w2k "unattend.txt" (aka:"Answer File") OPTIONS LIST

[bloatME]

I'm "testing" various 2kpro (clean install) setup configurations, and have been employing the "answer file" approach (using "unattend.txt&quot, to try and CONTROL exactly WHICH COMPONENTS actually DO get installed by "setup."

I've successfully been able to eliminate all the "Games" (Pinball, et al), (and it's sure nice NOT to have to enter that 25-digit CD key everytime!), but I would like to be able to cut "Telnet" & "Fax" (if possible) and many of the other "add-ons" that I know I'll never use on THIS particular unit;

i.e.: Since this machine will NOT have any internet access, and by using the following section in an "unattend.txt" file during "setup," it is possible to avoid installing TCP/IP (or ANY) networking clients or protocols:

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents = "No"
________________
Another section I've tried that seems to work:

[data]
unattendedinstall = "yes"
producttype = "winnt"
standardserverupgrade = "no"
winntupgrade = "no"
win9xupgrade = "no"
win31upgrade = "no"
sourcepath = "\device\harddisk0\partition1\$win_nt$.~ls"
msdosinitiated = "1"
floppyless = "1"
AutoPartition = "1"
UseSignatures = "yes"
InstallDir = "\WINNT"

(etc.)
_________________
It would be nice to have a "comprehensive" listing of ALL available categories and their respective component "switches" -

Anyone with knowledge, suggestions, or examples would be greatly appreciated.

[I've already plowed through the lengthy "unattend.doc" in the w2k CD\"Support" folder\"DEPLOY.CAB" - and I am aware that "certain" components (like Internet Explorer) are NOT "optional" during ANY w2k install. . .]

 

[toonei]

I too have been playing with the winnt.sif file for unattended installs but hadn't thought about what you are asking. In the unattend.doc under the Components section there is a listing for Hyperterminal and that would do away with your tenletting abilities. You could still Telnet from a Command prompt if you needed to. There is also a Fax parameter, maybe you could try entering a value there such as "none" or "0". I have looked at many sites but have seen nothing about the fax vaulues. Only other thing I can mention and you probably already know this. In the Winnt/inf directory is a file called sysoc.inf. If you open it you will see numerous items with the word "hide" near the end, remove the word "hide" from the line and then save the file. Go to Add/Remove programs, Add/Remove Windows Components and you will see they are now available for you to remove from your system. Before doing all this in order to see this file you need to enable the Show hidden files and folders from Explorer. Kind of clunky way to do things, but this way you can at least remove them from your machine. If you do find a way of doing this from the answer file, post it would you? I've searched the web till I'm bleary eyed and have not seen one thing on this (the Fax values).

 

[bloatME]

TO: "toonei" -

THANX! I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one out here who ever tried to "optimize" a w2k install.

Your response is beginning to confirm what I was afraid of, that is: you can't simply "cut them ALL off at the pass" so-to-speak, by preventing specified components from even getting "installed" in the first place, but must go thru an involved process, AFTER "setup" completes, in order that *some* of the ("excess-baggage&quot components may be un-installed later, using the technique you described.

According to the "PRO2.TXT" file on the w2k CD-ROM:

======================================================================
Customizing Setup
======================================================================

You can customize the installation of Windows 2000. If you use
unattended Setup mode, you can supply answers to Setup prompts so you
don't have to manually enter information during Setup.

For more detailed information about customizing Setup, see the
Windows 2000 Professional Resource Kit.
________________________________________________
[I was hoping I wouldn't have to purchase this!]

The MS Knowledgebase is real "sketchy" on providing any "comprehensive" component/switch listing; they want you to install EVERYTHING, of course.

Hopefully, we'll hear from somebody else who's also "into" controlling exactly *which* components are allowed to be installed by "setup."

Maybe there's a way to "query" winnt.exe for a list of "eligible components" and what it will accept as on-off "values" for them in any "unattend.txt" file ? You know, like asking DOS for a list of its eligible commands.

Thanx for your response; keep trying.

BTW, here's an excellent site for doing "major-surgery" on win98se:

http://www.litepc.com/98lite.html

- I'm waiting for these brilliant Ausies to release what they've been working on for w2k ;-)

 

[gamelin56]

Hello again BloatMe,

Pardon if this is a little vague, the memory isn't what it used to be. It seems to me there is a way to create an answer file after the fact. You set up the machine, the way you want, and then you generate the answer file. It may be that its 3rd party software or freeware or resource kit. It may also only be good for adding beyond the base install, not subtracting from it. XP and W2K are similar enough that anything which works for XP will probably work for W2K. I do recall seeing instructions for removing IE. If you're looking for a really spartan environment you could run W2K without explorer, just using task mgr to launch stuff. If you're really seriously minimalist you can run it without the GUI ! An awful lot of the resource kit can be downloaded from Microsoft for free. Microsoft has some current offers for Beta's of different o/s's which may very well contain the resource kit. The resource kit docs are certainly available somewhere for download.

The easiest approach is going to be to do a generic install, perform a lobotomy or perhaps liposuction on W2K, burn an image, and use that as your base install.

I bet you've got more questions now.

 

[bloatME]

Howdy, "gamelin56" -

There's always gonna be MORE questions. . .

But, I've got to do some more *testing* first; and then, some more research. I'll take another squint at MS' online "Resource Kit" offering; last I looked, you'd need to purchase it for the kind of info I'm after, *and* there's no guarantee it would even be in there.

The *only* MS instructions (regarding w2k) for nuking IE that I've run across simply refers to deleting all the "shortcuts" & *NOT* actually un-installing it - no help there. (The lads at

http://www.litepc.com

are working on this, however.)

I can live with keeping IE, and even Outlook Express - which would only be used as a necessary component in order to support viewing "archived" web pages on the special-purpose HDs that don't see the net anyway.

Just seems there ought to be a *comprehensive* list of what can and cannot be pre-chosen *PRIOR* to actually doing an install. . .if not, Dr. Norton & I will just have to do some surgery. . .(lol!)

Thanx again!

 

[toonei]

TO: BloatME

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, you have my interest peaked about this again so I think I will do some more poking around myself. If I find anything I will be sure to let you know. I'll keep watching here in case you come up with something first. Thanks.

Toonei

 

[bloatME]

TO: "toonei" -

Your on-going assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanx!

TO: "gamelin56" -

I believe the technique you were trying to pry out of your memory, for "a way to create an answer file after the fact" is, indeed, by installing w2k *first* (no matter how you do it; with or without an "unattend.txt" file), and *then* proceeding to install an app off of the w2k CD called: "SETUP MANAGER" - which is really just a lame "wizard" that can barely "get-you-going" down this path.

I've tried it; very minimal results, but does give you a "framework" and certainly whets-your-appetite for this kind of an approach.

Here's a few "notes" I took down from "Sample Chapter - Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Pro Expert Companion" - which is provided for free on the MS website:
_______________________________________
Creating an Answer File

An answer file is an ASCII text file that you can create and edit with any text editor, such as Notepad.

An easier method — at least for preparing the initial framework — is to use Setup Manager, one of the tools in \Support\Tools\Deploy.cab on the Windows 2000 Professional CD.

NOTE: Setup Manager runs only on Windows 2000.

Setup Manager is a wizard that can create answer files for automating the installation of Windows 2000.

To start Setup Manager, run Setupmgr.exe. After a few wizard pages with obvious answers, you’ll reach the User Interaction Level page, shown in Figure 1–2: Your choice here determines whether Setup allows the answers to be viewed or modified during installation...

On this page, you specify how much you want the user to see during installation (for example, you can hide Setup Wizard pages for which you’ve provided the answers) and whether you want the user to be able to override the answers you provide in the answer file. (A description of how each option works appears in the Description box when you select the option.)
_______________________________________

And *THAT* is really, basically, what "Setup Manager" is meant for, IMHO.

(i.e.: "automating" installs onto a bunch of machines that other people will use, and *easily* determining beforehand what those folks will ultimately see and be able to interact with (on their screens) - the first time they fire-up their *new* OS - at which time the w2k install actually *completes* ; with slight variations, of course, but I believe that's basically what "Setup Manager" is for.)

Thanx for "scratching yer head" for me, though; keep trying!

 

[gamelin56]

BloatMe,
From the following page:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/default.asp

Online Books and References

Windows 2000 Resource Kits </windows2000/techinfo/reskit/onlinebooks/redir-reskits.asp> The Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server Resource Kits deliver in-depth operating system information and tools that enable IT professionals to understand, deploy, and make optimal use of their Windows 2000 operating systems. Follow this link to find the entire text of all the Windows 2000 Resource Kit books and references online, in a format that makes it easy to navigate the thousands of pages of information.

The link brings you to:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/default.asp

Sounds like the whole shebang

Regards

 

[bloatME]

TO: &quot;gamelin56&quot; -

Been there, done that; that's why I started *this* thread.

Yup, it's the &quot;whole shebang&quot; alright; I've read thru it 'til my eyes fell out (including the &quot;Errata&quot - - -

But, especially the *appendices* containing the &quot;sample&quot; answer files for Unattended Setup; they illustrate the *use* of example answer files for &quot;specific&quot; kinds of &quot;deployment&quot;:

Remote OS Installation; installing with a default CD-based image; unattended installation from the w2k CD-ROM; unattended install and configure Microsoft® Internet Explorer and configure proxy settings; install and configure Windows 2000 Server with Two Network Adapters; install Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Network Load Balancing; install and configure Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Windows Clustering; (and several others; you get the idea. . .)

THE PROBLEM IS: I haven't been able to find a &quot;comprehensive&quot; listing of all of the *POSSIBLE* &quot;sections&quot; with all of their *POSSIBLE* respective &quot;keys&quot; - - -

Surely, you'd think there'd be one somewhere ! Especially when I keep seeing the following *conflicting* statements:

&quot;You can customize the default answer file (Unattend.txt) that comes with Windows 2000 or write a new one based on the samples that are provided in this appendix. Use these examples as a guide when you create your answer file.&quot;

&quot;Most section headers are predefined, but you can define other section headers yourself.&quot; (Great; where's the list? And: *HOW* do you define other section headers yourself? Where the Hell are the *rules* for their proper &quot;syntax&quot;?)

&quot;Some sections contain just a list of values without keys&quot;

&quot;Every key in an answer file must have a value assigned to it. Two exceptions exist: Some keys are optional. You do not need to include unnecessary keys in an answer file. Some keys have default values that are used if the value is omitted.&quot;

(And there's *one* that really slays me that says if you include an *invalid* section, key, or parameter, w2k may appear to be correctly installed, but may not be stable !)
_______________________

My latest attempt to wrestle this dog, has been to sign up
with MS as an &quot;OEM System Builder&quot; after hitting the link at the bottom of THIS KB PAGE [try it ;-) ]:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;250985

(Within 30 minutes I'm supposed to get an email from MS authorizing me to get into that site.)

I'll let you know if it helped. . .or if I get arrested.