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Q250985: PRB: Missing Product Key in the "Unattend" Answer File

Article: Q250985
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 2000
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbOPK kbDSupport kbSBK
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If you click the Fully Automated option on the User Interaction page of the
Windows 2000 Setup Manager Wizard, you are not prompted for the ProductID value,
which is included under the [UserData] section of the Answer file
(Unattend.txt). The following error message is displayed during a GUI-mode Setup
because of the missing ProductID value:

  Unattended Setup is unable to continue because a Setup parameter specified by
  your system administrator or computer manufacturer is missing or invalid.
  Setup must therefore ask you provide this information now. Once you have
  furnished the required information, unattended Setup operation will continue.

CAUSE
=====

The ProductID value is missing under the [UserData] section of the Answer file
(Unattend.txt).

RESOLUTION
==========

If you select the Fully Automated option on the User Interaction page of the
Windows 2000 Setup Manager Wizard, you must manually add the ProductID value
under the [UserData] section of the Winnt.sif file by using a text editor. This
is necessary to fully automate the installation of Windows 2000. For example:

  Unattend.Txt

  [UserData]
  ProductID=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

If you want users to type the Product ID manually, change the install mode from:

  UnattendMode=FullUnattended

to:

  UnattendMode=DefaultHide

When the UnattendMode parameter is set to FullUnattended, you must include all
setup parameters in the Unattend.txt file, and you must provide a value for each
setup parameter.

When the UnattendMode parameter is set to DefaultHide, the installation program
uses the setup parameter values that are listed in the Unattend.txt file. If a
value for a setup parameter is missing from the Unattend.txt file, the
installation program displays the error message that is described in the
"Symptoms" section of this article, and then waits for the user to type the
required information.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information on Windows 2000 preinstallation and preinstallation tools,
refer to the following Windows 2000 OPK User's Guide Web site:

  http://oem.microsoft.com/general/techsupp/Win2000_opk.asp

Additional query words: OPK pid RIS RipRep

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Keywords          : kbsetup kbOPK kbDSupport kbSBK 
Technology        : kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro kbWinAdvServSearch
Version           : :2000
Issue type        : kbprb

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