XP SP2 slipstream - unable to join domain.

[PGRAYSON]

I've attempted to create a Windows XP SP2 slipstream CD-R to speed up XP installation in this organisation. I copied over the WINNT.SIT file used by a collegue to create a similar SP1 install disk. It seems to install correctly when I try out the CD; however the PC consistantly fails to automatically join the domain.

The error log indicates a problem with the Adminpassword line in the GUIUnattended section of the WINNT.SIT file; however that line is processed correctly during install. The problem is obviously somewhere else

 

[longlivegoku]

[Identification]
JoinDomain=domain.com
DomainAdmin=domain\username
DomainAdminPassword=*Password*

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

This is how my section is and it seems to work fine. Missing any of these? Are there NIC drivers that could be missing during the install? We have seen that issue too if NIC doesn't load then of course it doesn't join domain.

Ed

 

[PGRAYSON]

Hmm, a few differences here.

[Identification]
JoinDomain=domain (no suffix, which is .co.uk here)
DomainAdmin=username (no domain prefix)
DomainAdminPassword=*Password*

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=No

I'll amend the file accordingly and cut another CD.

 

[PGRAYSON]

No, that didn't work.

The PC appears to be a member of the domain, but the Computer Account never seems to get automatically created.

 

[longlivegoku]

It said something about the adminpassword. You should check that line under guiunattended. My line is:

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=*
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO

The key might be making a blank local admin password with the *.

 

[PGRAYSON]

No, the GUIUnattended section is correct. The correct value does get assigned to AdminPassword.

 

[longlivegoku]

http://unattended.msfn.org/

I don't know if you've checked out this site or not. It's a good resource for slipstreaming.

Ed

 

[PGRAYSON]

Yes, I've checked that site already.

The problem could be the password I use to join the domain. One of the admins has created this account with an obfusticated password containing some odd characters, including a comma, and I wonder if the parser for the WINNT.SIF file has changed and is no longer unable to parse the password.

Unfortunatly I don't have the ability to change the password for this user, and it will not be until next week before I can get this password changed. However I'll try using my user account instead.

 

[PGRAYSON]

I've got the machine joining the domain now. I think that the password ending in a semi-colon probably had something to do with it. Moving all the other sections so that this password appeared on the last line of the file seems to have resolved things.

I've still no idea why I'm getting that other error message, though.