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Q168814: Installing WinNT 4.0 Service Packs During Unattended Install

Article: Q168814
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbOPK kbSBK
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

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

There are several ways to install service packs during an unattended
installation/deployment of Windows NT 4.0. Starting with Service Pack 1, the
specification for quiet/unattended installation was added to Update.exe.

NOTE: Sysdiff cannot be used to apply a service pack. For additional information,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q163303 Sysdiff Cannot Be Used to Apply Service Pack

To install Service Pack 3 via an unattended installation, the files must be
extracted into a directory from the self-extracting file downloaded off the web.
To extract the files without applying, type the following command:

  NT4SP3_I.EXE /X

You will then be prompted for the directory that you want the files extracted
to.

Update.exe supplied with Service Pack 1 supports the following command line
parameters:

  -u for unattended installation

Update.exe supplied with Service Pack 2 supports the following command line
parameters:

  -u for unattended installation
  -c for create uninstall directory
  -z for do not restart (used when installing during GUI mode setup)

Update.exe supplied with Service Pack 3 supports the following command line
parameters:

  -f for force application close
  -u for unattended installation
  -n for do not create uninstall directory
  -z for do not restart (used for installing during GUI mode setup)
  -q for quiet mode. Does not show User Interface for service pack install
  -y for perform uninstall (only with /u or /q)

The version of the service pack that is being used may determine the installation
method desired.

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

The installation of Windows NT service packs during unattended
installation/deployment can be accomplished with the methods described later in
this article. There is not a right or wrong way to install the service pack. The
methods presented are to tailor the installation to meet the needs of your
environment. There are basically three installation options available.

Installation Option 1 - Manual
------------------------------

Manual installation is the normal installation method used to install the service
back after Windows NT is installed. All command line switches are valid with
manual installation. User interaction is required for this method.

Installation Option 2 - Using RUNONCE incorporated with unattended
installation when the service pack is either local or on a network share
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows NT 4.0 supports the use of the RUNONCE command, which is executed on
first logon to the system only. In many cases, the RUNONCE option is used for
various other customizing options used for deploying Windows NT 4.0.

Option 2 consists of two steps. The first step is to enable Administrator
Automatic Logon. The second step is to configure the RUNONCE registry value for
the command that is to be executed at logon.

For detailed instructions on using the RUNONCE option consult the Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0 "Deployment Guide," Chapter 5, and refer to the section on
Executing a Batch File on First Logon to Customize Windows NT. The Deployment
Guide may be viewed from the following Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation

Installation Option 3 - Using Cmdlines.txt when the service pack is either
local or on a network share
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(This option is only supported with Service Pack 2 and Service Pack 3.)

Windows NT 4.0 supports the installation of the service pack through the
CMDLINES.TXT file by either copying the service pack to the $OEM$ directory or
by calling a batch job to connect to the share. Note that with CMDLINES.TXT, the
-Z option will need to be specified in order to prevent the service pack from
trying to restart the system.

Using the $OEM$ directory as the source for the service pack:

1. Copy the entire Windows NT 4.0 service pack to the $OEM$ directory.

2. Add the following line to CMDLINES.TXT:

  ".\UPDATE.EXE -U -Z"

The installation of the service pack will occur during setup, but from the local
drive. This method will increase the amount of time it takes for the Text Mode
portion of setup to be completed, since the entire contents of $OEM$ are copied
to the local drive.

Using a Network share requires more configuration, but will install the service
pack during the GUI portion of setup and will not add any additional overhead to
the Text Mode phase of setup.

For simplification, the Primary Domain Controller (PDC) has the GUEST account
enabled with no password assigned to the account.

1. Create a directory on a server, and then copy the contents of the service
  pack for your platform to the directory. For example, the directory is called
  SP2 on the server, and is shared out as SP2.

2. Create a batch file and place it in the $OEM$ directory.

  The batch file should contain something similar to the following example,
  called SP.CMD.

  NET USE Z: \\Server\SP2 /PERSISTENT:NO /USER:<domain name>\guest <
  password.txt
  Z:\UPDATE.EXE -U -Z

NOTE: A valid domain name and account are required because Windows NT setup runs
in the context of the user SYSTEM which is only understood by the local system.
Make sure to use the /PERSISTENT:NO option so that the share is not reconnected
on first logon.

3. The file PASSWORD.TXT that is piped back to NET USE is required to respond to
  the prompt that is presented for the password. The file PASSWORD.TXT is
  copied to the local computer during setup. It is then deleted so there no is
  concern of leaving a file containing a password for an account on the local
  computer. The use of the Guest account is sufficient since all that is needed
  is READ access by default.

  To create Password.txt, run the following command from an MS-DOS prompt:

  COPY CON PASSWORD.TXT

After the command is executed, press ENTER once, and then use CTRL+Z to save the
file. The file contains a carriage return, which is all that is needed. If you
have a password assigned to the account being used, you would type the password
followed by ENTER then CTRL+Z.

4. Copy the PASSWORD.TXT to the $OEM$ directory.

5. Add the following line to the end CMDLINES.TXT:

  ".\SP.CMD"

Below is an example of a functioning CMDLINES.TXT using the SP.CMD.

  [Commands]
  ".\regedit.exe /s .\autolog.reg"
  "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\CMDHERE.INF"
  "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\RSHXMENU.INF"
  "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\RUNEXT.INF"
  "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\TWEAKUI.INF"
  "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\diffile.INF"
  ".\SP.CMD"

Update.exe supplied with Service Pack 4 supports the following command line
parameters:

  -f for Force other applications to close at shutdown
  -u for unattended installation
  -n for do not create uninstall directory
  -z for do not restart (used for installing during GUI mode setup)
  -q for quiet mode. Does not show User Interface for service pack install
  -o for overwriting OEM files without prompting

For additional information on the Windows NT 4.0 Power Toys, consult the Windows
NT 4.0 Supplement I Server online documentation.

For additional information on Windows NT 4.0 deployment/unattended installation,
consult the Microsoft Knowledge Base at http://www.microsoft.com/kb and download
the Windows NT 4.0 Deployment Guide from
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation.

NOTE: The Deployment Guide is valid for both Windows NT Workstation and Windows
NT Server.

Additional query words: unattended SBK OPK Install

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

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