DOCUMENT:Q171618  10-AUG-2001  [winnt]
TITLE   :Unattended Install of WinNT SP May Leave System Unbootable
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT
PROD/VER:WinNT:3.5,3.51
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 
 - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you install Service Pack 5 in a mass deployment for Windows NT 3.51 on
IDE-based systems, using the following command may render you system
unbootable:

   Update.exe -u

This service pack switch performs an automated installation. When the -u switch
is used with Update.exe, it will automatically close all applications and
restart the system after the service pack is applied.

You may see one of the following behaviors:

 - Computer gets to the boot loader (Boot.ini) file but will stop responding
   (hang) on Ntdetect.com (most common symptom)

 - Computer stops responding at the end of the POST at a black screen without
   displaying the Windows NT Boot menu options.

CAUSE
=====

This problem is caused by the IDE Drives buffers (cache) not being flushed
properly before the computer is reset.


RESOLUTION
==========

To recover the system after the service pack installation, follow these steps:

1. Create a Windows NT boot floppy disk. For additional information, please see
   the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q119467 Creating a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition

2. When booted to Windows NT, run a chkdsk /f on the system drive.

   NOTE: Because this is the system partition, you will need to keep the boot
   floppy disk in drive A so the computer can reboot and run chkdsk.

3. The system should now be recovered. Verify by doing a reboot without the
   Windows NT boot floppy disk in drive A.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Prevention
----------

To keep this problem from happening with future installations of Service Pack 5,
perform the following steps:

1. Create a batch file that will call the Update.exe and Shutdown.exe (Shutdown
   is a Windows NT Resource kit utility that will shut down the system).

   For example:

      SPUpdate.bat

      %path%\update -u
      %path%\shutdown /L /R /T:60 /Y /C

   The above shutdown command forces a local shutdown (/L), reboots when shutdown
   (/R), waits 60 seconds before beginning shutdown (/T:60), Answers 'yes' to
   all prompts (/Y), and forces a close of all apps (/C). For more information
   on the shutdown command, please see the Windows NT 3.51 Resource Kit.

2. Modify the Update.inf in SP5 so that it does not automatically reboot when
   the -u switch is used. Below is a sample of code that should be commented out
   using a semi-colon (;) to stop the automatic reboot.

           Rebootend =+
         ;********* bypass reboot**************
             ;exit
             ;set Reboot = YES
             ;ifstr(i) $(Unattended) != TRUE
            ;install Install-Shutdown
             ;else
            ;ifstr(i) $(ForceClose) != TRUE
                ;set ForceAppsClosed = NO
            ;else
                ;set ForceAppsClosed = YES
            ;endif
            ;install Install-Shutdown2
             ;endif
         ;**********ends here********************

Additional query words: SP5 Hangs Unattended
======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version           : WinNT:3.5,3.51
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.