Denney

Heh. Great minds think alike eh? About 3 minutes after I posted that, I thought about doing that and I got it to work fine.

Heya guys. I'm trying to install the MDAC hotfix using SVCPACK.INF. I'm created a .cmd file and placed it, along with the hotfix, into the SVCPACK directory. When setup runs, it runs the .cmd file but it says it cannot find the hotfix exe file. Here is my KB832483.cmd file: @echo offKB832483.exe /C:"dahotfix.exe /q /n" /qAnyone have any ideas (probably something simple I'm missing)?

Actually, when integrating the current hotfixes (ones with "update.exe" that doesn't support /integrate) you have to run the hotfix again to install it because it adds the registry entries, registers files and everything else that the "*.inf" file does in each hotfix. For SP1, SP2 and (hopefully) the next set of hotfixes, when you slipstream them, they add all that information whereas just coping the files (like the current process) doesn't do that. I hope you understand what I'm talking about. EDIT: Running the current hotfixes again makes sure all the correct files are installed. It doesn't update the files that you have integrated into the installation source.

@[bM]Crusher: Who said anything about INSTALLING the hotfixes? When I mentioned installing the hotfixes, I meant installing them when setup runs them. You INTEGRATE/SLIPSTREAM the hotfixes into the installation source files and then INSTALL them properly when setup is installing by running the hotfixes from SVCPACK. Note: I have never seen the TheElderGeek's method so I can't compare them.

@neophyte: I hadn't actually read that article until today so I didn't know when that method was used. I guess it was just coincidence it's like my method (only difference being they run the hotfix file whereas I use a registry hive file). Glad I stumbled upon it now though. Makes my life a lot easier.

It should work on SP2 as the "update.exe" file has a version greater than 5.4.15.0. There are no SP1 updates that use the 5.4.15.0 "update.exe" yet so that's why they don't work. Hotfix installation is a lot faster if you use the method outlined above. Each hotfix installs only the files that are missing (incase setup doesn't copy them or something), and updates the registry. I added all the current hotfix files to the I386 folder and when setup ran the hotfix, it only updated the registry. The slowest thing with this method is actually when the hotfix is run and the files are extracted (bit of a bugger you can't bypass it ). EDIT: Also, if ALL the hotfixes are installed using the method above, you don't HAVE to run QCHAIN in your SVCPACK.inf file. I still used it though as not all hotfixes (OE and IE updates particulary) use the "update.exe" method and instead use the "inf file" method to install. EDIT2: After further inspection KB835732 and KB826939 are installed but still appears on Windows Update.

According to the recently updated KB828930 (15/04/2004), you can use the "/integrate:path" parameter to integrate the hotfix source files into an installation source. Unfortunately this only works with hotfixes that use "update.exe" version 5.4.15.0 or later. The latest release of hotfixes, ship with "update.exe" version 5.4.1.0. Maybe in their next update, they will update the "update.exe" file. If they do, it would make integrating the hotfixes a LOT easier. One thing I'm wondering about it in this article, it states the steps: 1. Copy KB******.exe to \svcpack\ 2. Extract to temporary folder. 3. Copy KB******.cat to \svcpack\ 4. Copy binary files to \I386\ 5. Copy subfolder binary files to \I386\subfolder 6. Check if any files are not in dosnet.inf. If not, add them. 7. Add KB******.cat and KB******.exe to svcpack.inf file. Now, what I want to know is what does all this accompish? Does it just run the hotfix and insert the registry entries? If so, my hotfix method should be changed to this one (MUCH easier). Or, does this run the entire hotfix again? I'm going to try this out now. I'll let you know my results when I'm done. If anyone else is interested, here is the link to the KB article: How to integrate software updates into your Windows installation source files

Other: MSALinux MSALinux is my own hand made Linux system based on Fedora Core 1. I've tried numerous Windows firewalls, ZoneAlarm, Norton, McCafee, Outpost and none of them did as much as I wanted without the extra. I based my Linux system on ClarkConnect's firewall (works a charm, jsut with extra stuff I didn't need). Personally, I would say, I'd prefer Norton over McCafee just because I've had more experience with Norton software.

TweakUI for Windows XP doesn't have an Add/Remove Programs section anymore. Are you sure you mean't TweakUI and not another program? + This method doesn't need you to install anything other than Windows itself.

Those also have to changed for Windows XP. I just explained that removing the "SystemComponent" entry would show the item on the Add/Remove Programs list.

Well, one day while cleaning my system, I came across the WebFldrs XP key in the "Uninstall" section of my registry and wondered what that SystemComponent value meant. I deleted it and found that "WebFldrs XP" came up on the "Add/Remove Programs" list. I decided to try that value with the other programs installed. So really, it was by accident but I much prefer this way over backing up and delete the key you want removed. Edit: WOO! FINALLY made it to 100 posts.

MaaR: You slipstreamed it into the original Windows XP CD didn't you? He slipstreamed it into a Windows XP SP1 CD.

@mrclasik: The problem is that SP2 adds/replaces files on the ORIGINAL Windows XP CD. If your trying to intergrate it into the SP1 CD, then your replacing those files but SP2 doesn't DELETE THE OLD SP1 FILES. Therfore, you have (in effect), a SP2 slipstream CD with a few hundred MB of SP1 specific files (which will never be used). Hope that clears up your confusion.

I"ve known this for months but I was wondering how many other people know about it. In the registry, under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" are all the entries on the "Add/Remove Programs" list. I've seen lots of websites saying to delete any keys here that you want to remove from the "Add/Remove Programs" list but I've found that some installations still keep there info in "Add/Remove Programs" even if you delete this (therefore making it impossible to uninstall the application). The way I found was to add a DWORD value to each of the keys you want "hidden": "SystemComponent"=0x00000001 That way, if you want to uninstall the program at a later date, you just delete that DWORD and boom, it's back on the "Add/Remove Programs" list. Now, how many of you people knew about this registry value? Edit: 50 odd views and only 2 votes? C'mon people.

Heh. whatever... I bought it the day it came out, that's all i know.

Yeah, 2000... don't know where I got '98 from :S

The reason I disable WFP is because for the programs I use, Windows takes up WAY to much bloat. I normally install Windows on my computer and then delete all the extra stuff I don't use (stuff protected by WFP for some reason ). I normally manage to get my install down to ~650MB. Better than the over 800MB install (allows me to uninstall accessibility rather than disable it only to have it popup again if I hold down shift ). I also like to have FULL control over my computer systems. I figure, if you monitor what is installed, have AV software, have a decent firewall (one that detects changes to components) and are resonsible in what you do/download you shouldn't have the problem of malicious system files. I've had SFC turned off since I first bought Windows XP (in 1998 I think) and I've NEVER had a system file overwritten by a malicious one (because I'm causious and resonsible in what I do). Phew, there's my rant/reason for turning WFP off. The other reason is because it's **** annoying.

This is actually rather simple (thanks to big poppa pump). All you need to do is follow my old steps and just replace the SFC_OS.DL_ file in SP2 RC1 with my hacked SFC_OS.DL_ file for SP1. That's it. From everything we've done, nothing seems to be awry. The SFC_OS.DLL file from SP2 is 3kb smaller than the one from SP1 and Windows Setup accepted it gracefully. As usual, there's the error in the setuperr.log file about it not being signed (no biggy). So until we find a suitable hack for the SP2 SFC_OS.DLL file, this is a perfect replacement. So to recap... Use my hacked SFC_OS.DLL file from the unattended site (for SP1) and add the SFCSetting registry entry. Just overwrite the SP2 SFC_OS.DL_ file. If anyone has the actual edits for the SP2 file or wants to help out finding a way, PM me and let's talk. For anyone who hasn't got the hacked SFC_OS.DL_ file, I attached it below: sfc_os.dl_

I'm after the edits for SFC_OS.DLL for XPSP2 RC1. I know they're not the same as XP and XPSP1 and I cannot find them anywhere. The other thing I'm talking about is my custom hacked SFC_OS.DLL file. It uses a separate registry entry (SFCSetting instead of SFCDisable) to disabled File Protection during Windows XP setup.

Does anyone have the ACTUAL sfc_os.dll hack to disable File Protection? I'll look into my method again and try it out on SP2. Strange it won't work. Maybe they added some extra code that forces Windows to use SFCDisable and not my registry key. :S

Don't you hate it when that happens. I just downloaded a 370MB archive last night to find out it was corrupt. :S And it took me a day to find the **** thing.

SP2 should be available either early April (no RC2) or May/June (if RC2). WMP9 and DirectX 9.0b is integrated into SP2 along with all the hotfixes as jdeboeck said.

Not knowing quite what you mean, Service Pack 2 REPLACES Service Pack 1 and all released updates. The UI is no different. The main feature of the Service Pack 2 is the Security Center and other security enhancements. Plus a lot of other cool stuff. Look around in these forums, there is a link to the updates Service Pack 2 provides (it's also on the main news page I think).

Well, on my P3-450, 320MB RAM (Use it to rip), it takes about 10-20 minutes to rip the movie, 10-20 minutes to extract the audio (DVD2AVI) and then about 5-6 hours to encode to VCD format. It won't happen straight away. Encoding takes a long time (you try compressing 5-7GB of video into 1GB). I generally rip the video at about 11 and then encode it overnight.

I generally use the following list of programs (in order): SmartRipper DVD2AVI ChapterXtractor TMPGEnc VCDEasy There is an EXCELLENT tutorial at http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/articles...ovcd/index.html. Note that this will create a VCD (playable in a DVD player/any computer). More tutorials can be found at http://www.digital-digest.com Or if you want to create DivX movies (AVIs), try http://www.divx-digest.com.