durex

So Im working on creating an unattended image that will be used to install on workstations in which multiple users will be logging on to. I have a bunch of reg tweaks I want to make sure are applied to all user accounts when they log on. I'm somewhat familiar with using the ntuser.dat to accomplish this on a workstation, but I'm not sure how to slipstream this functionality. Thanks a bunch!

What would be super useful is if someone threw together something that explained how to slipstream these changes directly into a Win2008 image. I maintain 10 workstations that I need to rebuild every 9-12 months and it would be super helpful if I had an image that had all of these changes enabled/configured by default.

Hi all- We have laptops that we use between a few different people at times, all of which login using their own account. I noticed that with Windows 2008, after customizing a particular account, these customizations dont carry over to another account. While Im not very surprised by this, Im wondering if its possible to change the "default" configuration of a workstation so that any new accounts that login have the same settings. Specifically the only settings Im really interested in are enabling Aero theme and ensure the "Initial Server Configuration" and "Server Manager" tools dont appear when users first log in. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!

No and No... thats for XP, not Win2003 Excellent my man... this it the one. I really appreciate it!

Ive already done that and with Windows 2003 its a random reg key that comes back

No one??

Anyone know how to add My Computer, Internet Explorer and My Network places desktop icons unattended style? The Windows XP Reg settings dont work and if I do a regsnap before and after the only thing changed are in HKU\{Random Number Here}\.... Any suggestions? TIA!

Ive got the audigy 1 and it handles digital 5.1 dobly and dts without issue.. it also handles dolby pro logic surround and "direct" 5.1 surround sound via analog channels without issue an issue either. My question isnt if i can do surround sound... I know for a fact you cant do digital surround sound (with the card i have anyway) from games or any non dts/dobly digital source- this can only be handled using analog. My question is whats the easiest way to swicth between these two modes. Thanks again!

So I just picked up some Logitech Z5450's... which kick so much a** I can not even begin to explain. Im a bit of a novice when it comes to audio stuff and Im just realizing that as great as digital sound is for movies (which support it of course), that unless a games specifically supports dolby or dts digital output (which most do not), Ive got to switch back to using an analog connection. The two annoyances Im left with whenever I need to swicth from analog to digital (or vice versa) is swap 1 cable on the sound card (between a coax digital and the "front channel" plug of the analog 3-set plug) and Ive got to change the output setting on my sound card to enable/disable the "Digital Output Only" setting. Im wondering if anyone has any suggestions on the easiest way to manage these settings so that i can swap between these two modes as easily as possible. TIA!

It it possible to create shortcuts to control panel applets via the command line? Im aware of the *.cpl files applets are linked to, but simply creating a shortcut to "%windir%\system32\control.exe [whatever].cpl" doesnt give your the same type of shortcut like if you were to "drag and drop" the applet to create one. Theres got to be a way to do this.... TIA!

So lets say you have an application which you need to allow traffic to get through your firewall on 2 separate PCs and theres no way to change the listening port on said application or the port of the incoming traffic to your network. Is there any way possible, with a SOHO router (i.e. linksys WRT45G) to accomplish this? TIA!

Not sure if anyone is interested in helping me figure out how to silently deploy this, but heres the app Im having the trouble with. http://d-i.net/temp/runner.exe Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Although I already have a web hosting provider which allows me unlimited email accounts (Lunarpages), I currently still use my gmail account as my primary as I really dont like the support / interface my web host provides. Ive recently started my own consulting business and now need to move to a more viable email solution that allows me to use one of my domain name as my primary email address. Im looking for a new web / email hosting provider that meets the following criteria: At least 500MB of Email Storage IMAP Support Allows me to use my domain name Does not block executables (I HATE having to remind clients to rename file extensions of attachments so they dont get blocked) Nice WebMail Interface (My host provides Squerrill(sp?) and Horde and I hate both of them) Good Spam protection Resonably priced - Cheaper the better - preferrably no more than $10/mo Is this an unreasonable request or does a service actually exist out there which provides all of these requests? Thanks in advance!

So I finally purchased a spare hdd to use as a backup drive for my important files. Wondering what ppl recommended for backup software. Guess I dont need anything too fancy as all I plan to do is weekly backups of certain folders to disk. TIA!

Not sure what the implications would be posting a link to it as its a commercial product. Nobody has any ideas?

Ive got this program which appears to have been created with PackagefortheWeb 2.1, that Im having an issue installing silently. If I extract the contents of the exe with Winzip or winrar and use the necessary switches (/s /a /s /sms /f1:"iss file"), it works without an issue. If I try, however, to use these parameters with the single exe package, the silent install fails. Ive tried "recording" installation sessions (with the /r switch) using both the single exe package and the extracted contents- both methods create the setup.iss without issue and either files work without issue when using the silent switches with the extracted contents. So basically I need either 1 of 2 things - either to figure out how to get the single exe to install silently, or how to extract the contents via command line to some temp directory so I can install silently using it. Repackaging it or simply extracting the contents manually with winzip/winrar is not an option. Thanks a ton in advance guys.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Now heres another question. This laptop obviously has a legit WinXP installed on it. So long as I use the same version (ie. WinXP Home, OEM Version) and the same CD Key, would it still be considered "illegal" if I used a "borrowed" copy of a Windows XP Home Installation CD, rather than the restore disk? Thanks again.

So my sisters computer is all screwed to hell with spyware and whatnot and all she has is the HP "restore" cd that came with her laptop. I just took a quick peek at the contents, but it looks pretty darn similar to an Unattended Installation CD. Is it possible to extract certain components from this cd so that it only installs the base OS and not all of the extra garbage that restore cds are typically cluttered with? If its possible, Im sure I could figure it out after some tinkering, I just didnt want to waste my time if ppl here knew it was a lost cause. Thanks a bunch!! Title Edited - Please follow new posting rules from now on. --Zxian

Man this is getting annoying... I tried installing ffdshow and those files you sent me shark, but it still doesnt work. I then installed WinDVD and I can play the vob's with that without issue, but I still get no audio in MPC or WPM... Any other ideas?

Is it possible to install a dvd decoder, without installing a full blown DVD program? Ive had audio with these files when I used the codec packs and never had to install dvd programs on my pc, so Ive got to imagine there is one...

I get no audio in both MPC and WMP. Id really rather not install an entire DVD program, just to play a certain file type (esp where I dont watch dvds on this PC). Also, as I mentioned before Im trying to stear away from Codec and Filter "Packs". Is there not one particular codec/filter one can install to fix this?

I feel like an id*** posting this as Im sure the answer is an extremely easy one, but after a fresh Windows reinstall, Im trying to go without using one of those all-in-one codec packs and obtaining the codecs i need as i need them. Well the only thing I havent been able to figure out is how to get audio working with most of my vob files (some work, most dont). After a ton of searching online, the only thing I could find recommended the AC3 Filter, but I still had no luck after installing it. Also tried the Fraunhofer mpeg-3 audio codec and no dice there either. Thanks a bunch everyone!

So I run IIS on my home machine and I was thinking it would be super useful if I could create some type of script / web page, which I could access from my home hosted web site, that could launch a program on the PC its hosted on. This even possible to do?? Thanks!

According to this you cant log onto WinXP home as Admin account in normal startup mode...

So my sisters computer has been having some severe lock up issues lately and Ive volunteered to take a look at it. They currently have 4 user accounts that are set up (her, husband, 2 kids- all of which are setup as "administrator accounts") and all have had different stuff installed under each account. Ive never had the need for a multiuser environment on any pc ive owned, so Im not sure what the best way to go about troubleshooting this. I realize theres an "Adminstrators" account, but the only way I can log into it is through safe mode. They also claim, than certain accounts have more issues than others. This all may be silly questions.. but if uninstall a program under one user account, does it get uninstalled under all? I also complete realize that the only real difference between user accounts is whats under Docs & settings and registry stuff, but I wasnt sure how the reg and files under docs and settings are treated during an uninstall. Also, whats the best way to install software I want to run under every user account.. i.e. anti-spyware / virus programs? Should I install these as the adminstrator account? If so, what about software that wont let you install in safe mode? If not, does it matter which account I install it as? Oh.. and its XP Home (another of which I have no experience with - always used professional) Any other tips you guys can provide for troubleshooting mutli user systems would be much appreciated!