Microsoft KB Archive/168802

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

Installing Program During Windows NT 4.0 Setup Using OEM Files
Last reviewed: May 21, 1997

Article ID: Q168802

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SUMMARY
Programs that are capable of unattended installation can be installed during Windows NT Setup using an $oem$\Oemfiles folder on a network distribution server. Programs that require interactive installation cannot be installed using this method; the Sysdiff.exe tool must be used. For information about using the Sysdiff.exe tool, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q156795 TITLE    : Using Sysdiff.exe with Unattended Setup and Windows NT 4.0

The $oem$\Oemfiles Folder
The $oem$\Oemfiles folder must be created on the Windows NT network share point that will be used for installation. The type of component to be installed during Windows NT Setup affects the location into which the files for the component need to be copied.

Hardware-Dependent Files
These are files that need to be loaded during the text-mode portion of Windows NT Setup, such as a SCSI driver. For these types of files, create a $oem$\Oemfiles\Textmode folder, and in this folder create one folder for each device.

If a HAL, SCSI, keyboard, video, or pointing device driver that is not included with Windows NT is being installed, the folder for the device driver should also contain a Txtsetup.oem file. This file contains pointers to all the files required by the Setup Loader and text-mode Setup to load and install the additional drivers. On x86-based computers, the Txtsetup.oem file and all files listed in it (HALs and drivers) must also be listed in the [OEMBootFiles] section of the unattended installation answer file.

System Files
These are files that either replace or supplement the Windows NT system files, such as a different file system driver. The files must be placed in the correct Windows NT system folder structure in the $oem$\Oemfiles\$$winnt folder. For example, if a driver should be installed in the System32\Drivers folder, a Drivers folder must be created for the files.

If any of the files use long file names, create a $$Rename.txt file. This file must list all files that have long names, and their corresponding short names.

Network Component Files
Files for network components, such as network adapter drivers, protocols, or services, are placed in separate folders in the $oem$\Oemfiles\Network folder.

Program Files
Programs that support scripted installation, as well as any files that should be copied to the destination computer, can be placed in the $oem$\Oemfiles\$$root folder. In this folder, create a folder for each logical drive in the computer to which programs will be installed. For each program, create a folder in the logical drive folder, and copy all installation files, including any directory structure, for the program. For example, to install Microsoft Word for Windows 95, create the following folder for the Word files: $oem$\Oemfiles\$$root\C\Word95.

In addition, you must edit the Unattend.txt file, adding the line "OemPreinstall = Yes" (without quotation marks) to the [Unattended] section of the file. You must also add the installation commands for the program to a $oem$\Oemfiles\Cmdlines.txt file.