unattended installs of windows xp

[mmattson]

i am trying to do unatteded installations (upgrades) from
windows 2000 to windows xp operating system.

I am using a Windows.net magazine article as a guide.
I have the unattend.txt and unattend.bat files working
properly and I have the group policy settings correct.
My problem is with the windows laucher (.msi). The
article wants me to modify the custom action target
fields for both RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The
article wants me to use the following syntax.

"<SourceDir>winnt32" /s:"<SourceDir>." /unattend:"<SourceD
ir>unattend.txt" /batch

I cannot make this work. I have everything working except
this msi file. I think i want this msi file to point to
the unattend.bat file that i have working properly, but I
cannot make it work. I do not know if the syntax given in
the article are correct or if permissions somewhere are
incorrect (but I have everything shared and our everyone
group has full control over all the files and folders).
Whenever I try to modify this msi file in any why, when I
try to reopen the .msi file I get a 1722 error "unable to
complete installation" with no further information.

I would really appreicate any help on this. If I am
forgeting something, if the syntax is incorrect, or if
you have some pointers or a reference, I would really
appreicate the help.

Thanks.

 

[mmattson]

I have been using the network location for the
<SourceDir> syntax. I have been using
\\servername\folder\ without any kind of brackets or
anything. Should I try anything else? It is possible to
modify .msi files? I did not modify MySetPath target
field. If you have any other suggestions they would be
greatly appreciated.

thanks.

-----Original Message-----
Right from the start, I'd suggest trying square brackets around the
[SourceDir] rather than the angle brackets. MSI syntax for properties uses
the square brackets.

The error, 1722, indicates a problem typically with a custom action - so
this might be your problem.

Let us know if that solves the problem, and if not we can take you into the
world of MSI logging to get a further sense of the problem. To check the
syntax of your command line, you can also simply replace the [SourceDir]
parts of the command line indicated with the path to your MSI, and see if
the basic command works without the installer.

--
--matthew
--------------------------------------------------------- ----
Please do not send email directly to the alias used to post to the
newsgroup. The alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

i am trying to do unatteded installations (upgrades) from
windows 2000 to windows xp operating system.

I am using a Windows.net magazine article as a guide.
I have the unattend.txt and unattend.bat files working
properly and I have the group policy settings correct.
My problem is with the windows laucher (.msi). The
article wants me to modify the custom action target
fields for both RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The
article wants me to use the following syntax.

"<SourceDir>winnt32" /s:"<SourceDir>." /unattend:"<Sour ceD
ir>unattend.txt" /batch

I cannot make this work. I have everything working except
this msi file. I think i want this msi file to point to
the unattend.bat file that i have working properly, but I
cannot make it work. I do not know if the syntax given in
the article are correct or if permissions somewhere are
incorrect (but I have everything shared and our everyone
group has full control over all the files and folders).
Whenever I try to modify this msi file in any why, when I
try to reopen the .msi file I get a 1722 error "unable to
complete installation" with no further information.

I would really appreicate any help on this. If I am
forgeting something, if the syntax is incorrect, or if
you have some pointers or a reference, I would really
appreicate the help.

Thanks.

.

 

[Matthew Wetmore [MSFT]]

First, by way of disclaimer:
I haven't read the article you're referring to, nor have I ever actually
tried doing a setup like this. However, I am fairly well versed with MSI
and moderately with Windows setup. So... Use at your own risk, but I think
this will get you started.

From your mail:
"The article wants me to modify the custom action target fields for both
RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The article wants me to use the following
syntax...."

By that, I assumed you'd modified the CustomAction table in the MSI. Did
you try to do this someplace else?

To edit the MSI, you can use Orca from the Windows Installer platform SDK.
Start here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...mponents_for_windows_installer_developers.asp

Looking at the winnt32.msi on a system CD, there are three entries in the
CustomAction table, and they seem to map well to what you've described from
the article:
MySetPath 51 RunSetupPath [SourceDir]winnt32.exe
RunSetup 3186 RunSetupPath /unattend /batch /#Q
RunSetupImmediate 50 RunSetupPath /unattend /batch /#Q

I believe you'll simply want to change the last two rows, and just the
targets from
/unattend /batch /#Q
to what you described:
/s:"[SourceDir]" /unattend:"[SourceDir]unattend.txt" /batch

Note the use of square brackets, not the angle brackets, and that you're
only changing the latter part - the [SourceDir]winnt32.exe is handled by the
"MySetPath" custom action. The other pieces you change are used as
arguments to winnt32.exe

--
--matthew
-------------------------------------------------------------
Please do not send email directly to the alias used to post to the
newsgroup. The alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I have been using the network location for the
<SourceDir> syntax. I have been using
\\servername\folder\ without any kind of brackets or
anything. Should I try anything else? It is possible to
modify .msi files? I did not modify MySetPath target
field. If you have any other suggestions they would be
greatly appreciated.

thanks.

-----Original Message-----
Right from the start, I'd suggest trying square brackets around the
[SourceDir] rather than the angle brackets. MSI syntax for properties uses
the square brackets.

The error, 1722, indicates a problem typically with a custom action - so
this might be your problem.

Let us know if that solves the problem, and if not we can take you into the
world of MSI logging to get a further sense of the problem. To check the
syntax of your command line, you can also simply replace the [SourceDir]
parts of the command line indicated with the path to your MSI, and see if
the basic command works without the installer.

--
--matthew
--------------------------------------------------------- ----
Please do not send email directly to the alias used to post to the
newsgroup. The alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

i am trying to do unatteded installations (upgrades) from
windows 2000 to windows xp operating system.

I am using a Windows.net magazine article as a guide.
I have the unattend.txt and unattend.bat files working
properly and I have the group policy settings correct.
My problem is with the windows laucher (.msi). The
article wants me to modify the custom action target
fields for both RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The
article wants me to use the following syntax.

"<SourceDir>winnt32" /s:"<SourceDir>." /unattend:"<Sour ceD
ir>unattend.txt" /batch

I cannot make this work. I have everything working except
this msi file. I think i want this msi file to point to
the unattend.bat file that i have working properly, but I
cannot make it work. I do not know if the syntax given in
the article are correct or if permissions somewhere are
incorrect (but I have everything shared and our everyone
group has full control over all the files and folders).
Whenever I try to modify this msi file in any why, when I
try to reopen the .msi file I get a 1722 error "unable to
complete installation" with no further information.

I would really appreicate any help on this. If I am
forgeting something, if the syntax is incorrect, or if
you have some pointers or a reference, I would really
appreicate the help.

Thanks.

.

 

[mmattson]

The article I am going off of is Instant Doc ID 38492.
It is called Using Group Policy to Deploy XP. From the
windows.net magazine.

I have been using the following syntax

"\\robin\vault\xpdist\I386
\winnt32" /s:"\\robin\vault\xpdist\I386
\." /unattend:"\\robin\vault\xpdist\I386
\unattend.txt" /batch

I tried the syntax that you suggested, but I couldn't get
it to work. I am still getting an error either that the
msi file is unable to be opened or the 1722 error
mentioned earlier. My unattend.txt and batch files are
in the same directory/location as the .msi file. I tried
using the syntax specified in the article. I tried using
the path name, I tried using [SourceDir]. I tried
leaving out the location to winnt32. Is there anything
else I can try?

Thanks so much for your help.

-----Original Message-----
First, by way of disclaimer:
I haven't read the article you're referring to, nor have I ever actually
tried doing a setup like this. However, I am fairly well versed with MSI
and moderately with Windows setup. So... Use at your own risk, but I think
this will get you started.

From your mail:
"The article wants me to modify the custom action target fields for both
RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The article wants me to use the following
syntax...."

By that, I assumed you'd modified the CustomAction table in the MSI. Did
you try to do this someplace else?

To edit the MSI, you can use Orca from the Windows Installer platform SDK.
Start here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp? url=/library/en-
us/msi/setup/platform_sdk_components_for_windows_installer
_developers.asp

Looking at the winnt32.msi on a system CD, there are three entries in the
CustomAction table, and they seem to map well to what you've described from
the article:
MySetPath 51 RunSetupPath [SourceDir] winnt32.exe
RunSetup 3186

RunSetupPath /unattend /batch /#Q

RunSetupImmediate 50

RunSetupPath /unattend /batch /#Q

I believe you'll simply want to change the last two rows, and just the
targets from
/unattend /batch /#Q
to what you described:
/s:"[SourceDir]" /unattend:"[SourceDir] unattend.txt" /batch

Note the use of square brackets, not the angle brackets, and that you're
only changing the latter part - the [SourceDir] winnt32.exe is handled by the
"MySetPath" custom action. The other pieces you change are used as
arguments to winnt32.exe

--
--matthew
--------------------------------------------------------- ----
Please do not send email directly to the alias used to post to the
newsgroup. The alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I have been using the network location for the
<SourceDir> syntax. I have been using
\\servername\folder\ without any kind of brackets or
anything. Should I try anything else? It is possible to
modify .msi files? I did not modify MySetPath target
field. If you have any other suggestions they would be
greatly appreciated.

thanks.

-----Original Message-----
Right from the start, I'd suggest trying square

brackets
around the

[SourceDir] rather than the angle brackets. MSI

syntax
for properties uses

the square brackets.

The error, 1722, indicates a problem typically with a custom action - so
this might be your problem.

Let us know if that solves the problem, and if not we can take you into the
world of MSI logging to get a further sense of the problem. To check the
syntax of your command line, you can also simply

replace
the [SourceDir]

parts of the command line indicated with the path to your MSI, and see if
the basic command works without the installer.

---
----

Please do not send email directly to the alias used to post to the
newsgroup. The alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,

and
confers no rights.

i am trying to do unatteded installations (upgrades) from
windows 2000 to windows xp operating system.

I am using a Windows.net magazine article as a guide.
I have the unattend.txt and unattend.bat files working
properly and I have the group policy settings correct.
My problem is with the windows laucher (.msi). The
article wants me to modify the custom action target
fields for both RunSetupImmediate and RunSetup. The
article wants me to use the following syntax.

ir>unattend.txt" /batch

I cannot make this work. I have everything working except
this msi file. I think i want this msi file to

point
to

the unattend.bat file that i have working properly, but I
cannot make it work. I do not know if the syntax

given
in

the article are correct or if permissions somewhere are
incorrect (but I have everything shared and our everyone
group has full control over all the files and folders).
Whenever I try to modify this msi file in any why, when I
try to reopen the .msi file I get a 1722

error "unable
to

complete installation" with no further information.

I would really appreicate any help on this. If I am
forgeting something, if the syntax is incorrect, or if
you have some pointers or a reference, I would really
appreicate the help.

Thanks.


.

.