blinkdt

Here, use THIS. Good for WinXP Pro SP2. Mods, if there is any problem in posting this please remove and spank me.

What is anybody doing about uninstalling older Java installs? Installing on a fresh system is one thing, but it kills me that the newer version does not overwrite or remove the older version(s) when installing on a system that has only been up and running for a month or two. I have found as many as six (6) Java entries in Add/Remove programs on some machines, each claiming to be over 100MB of pure Java goodness. Ridiculous. I know that Sun has an unattended uninstall routine for older versions, but each install must be identified by exact version number and truthfully I have lost count. Any ideas? Otherwise, I will probably resort to AutoIt.

I don't have an app handy for you but it strikes me that you can accomplish your goal using AutoIt. I use AutoIt in my school environment to script and automate all sorts of mundane tasks with great success. It's a great tool in your arsenal and worth getting to know.

The dreaded error code 4. I recall being plagued by that one awhile back, just couldn't get a newer version of my unattended routine to work on my testbed machine. I eventually traced it to a hardware problem, either the optical drive or RAM, can't recall which one now. Try replacing your optical drive, RAM, or both and see if that doesn't turn the trick. I don't believe the problem is with your build. Edit: I'm pretty sure it's the RAM. Check this article: ERROR CODE 4 and HERE.

But this type of post almost certainly demands a slam: 1) You are, as you say, a noob, as indicated by your join date. 2) You use nLite, a nice tool. But the details matter. You need to read the Unattended Guide. Print it out. Punch it up and put it in a binder. Study it. A lot of work went into making the Guide, and a lot of work went into making nLite. Now it's your turn to do some work. I apply most of my reg tweaks from cmdlines.txt and some after first boot. Some are merged with applications installs. It all can get quite messy. But it's all in the guide and expanded upon in the forum posts. Many noobs whine about information being scattered all over the forum, they're confused . . . but it's all in the Guide. <rant> Read it, Learn it, Know it. </rant>

This is what I use to completely clear the start menu, along the lines of Mazin's suggestion: I'll say it again . . . if you really want to do this, you're probably going to need to play around with RegSnap. Edit: I run this after first logon via an AutoIt script followed by a reboot (together with a bunch of other stuff), not certain about cmdlines.txt. Maybe give it a go and post back with your results?

Check that pesky Unattended Guide found at the top of the page. Good Reading!

Different strokes for different folks, but why not download the full file directly from Microsoft and then grab a copy of IEAK 7 as a compliment? Run the Internet Explorer Customization Wizard and you have your unattended installer. Works great for me.

He doesn't want them there, just that simple. I find them equally useless and distracting. My advice would be "work with RegSnap" to clear the list. And perhaps do some searching. I can't believe this one has not already been asked and answered.

Is it possible? Possibly. But I wouldn't try that tactic. One of the key reasons I perform unattended installs (and completely abandoned imaging via Ghost) is because I need to reinstall on a hodgepodge of equipment, mostly donations to our school. Imaging simply does not work. It's the only time I have ever seen XP blue screens. Try it. I think you will agree.

Do you mean WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.EXE? You can get it HERE. More discussion HERE, hope that's what you were looking for.

How about good ol' QCHAIN? I use it in my post-install routine and it works well.

Hmmm, looks like the link is dead again, here's a fresh one: HERE! ...and a bonus AutoIt script to automatically update the installation afterward (Updated): sb351update.au3 Please note that the updater script also removes the SpywareBlaster directory from All Users/Programs and adds a shortcut to the app under System Tools. Comment the code according to your taste.

Wrong forum, check the Drivers forum for help on integrating SATA/RAID, lots of info there. Also, after I update my install routine, I make a copy and nLite it to integrate SATA/RAID as the final step before running the install. Works pretty well and easy. As Forrest Gump would say, "one less thing."

Yep, I ran into that as well. Thought it might have been a system clock setting or some such nonsense. Thanks for the info.

No kidding. My pet peeve? Folks who do not use punctuation. Punctuation marks are not for the writer, they are for the reader. "this batch file thing" ... you need to do some reading. Lots and lots of reading.

Yeah, autorun won't work with an .hta file. You're going to need a tool like Tarma Software's AutoRun.exe to make it happen. My AUTORUN.INF file looks like this: [autorun] open=autorun.exe -q2 -x -w wpi\WPI.hta icon=wpi.ico [autorun.tarma] run1=AutoIt3.exe finish.au3 run2=AutoIt3.exe eject.au3 Posted some comments on Tarma's tool (including a like to the Tarma site but you could as easily Google it) in the WPI forum awhile back, you may want to search there.

Like piXelatedEmpire, I rely on a testbed machine. Anything in the PIII range or better works nicely, but it doesn't hurt to run a test install on a PII (550 or better) as well, in my experience.

@Ctrl-X It's been so long since I have had to mess with DirectX, you're doubtless correct. As long as you are adding .NET 2.0, laze, how about .NET 1.1? It's my understanding that 2.0 does not superceed 1.1, that you need both for different apps. Check me on that. I generally install 1.1 (HP Printer software relies on it these days) and skip 2.0.

@someguynamedmatt Without sounding too harsh, the forum is called "Unattended Windows" and not "Help Me Reinstall On My Laptop." Are you sure you are in the right place? Out of curiosity, what is a "COA?"

Takeshi is correct. It should read: OemSkipEula=Yes ...vice 1.

Without sounding too snotty, you can help yourself by performing a search of this forum. This topic has been covered again and again, with great success. Good luck.

@discountpc The behavior you describe is the default behavior, in my experience. Funny how Windows will install an old printer automatically, but require keyboard actions to walk through something as simple as a post-install USB mouse hookup.

Nice idea, Joc, thanks. AutoIt rules!

Good topic, Just Laze. My base CD install includes most of your items, the ultra-essentials: SP2 Critical updates Direct X 9.0c runtimes Windows Installer v3.1 Other essential items are installed over the network: Windows Update 6 Visual Basic 6 runtime Media Player 11 Internet Explorer 7 Windows Defender .NET 1.1 (RyanVM's switchless) And a few other MS items, not essential but groovy and therefore installed by default: Photostory Power Calculator TweakUI Those are the Microsoft items, but no install is complete, me thinks, without a few other "essentials" like: JAVA runtime Acrobat Reader (RyanVM's switchless) Flash & Shockwave plugins decompression tool (Winzip for the masses) disk defragmenter (I use Diskeeper, I believe MS does as well) Edit: antivirus (I use AVG free) Other optional items are installed via WPI, such as Nero if the machine has a burner, Office, yadda yadda. Hope that helps.