possible.

Those keys are strings (REG_DZ) but you could use "expand strings" (REG_EXPAND_DZ) in witch you could put %systemroot%...

But this is pain to maintain. Instead of "C:\\WINDOWS\\Web\\Wallpaper\\Windows XP.jpg" you would have binary information...

The best way I think would be:

-open regedit (don't use Resplandant Registrar for this, it doesnt work)

-backup your settings ( :rolleyes: )

-now make a new key: right click on the right panel, select new, than "Valeur de chaine extansible" (in french). In english it should be "Extansible string value" or similar... Its the last on in the french version.

-put a ConvertedWallpaper as the name

-double click to set the value

-enter "%systemroot%\Web\Wallpaper\WindowsXP.bmp" (whithout quotes)

-click ok, do the same for the "Wallpaper" key

-now export the key you created.

-Edit the reg file, you will see something like:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"ConvertedWallpaper"=hex(2)45 34 67 34 23 44 67 88..........

You now have the binary information for ConvertedWallpaper and Wallpaper as REG_EXPAND_DZ.

As you see its really nice to be able to use this, but its a pain to maintain those reg files... If you want to change the wallpaper, youll have to do this again...

good luck! :D

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Why is the svcpack directory not copied when performing Gosh's method for reducing size. I am also using similar method to deploy Win XP to several PCs via USB/IDE connection, but Winnt32.exe does not copy the svcpack directory from the source.

Appreciate any help.

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Is there a way to make Winnt32 copy the svcpack directory automatically since I am using similar method to deploy the OS to a second HD? (using the /syspart /noreboot and other switches) Its much faster than installing via CDROM. The only remedy I could think of is to use a batch file to copy the svcpack directory to the target HD.

By the way, your website has plenty of very helpfull information. Thank you very much...

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  • 3 weeks later...
Another way to get the source files copied over to the hard drive is to copy your I386 folder to $OEM$\$1

So it will be copied over durring the text mode part of setup.

This will only work if you are using CDImage.exe to create your ISO image. Just add switch "-o" to your create image batch file.

And I added these to my tweaks.reg file to redirect the OS to the new I386 folder:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup]
"Installation Sources"=hex(7):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,49,00,33,00,38,00,36,00,00,00,\
 00,00
"SourcePath"="C:"
"ServicePackSourcePath"="C:"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]
"SourcePath"="C:\\I386"

Hi

I use the following script, that I adapted of the forum, to copy the paste i386, for me it worked legal.

I put this script in runonce.cmd

that I call copia.cmd

cmdow @ /HID
@echo off

:getcd
FOR %%d IN  (c: d: e: f: g: h: i: j: k: l: m: n: o: p: q: r: s: t: u: v: w: x: y: z:) DO IF EXIST %%d\WIN51IP.SP1 SET CDROM=%%d


echo Copying files and folders

xcopy %systemdrive%\Install\*.* %systemdrive%\Inst /H /S /Q /Y /E /i> NUL
xcopy %CDROM%\i386 %systemdrive%\Inst\i386 /H /S /Q /Y /E /i> NUL
copy %systemdrive%\Install\openoffice.cmd "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Menu Iniciar\Programas\Inicializar"

SET REGFILE="%systemdrive%\inst\newpath.reg"


ECHO Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 >> %REGFILE%
ECHO. >> %REGFILE%
ECHO [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup] >> %REGFILE%
ECHO "SourcePath"="%systemdrive%\\Inst" >> %REGFILE%
ECHO "ServicePackSourcePath"="%systemdrive%\\Inst" >> %REGFILE%


REGEDIT /S %systemdrive%\Inst\newpath.reg

EXIT

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this isnt bad - but for a more universal script to move your i386 folder and install recovery console...I use this...

reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup /v "SourcePath" > %systemroot%\temp.txt
for /f "tokens=3 skip=2" %%i in (%systemroot%\temp.txt) do set CDROM=%%i
ECHO Please wait, Recovery Console is being installed locally.
%CDROM%\i386\winnt32.exe /dudisable /cmdcons /unattend
md %systemroot%\Source\i386
ECHO Please wait, source files are being copied.  This may take several minutes.
xcopy /Y /e %CDROM%\i386\*.* %systemroot%\Source\i386\
ECHO Adding registry entries.
regedit.exe /s %systemroot%\Source.reg
ECHO Done.
erase %systemroot%\source.reg
erase %systemroot%\temp.txt

This is taken using gosh's method and updated to allow for a more universal script (ie multiboot cds/dvds)

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