Winnt32

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Winnt32

Performs an installation of or upgrade to a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. You can run winnt32 at the command prompt on a computer running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. If you run winnt32 on a computer running Windows NT version 4.0, you must first apply Service Pack 5 or later.

For information about upgrading, including information about the operating systems from which you can upgrade, see Upgrading or Installing.

Notes

  • If you are deploying Windows XP on client computers, you can use the version of Winnt32.exe that comes with Windows XP. Another way to deploy Windows XP is to use Winnt32.msi, which works through Windows Installer, part of the IntelliMirror set of technologies. For more information about client deployments, see the Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit, which is described in Using the Windows Deployment and Resource Kits.

  • On an Itanium-based computer, winnt32 can be run from the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) or from Windows XP 64-bit Edition (Itanium); the Itanium-based version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; or the Itanium-based version of Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition. Also, on an Itanium architecture-based computer, /cmdcons and /syspart are not available, and options relating to upgrades are not available.

Syntax

winnt32 [/checkupgradeonly] [/cmd:CommandLine] [/cmdcons] [/copydir:{i386 | ia64}\FolderName] [/copysource:FolderName] [/debug[Level]:[FileName]] [/dudisable] [/duprepare:PathName] [/dushare:PathName] [/emsport:{com1 | com2 | usebiossettings | off}] [/emsbaudrate:BaudRate] [/m:FolderName] [/makelocalsource] [/noreboot] [/s:SourcePath] [/syspart:DriveLetter] [/tempdrive:DriveLetter] [/udf:ID[,UDB_File]] [/unattend[Num]:[AnswerFile]]

Parameters

  • /checkupgradeonly
    Checks your computer for upgrade compatibility with products in the Windows Server 2003 family.
If you use this option with **/unattend**, no user input is required. Otherwise, the results are displayed on the screen, and you can save them under the file name you specify. The default file name is Upgrade.txt in the systemroot folder.

For more information about hardware compatibility, see [Hardware compatibility](https://msdn.microsoft.com/cc757927).
  • /cmd: CommandLine
    Instructs Setup to carry out a specific command before the final phase of Setup. This would occur after your computer has restarted and after Setup has collected the necessary configuration information, but before Setup is complete.
  • /cmdcons
    On an x86-based computer, installs the Recovery Console as a startup option. The Recovery Console is a command-line interface from which you can perform tasks such as starting and stopping services and accessing the local drive (including drives formatted with NTFS). You can only use the /cmdcons option after normal Setup is finished.
  • /copydir:{i386 | ia64}\FolderName
    Creates an additional folder within the folder in which the operating system files are installed. FolderName refers to a folder that you have created to hold modifications just for your site. For example, for x86 and x64-based computers, you could create a folder called Private_drivers within the i386 source folder for your installation, and place driver files in the folder. Then you could type /copydir:i386\Private_drivers to have Setup copy that folder to your newly installed computer, making the new folder location systemroot\Private_drivers. You can use /copydir to create as many additional folders as you want.
  • /copysource: FolderName
    Creates a temporary additional folder within the folder in which the operating system files are installed. FolderName refers to a folder that you have created to hold modifications just for your site. For example, you could create a folder called Private_drivers within the source folder for your installation, and place driver files in the folder. Then you could type /copysource:Private_drivers to have Setup copy that folder to your newly installed computer and use its files during Setup, making the temporary folder location systemroot\Private_drivers. You can use /copysource to create as many additional folders as you want. Unlike the folders /copydir creates, /copysource folders are deleted after Setup completes.
  • /debug[level]:[FileName]
    Creates a debug log at the level specified, for example, /debug4:Debug.log. The default log file is C:\systemroot\Winnt32.log, and the default debug level is 2. The log levels are as follows: 0 represents severe errors, 1 represents errors, 2 represents warnings, 3 represents information, and 4 represents detailed information for debugging. Each level includes the levels below it.
  • /dudisable
    Prevents Dynamic Update from running. Without Dynamic Update, Setup runs only with the original Setup files. This option will disable Dynamic Update even if you use an answer file and specify Dynamic Update options in that file.
  • /duprepare: PathName
    Carries out preparations on an installation share so that it can be used with Dynamic Update files that you downloaded from the Windows Update Web site. This share can then be used for installing Windows XP for multiple clients.
  • /dushare: PathName
    Specifies a share on which you previously downloaded Dynamic Update files (updated files for use with Setup) from the Windows Update Web site, and on which you previously ran **/duprepare:**PathName. When run on a client, specifies that the client installation will make use of the updated files on the share specified in PathName.
For more detailed information about using Dynamic Update and installing multiple clients, see the *Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit*, which is described in [Using the Windows Deployment and Resource Kits](https://msdn.microsoft.com/cc779317).
  • /emsport:{com1 | com2 | usebiossettings | off}
    Enables or disables Emergency Management Services during Setup and after the server operating system has been installed. With Emergency Management Services, you can remotely manage a server in emergency situations that would typically require a local keyboard, mouse, and monitor, such as when the network is unavailable or the server is not functioning properly. Emergency Management Services has specific hardware requirements, and is available only for products in the Windows Server 2003 family.
**Usebiossettings** is the default, and uses the setting specified in the BIOS Serial Port Console Redirection (SPCR) table, or, in Itanium architecture-based systems, through the EFI console device path. If you specify **usebiossettings** and there is no SPCR table or appropriate EFI console device path, Emergency Management Services will not be enabled.

**Com1** and **com2** are applicable only for x86-based computers (not Itanium architecture-based computers).

If you disable Emergency Management Services by specifying **/emsport:off**, you can later enable it by modifying the boot settings. For information about modifying boot settings, see the *Windows Deployment and Resource Kits* for the Windows Server 2003 family. For more information, see [Using the Windows Deployment and Resource Kits](https://msdn.microsoft.com/cc779317).
  • /emsbaudrate: BaudRate
    For x86-based computers, specifies the baud rate for Emergency Management Services. (The option is not applicable for Itanium architecture-based computers.) Must be used with /emsport:com1 or /emsport:com2 (otherwise, /emsbaudrate is ignored).
*Baudrate* can be 9600, 19200, 57600, or 115200. 9600 is the default.
  • /m: FolderName
    Specifies that Setup copies replacement files from an alternate location. Instructs Setup to look in the alternate location first, and if files are present, to use them instead of the files from the default location.
  • /makelocalsource
    Instructs Setup to copy all installation source files to your local hard disk. Use /makelocalsource when installing from a CD to provide installation files when the CD is not available later in the installation.
  • /noreboot
    Instructs Setup to not restart the computer after the file copy phase of Setup is completed so that you can run another command.
  • /s: SourcePath
    Specifies the source location of the files for your installation. To simultaneously copy files from multiple servers, type the **/s:**SourcePath option multiple times (up to a maximum of eight). If you type the option multiple times, the first server specified must be available, or Setup will fail.
  • /syspart: DriveLetter
    On an x86-based computer, specifies that you can copy Setup startup files to a hard disk, mark the disk as active, and then install the disk into another computer. When you start that computer, it automatically starts with the next phase of Setup. You must always use the /tempdrive parameter with the /syspart parameter. You can start Winnt32 with the /syspart option on an x86-based computer running Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. If the computer is running Windows NT version 4.0, it requires Service Pack 5 or later. The computer cannot be running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition.
  • /tempdrive: DriveLetter
    Directs Setup to place temporary files on the specified partition. For a new installation, the server operating system will also be installed on the specified partition. For an upgrade, the /tempdrive option affects the placement of temporary files only; the operating system will be upgraded in the partition from which you run winnt32.
  • /udf: ID[,UDB_File]
    Indicates an identifier (ID) that Setup uses to specify how a Uniqueness Database (UDB) file modifies an answer file (see the /unattend entry). The UDB overrides values in the answer file, and the identifier determines which values in the UDB file are used. For example, /udf:RAS_user,Our_company.udb overrides settings specified for the RAS_user identifier in the Our_company.udb file. If no UDB_file is specified, Setup prompts the user to insert a disk that contains the $Unique$.udb file.
  • /unattend
    On an x86-based computer, upgrades your previous version of Windows NT 4.0 Server (with Service Pack 5 or later) or Windows 2000 in unattended Setup mode. All user settings are taken from the previous installation, so no user intervention is required during Setup. For information about upgrading, including information about the operating systems from which you can upgrade, see Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition: Upgrade or new installation?.
  • /unattend[Num]:[AnswerFile]
    Performs a fresh installation in unattended Setup mode. The specified AnswerFile provides Setup with your custom specifications. Num is the number of seconds between the time that Setup finishes copying the files and when it restarts your computer. You can use Num on any computer running Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. If the computer is running Windows NT version 4.0, it requires Service Pack 5 or later.
Using the **/unattend** command-line option to automate Setup affirms that you have read and accepted the Microsoft License Agreement for a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. Before using this command-line option to install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family on behalf of an organization other than your own, you must confirm that the end user (whether an individual, or a single entity) has received, read, and accepted the terms of the Microsoft License Agreement for that product. OEMs may not specify this key on machines being sold to end users.

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See Also

Concepts

Command-line reference A-Z
Command shell overview
Start Setup on an x86-based computer
Start Setup on an Itanium architecture-based computer
Preparing Your System Before Running Setup