Preparation-starting unattended setup

Document directory

• Starting unattended setup
• Conclusion
• Update:

Starting unattended setup

Recall that we connected to a network share as one of the final steps in our previous guide:

Connecting to a distribution folder

Here, I have connected to the administrative share of the D: drive on the computer named "Kitchen" and mapped that share as D: on the computer that will have Windows 2000 server installed. insert the answer-file floppy into the computer's floppy drive, and then copy the answer file and sample batch file to the root of the C: Drive. run smartdrv. EXE if you have not already done so. finally, TypeUnattend. bat, And hitEnter. If everything was set up correctly, Windows 2000 Server Setup will begin copying files and proceed with the setup. That's it! Now, you can sit back and relax, grab a cup of coffee, or proceed to the next computer and repeat the 3 step process: MAP network drive, copy files, Run batch file. as I mentioned earlier, it only takes a few seconds. of course, I recommend that you sit through the first installation to make sure that you did indeed setup the answer file correctly and that setup does complete automatically. if it Does, congratulations! You're done with the hard part.

Conclusion

One of the better features of Windows 2000/XP is that you can install the operating system unattended. in this guide, we have focused on login Ming such an installation using the network as our source drive. this guide has shown that with a small amount of preparation, deploying Windows 2000 to compute computers requires only that you carry a floppy disk with you and spend a few seconds on each computer to begin setup. if you place the answer files in the distribution share as well, you do not even need a floppy. another application wocould be if you are constantly tweaking your system and re-installing your OS all the time and you do not want to input the same settings every time. just create an answer file and you are set, as this works with a CD installation as well. no need to sit at the computer and wait for setup to prompt you for answers, since you have already provided the answers in a file. in the coming days, I will detail the steps necessary for automatic Windows 2000 Professional and XP setup as well. for now, thank you for reading this guide.

Click here to see a sample answer file.

Update:

I have discovered that the processes for installing both Windows 2000 and XP Professional unattended is basically the same as that of Windows 2000 Server, therefore I will not be writing additional guides for these processes. as a general guideline, here are the steps necessary to perform an unattended installation:

1. Create an answer file with Setup Manager or do so manually. windows 2000 Server and professional share the same setup manager, and XP Professional's Setup Manager is located in the same directory as Windows 2000's (/support/tools/deploy. cab ).
2. Create a distribution folder and share it. if you use Setup Manager, this will be done for you automatically. of course, if you are using Ming an unattended installation on only one machine, you may use the CD as well.
3. Run either winnt.exe or winnt32.exe with the correct parameters.
4. Sit back and wait for installation to complete.

I must note that unattended installations vary with each situation, and that my guide is just an example to show you how it is done. for example, one of my computers has a separate hard drive controller, and when I perform an unattended installation on a drive connected to that controller, not only do I have to modify the answer file, but I also have to modify the txtsetup. OEM file of the controlle R's drivers because those drivers were not specifically written for an unattended install. my hope is that by reading this guide, you will acquire enough knowledge to perform an unattended installation on your own. I am sure that if you followed this guide precisely and used the exact same answer file, you wocould not get the results you have CT. if you do need help, feel free to email me. there are Also varous sources on the World Wide Web that can help you find what you need. Good luck!