masm32 and Ubuntu

[MichaelW]

All of the Dell XP reinstallation CDs that I have seen had a normal i386 directory that contained all of the files necessary to do a clean install, or at least everything that I needed for an unattended install. How, or if, this would work in VirtualBox I have no idea.

[shankle]

Thanks for the replies.
This install of XP is not a normal install. A normal install works.
This install is in a "VirtualBox" that is within Ubuntu.
That's what does not work with a reinstallation CD.

[carlos]

HI Shankle
these recovery cd are very handy for fixing windows, but they only works with the machine they were designed to, (to avoid piracy he, he, he)
since virtualbox creates a "vanilla" PC they don't "recognize" it has it's own, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, (I hope is not a speeding train :toothy), in UBCD for Windows http://www.ubcd4win.com you could get an application to "slipstream"  a service pack in a old install cd, generating a new cd in the process, try it it may work, also you don't have to burn the new cd, VBox let's you attach a cd image as a cd drive.

hope this help you

Carlos

[MichaelW]

I wouldn't expect whatever reinstall application that Dell provided to work. I am talking about doing an unattended install using only the files in the i386 directory. From the VirtualBox User Manual, Version 2.1.2:

In order to allow for completely unattended guest installations of Windows 2000 and
XP, the Guest Additions driver files have been put separately on the Additions ISO
file. Just like with other third-party drivers, the files have to be copied to the OEM
directory of Windows. Using the PCI hardware detection, they will then be recognized
and installed automatically.

Although I'm not sure what all of this means, it does look like an unattended install could be made to work. I would guess that "OEM directory of Windows" means the i386 directory. If you have the Microsoft CD for Windows 2000 or Windows XP, the unattended setup information should be in SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPLOY.CAB, in deploy.chm for Windows XP or unattend.doc for Windows 2000.

Here is a generic example of the answer file I have used many times, unattend.txt:

Code Select Expand


;
; This answer file specifies the essential parameters for
; a fully unattended setup. It is intended for performing
; a clean install (over a fresh format, no upgrade or
; dual-boot) from the command line. It may need to be
; modified for other purposes.
;
; To start a Windows 2000 or Windows XP setup in unattended
; mode from the command line:
;
; winnt /u:<answer file> /s:<install source> /t:<target drive>
;

[Unattended]

UnattendMode = FullUnattended

; Alternate is ConvertNTFS:
FileSystem = LeaveAlone

; A common alternate is Windows:
TargetPath = WINNT

; This is necessary for setup to accept ProductID:
OemSkipEula = Yes

[UserData]

; Whatever:
ComputerName = "X"

; This will be the registered-to name:
FullName = "User"

; The Product Key goes here:
ProductID = "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[GuiUnattended]

; This specifies a null password:
AdminPassword = *

; This specifies Central Time Zone, can be changed after install:
TimeZone = "020"

; This section header is necessary for unattended install:
[Networking]

[Identification]

; This specifies the workgroup name:
JoinWorkgroup = Workgroup


I normally do this from a Windows 98 Boot Disk, and this is the batch file I normally use to launch the setup:

Code Select Expand


@echo off

copy unattend.txt c:\

d:
cd winxp\i386

echo.
echo REMOVE BOOT DISKETTE AFTER SETUP STARTS
echo.

pause

winnt /u:c:\unattend.txt /s:d:\winxp\i386 /t:c


This assumes that the entire i386 directory has been copied from the CD to the directory winxp on drive D. If everything works correctly, Windows installs without user intervention in around 30 minutes, depending on the speed of the system.