Unattended Installation, where and how to start?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eli
  • Start date Start date
E

Eli

Hello all,
I have been asked few times about an issue and now I'm thinking
seriously about it.
Briefly, it is about installing windows and other software in an
automatic way. I think this is called "unattended".
To solve the problem of a friend, I'm thinking about putting all the
software he uses on a DVD-R along with the proper "installation
script". Not sure if this is the proper name.
My hope is that such a DVD will allow him to boot his machine and
leave it running overnight for everything to be installed without
human interaction.
The installation script is expected to do the following:
1. Install Win XP injecting the serial number, the name, the company
along this installation.
2. To install and configure his hardware drivers (webcam, scanner,...)
3. To inject the proper networking info (eg local static IP, gateway
IP, ...)
4. Upon the end of installing windows, to activate it online.
5. To install Norton Antivirus and activate it online.
6. To install the kids' software.
I think this is doable as a set of CDs came with his laptop that does
the same, just for Win XP no more.
Has anybody tried similar script in the past?
Heaps of thanks,

Eli
 
What effort and expense do you wish to exert on being able to 'restore' a
complete PC configuration.

Given that your intention is to be able to recreate a working Windows /
Application environment at will, this may be good. It will only work on one
hardware configuration, which is why manufacturers which sell 1,000s of
identical PC configurations spend money to do it [but only for the basic XP
system].

What you would be better achieving, is to be able to restore one
configuration: build up your hardware / software configuration [Mouse,
keyboard, motherboard, sound card, video adapter, modem, monitor, printer,
scanner etc - get the picture: plus Windows, Norton, Office, Acrobat etc] and
get everything working properly. Thus your unique confiuration is
established.

Once all updates are applied and settings made for the unique environment,
that is Cable / DSL modem, Usernames, Email account etc: then get Norton
Ghost and make an Image file of the Hard Drive. This can be created on a
partition or a separate drive. The image file can be copied to DVD or CD.

If needed one can recreate the functional computer by Restoring from the
image file [Hard Drive or CD copy]. Benefit is that your fully functional
status is restored in about 30-40 minutes.
 
Thank you very much BAR for taking the time to respond.

You are right, Norton's Ghost is the best and easiest solution to the
example you and I have given. Nevertheless, before taking the Ghost
approach, my hope was to learn how unattended install can be achieved.

One target I was hoping to achieve is: My friend has recently changed
his email address provider. My idea is to update the suggested
installation script file to reflect the new values (SMTP and POP3
server names). Now whenever he boots from this DVD, his Outlook
Express will automatically have the new email info injected.

Yes, you're right. Even this example can be achieved by Ghost with few
steps and burning a fresh CD but my idea (if can be done) is more
systematic.

One last thing, when I was talking about restoring his laptop
environment I was thinking that such scripts had already been tailored
for that. Now your idea sounds to be more logical. I guess now that
his laptop restore CDs are a simple image with Ghost somewhere on the
CD.

Anyway, thanks again BAR for your past contribution and future
suggestions.
Cheers,
Eli
 
If I understand correctly, you want to create an unattended setup of XP
using the built in tools.

Open Deploy.cab on the setup cd. Run setupmgr.exe, and look at the produced
unattend.txt, and associated *.bat file.

Open Ref.chm, and see the syntax of winnt32.exe, and the various [section]
arguments that can be added to unattend.txt

"winnt32 /unattend:C:\unattend.txt"
 
Back
Top