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Q169632: Unattended Err Msg: Setup Was Unable to Create the Following…

Article: Q169632
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 2000,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup
Last Modified: 10-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 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When performing an unattended installation in which Sysdiff is used to install
additional applications, you may receive the following error message during the
initial phase of the installation:

  Setup was unable to create the following directory on the target drive:

  <drive letter>:\$\$$\<directory path>

  Check the target drive and make sure no files exist with the names that
  coincide with the target directory. Also check cabling to the drive.

  Setup cannot continue. Press ENTER to exit.

CAUSE
=====

If you have verified that your drive cabling is functioning properly and there
are no duplicate directory or file names, this error may be caused by the length
of your directory path. The maximum number of characters allowed in the
directory path is 55; this does not include the drive letter, colon, or any
backslashes.

WORKAROUND
==========

Two options are provided to work around this problem. Option B requires more
advanced knowledge of Sysdiff and the unattended installation process.

Option A
--------

1. Note the directory path shown on the screen when you receive this error.

2. On the computer that you are using to create the Sysdiff or diff file, either
  shorten the directory names, or move the directories in order to shorten the
  length of the path. If the directory that is causing the problem contains a
  software program, you may have to remove and re- install the program to a
  new, shortened directory path.

  Keep in mind that the Sysdiff program will truncate each directory name to
  eight characters. (Refer to the directory path from step 1.) Therefore, if
  you shorten the directory names, you must shorten them to fewer than eight
  characters.

  If the original directory is a subdirectory of the %Systemroot% directory
  (that is, C:\Winnt\<path>), the maximum number of characters cannot
  exceed 52. If the original directory is a subdirectory of the root partition
  (that is, D:\<path>), the maximum number of characters cannot exceed
  53.

3. After you have shortened the directory path to contain less than the maximum
  number of characters, you must re-create the Sysdiff or diff file and the
  Sysdiff or inf image.

Option B
--------

1. Note the directory path shown on the screen when you receive this error.

2. Locate this directory path in your $Oem$ subdirectory of the I386 share, and
  modify the length of the path by shortening the directory names to fewer than
  eight characters each.

  You need to shorten only as many directory names as required to reduce the
  length of the entire path to the maximum allowed characters. If the problem
  is with a subdirectory of the $Oem$\$$ directory, the maximum is 52. If it is
  a subdirectory of $Oem$\C or $Oem$\D, then the maximum is 53 characters, as
  counted from the first character following the $$ or the drive letter, not
  counting the backslashes.

3. Modify the $$Rename.txt file from the appropriate location (that is,
  $Oem$\$$\$$Rename.txt or $Oem$\c\$$Rename.txt) to reflect the modifications
  you made to the actual directory path in step 2 above.

  The $$Rename.txt file is used to rename the truncated directory and file names
  to their original names before the Sysdiff program truncated them to the
  MS-DOS 8.3 format.

  Be sure to make a copy of the $$Rename.txt file and review the existing format
  carefully before making any changes. A section header, which is the parent
  directory enclosed in brackets, must precede each directory that needs to be
  renamed. For example:

The directory path $Oem$\$$\Profiles\Alluse~1\Startm~1\Programs\Myprog~1 needs to
be renamed C:\Winnt\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\My Programs.

The $$Rename.txt file should appear as follows:

   [Profiles]
   ALLUSE~1="All Users"

   [Profiles\ALLUSE~1]
   STARTM~1="Start Menu"

   [Profiles\ALLUSE~1\STARTM~1\Programs]
   Myprog~1="My Programs"

Additional query words: unattend sysdiff

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Keywords          : kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbwin2000Serv kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro
Version           : :2000,4.0

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