WDS

[Phil]

Alright, here's the situation: I'm using WDS with Server 2003 R2 to deploy
XP using WIM images. The deployment process is flawless. However, after the
install, when the machine first boots into Windows XP, I want it to auto
login once into the local admin account and run a script. I'm using Windows
7 PE (WinPE 3.0) to PXE boot and load the images. Some people say to use
winnt.sif, some people say that you can accomplish this with sysprep.inf.
Neither of those options seem to work.

The sysprep.inf route seems to be the furthest I've come, as it does copy
from the $OEM$ directory in the distribution\images folder on the server to
the local client but never executes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much,

Phil (not the same Phil who recently double-posted about "CYCLIC REDUNDANCY
ERRORS. Phil, if you're reading this, check your hard drive, it's probably
bad.)

 

[Phil]

I'd like to post a status update. Sysprep.inf doesn't automate mini setup
regardless of it's location. This WDS is running in Native Mode and I've
plopped the sysprep.inf file in $OEM$\1$\Sysprep and in the images group
folder under the image name with the aforementioned directory structure
added. I've also modified the WdsSysprepTemplate.inf with zero success.
Definitely at my wits end. My prior issue had to do with my forgetting to
reseal the computers prior to imaging. A rookie mistake, no doubt, but one
quickly fixed once I realized sysprep was still starting after login.

In any event, still searching for answers. This weekend is going to be
enjoyable.

 

[Phil]

Well, turns out I was syspreping the machines incorrectly. The mini switch is
a very necessary step. Reimaged the computers with this new command and now
sysprep.inf file loads with no issue. Couple nagging questions are still
haunting me, however. First, when booting into Windows 7 PE, you select the
language and keyboard layout and then it prompts for credentials. My domain
credentials are the only one's that work. I've checked the directory
security, the image group security, and various other properties and they all
have domain users as full read write access. Overkill, I know, but I was
trying to narrow down what was happening here. I am not a domain admin, and
am just a regular user in AD. I've added domain users to the local
administrator account on the server and that didn't help either.

Also, is there any way to randomize the computer names assigned whilst still
keeping them on a workgroup using sysprep.inf? I have a script that joins the
computers to the domain after the mini setup runs and want to keep it that
way. However, when the network sees the duplicate name, it only allows one at
a time to join and I have to restart whatever computer had the "duplicate
name" error.

Hopefully these questions are "easier" than the first and someone has some
insight.