WINNT32.EXE
How to use it at the command prompt.
Here is the syntax for the winnt32.exe
winnt32
[/s:sourcepath] [/tempdrive:drive_letter]
[/unattend[num]: [answer_file]] [/copydir:folder_name]
[/copysource:folder_name] [/cmd:command_line] [/debug[level]:[filename]]
[/udf:id[,UDF_file]] [/syspart:drive_letter] [/checkupgradeonly]
[/cmdcons] [/m:folder_name] [/makelocalsource] [/noreboot]
As you can see you don’t need to put the .exe on the end of the winnt32.
You can see many switches enclosed in square brackets [ ]. The square brackets mean that it is optional.
A switch is something that modifies how a command will operate.
E.g.
ipconfig typed at the command prompt will get you basic IP information
ipconfig /all will get you all available IP configuration information
/all is a switch
Switches usually start with a /
Examples
All the following examples assume that we are working at the command prompt of a 32 bit operating system and that we are already in the correct context of the i386 folder (ie the command prompt ends in i386 eg H:\i386>)
Here are the explanations of what the various switches for winnt32 do: (don’t get bogged down trying to understand all of them, for the moment just try to understand /s /tempdrive /unattend)
| Switch |
Description |
| /s:sourcepath |
Specifies the source location of the Windows 2000 files. To simultaneously copy files from multiple servers, specify multiple /s sources. If you use multiple /s switches, the first specified server must be available or Setup will fail. |
| /tempdrive:drive_letter |
Directs Setup to place temporary files on the specified partition and to install Windows 2000 on that partition. |
| /Unattend or /u |
Upgrades your previous version of Windows 2000 in unattended Setup mode. All user settings are taken from the previous installation, so no user intervention is required during Setup. Using the /unattend switch to automate Setup affirms that you have read and accepted the End-User License Agreement (EULA) for Windows 2000. Before using this switch to install Windows 2000 on behalf of an organization other than your own, you must confirm that the end user has received, read, and accepted the terms of the Windows 2000 EULA. OEMs may not specify this key on machines being sold to end users. |
| /unattend[num][:answer_file] |
Performs a fresh installation in unattended Setup mode. The answer file 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 NT or Windows 2000. The answer_file placeholder is the name of the answer file. |
| /copydir:folder_name |
Creates an additional folder within the folder in which the Windows 2000 files are installed. For example, if the source folder contains a folder called Private_drivers that has modifications just for your site, you can type /copydir:Private_drivers to have Setup copy that folder to your installed Windows 2000 folder. So then the new folder location would be %systemroot%\Private_drivers. You can use /copydir to create as many additional folders as you want. |
| /copysource:folder_name |
Creates a temporary additional folder within the folder in which the Windows 2000 files are installed. For example, if the source folder contains a folder called Private_drivers that has modifications just for your site, you can type /copysource:Private_drivers to have Setup copy that folder to your installed Windows 2000 folder and use its files during Setup. So then the temporary folder location would be %systemroot%\Private_drivers. Unlike the folders /copydir creates, /copysource folders are deleted after Setup completes. |
| /cmd:command_line |
Instructs Setup to carry out a specific command before the final phase of Setup. This would occur after your computer has restarted twice and after Setup has collected the necessary configuration information, but before Setup is complete. |
| /debug[level][:filename] |
Creates a debug log at the level specified, for example, /debug4:C:\ Win2000.log. The default log file is %systemroot%\Winnt32.log, with the debug level set to 2. The log levels are as follows: 0-severe errors, 1-errors, 2-warnings, 3-information, and 4-detailed information for debugging. Each level includes the levels below it. |
| /udf:id[,UDF_file] |
Indicates an identifier (id) that Setup uses to specify how a Uniqueness Database File (UDF) modifies an answer file (see the /unattend entry). The UDF overrides values in the answer file, and the identifier determines which values in the UDF are used. For example, /udf:RAS_user, Our_company.udb overrides settings specified for the identifier RAS_user in the Our_company.udb file. If no UDF is specified, Setup prompts the user to insert a disk that contains the $Unique$.udb file. |
| /syspart:drive_letter |
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 the Setup. You must always use the /tempdrive parameter with the /syspart parameter. The /syspart switch for Winnt32.exe runs only from a computer that already has Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000 installed on it. It cannot be run from Windows 9x. |
| /checkupgradeonly |
Checks your computer for upgrade compatibility with Windows 2000. For Windows 95 or Windows 98 upgrades, Setup creates a report named Upgrade.txt in the Windows installation folder. For Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 upgrades, it saves the report to the Winnt32.log in the installation folder. |
| /cmdcons |
Adds a Recovery Console option to the operating system selection screen for repairing a failed installation. It is only used post-Setup. |
| /m:folder_name |
Specifies that Setup copies replacement files from an alternate location. Instructs Setup to look in the alternate location first, and if files are present, 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 not to restart the computer after the file copy phase of winnt32 is completed so that you can execute another command. |
WINNT Switch Description
/s:sourcepath
Specifies the source location of theWindows 2000 distribution files. The location must be a full path of the form x:\[path] or a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path such as \\server\share\[path]. You can specify up to eight /s switches to point to multiple distribution servers.
/t:tempdrive
Directs the Setup program to place the temporary files on the specified drive and to install Windows 2000 on that drive. If you do not specify a location, the Setup program will attempt to locate a drive for you.
/u:answer file
Performs an unattended Setup using the specified answer file. The answer file provides answers to some or all of the prompts that would normally be responded to by the end user during Setup. This switch requires you to use the /s switch.
/udf:id [UDB_file]
Indicates an identifier that the Setup program uses to specify how a Uniqueness Database (UDB) file modifies an answer file (see /u). The /udf parameter overrides values in the answer file, and the identifier determines which values in the UDB file are used. If no UDB file is specified, you will be prompted to insert a disk that contains the Unique udb file.
/r:folder
Specifies an optional folder to be installed. The folder will not be deleted when the Setup program is
finished.
/rx:folder
Specifies an optional folder to be installed. The folder will be deleted when the Setup program is finished.
/e:command
Specifies a command to be executed at the end of GUI-mode Setup.
/a
Enables accessibility options.