Setting Control Panel Tools to Start After Unattended Setup

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

As discussed in the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation Deployment Guide, Unattend.txt and Sysdiff.exe cannot be used to preinstall sound cards and hardware devices. These devices must be installed after installation has been completed. To install devices during setup, the commands must be placed in the Cmdlines.txt file.

However, by using the runonce key in the registry, you may set up various Control Panel tools so that they will start after the first time a workstation has logged on so that the administrator may add sound cards and tape drives. You can also place the entries in the Cmdlines.txt file so that the desired Control Panel tools will start during the installation of Windows NT.

MORE INFORMATION

For detailed instructions on using the Runonce option, consult the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Deployment Guide, Chapter 5, and refer to the section on “Executing a Batch File on First Logon to Customize Windows NT.” The Deployment Guide may be viewed from the following Web site:

     
        http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation.

   "Multimedia"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,@0"

To have the Multimedia tool start up when logging on, place the following line in the runonce key:

   "Soundcard"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,@0,4"

   "SCSI"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL devapps.cpl,@1"

   "Tape"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL devapps.cpl,@2"

   "Server"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srvmgr.cpl,@0"

   "Services"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srvmgr.cpl,@1"

   "Devices"="rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srvmgr.cpl,@2"

To test other .cpl files (including third party), you can copy and paste the Rundll32.exe segment from the above lines to the Start \ Run command line. For example, the following line will bring up the Add/Remove tool:

   "rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL Appwiz.cpl,@0,1"

To keep the unattended setup unattended, you can add these lines to a batch file or other script added to the runonce key, as well as a macro or other script.

For related information on this topic, please see the following Knowledge Base articles:

   ARTICLE ID: Q135068
   TITLE:      How to Start a Control Panel Tool in Windows 95

   ARTICLE ID: Q158447
   TITLE:         How to Run a Program Only Once After Unattended Setup of
            NT
               4.0

   ARTICLE ID: Q157361
   TITLE:      How to Automatically Log On After an Unattended Setup

   ARTICLE ID: Q149648
   TITLE:      Description of Control Panel (.cpl) Files