I'm presently preparing a script that will be used in an installation point of only windows XP. One of it's features is to change some data taken from a .ini file.

Here is my problem:

I've worked a lot with Windows 95 + 98 and i'm used to their registry that is quite simple compared de NT ones like XP.
For example, i found 27 places where i can get the Computer name(!!!)
From my research on the site, i found some keys that are supposed to change correctly the information i want to transform.

For example, I read that the key HKLM\system\ccs\control\computername\computername is the one to use for changing the PCname.
I read too that the key HKLM\system\ccs\services\{XXX}\parameters\tcpip\ipaddress is the one to change.
In both case, i changed the key but to no avail. The PCname and the IP address are still the old one.

Is there a way to change those key at 100%?
I need too the pcdescription to change. In this case it should be easier since i found it only in 3 places!

Last thing, this question is not directly kix related but i still take a chance:
Why NT uses these current control set, control set 1 and 2 etc... They almost get the same info. What are their use?

In conclusion, i want to thank Shawn for it's Kixpop tool. It's working like a charm. With these HTML pages, my work looks great!

Frédéric Giguère

Changing the comments field on a Windows 2000 computer.

Method 1. Right click on My Computer, Left click on Manage, Right click on
Computer Management (Local), Left click Properties, select the middle tab called
Network Identification.

Method 2. From a command prompt enter the following command
net config server /srvcomment:"Asset Tag - Lastname, Firstname"

Method 3. From Server Manager for Domains locate the machine and double-click on it.
You will be able to enter the Description in the appropriate field now.

Method 4. (Not recommended)
Using REGEDIT, or REGEDT32 alter the following key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters\srvcomment

You and others are too brave for me, changing a computer name via the logon script. Sorry, No help from me there.

This web page talks about the CurrentControlSet(s) http://is-it-true.org/nt/registry/rtips65.shtml

If you plan to clone the machines, you'll need to SysPrep them to give them unique SIDs. SysPrep allows for some values to be automated with SysPrep.inf file.

Since the computers need to join the domain, I see no value in trying to hack the name in place.

I use the PowerQuest PowerDeploy suite of tools http://www.powerquest.com/ to deploy and manage.

I am surprised to see how difficult it is to change some registry data with NT PCs. Windows 95/98 are a charm in this view...

About your mail Les: we are gonna use winnt.sif and the CD installation of windows XP professional to perform our work(about 65 PC to install).

Here's why i had to take that choice:
1- The company where i gonna make the installation uses different types of PCs from PII to PIV. There are too much hardware differences to permit me to use the sysprerp tool.
2- We will have to make all the installations in a weekend. So we will need to start many installations at the same time. That's why i want to use the cd, cause the network will be too in demand and it will slow our work.
Another reason why i don't use the network for windows XP installation is that we are gonna install all software from the network from adobe acrobat 5 to Office XP. So while some PCs will have Windows XP installed locally others will use the network to get Office XP, Adobe, faxport and etc.. installed from the network.

The main problem with cd-rom installation and winnt.sif is that i cannot create a user template where i could say exactly what parameters i want for each users. This is where you can see the reason of this note...

I thought it would be possible to change IP data, PC name, PC info and some regional settings for every user. So i made a kix script with the kixpop tool from Shawn that shows an html page with some choices of automated installation:
Here an example:
1- Configure network configuration
2- Install Office XP
3- Install Adobe 5, faxport
etc...

You simply type the number of your choice and the installation starts.
For the option 1, the technician is sent to another html page that ask him the name of the user. The technician writes the name and kix gets this line and look for it in a .ini file. He gets the information from this file and installs it on the PC. So i thought that i could simply make some registry change to force the OS to change the pcname, IP address etc...

Well seems i did not took the good road on that one!

Any suggestions from you guys would be appreciated.
As you see, i'm used to 95/98 OS. I'm still new to NT ones.

Frédéric Giguère

The thing is that i dont want to use 65 diskettes for my installation. And since the file MUST be named winnt.sif to start the automated installation, i cannot put all config file on just a few floppy.
This is why i would like to make a kix script with a .ini file that would end the job of installation for me.

frédéric

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
AutoPartition=1
MsDosInitiated="0"
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=No
TargetPath=\WINDOWS

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=*
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=1
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=35
OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
ProductID=FCKGW-RHQQ2-YXRKT-8TG6W-2B7Q8
FullName="CDL"
OrgName="CDL"
ComputerName=*

[Components]
accessopt=ON
calc=ON
certsrv=On
certsrv_client=On
certsrv_server=On
charmap=ON
chat=On
Deskpaper=On
Dialer=On
Fax=On
Fp_extensions=On
Fp_vdir_deploy=On
freecell=on
hearts=on
hypertrm=on
ieaccess=on
iis_common=on
iis_ftp=on
iis_htmla=on
iis_inetmgr=on
iis_nntp=on
iis_nntp_docs=on
iis_pwmgr=on
iis_smtp=on
iis_smtp=on
iis_smtp_docs=on
iis_www=on
iis_www_vdir_printers=on
iis_www_vdir_terminalservices=On
iisdbg=on
indexsrv_system=on
licenseserver=on
media_clips=on
media_utopia=on
minesweeper=on
mousepoint=on
mplay=on
msmq_adintegrated=on
msmq_core=on
msmq_httpsupport=on
msmq_localstorage=on
msmq_mqdsservice=on
msmq_routingsupport=on
msmq_triggerservice=on
msnexplr=on
mswordpad=on
netcis=on
netoc=on
objectpkg=on
paint=on
pinball=on
rec=on
reminst=on
rstorage=on
solitaire=on
spider=on
templates=on
terminalserver=on
tsclients=on
tswebclients=on
vol=on
wms=on
wms_admin_asp=on
wms_admin_mmc=on
wms_server=on
zonegames=on

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale=00000c0c
UserLocale=00000c0c
InputLocale=0c0c:00011009

[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=CDL

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=No

[NetAdapters]
Adapter1=params.Adapter1

[params.Adapter1]
INFID=*

[NetClients]
MS_MSClient=params.MS_MSClient

[NetProtocols]
MS_TCPIP=params.MS_TCPIP
MS_NetBEUI=params.MS_NetBEUI

[params.MS_TCPIP]
DNS=No
UseDomainNameDevolution=No
EnableLMHosts=Yes
AdapterSections=params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1
DNSSuffixSearchOrder=171.16.1.8,171.16.1.9

[params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1]
SpecificTo=Adapter1
DHCP=No
IPAddress=171.16.1.129
SubnetMask=255.255.255.0
DefaultGateway=171.16.1.1
DNSServerSearchOrder=171.16.1.8,171.16.1.9
WINS=Yes
WinsServerList=171.16.1.8,171.16.1.9
NetBIOSOptions=0

[TapiLocation]
CountryCode=107

What you see here is almost the final copy of the winnt.sif script that i made. So i put this ASCII file on a floppy and i put windows XP professional in the CDROM drive. A few things have to be checked before starting the installation:
1- i assure myself that the BIOS is configured with the first boot device being the cd-rom.
2- I assure myself that the active partition is a FAT32 with at least 4GIG of space. (I don't want NTFS for reasons that are out of context here)
3- Format the active partition
Then i simply have to start the cpu and press the spacebar when i see boot from cd-rom... Windows XP looks for a floppy that have a winnt.sif file on it and if it's the case... Bingo! The automated installation begins.
And when i come back some minutes later, the installation is over. The thing is that the IP is always the same (no DHCP there) and the script generate a weird PCname that doesnt match our criteria.

And as i told you in the preceding note, i don't want to make a winnt.sif file for every employee.. Altough, this would not be hard all i would need is to change the IP address , PCname and a few other things.

Frédéric