|  | Introduction to Automating an Installation
Automating an installation of Windows XP Professional means creating and using an answer file that supplies the settings that a user would otherwise need to provide during setup. In addition, the answer file determines how Windows XP Professional Setup interacts during pre-installation with the files at the software distribution point. An answer file can supply some or all of the settings required by Setup during the installation. By providing all of the answers, you can prepare an unattended, fully automated installation of Windows XP Professional. Two types of files are used to automate a Windows XP Professional installation: Answer file. A text file containing configuration settings that provide responses to setup questions that a user would otherwise need to provide. By changing or adding settings in an answer file, you can automate an installation for multiple computers that require the same configuration. Uniqueness Database File. A file that provides replacement settings for the settings configured in an answer file. You use a UDF to configure the unique settings, such as computer name, for each computer. By using an answer file and a UDF, you can automate the installation for multiple computers that require different configurations. After the answer file and the UDF are configured, they are run on each client computer from either a floppy disk or a shared folder on a network. When you first run Setup on the client computer, Setup uses the settings from the answer file and the UDF to configure the computer. During Setup, users must supply all settings that are not configured in an answer file or a UDF.