KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q167211: PRB: Cmdlines.txt Does Not Recognize Parameters Surrounded by Qu

Article: Q167211
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbOPK kbSBK
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

During an unattended setup, some entries in the Cmdlines.txt file do not
execute.

CAUSE
=====

The entries in Cmdlines.txt that are not executing may contain entries that
contain parameters between quotation marks, as in the following example:

     Cmdlines.txt
        [Commands]
        ".\at 04:00 /interactive cmd.exe /c "c:\batch\runme.bat"

Cmdlines.txt treats the first quotation mark in the parameter as the end of the
command line.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, create a batch file containing the same command line
with quotation marks, and run that batch file from the Cmdlines.txt text file.
For the previous example, the resolution would be:

     CMDLINES.TXT
        [Commands]
        ".\mybatch.bat"

     Mybatch.bat
        AT 04:00 /interactive cmd.exe /c "c:\batch\runme.bat"

MORE INFORMATION
================

The Unattend.txt setup script must include "OEMPreinstall=Yes in the
[Unattended] section, to enable the Cmdlines.txt file. This file must also
reside in the $OEM$ directory of your Windows NT distribution share.

For additional information about unattended installations, please see the
following article at the Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/info/Deployment-guide.htm

Additional query words: prodnt Unattended Setup

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsetup kbOPK kbSBK 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.