Forum: EasyBoot
Topic: winnt.sif w2k3
started by: zia abbas
Posted by zia abbas on Apr. 19 2010,02:25
Dea Balder,

Everything was fine while i was using easyboot w2k3 and I noticed that it is asking my serial no. while setting up 2k3. ( I remember that it wasn't ask any serial no. as it had a winnt.sif file under i386 created by nlite- unattend). After making it by Easyboot it is askin me serial no. I noticed that the file winnt.sif for xp is in WXP3 folder and it doest ask me any serial no. so I placed w2k3 winnt.sif file to W2K3 folder.

Now while setting W2k3 I get error:
Line 1 of the INF file \W2k3\winnt.sif is invalid. Setup cannot continue.

Why this is so?
Posted by balder on Apr. 19 2010,06:30
@zia abbas

Quote: ”it is asking my serial no”.

This problem can be caused by several different reasons :(

Test-1 no WinXP: use n-lighted w2k3-source that you have hex edit to use a different folder name than the original (i386). Inject of course your winnt.sif (the Unattended-file) that must be injected to same directory where your “BOOT-files” has been put (I guess it is w2k3 you use as new folder name?). Do not check “optimise” when creating ISO as you only have w2k3 in folder disk1.

Test-2 including WinXP: use n-lighted w2k3-source. Do not hex edit this N-lighted w2k3-source – only do hex edit to WinXP-source. Put folder i386 that belong to w2k3-source in folder disk1 as usual and put winnt.sif into this folder i386 (folder i386 for w2k3).
Check “optimise” when creating ISO.

Test-3 including WinXP: use the original w2k3-source (not n-lighted). Do not hex edit the w2k3-source – only do hex edit to WinXP-source. Put folder i386 that belong to w2k3-source in folder disk1 as usual. Put winnt.sif into folder i386 (folder i386 for w2k3).
Check “optimise” when creating ISO.

Note: “nlite” is a common “problem-maker” especially when w2k3 is involved :angry:
If I where you, I wouldn’t run “nlite” to a w2k3-source. When you later setting up such “n-lighted” system – you most likely get some sort of problem ???

Regards balder
Posted by liang2929 on Aug. 05 2010,10:47
maybe you need this:
you can find a file in win2k-msdnCD :setupmgr.exe which in X(your cd):\SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPLOY.cab

this file will help and guide you to make both unattend.txt and unattend.bat
you just rename unattend.txt to winnt.sif and copy it to i386\

"Line 1 of the INF file \W2k3\winnt.sif is invalid. Setup cannot contniue."
the similar error may be caused by the format of the file  .DO NOT COPY directly

or i give you an example:

============
;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
   AutoPartition=0
   MsDosInitiated="0"
   UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
   UnattendMode=FullUnattended
   OemSkipEula=Yes
   OemPreinstall=No
   TargetPath=\WINDOWS
   FileSystem=Ignore

[GuiUnattended]
   AdminPassword=*
   EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
   OEMSkipRegional=1
   TimeZone=210
   OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
   ProductKey=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
   FullName="USER"
   OrgName="USER"
   ComputerName=USER

[LicenseFilePrintData]
   AutoMode=PerServer
   AutoUsers=5

[RegionalSettings]
   LanguageGroup=10
   Language=00000804

[Identification]
   JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[Networking]
   InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

============

Limo from China
thanks for tolerating my poor English
Posted by liang2929 on Aug. 05 2010,10:50
OK
you can also view ref.chm in deploy
chapter "unattend.txt"--"winntsif" has what you exactlly need
good luck
Limo