%UserFirstName% and %UserLastName% Variables Are Not Resolved in Remote Installation Services Template

ID: Q244964

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When a user logs on using the Client Installation Wizard (CIW), the %UserFirstName% and %UserLastName% variables may not be resolved in the Remote Installation Services (RIS) template file (*.sif) if either of the following conditions is true:

The RIS server is in a different forest than the user account (explicit trust exists between the two forests).

The user account is located in a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 domain (trust is set up between the two domains/forest).

The variables are set to "" (blank), which causes the GUI-mode phase of installation to stop, and the user is prompted to type information for these variables.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if the user account is in another forest (this can also be a Windows NT 4.0 domain).

When a user account is in another forest, the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query for the account's first and last name is unsuccessful. Instead of leaving FullName = parameter set to the %UserFirstName% and %UserLastName% variables (which may cause problems with some program installation routines), this field is left blank.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, create a CIW screen that prompts the user for this information and then places the information in the template file (*.sif). When users select an image they want to install, the Oschoice.osc file is active. The Oschoice.osc file then calls the Warning.osc file, which displays a message to the user stating that the drive is going to be reformatted during this process. A good place to insert the new screen is in between the Oschoice.osc and Warning.osc screens.

To create the new screen, use the following steps:

NOTE: The CIW screens for a specific RIS server are located on the volume that contains the images in the RemoteInstall\OSchooser\Language folder.

Modify the Oschoice.osc file so it calls the new screen (User-Name.osc), as shown in the following example:


Use the arrow keys to select one of the following operating systems:
<P left=8>
<FORM ACTION="User-name">
<SELECT NAME="SIF" SIZE=12>
%OPTIONS%
</SELECT>

Create the User-name.osc file so it looks similar to the following example:


<OSCML>
<TITLE>Client Installation Wizard UserInfo</TITLE>
<FOOTER>  [ENTER] continue     [ESC] clear     [F1] help     [F3] restart computer</FOOTER>
<META KEY=F3 ACTION="REBOOT">
<META KEY=F1 HREF="Reboot">
<META KEY=ESC HREF="Reboot">
<BODY left=5 right=75>

Please type in your First and Last Name in the space provided below.
If correct name is shown Below, you can hit <enter> to continue. 

<FORM ACTION="Warning">
&nbsp&nbspUser First name: <INPUT NAME="MyFullname" VALUE="%USERFIRSTNAME% %USERLASTNAME%" MAXLENGTH=255> 
</FORM>

Press the TAB key to move between the fields.
</BODY>
</OSCML>

NOTE: In the new file, make sure the "FORM ACTION =" statement references "Warning" so that upon completion, the warning screen is displayed.

Locate the RIS template file in the RemoteInstall\Setup\language\English\Images\Directoryname\I386\Templates folder.

Change the FullName = "%UserFirstName% %UserLastName%" parameter to Fullname = "%MyFullName%". This is the name of the variable used to hold the information typed in User-name.osc screen.

If you use this method, when a user logs on with an account in the same forest as the RIS server, his or her user name information is resolved and is displayed in the User-name.osc screen. The user simply presses ENTER to continue. Users that log on with accounts outside of the forest have an opportunity to type this information early in the Setup process and not be prompted for it during GUI-mode Setup.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 2000.

Additional query words: ds

Keywords : kbenv kbui
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug