IT Management Suite

  • 1.  Install of drivers with over 8 characters in name

    Posted Aug 19, 2009 06:51 PM
    we have been testing various install methods for XP SP3 on an HP DC7700 PC.  We have Altiris DS 6.9 SP1.  Besides it not wanting to join the domain, when windows actually begins to install the syspreped image to the PC, 2 out of 5 times it will fail when looking for c:\drivers\video\igkrng400.bin.  if we browse the folder, the filename is truncated to igkrng~1.bin.  We then have to cancel this binary install, which leads to device manager problems later on. 

    Again, this is not every time, but when planning on deploying to several hundred DC7700 PC's, this will be a major issue.  Any ideas?

    thanx in advance!


  • 2.  RE: Install of drivers with over 8 characters in name

    Posted Aug 24, 2009 09:44 AM
    If you are using DOS, you will have the 8.3 file limitation (max 8 character filenames). Can you use WINPE? You won't have that problem there.


  • 3.  RE: Install of drivers with over 8 characters in name
    Best Answer

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Aug 24, 2009 10:49 AM
     But if you want to use DOS, try renaming and editing the inf directly to ensure the drivers are all in the 8.3 format. Personally, this is a lot of work a problem which will always be there until you move to Linux or WinPE for this.

    If you do a dir /x /s within your driver share point, you'll get an idea of just how many of your driver file names fall outside the 8.3 limitation. For me, its rather a lot.

    If you are using PXE, as an interim measure you have the option of using Linux/WinPE just for the drivers filecopy. This would give you time to get over the hurdles now, and then upgrade the rest of your process to use a more modern automation.

    Kind Regards,
    Ian./