I'm trying to set up an unattended installation file for Windows XP (to run from the CD). I've found documentation on how to set this part up, but I am finding almost no information other than telling me to run the Windows utility.
First I will say that there is NO server environment and I have no program to backup the hard drive as an image (if someone can recommend a good free one that would be nice also, but I still need to know how to do the following). But also do assume that I have admin rights (or could I set Windows to log into the admin account on first bootup? I can also log into the admin account later if needed too).
I'd like to know how to automate a few things.
1 = How to partition the drive (& specify the partitions). I would really like to also have (as a backup) the ability to install only to an existing partition (but need to format it first). Can I do this without running a batch file first? And to run that batch file before install, would I need to boot from a floppy?
2 = How do you create user accounts in XP by a scripted/automated process? I'd like to create a set of user accounts and passwords for them. This is OK to be done once Windows is installed if needed. (I guess I could even set it in the "run once" section of the file. But having a script/batch file that can be ran on multiple systems to create the user accounts on all and save some manual work would be nice.)
Thanks, any help is much appreciated.
P.S. If someone can recommend a good tutorial on how to write scripts for doing things in Windows (save some manual work) that would be helpful too.
First I will say that there is NO server environment and I have no program to backup the hard drive as an image (if someone can recommend a good free one that would be nice also, but I still need to know how to do the following). But also do assume that I have admin rights (or could I set Windows to log into the admin account on first bootup? I can also log into the admin account later if needed too).
I'd like to know how to automate a few things.
1 = How to partition the drive (& specify the partitions). I would really like to also have (as a backup) the ability to install only to an existing partition (but need to format it first). Can I do this without running a batch file first? And to run that batch file before install, would I need to boot from a floppy?
2 = How do you create user accounts in XP by a scripted/automated process? I'd like to create a set of user accounts and passwords for them. This is OK to be done once Windows is installed if needed. (I guess I could even set it in the "run once" section of the file. But having a script/batch file that can be ran on multiple systems to create the user accounts on all and save some manual work would be nice.)
Thanks, any help is much appreciated.
P.S. If someone can recommend a good tutorial on how to write scripts for doing things in Windows (save some manual work) that would be helpful too.
