Full Version: Switchless installers
Can anyone explain me how do I install programs with switchless installers with unattended installation? I'm trying to build an unattended installation for a few months and I can't finish it because I don't know how to install most of the programs. I use WPI and nlite. I find that WPI supports very few programs. Some of the programs I need to install I see in this forum but they are switchless installers. If you can tell me how do I include thise switchless installers programs so they will be installed automatically together with programs which are installed through WPI I would be very thankful. Don't tell me something like "use RunOnce" because I have no idea what it means. Also I tried AutoIt but it is really complicated. I hope someone can explain me what to do in detailed but simple way.
QUOTE (planoleg @ Jun 30 2007, 01:55 PM) 
Can anyone explain me how do I install programs with switchless installers with unattended installation? I'm trying to build an unattended installation for a few months and I can't finish it because I don't know how to install most of the programs. I use WPI and nlite. I find that WPI supports very few programs. Some of the programs I need to install I see in this forum but they are switchless installers. If you can tell me how do I include thise switchless installers programs so they will be installed automatically together with programs which are installed through WPI I would be very thankful. Don't tell me something like "use RunOnce" because I have no idea what it means. Also I tried AutoIt but it is really complicated. I hope someone can explain me what to do in detailed but simple way.
switchless installer defined: execute=installed
I cant make that statement any easier. A switchless installer is an executable file usually distributed in an EXE format.
Use what ever means you are comfortable with to cause the EXE to b executed and no other interaction is required.
shark
That's what I'm asking. Unfortunately I don't know any method to execute switchless installer automatically when the Windows finished installing.
Read this http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/32/ but I recomend read the intire site.
0d
0d
I know it's frustrating to not get a step by step answer but most of what you need to know has been explained numerous times and the answers are out there. Here's something to get you started.
There are several ways to do what you want to do. Here's the easiest way I can think of. It's untested, but simple enough that it should work without any problems.
First, open Notepad and type the name of each switchless installer you want to include. Enclose each in double quotes and put one file name on each line. For example:
"Program1.exe"
"Program2.exe"
etc.
Save the file as Installers.cmd
Next, create a folder named Installers and copy the switchless installer files into that folder. Also copy the Installers.cmd file you just created into that same folder.
Now, you have a folder that contains all of your switchless installers as well as a program (the cmd file) that will install each of them when it is run. If you have a virtual computer program or a test computer to work with, you can copy the Installers folder to that machine and run the cmd file to make sure everything works as expected.
Use nLite as you have been doing to create the unattended compilation. When you get to the Unattended section, look for the RunOnce tab. There, you can enter the command(s) you want to run after the first time Windows logs you on near the end of the installation. Enter this line:
Continue with the nLite process until you get to the Bootable ISO page. Stop there without making the ISO image, but leave nLite open.
Locate the $OEM$ folder in your set of unattended installation files. In that folder, you may find a folder named $1. If not, create a folder named $1 inside of the $OEM$ folder. Open the $1 folder and drag the folder you created earlier (Installers) into the $1 folder.
Everything in $1 will end up on the drive where Windows gets installed (probably C:), so you'll later see a folder named Installers in the root of that drive. This process doesn't cleanup after itself, so you'll want to delete that folder when everything is done.
Go back to nLite and continue with making the ISO image.
During installation, Windows will run Installers.cmd at first logon.
That should do it. There are a lot of ways to enhance and cleanup this process. For that, I suggest searching the site and also checking out the Unattended Windows Guide 0d recommended if you haven't done that already.
Good luck.
Ray
There are several ways to do what you want to do. Here's the easiest way I can think of. It's untested, but simple enough that it should work without any problems.
First, open Notepad and type the name of each switchless installer you want to include. Enclose each in double quotes and put one file name on each line. For example:
"Program1.exe"
"Program2.exe"
etc.
Save the file as Installers.cmd
Next, create a folder named Installers and copy the switchless installer files into that folder. Also copy the Installers.cmd file you just created into that same folder.
Now, you have a folder that contains all of your switchless installers as well as a program (the cmd file) that will install each of them when it is run. If you have a virtual computer program or a test computer to work with, you can copy the Installers folder to that machine and run the cmd file to make sure everything works as expected.
Use nLite as you have been doing to create the unattended compilation. When you get to the Unattended section, look for the RunOnce tab. There, you can enter the command(s) you want to run after the first time Windows logs you on near the end of the installation. Enter this line:
CODE
%SystemDrive%\Installers\Installers.cmd
Continue with the nLite process until you get to the Bootable ISO page. Stop there without making the ISO image, but leave nLite open.
Locate the $OEM$ folder in your set of unattended installation files. In that folder, you may find a folder named $1. If not, create a folder named $1 inside of the $OEM$ folder. Open the $1 folder and drag the folder you created earlier (Installers) into the $1 folder.
Everything in $1 will end up on the drive where Windows gets installed (probably C:), so you'll later see a folder named Installers in the root of that drive. This process doesn't cleanup after itself, so you'll want to delete that folder when everything is done.
Go back to nLite and continue with making the ISO image.
During installation, Windows will run Installers.cmd at first logon.
That should do it. There are a lot of ways to enhance and cleanup this process. For that, I suggest searching the site and also checking out the Unattended Windows Guide 0d recommended if you haven't done that already.
Good luck.
Ray
Thanks for your answers, but I wouldn't go for it. I'm not sure it's worth it. Spending hours creating different files and using different programs, I really don't see it practical. Anyway, fortunately I found out that switchless installers can be executed directly from WPI.
As for the rest, I hope that one day WPI will have an option which will allow to configure step-by-step installation of every program. So when the program gets installed silently, it gets installed the way you want it and not by default.
As for the rest, I hope that one day WPI will have an option which will allow to configure step-by-step installation of every program. So when the program gets installed silently, it gets installed the way you want it and not by default.
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