Unattended install

[Minotaur]

Well, I have my XP SP1 slipstreamed CD working fine... but what I (and i\'m sure a lot of other users) would like to do is be able to create an unattended installation. The XP Setup manager will allow you to create files that will do this (unattend.txt and unattend.bat) but these seem to only work from a command line and not direct from the booting CD. So my question is, has anyone worked out how to run the \"setup\" program with parameters rather than just \"setup\" by itself as the CD boots? Once I know how to do this I can create a CD that I can insert into a system, reboot, and then come back 45 minutes later to find WinXP SP1 completely installed and ready to use, with no interactivity required.

Cheers.

[Twinkie]

Maybe I am not reading you right... are you asking about winnt.sif or something like the smarter start idea?  I discuss winnt.sif and have a link for smarter start on my unattend page.  If that is not the question please post...

[Minotaur]

Okay, so I would need to rename the Unattend.txt file... but to what? What exe is actually run when the WinXP boots up?
Cheers.
- Steven Bolbot

[Twinkie]

Change the following:
unattend.txt -> winnt.sif
Just rename it don\'t do anything else.

Then launch winnt.exe like normal.

It will automatically search the floppy drive and then the I386 folder for a winnt.sif file.  If it finds it then it procedes as if you provided the unattend switch and reads it.  For more info go here: http://www.tech-hints.com/unatt.html