How to install Microsoft Windows XP automatically

As you know, during installing Microsoft Windows XP, setup asks you several questions about your installation drive, windows serial number, your language, administrator password, local time zone and … . So that you should sit and answer above questions. But there is a small tool in Microsoft Windows CD , let's you answer these questions before installing Windows.
1- Put Windows XP CD/DVD in the CD/DVD in your CD/DVD ROM and go to following folder: X:\Support\tools\
2- Copy deploy.cab in your Hard Drive and then extract deploy.cab with Winrar or Winzip.
3- Double click on setupmgr.exe, a dialog box will appear, click Next.
4- Select " Create a new answer file" and then click Next.
5- Select " windows unattended installation" and then click Next.
6- In this page, select your Windows version for example: Windows XP Professional and then click Next.
7- Select " Fully automated" and then click Next.
8- in "Distribution Folder" page select your Distribution Folder. Select "No, this answer file will be used to install from a CD" and then click Next.
9- Select " I Accept …" and then click Next.
10- Here answer the questions and finally click finish and then save settings as WINNT.SIF in a Floppy Disk.
11- Close application from file menu.
12- Insert Floppy Disk in Floppy Disk Drive and then reboot your computer from CD/DVD . Windows Setup will install Windows according your settings in Floppy Disk.
Note: you can edit WINNT.SIF with Note Pad, you can use Help file to edit this file.

One small querry Soleimanian, what if I don't have a floppy drive?
Most people should agree that floppy drives are now obsolete!!

I had read something similar that allows you to create bootable disc directly! (actually a software that automatically generates a customised .iso image).

Does anybody know about that?

BUT this can be done ONLY is yew have anOS previously installed....anything to do it from absolute scratch...like in a PC that has been operated for the first time??

I've done this maybe hundreds of times now (for myself and for my job), and would like to recommend a few things. There are two software tools out there, RVM Integrator and Nlite, that not only aide you with all of this, but they do most of the work. They even can integrate drivers and additional software into your new iso image. So after a fresh install, you can have Firefox, Thunderbird, all SPs and updates, etc.

I recommend using one or the other (or both) for software integration, then using Nlite for the winnt.sif file and the creating of the bootable disc. Great stuff.

hey guys, this is really nice. Guess what? I generally get impatient with my system during installation (irrespective of the fact that it takes less than 25 mins from start to finish of the installation) but Iwould just appreciate anything that can enable me to run the installation in automated mode while I can do something else.

thanks Ameir.

Ive made my own version of XP lately aswell.. I used nLite.. I intergrated Media player 11, IE7 and service pack 3.. then i added Openoffice, Firefox, ccleaner and some other software.. It's really usefull to have such a CD, you never know when you need it. So i recommed to follow this tutorial, or one from nLite.