WinPE, Startnet.CMD and passing variables to second batch file not working

Question

I don't know scripting or PowerShell (yes I need to learn something). I'm not an expert batch file maker either.

I have a WinPE flash drive which I used to deploy OS images. I have the WIM, drivers and anything needed else outside the WinPE environment to ensure that Updates, changes are easier for me to make.

I use the "STARTNET.CMD" batch file which is part of the WinPE.

The reason to go through the letter drives is that the WinPE always gets the X letter drive assigned. The flash drive itself can receive a random letter which always changes.

My deployment menu is located on the flash drive it self and not inside the WinPE. This is so that if I need to make a change I don't have to re-do the WinPE.

I am able to locate the "menu.bat" batch file and launch it. I use a variable to capture the letter drive. I call the second batch file named "menu.bat" and pass the variable to it.

When the second batch file loads, I believe that I am calling the variable correctly. If I break out of the batch file I can echo the variable and see the expected reply. The issue is that I can't use the variable to work with anything on the second batch file. In my test, I can get this to work over and over. When it runs from the real USB flash drive it does not work. I removed comments from the second batch file to make it smaller.

My issue is that files below all get a message stating that the system cannot find the path specified.

Diskpart
Imagex.exe
bcdboot.exe

Why can't I get the varible to properly function when I try to using example "ImageX.exe"?

Contents of the Startnet.cmd

@echo off
for %%p in (a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z) do if exist %%p:\Tools\ set w=%%p
Set execpatch=%w%\Tools\
call %w%:\Menu.bat \Tools\

Contents of the Menu.BAT

@echo off
set SecondPath=%1
cls
:Start
cls
Echo.
Echo.==============================================================
Echo. Windows 7 64 Bit Ent Basic Desktops
Echo.==============================================================
Echo.
Echo A. 790 Windows 7 - Basic
Echo.
Echo.
Echo I. Exit
Echo.
Echo.

set /p choice=Choose your option = 

if not '%choice%'=='' set choice=%choice:~0,1%

if '%choice%'=='a' goto 790_Windows_7_Basic

echo "%choice%" is not a valid (answer/command)
echo.

goto start
:790_Windows_7_Basic

REM DISKPART /s %SecondPath%BatchFiles\Make-Partition.txt

%SecondPath%imagex.exe /apply %SecondPath%Images\Win7-64b-Ent-Basic-SysPreped.wim 1 o:\ /verify

%SecondPath%bcdboot.exe o:\Windows /s S:

Copy %SecondPath%Unattended\unattend.XML o:\Windows\System32\sysprep\unattend.XML /y

xcopy %SecondPath%Drivers\790\*.* o:\Windows\INF\790\ /E /Q /Y

MD o:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\
Copy %SecondPath%BatchFiles\SetupComplete.cmd o:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\ /y

Goto Done

:Done
Exit

Solution

From the looks of it, the last line in your startnet.cmd file should be

call %w%:\Menu.bat %w%:\Tools\

since menu.bat is apparently expecting the first argument to be the complete path to the Tools directory, including the drive letter.

Note that startnet.cmd sets an environment variable named w which menu.bat could use (but currently doesn't!) so another solution would be to replace all the instances of %SecondPath% with %w%:%SecondPath%.

Comments

[slhck]

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[LunchBox]

What did end up working was to use:

[LunchBox]

What did work was to end up using the first variable that I set. The first variable is called %MainPath% and was recommended by a co-worker to pass that variable to the second batch file but sue a different name for the vairable to prevent confusion. Well, that did not work but what did work was to se: %MainPatch%\Images*.wim etc. I will test as you suggestion though for my own knowledge. Thanks

[LunchBox]

Never heard of that command but it should pretty good. I will test with it - thanks

[LunchBox]

yes everything is in the correct directory and if I run all manually it works. Is the batch file that does not. Harry Johnson's response actually helped solve my issue