JakFrost

I've been looking for an easy and maintainable way to install the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 to 3.5 SP1 and the Hotfixes. I must have read a half-a-dozen threads and seen various Add-On packages and scripts like SNM to get the packages to work but all of the solutions listed in the threads required major work to repackage your own downloads or relied on downloading someone else's repackaged files. I wanted a solution to use only the original source files downloaded from Microsoft but also to supply the correct switches to them to make the install automatic. I also wanted the process to be super easy to implement and maintain. I found the solution after a day or two of trial and error and I like this solution the most out of all the ones that I've read about. Basically, you just use nLite Unattended section's RunOnce list to add all the command lines with silent install switches. You also take the downloaded files and put them into an Install folder inside your image build folder. I actually have my installation create a non-privilaged User account that gets automatically logged on always, so on the first logon after the install I just Log Out and logon as the Administrator account to ensure that the RunOnce commands are executed. The whole process works well and it is easy to implement and maintain. Most importantly it doesn't require repackaging the original source files. I can easily add additional hotfixes to the Install folder and just add an additional command to the RunOnce section as required. "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1.exe" /C:"install.exe /Q" /Q "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1.exe" /Q /I "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 KB928366-X86.exe" /Q /I "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.exe" /passive /norestart "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 KB958484-x86.exe" /passive /norestart "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 KB963707-x86.exe" /passive /norestart "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 KB958481-x86.exe" /passive /norestart "%SOURCE%Install\Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 SP2 KB958483-x86.exe" /passive /norestart Directory of D:\nLite\WinXP\INSTALL 08/14/2009 06:10 AM <DIR> . 08/14/2009 06:10 AM <DIR> .. 08/11/2009 03:53 AM 9,249,736 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 KB928366-X86.exe 08/24/2008 02:43 PM 10,703,680 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1.exe 08/08/2003 03:10 PM 24,265,736 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1.exe 08/11/2009 03:41 AM 8,981,856 Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 KB958481-x86.exe 08/11/2009 03:41 AM 7,256,928 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 SP2 KB958483-x86.exe 03/01/2009 02:03 AM 1,424,736 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 KB958484-x86.exe 08/11/2009 03:35 AM 759,144 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 KB963707-x86.exe 08/24/2008 04:52 PM 242,743,296 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.exe The good thing about this is also that other programs and hotfixes from Microsoft can be put into the Install folder and executed with silent switches without having to repackage them or create SVCPACK files. Many programs support /q or /s switches for silent installations also. I know that some folks prefer to have their programs installed at the T-13 interval or with RunOnceEx and I understand the benefits of both and also how to implement them but for sheer simplicity the RunOnce way seems to be easiest to implement and maintain, as long as you don't mind the Command Prompt pop-up window (I don't). Enjoy this solution. I just wanted to share it out there.