setup ISO CD

[Guest]

I have a volume license XP Pro. How can I install Windows and SP2 from one
CD that will also enter the PID for me?

 

[george]

Integrate (slipstream) the SP into the distribution source (ie. the i386)
using Autostreamer (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4444.html) and burn a
new cd from the result.
Then use SetupManager from the CD's Support\Tools folder to create an
unattended answer file and provide the Product ID in the answer file. (Check
out the accompanying documentation for this in ref.chm from the same
folder).
Save the answer file thus created to a floppy as winnt.sif, have the system
boot from CD and have the floppy with the answer file in the drive too.
Setup will look for this file in the floppy drive and provide all the info
needed during install from that answer file.

hth

george

 

[Guest]

Some computers do not have a floppy drive. Is there anyway to create it all

 

[george]

The default path setup looks for is the floppy and the filename must be
winnt.sif.
However, you could try and resort to the following. (somewhat involved)
Create the setup answer file as stated before and save it to the root of the
CD image you're going to burn.
You could then use that CD to start the install manually by typing the
following command from a command prompt:
winnt /s:<CD-drive:\i386> /u:<CD-drive:YourAnswerfilename>
or
winnt32 /s:<CD-drive:\i386> /unattend:<CD-drive:YourAnswerfilename>

Major drawbacks of this method:
1. you will need a running machine that can boot an OS and provide you with
a command prompt. (MS-DOS for the winnt command or Windows for the second.)
2. you'll need to burn a new CD image with a corrected answerfile if it
doesn't result in the install you actually wanted (on what machine are you
going to do that?)

I guess it could be done that way, but I'd go out and get a external USB
floppy drive for a few bucks.
IMHO makes life a whole lot easier.

george