3-5LESSON 1 CREATING UNATTENDED INSTALLATIONS BY USING WINDOWS SETUP M...

3-5Lesson 1 Creating Unattended Installations by Using Windows Setup Manager

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Figure 3-1

Use Windows Setup Manager to create unattended answer files.

You can create or modify an answer file, typically named unattend.txt, by using Windows

Setup Manager. You can also create answer files with a simple text editor, such as Note-

pad, but using the Windows Setup Manager reduces errors in syntax.

Windows Setup Manager does the following:

■

Provides a wizard with an easy-to-use graphical interface with which you can cre-

ate and modify answer files

■

Makes it easy to create UDFs (typically named unattend.udb)

Note A uniqueness database file (UDF) provides the ability to specify per-computer parame-

ters. The UDF modifies an installation by overriding values in the answer file. When you run

Setup with Winnt32.exe, you use the /udf:id[,UDF_filename] switch. The UDF overrides values

in the answer file, and the identifier (id) determines which values in the .udb file are used.

■

Makes it easy to specify computer-specific or user-specific information

■

Simplifies the inclusion of application setup scripts in the answer file

■

Creates the distribution folder that you use for the installation files

Note If you are upgrading systems to Windows XP Professional, you can add any applica-

tion upgrades or update packs to the distribution folder and enter the appropriate commands

in the Additional Commands page of the Windows Setup Manager Wizard so that these

upgrades or update packs are applied to the application as part of the upgrade.

How to Use the Windows Setup Manager to Create an Answer File

Windows Setup Manager provides a straightforward wizard interface. To create an

answer file for a fully automated installation by using Windows Setup Manager, use

these steps: