(Unattended Installation)

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

[Data]

The [Data] section contains entries for starting directly from the Windows product CD or with Winnt.exe when performing an unattended installation.

Answer File Entries for the [Data] Section

AutomaticUpdates

Specifies whether to enable Automatic Updates.

Syntax

AutomaticUpdates = Yes | 1

Example

[Data]
AutomaticUpdates = 1

Comments

Use this setting to enable automatic downloads and installations from Windows Updates.

If this entry is missing or set to anything other than 1 or Yes, then the Help Protect Your PC page displays, enabling the end user to choose to schedule Automatic Updates.

If you set AutomaticUpdates in the [Data] section of the Unattend.txt file equal to 1 or Yes, the Help Protect Your PC page does not display. Windows routinely verifies the latest important updates and installs them automatically to the end user's computer. By taking this action, you are making a choice for the end user. Opt-in privacy laws in some states and local jurisdictions may require you to advise end users that you are making a choice on their behalf.

AutoPartition

Installs Windows to the first available partition that has adequate space for a Windows installation and does not already contain an installed version of Windows.

Syntax

AutoPartition = 1

Example

[Data]
AutoPartition = 1

Comments

Either omit the AutoPartition entry from your answer file or set the value of AutoPartition to 1. If you include the entry AutoPartition = 1, the /tempdrive command-line option of Winnt32.exe is ignored during the setup process. If you do not set the value, the intermediate (text-mode) stage of Setup installs Windows on the partition where $WIN_NT$.~LS is located.

DisableAdminAccountOnDomainJoin

Disables the local Administrator account immediately after the Remote Installation Services (RIS) client successfully joins the domain.

Syntax

DisableAdminAccountOnDomainJoin = 1

Example

[Data]
DisableAdminAccountOnDomainJoin = 1

Comments

The default value is 1, if Windows is installed by using Remote Installation Services.

If this entry is used, the value must always be set to 1. If you do not want the local Administrator account to be disabled after the RIS client joins the domain, you must completely remove the DisableAdminAccountOnDomainJoin entry from the unattended installation file.

MsDosInitiated

Informs the Windows Setup Loader that an unattended installation is running directly from the Windows product CD.

Syntax

MsDosInitiated = 0

Example

[Data]
MsDosInitiated = 0

Comments

The value must always be set to 0. If an unattended installation is running directly from the product CD and you do not set the value to 0, then Setup fails at the beginning of the final (GUI-mode) stage of Setup.

UnattendedInstall

Informs the Windows Setup Loader that an unattended installation is running directly from the Windows product CD.

Syntax

UnattendedInstall = Yes

Example

[Components]
UnattendedInstall = Yes

Comments

The value must always be set to Yes if you preinstall Windows by using the CD Boot method.

If you use the entry UnattendedInstall = Yes, then also use MsDosInitiated = 0.

The UnattendedInstall entry is not the same as the UnattendSwitch entry in the [Unattended] section of the answer file. UnattendSwitch controls Windows Welcome; UnattendedInstall does not.

UseBIOSToBoot

Specifies whether Setup uses the BIOS to start the computer, even though Setup might detect that it is best to use a device miniport driver to start the computer.

Syntax

UseBIOSToBoot = 0 | 1

Example

[Components]
UseBIOSToBoot = 1

Comments

The default value is 0.

On computers with large hard disk drives that support extended int13 BIOS calls, using the BIOS starts computers faster by eliminating possible delays caused by a miniport driver.

The current generation of hardware uses the BIOS to start the computer, so this entry is rarely required unless you have older hardware.

Note

• Do not use this entry unless you are sure that the BIOS supports the extended int13 functions.