INFO: Changing to UK Regional Settings during an Unattended Installation (177669)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q177669

SUMMARY

During the unattended installation process of Windows NT version 4.0, there is no switch or option to change the Regional Settings of a computer from the default (U.S.) to UK.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps outline a method on how to use unattended installation to configure new computers with UK Regional settings.

NOTE: This article assumes the unattended installation files are stored on a distribution server in the directory C:\Install.

  1. Log on to a new Windows NT 4.0 installation as a new user.
  2. Run sysdiff /SNAP 1.txt from an MS-DOS command prompt on this computer. This will create a file of the current settings for the computer.
  3. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Regional Settings. Click the Regional Settings tab, and then select English (United Kingdom).
  4. Run the command sysdiff /DIFF 1.txt 2.txt. This will generate a file (2.txt) listing all system changes that have been made.
  5. From the difference file (2.txt), create a directory structure of changes, along with an .inf file and Cmdlines.txt file. To do this, run the following command:

    sysdiff /INF 2.txt C:\INSTALL

    This will copy the cmdlines.txt file, 2.inf file, and any changed files into a $OEM$ directory off the C:\Install directory on the distribution server.
  6. Log off and copy the Ntuser.dat file from the Winnt\Profiles\Username directory on this computer (for the user profile above) to the distribution server. Copy the file to the C:\Temp directory off the $OEM$ directory on the distribution server.

    For Example, to C:\Install\$OEM$\C\Temp).
  7. Create a batch file named Regupd.bat that copies the Ntuser.dat file from the C:\Temp directory to the C:\Winnt\Profiles\Default User directory on any new computers. Copy the Regupd.bat file to the $OEM$\C\TEMP directory on the distribution server.
  8. Add the line 'OemPreinstall = yes' to Unattend.txt.
  9. Run WINNT with the desired unattended installation options, plus the /E option pointing to the batch file created in Step 2.1.

    For example:

    WINNT.EXE /U:UNATTEND.TXT /S:C:\INSTALL /E:C:\TEMP\REGUPD.BAT
The Unattended setup will run as normal. It will make changes during the installation as specified by the OemPreinstall entry and $OEM$ updates. This will run the Cmdlines.txt and use the created .inf file to update the system. Then, at the end of the setup, the batch file will run copying the updated Ntuser.dat over the Default User profile for that computer. This should complete the setup process and any users logging on to the new computer will automatically have UK regional settings.

REFERENCES

For more help on unattended setup, please refer to the Windows NT Workstation Resource Kit or the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

155614 Unattended Installation of Microsoft Windows NT 4.0


http://www.microsoft.com/ntwkssupport/content/faq/unattend.htm

For more help information on the use of Sysdiff.exe, type "sysdiff help" at a command prompt.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/6/2006
Keywords:kbinfo kbSBK KB177669
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