Windows 2000 unnatended with drivers on CD

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I\'m new to this forum and I find all the info very useful. I read some articles on unattended setup of Windows2000. My problem is:
I am able (and I have already succeded) to slipstream SP2 and all the post SP2 hotfixes, make the CD bootable (I\'m using NERO) and use a winnt.sif from a floppy to install 2000 unattended. What I want to know:
1. If I use the  $OEM$ folder on my custom CD, add the correct lines under the [Unattended] section of the winnt.sif:
OEMPnPDriversPath = \"network;video\"
DriverSigningPolicy = Ignore
will setup detect my drivers ? I have read that this is possible only when installing from the hard-drive but I\'m not sure. If not is the any other way to have a 2000 CD with your own drivers on it?
2. If I put some lines under the [GuiRunOnce] section of the winnt.sif , for example to install IE6 and DirectX8.1 in unattended mode, do I have to put the corresponding .exe files only under  $OEM$ or I can put them anywhere on the CD.

Thank you.

PS: A personal thought - This forum is 1000X better & useful than the MS OEM discussion groups!!

[m00dy]

You\'re on the right track. Here\'s how I do it. I use the $1 folder under $OEM$ and everything in $1 is copied to the C: drive. Like this:

$OEM$$1DriversNIC
$OEM$$1DriversVID
$OEM$$1DriversAUD

And this line points to the drivers: OemPnPDriversPath = \"DriversVid;DriversNIC;DriversAud\"

Just make sure that you have the full, extracted driver files in these subfolders. Some drivers are buried in big setup programs and require manual extraction through command line switches. The main thing is to be sure there\'s an .INF and .CAT file with each driver.

Also, I put the \"winnt.sif\" file under I386 on the CD.

As for running programs, if you put the file \"cmdlines.txt\" in the root of $OEM$, then any .exe you put under there will run. For a DirectX81 (OEM) example:

[Commands]
.dx81ntopk.exe ; this file is in the root of $oem$

Rather than slipstreaming, I experimented with chaining all the MS hotfixes after setup and even running fully unattended configuration scripts (using VBScript) but this requires so much fine tuning that by the time you\'ve figured it out, there are a dozen new patches. I\'ll just wait until SP3.

m00dy

[Victor Chirita]

First of all thank you for your help.
2 last questions:
1. Do you put the $OEM$ folder under I386 or right under the root of the CD?
2. When adding drivers under the $OEM$$1 folder is Windows 2000 forced to use them, or does it choose the best drivers between yours and his owns? I am asking this because whenever I install drivers for my NIC and video card after the setup finishes and I specify the location, first it says that I already have the best drivers (which is not correct) and I have to check an option that sounds like: Install one of the other drivers. I think you know what I mean.

Regards,
Victor Chirita.

[Twinkie]

1. The $OEM$ folder goes at the root of the CD in your case.  When booting off a CD or network location it will not find the $OEM$ folder under the I386 folder.  M$ knows about this and will not be fixing it.  Of course if using a dos install it finds it under the I386 folder.  Hope that helps...

2. During an unattend install Windows will choose the best drivers.  Or what it thinks is best anyway.  The other drivers can be used after the fact but not during the install... I think.  Anyone know if I am wrong?

[m00dy]

MS says put it inside the I386 folder (see attached picture). But I put it at the same root level and it works just as well on a custom CD.

There is an algorithm used to determine which driver the system will use. I think if the new driver internally has a date flag (in the .inf file) that is newer than the MS driver, then Windows chooses that driver. Some manufacturers don\'t always update the .inf date, which may explain why Windows keeps choosing the internal driver. Occasionally it seems that Windows prefers the older driver no matter what, but during unattended setup it should choose your newer drivers so long as you have set IGNORE in the unsigned driver line.

If you register as an OEM on oem.microsoft.com you can download preinstallation guides that provide all the details I am talking about. As far as I know, if you build systems (for profit or otherwise) you can register there.

[Fjellu]

You asked where to put the $OEM$ folder. It seems to work differently depending on how you use your CD. If you want a bootable w2k CD making a clean install then the $OEM$ folder has to be in the root of the CD, otherwise it does not work.

Anything you want installed during the unattended setup (using cmdlines.txt, the GuiRunOnce section or the SetupParams section) has to be in the $OEM$ folder structure and copied to the harddisk.

To install RAID, SCSI or HAL drivers (skipping the F6 in the beginning) during unattended install, use [MassStorageDrivers] and [OemBootFiles] sections

[Durk]

I found this thread by searching on google, so my response is a bit late http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

About putting $OEM$ in the root of the CD.
There are 2 main ways to unattended install windows 2000 from CD.
1. Make a manual boot sequence and run winnt.exe including the switches for an unattended installation.
2. Use the original boot-up and make a winnt.sif file for unattendancy.

I\'ve chosen for option 1. My $OEM$ dir is located under the I386 dir on the CD. OemPreinstall = Yes.
The files in the $OEM$ dir are correctly copied to the hard drive. But Cmdlines.txt is never executed, nor are the contents of $OEM$ deleted from the hard drive after the installation is done.

I\'m wondering if I put $OEM$ in the root of CD, would the Cmdlines.txt executed though? I think not because the first target of the $OEM$ on the hard drive is the $$ dir. That should be the same if I put $OEM$ in the root of the CD.
Later the files are moved the specified locations ($1 is %systemdrive%, etc.). So there is practically nothing changed.

Anyone an idea?

[Fjellu]

I am not sure I understand your question. There are basically two ways of installing w2k unattended without a network involved.

The first from DOS or Windows 3.1/Windows for Workgroups using winnt.exe or from W9X WinNT or Win2000 using winnt32.exe. Using this method the $OEM$ folder structure should be under the i386 folder. For structure check http://www.tech-hints.com/oem.html#1

The second method is installing clean from a bootable CD. Then the $OEM$ structure has to be in the root of the CD alongside the i386 folder.

Whatever method you use, the cmdlines.txt file has to be in the root of the $OEM$ folder structure ($OEM$cmdlines.txt)

The syntax of the cmdlines.txt has to be correct, check http://www.tech-hints.com/oem.html#4

There are no \"first target of the $OEM$\". The whole $OEM$ structure is only copied as is to the locations mentioned on Twinkies site (http://www.tech-hints.com/oem.html#1).

If this does not answer your question, please be more specific.

[Anonymous]

The two methods I mentioned were about a clean install that starts from booting.

[indent]In reply to:

Then the $OEM$ structure has to be in the root of the CD alongside the i386 folder

[/indent]

Well I\'ll try that. But I still think it\'s strange that the contents of the $OEM$ directory gets copied to the hard drive when $OEM$ is in the I386 directory.

[indent]In reply to:

Whatever method you use, the cmdlines.txt file has to be in the root of the $OEM$ folder structure ($OEM$cmdlines.txt)

[/indent]

Yep it is.

[indent]In reply to:

The syntax of the cmdlines.txt has to be correct, check http://www.tech-hints.com/oem.html#4

[/indent]

It is too :-)

[indent]In reply to:

There are no \"first target of the $OEM$\". The whole $OEM$ structure is only copied as is to the locations mentioned on Twinkies site

[/indent]

Yes there is, I\'ve broken the setup, checked the hard drive  and saw different paths, obvious temporary. Finally they get moved to the right place as mentioned on Twinkies site. In the first place there\'s no WINNT directory, so content can\'t be copied to system32 destinations etc yet. So that\'s a bit understandable...
That\'s my situation, but I have to check it again when I\'ve the $OEM dir in the root of the CD.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Sorry about this, I wanna install a RAID driver (skipping the F6 in the beginning) during unattended install. I was wondering, what files will I need to modify in order for this to work? Also, what should be the directory structure of my bootable CD?

Also, will this work with WinXP Pro?

[Anonymous]

I was wondering the same thing except I want to do
an attended setup...

[Anonymous]

Yes it will. You just need to create a an unattended script (winnt.sif) using the Setup Manager (from Win2k/XP CD) and you can assign which part will Win2k/XP setup can ask for (like Name, Company, CD Key, etc).

Though the major problem is integrating HAL/3rd party RAID/SCSI controllers under Win2k/XP CD. There\'s a bug in the installer that prevents these from being installed properly, even given the right parameters. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

I hope someone will find a workaround for this.

[Anonymous]

so how do you slipstream IE 6.1 on the setup CD as well?

[bri4dsi]

Stupid question about $OEM$ path...
If you have the $OEM$ path on the root of the bootable CD, what would the OemFilesPath=? be in the winnt.sif?

[jiimmy]

[Data]
    AutoPartition=\"0\"
    MsDosInitiated=\"0\"
    UnattendedInstall=\"Yes\"

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=DefaultHide
    OemPreinstall=Yes
    OemFilesPath=\"..$OEM$\"
    OemPnPDriversPath=\"DriversMatrox;DriversIntelNIC\"
    DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
    ;;NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    TargetPath=\"WIN2000\"
    Filesystem=LeaveAlone
    OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade=No

;[MassStorageDrivers]
;    \"Adaptec AIC-7899 Ultra160/m PCI SCSI Card\" = RETAIL
;    \"Intel® 82801BA Ultra ATA Controller\" = RETAIL
;    \"Primary IDE Channel\" = RETAIL
;    \"Secondary IDE Channel\" = RETAIL

;[OEMBootFiles]
;    IdeBusDr.sys
;    IdeChnDr.sys
;    IdeChnDr.inf
;    IATA3000.CAT
;    TxtSetup.oem

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=psswd
    AutoLogon=Yes
    AutoLogonCount=2
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=4
    OemSkipWelcome=1
    ProfilesDir=\"%SystemDrive%Users\"
    DetachedProgram=\"%SystemDrive%$WIN_NT$.~LSI386svcpackdxsetup.exe\"
    Arguments=\"/windowsupdate /silent /packageinstall\"

In reply to:

Though the major problem is integrating HAL/3rd party RAID/SCSI controllers under Win2k/XP CD. There\'s a bug in the installer that prevents these from being installed properly, even given the right parameters. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

What exactly is the problem? Its worked fine for me. I was even able to integrate drivers into the I386 distribution (and boot disks) by modifying TXTSETUP.SIF and DOSNET.INF, so it selects them on its own from the HW id.

[Anonymous]

BTW, did it worked on you doing a custom bootable distro-CD with $OEM$ on the root of the CD?

If you don\'t mind, can you post your sample WINNT.SIF, TXTSETUP.OEM files here?

[Anonymous]

I was wondering, why did you REM\'ed \";\" out the whole[OEMBootFiles] & [MassStorageDrivers] sections?

[Anonymous]

It seems no one still has done it... Or has reported any workarounds...

[Anonymous]

Hmmm.. Hello?
Has anybody figured this one yet? http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

[Anonymous]

Hmmm.. Anyone wanna help?