Copyright ⌐ 2003-2004 by Pierre Mounir (TheTruth).
All rights reserved.
A network configuration tool for WinPE
Changes:
v2.11 build-1:
+ Fixed a bug that required the user to click "Cancel" too many times before it's able to cancel the dialog prompting for user credentials that was shown when mapping network drives through a network profile in interactive mode.
v2.11:
+ Added support for using "bartpe.exe" to start network support.
Note: To start network support you must have either
{"factory.exe", "netcfg.exe"}
or
{"bartpe.exe"}
under the "System32" folder.
if both sets of files exist, PENetCfg will use "factory.exe" & "netcfg.exe".
v2.1:
+ Added support for starting File Sharing service (Server service) either throuh the GUI or a network profile with ability to set the Adminisrator's password and share all drives' root folders. (this can be handy in situations when you're infected with a virus in a machine and have a powerfull virus scanner with the latest virus signatures on another machine).
+ Added support for automating mapping network drives through a network profile.
+ Added support for presetting the Link Speed/Duplex Mode throuth a network profile.
+ Added support for setting the Primary DNS Suffix (DNS domain name) throuh the GUI or through a network profile.
+ Added section to the network profile to allow you to provide notes about any profile that will be shown in the "Network Profiles" dialog for each selected profile.
+ Redesigned the GUI to fit on monitors with screen resolution of 640x480 pixels.
+ Now "PE Network Configurator" is fully functional under the Win2K/WinXP/Win2K3 environments.
The syntax of PENetCfg at the command line is as follows:
PENetCfg [/UseProfile:[profile_name]]
- If no parameters were passed, PENetCfg will run as usual without using any network profiles.
- /UseProfile:[profile_name] loads the network profile with the name "profile_name" to use in automating network settings.
If the network profile is located in the same folder as PENetCfg, you can provide only the file name without any path, otherwise you must provide the full path and put it in quotes if it contains spaces.
if no profile name is provided, PENetCfg will search in the same folder for a file with same name as PENetCfg but with the extension ".ini" and use it as the network profile if found. So if the executable file that started PENetCfg is named "PENetCfg.exe", PENetCfg will search for "PENetCfg.ini" in the same folder to use as the network profile.
Network profiles will be used only when PENetCfg is going to start network support. If network support is already started, no network profiles are used even if you explicitly provide it via the command line parameter.
Here is an attempt to document the sections and their entries in a complete network profile:
Note: The "Default" value means the value that PENetCfg will use in case the whole entry is missing or the "Value" portion of the "Key = Value" pair is not provided.
+++ Section: [General]
This section controls the unattended behavior of PENetCfg.
++ Entry: AutoStartNet
This entry gives you the option to confirm starting network support or not.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: Starts network support without confirmation.
- No: Confirms starting network support.
+ Default: No
++ Entry: PromptForProfile
This entry gives you the chance to select another network profile at startup instead of using the current profile.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: makes PENetCfg process the list of network profiles provided in the section [NetProfiles] and prompt you at startup to select one of them or browse for another on any storage medium.
- No: makes PENetCfg use the current network profile without prompting you to select another one.
+ Default: No
Note: If you select another network profile at startup, PENetCfg will not process the [General] section again in this new profile. The [General] section is processed only in the first network profile passed through the command line parameter.
If you cancel the network profiles dialog (not selecting any profile), PENetCfg will use the current network profile.
+ Entry: ShowGUI
This entry gives you the option to show the main window of PENEtCfg or not.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: makes PENetCfg show its main window after starting network support.
- No: makes PENetCfg quit after starting network support.
+ Default: Yes
+++ Section: [NetProfiles]
This section allows you to provide a list of network profiles to select one of them at startup and will be processed only if the "PromptForProfile" key is set to "Yes".
Each entry in this section has the form: profile_display_name = profile_path
- profile_display_name: is the name that'll be shown when PENetCfg provides you with the list of network profiles to choose among them.
- profile_path: is the file name and path to your network profile. If the profile is located in the same folder as PENetCfg, you can provide only the file name without any path, otherwise you must provide the full path and put it in quotes if it contains spaces.
+++ Section: [NetID]
This section allows you to set the computer name ,join a workgroup, and set primary DNS suffix.
++ Entry: ComputerName
this entry gives you the option to set the computer name.
If this entry is missing or the computer name is not provided, PENetCfg will ignore it and let WinPE set it to a random name.
Note:
If the value for the computer name is more than 15 characters, PENetCfg will truncate it to 15 characters.
If the computer name contains any invalid characters, PENetCfg will remove those characters.
++ Entry: Workgroup
This entry gives you the option to join a workgroup.
If this entry is missing or the workgroup name is not provided, PENetCfg will ignore it and let WinPE set it to the default workgroup (WORKGROUP).
Note:
If the value for the workgroup name is more than 15 characters, PENetCfg will truncate it to 15 characters.
If the workgroup name contains any invalid characters, PENetCfg will remove those characters.
++ Entry: PrimaryDNSSuffix
this entry gives you the option to set the primary DNS suffix (DNS domain name) for the computer.
If this entry is missing or the DNS suffix is not provided, PENetCfg will ignore it and let WinPE set it to the default value.
+++ Section: [FileSharing]
This section allows you to enable File Sharing (Server service).
++ Entry: StartFileSharingService
This entry gives you the option to enable File Sharing or not.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: Installs and starts File Sharing service.
- No: doesn't enable File Sharing.
+ Default: No
++ Entry: AdminPassword
This entry gives you the option to set the Adminstrator's account password.
+ Value: {*|password}
- *: prompts you before enabling File Sharing to set the Administrator's password, this also allows you to cancel enabling File Sharing at all by cancelling the "File Sharing" dialog.
- password: sets the Adminstrator's password without prompting.
+ Default: *
++ Entry: ShareDriveRoots
This entry gives you the option to share all drives' root folders or not.
Note: this entry has nothing to do with the "Administrative/Hidden Shares" started with "$", they are created automatically upon starting Server service.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: shares drives' root folders of the following drive types:
* Fixed disk drives.
* RAMD disk drives.
* CD-ROM drives.
* Removable disk drives.
and gives them the share names of their drive letters, e.g drive C: is shared as "C" (without the quotes), so you can see them through any network browser.
- No: doesn't share drives' roots automatically.
+ Default: No
+++ Section: [NetAdapterX]
This section allows you to provide the TCP/IP properties of any number of network adapter and set the Link Speed/Duplex Mode.
Actually, this is not one section but a series of arbitrary sections with the header name "NetAdapter" followed by an index that refers to the Xth network adapter.
For example, the section [NetAdapter1] corresponds to the first detected network adapter, and the section [NetAdapter2] corresponds to the second detected network adapter, and so on.
You can add as many sections as you want according to the expected number of network adapters on the destination machine.
++ Entry: SpeedAndDuplex
This entry gives you the option to set the Link Speed/Duplex Mode of a network adapter.
+ Value: {10|100|1000},{Half|Full}
- 10|100|1000: represents the required "Link Speed".
Half|Full: represents the required "Duplex Mode".
Default: if you leave this key empty or set it to "Default" or use unsupported value, the default setting of your network adapter will be used.
Example: 100,Half
++ Entry: EnableDHCP
This entry gives you the option to obtain IP address automatically from a DHCP server or use static IP address(es).
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: obtains IP address automatically from a DHCP server
- No: uses the IP addresses provided by the key "IPAddress"
+ Default: Yes
++ Entry: UseStaticGateway
This entry gives you the option to provide static default gateway addresses in case you enabled DHCP.
This entry is processed only if you enabled DHCP.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: ignores the default gateway addresses received by a DHCP server and uses those provided by the key "DefaultGateway".
- No: uses the default gateway addresses received by a DHCP server.
+ Default: No
++ Entry: UseStaticDNS
This entry gives you the option to provide static DNS server addresses in case you enabled DHCP.
This entry is processed only if you enabled DHCP.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: ignores the DNS server addresses received by a DHCP server and uses those provided by the key "DNSServer".
- No: uses the DNS server addresses received by a DHCP server.
+ Default: No
++ Entry: UseStaticWINS
This entry gives you the option to provide static WINS server addresses in case you enabled DHCP.
This entry is processed only if you enabled DHCP.
+ Value: {Yes|No}
- Yes: ignores the WINS server addresses received by a DHCP server and uses those provided by the key "WINSServer".
- No: uses the WINS server addresses received by a DHCP server.
+ Default: No
++ Entry: IPAddress
This entry allows you to provide static IP addresses to use in case you disabled DHCP.
- You should provide as many subnet masks as those provided by the key "IPAddress" separated by a comma (,).
+ Default: If you don't provide any subnet masks, or all provided subnet masks are invalid, or the number of subnet masks is less than the corresponding IP addresses, PENetCfg will add the missing subnet masks to the end of the subnet masks list. Those subnet masks added by PENetCfg will be the default subnet masks for the network class of the corresponding IP addresses.
++ Entry: DNSServer
This entry allows you to provide static DNS server addresses.
- You can provide as many DNS server addresses as you want separated by a comma (,).
+ Default: If you don't provide any DNS server addresses, or all provided DNS server addresses are invalid, and DHCP is enabled, PENetCfg will use those received by a DHCP server even if you explicitly set the key "UseStaticDNS" to "Yes".
++ Entry: WINSServer
This entry allows you to provide static WINS server addresses.
- You can provide as many WINS server addresses as you want separated by a comma (,).
+ Default: If you don't provide any WINS server addresses, or all provided WINS server addresses are invalid, and DHCP is enabled, PENetCfg will use those received by a DHCP server even if you explicitly set the key "UseStaticWINS" to "Yes".
+++ Section: [NetDriveX]
This section allows you to map network drives.
Actually, this is not one section but a series of up to 10 sections: [NetDrive1] ... [NetDrive10], each section allows you to map a single network drive.
++ Entry: Drive
This entry gives you the option to select the network drive letter.
+ Value: {*|drive_letter}
- *: makes PENetCfg selects the first available drive letter.
- drive_letter: is the required network drive letter, e.g. "x:" (without the quotes).
+ Default: *
++ Entry: NetworkPath
This entry gives you the option to set the network path you want to map a drive to.
if this entry is missing or the network path is not provided, no network drive will be mapped and no errors will be shown.
Example: \\WinXP\D$
++ Entry: UserName
This entry gives you the option to provide the user name of the account used for network authenticatation.
if this entry is missing or the user name is not provided, you'll be prompted to provide it.
++ Entry: Password
This entry gives you the option to provide the password of the account used for network authenticatation.
if this entry is missing or the password is not provided, you'll be prompted to provide it.
+++ Section: [Notes]
This section allows you to provide notes about any profile that will be shown in the "Network Profiles" dialog for each selected profile.
You can add as many lines as you want, up to 32 KB in size.
Any constructive criticism, suggestions, comments are welcome.
