Cmdlines.txt Does Not Recognize Parameters Surrounded by Quotes

 Last reviewed: January 2, 1998
Article ID: Q167211
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0

SYMPTOMS

During an unattended setup, some entries in the Cmdlines.txt file do not execute.

CAUSE

The entries in Cmdlines.txt that are not executing may contain entries that contain parameters between quotation marks, as in the following example: 

   Cmdlines.txt
      [Commands]
      ".\at 04:00 /interactive cmd.exe /c "c:\batch\runme.bat"
Cmdlines.txt treats the first quotation mark in the parameter as the end of the command line.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, create a batch file containing the same command line with quotation marks, and run that batch file from the Cmdlines.txt text file. For the previous example, the resolution would be: 

   CMDLINES.TXT
      [Commands]
      ".\mybatch.bat"

   Mybatch.bat
      AT 04:00 /interactive cmd.exe /c "c:\batch\runme.bat"

MORE INFORMATION

The Unattend.txt setup script must include "OEMPreinstall=Yes in the [Unattended] section, to enable the Cmdlines.txt file. This file must also reside in the $OEM$ directory of your Windows NT distribution share.

For additional information about unattended installations, please see the following article at the Microsoft Web site: 

   http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/info/Deployment-guide.htm

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : ntsetup kbsetup
Version : WINNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb
Solution Type : Info_Provided

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Last reviewed: January 2, 1998
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