hi, as i described myself in the user introduction i'm collecting now infos (phase a - planning): i will implement photoshop [with livereg] in my silent installation - and yes i own the orig - but i will get an activation screen, which i will follow but which thing suits me best: wpi does install a bunch of programs, but does it install programs just one after one with user interactivity? [live registration, individual keys (3 license keys for the same software - needed in gfx offices on one system i.e. or just on different systems), ...] or should i use an msi installer which will guide me through all programms i have to install? i've also read about autoit3 ... not sure if it will help me anything, and is every complex-installation program packable and selfextracting in theory? [saw a guide for norton internet security 2005] (for now) my conclusion is: [phase a - planning] 1. creating an unattended xp cd with custom installation screen (read how it works) 1.5 integrating individual drivers 1.6 make a decision between post windows installation runtimes 2. plannings about a guide through all programs i've planned to integrate 2.1 applications like putty, adobe reader, ... just "copying" on hdd 2.2 running applications with user "activity" (complex programs) 2.5 registry hacks integration for i.e. *.mp3 should be opened by winamp (or replacement not sure yet) not by the win media player 3.0 testing on my old pc, because i don't own a legal vmware version or free replacement 4.0 burning as a bootable dvd (i don't think that i have enough space on a cdr) 5.0 earning honors from my Assistant Professor any help, suggestions, comments & ideas (innovations) are welcome, thx please do not bother with my little wisdom about this project yet (absolutly newbee) and be friendly with missplaced postings and bad expressions (still a language intermediate [english, jscript, java, ...] cya soon again ... will post my development status for interested people in upcoming posts rhvkl