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Q123765: The WINNT.SIF File Created by WINNT and WINNT32

Article: Q123765
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
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When you run WINNT or WINNT32, a WINNT.SIF file is created and placed on
disk two of the three boot floppy disk set. WINNT.SIF is not supplied with
the disk-set package of Windows NT and not created when you
run WINNT /OX.

WINNT.SIF is a text file containing the following:

  [Data]
  MsDosInitiated = 1

WINNT.SIF instructs Windows NT Setup to look for installation files in
a temporary directory on the hard disk instead of a CD-ROM. If it does not
exist, Setup looks for installation files in either the CD-ROM or floppy
disk drive.

If you try to use WINNT or WINNT32-created floppy disks to install Windows
NT from a CD-ROM, one of the following error message appears:

  Setup was unable to locate the hard drive partition prepared by the MS-DOS
  portion of Setup.

  -OR-

  Setup is unable to locate the hard drive partition prepared by the MS-DOS
  portion of Setup.

You can change source file direction of the WINNT or WINNT32-created
floppy disks to be like the CD-ROM installation floppy disks by changing
the entry in the WINNT.SIF file above to "MsDosInitiated = 0" (without the
quotes) or by deleting the file. Similarly, you can modify the CD-ROM
installation floppy disk to act like the WINNT or WINNT32-created floppy
disk by creating and adding the WINNT.SIF file.

Additional query words: prodnt floppies

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Keywords          : kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version           : winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0

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