Knowledge Base

INFO: Setting DNS Domain Suffix Search Order During an Unattended Installation

Article ID: 178277

Article Last Modified on 2/23/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q178277

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

The unattended setup mode of Windows NT does not offer a way to specify the domain suffix search order. The ability to use a domain suffix search order may be very useful in certain business situations and can be accomplished at the end of the unattended installation process.

The unattended setup mode of Windows 2000 does offer a way to specify the domain suffix search order. In some configurations this may not work. In this situation you can use the following methods to add the DNSSuffixSearchOrder during the unattended setup.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Method 1

Create a text file with the following two lines of text and save it as Suffix.txt. The spacing must be exactly as shown below, where adatum.xxx signifies a domain suffix. Up to six domain suffixes may be specified. The search order is left to right.

For Windows NT 4.0 Systems:

\\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TCPIP \Parameters

SearchList="testadatum.com test2adatum.net test3adatum.gov

For Windows 2000 Systems you need to put a comma between the different DNS suffixes:

\\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TCPIP\Parameters

SearchList="testadatum.com, test2adatum.net, test3adatum.gov"
Copy Regini.exe and Suffix.txt to the $OEM$ subdirectory at the installation sharepoint. Regini.exe is a Windows NT Resource Kit Utility
If one does not exist, create a Cmdlines.txt file in the $OEM$ and add the following line including the quotes:
```
      [Commands]
      ".\REGINI SUFFIX.TXT"
                        
```
Only one instance of the [Commands] heading should exist in the Cmdlines.txt file.
Make sure the entry OEMPREINSTALL = Yes exists in the [UNATTEND] section of your Unattended.txt file.

Method 2

Create a registry file with the following two lines of text and save it as Suffix.reg. The spacing must be exactly as shown below, where adatum.xxx signifies a domain suffix. Up to six domain suffixes may be specified. The search order is left to right.

      REGEDIT4

      \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
      "SearchList"="testadatum1.com testadatum2.net testadatum3.gov"

For Windows 2000 Systems:

REGEDIT4


      \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters

      "SearchList"="testadatum1.com, testadatum2.net, testadatum3.gov"

Copy Regedit.exe and Suffix.reg to the $OEM$ subdirectory at the installation sharepoint. Regedit.exe is provided with Windows NT.
If one does not exist, create a Cmdlines.txt file in the $OEM$ and add the following line including the quotes:
```
      [Commands]
      ".\REGEDIT /s SUFFIX.REG"
                        
```
Only one instance of the [Commands] heading should exist in the Cmdlines.txt file.
Make sure the entry OEMPREINSTALL = Yes exists in the [UNATTEND] section of your Unattended.txt file

Additional query words: unattended registry suffix domain setup

Keywords: kbinfo kbsbk kbsetup KB178277

Microsoft KB Archive/178277

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