natan770

You can also use an opensource alternative to Symantec Ghost . => PING (Partimage Is Not Ghost) http://ping.windowsdream.com Natan

Understood. Well, we advertised for big accounts, such as Total or Societe Generale or Dassault... but there's a point we've missed in the discussion : in all cases, we keep a repository, with packages in read-only for all users. Of course, when making a run-once switchless installer, you'd choose to delete the msi. Then, sure, don't advertise.

Yes we advertise the apps. We've deployed hundreds of apps, all of them with advertised shortcuts, and I have NEVER EVER seen the slightest problem with that. Which problem have you got, anyway ?!

Great tutorial ! only one thing : I'd really advocate advertised shortcuts. When working with AD and GPO, they are mandatory. In all cases, they can trigger the package to repair, etc.

Hi; on my configuration, I've had to add 2 merge modules for Desktop Sidebar to install correctly. The modified package can be found here: http://repository.windowsdream.com/Applica...1.05.111-EN.exe (unzip with 7-zip if you want to get the MSI directly). MS C Runtime Library 7.1 MS C++ Runtime Library 7.1 Regards, Natan http://www.windowsdream.com

Hello, I've looked into the package... replayed the setup install, too. Though the install process launches commands to apply language settings, I could not find the command. The doc inside the C:\program files\... rep says that you can launch bsplayer.exe with a lang parameter, and the lang subfolder contains language files. This seemed to prove that one could prepare customized shortcuts, launching the appli in whatever language you wanted. But, I've tried it, and this did not work. Any one has better results ? Maybe the functionallity has not been implemented yet, and the setup needs to be reexecuted, thus this would mean that you'd have to make a Russian MSI package. Natan

If only drivers didn't have to be installed, or if only our users were all admins... printers are a real problem here in my company. I'd be interested in any working solution enabling standard users (no admin, no power user) to install any new printer on their XP computers, even if drivers have to be installed. Have found no other working solution so far. Regards Natan

why do ya need em? Maybe OSes have already been deployed and he'd like to deploy a package with the printer's driver WITHOUT having to reinstall Windows everywhere. Can nLite do this ? No. Then, no need to be rude... Miller, have a package copy files around the printer driver's .INF in a temp directory. Then, call a VBS custom action to do something similar to this : dim WshShell, KYOCERA, PPath, PUser, PPass set WshShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell") KYOCERA = Split(Session.Property("CustomActionData"), ";")(0) PPath = Split(Session.Property("CustomActionData"), ";")(1) PUser = Split(Session.Property("CustomActionData"), ";")(2) PPass = Split(Session.Property("CustomActionData"), ";")(3) 'Install the drivers. ' CMD = "rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ia /m " & chr(34) & "Kyocera Mita FS-1900" & chr(34) & " /h " & chr(34) & "Kyocera" & chr(34) & " /f " & chr(34) & KYOCERA & "oemsetup.inf" & chr(34) 'Dont keep the (of course non-keypath) source files installed 'by the package in a temp directory. ' CMD = CMD & " & rd /S/Q " & chr(34) & KYOCERA & chr(34) 'Connect to the printer. ' CMD = CMD & " & net use " & PPath & " /user:" & PUser & " " & PPass 'Install it locally. ' CMD = CMD & " & rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n" & PPath & " /j" & chr(34) & "LanMan Print Services" & chr(34) CMD = CMD & " & net stop " & chr(34) & "print spooler" & chr(34) CMD = CMD & " & net start " & chr(34) & "print spooler" & chr(34) CMD = CMD & " & sleep 5" 'Open the Spool, so to open the printer queue. ' CMD = CMD & " & rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /o /n" & PPath CMD = CMD & " & sleep 15" 'Close the printer queue window. ' CMD = CMD & " & taskkill /F /im rundll32.exe" 'Uninstall the locally-installed printer --drivers and rights 'to reinstall, this printer as others using the same drivers, 'will remain for all the users of the station. ' CMD = CMD & " & rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /gd /n" & PPath CMD = CMD & " & net stop " & chr(34) & "print spooler" & chr(34) CMD = CMD & " & net start " & chr(34) & "print spooler" & chr(34) 'Remove the net mapping. ' CMD = CMD & " & net use " & PPath & " /d" 'Background task to kill the printer queue window, whatever happens. ' WshShell.run "cmd.exe /c sleep 60 & taskkill /F /IM rundll32.exe", 2, False WshShell.run "cmd.exe /c sleep 600 & taskkill /F /IM rundll32.exe", 2, False 'Launch the commands, in the right order. ' WshShell.run "cmd.exe /c " & CMD, 2, True set WshShell = Nothing As you can see, in the case of this driver, there was a need to REALLY install an existing printer. I did so, and wrote code to uninstall the printer afterwards. The drivers remain on the system; this works. Regards, Natan http://winner.windowsdream.com -- Windows Is Not Necessary for Everyone's RIS http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com -- Burn your own complete and unattended Windows installer on a DVD http://updater.windowsdream.com -- Auto-update your PC with freeware/opensource http://ping.windowsdream.com -- Partimage Is Not Ghost http://www.windowsdream.com -- Corporate homepage.

LOL, what kind of a newbie are you ? You are right to suggest a .ini would pre-reply questions related to network and repository location. This improvement will be done very soon. Natan

Hi LaptoniC; there are two installations: the server part, I mean the setup of the RIS server itself, which cannot be much easier than the 3-step howto... ...and there's of course the installation of Windows itself, on the client side. Yes, there are questions -- maybe 7 or 8, depending you're booting an ISO or PXE. But the key point is: all questions are raised at the beginning of the install process, you can reply to all them in 5 miutes. And the rest of the install is unattended. Many of these questions are features, only permitted by the choice of a Linux Preinstall Environment. For instance, the user is asked for the name of the PC, which makes park management easier. The interest of a Linux Preinstall Environment is detailed on the home page of the project => http://winner.windowsdream.com. I believe that because the whole process makes use of the DVD Generator, admins implementing a WINNER architecture get the choice, either to keep to defaults (this, even a newbie can do, definitely), either to customize the master (no more newbie, then). Have you tried to build this architecture ?

Hi; I'm pleased to finally announce the release of a complete Howto explaining how everyone can install a full-working RIS architecture on a LAN, with no mandatory Windows server. And even, with no Windows XP source at all. And even, with no paying software at all. Better that you look at it by yourselves. http://winner.windowsdream.com Regards, Natan http://winner.windowsdream.com -- Windows Is Not Necessary for Everyone's RIS http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com -- Burn your own complete and unattended Windows installer on a DVD http://updater.windowsdream.com -- Auto-update your PC with freeware/opensource http://ping.windowsdream.com -- Partimage Is Not Ghost http://www.windowsdream.com -- Corporate homepage.

Hi; just packaged BS Player 139.829. It's available here : http://repository.windowsdream.com/Applica...-139.829-EN.exe To get the MSI, uncompress the EXE with 7-Zip. Note: bundled WhenU-Save adware has been removed. Regards Natan http://repository.windowsdream.com -- All available packages

Hi Telenut! hehe... well, two DHCP on the same LAN are bounce to conflict. You've got 3 solutions, though: Add RIS to your Windows Server, so you can serve WINNER or PING from this server (and necessary files can be shared on any other box, only kernel / initrd.gz / pxelinux.0 / pxelinux.cfg\default need to be stored on the server). Modify the config of the DHCP of your Windows Server, so it assigns IPs to everyone, except some computers (MAC Address can be used for this purpose). And the same should be done on the second DHCP server. But the problem here is that, to my knowledge, TFTPD32's DHCP server is too light to support MAC Address filtering. So, you'd have to install a second Windows Server for your tests. Use a bootable DVD rather than RIS. The WINNER Howto tells about the burning of such a DVD. Hope it helps... Natan

Hi Pirrup; No; if you've got a Windows 2003 server with DHCP, then you don't need TFTPD32. You'd better enable RIS service on the server. There's probably many tutorials about the setting up of a RIS server on Win 2003 on MSFN. Here there's one too: http://www.adminprep.com/articles/default....ow&articleid=43 If you want to use TFTPD32 on the Win 2003 server, then disable the DHCP of Windows, because both may conflict. Regards Natan

Hi; I'm pleased to finally announce the release of a complete Howto explaining how everyone can install a full-working RIS architecture on a LAN, with no mandatory Windows server. And even, with no Windows XP source at all. And even, with no paying software at all. Better that you look at it by yourselves. http://winner.windowsdream.com Regards, Natan http://winner.windowsdream.com -- Windows Is Not Necessary for Everyone's RIS http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com -- Burn your own complete and unattended Windows installer on a DVD http://updater.windowsdream.com -- Auto-update your PC with freeware/opensource http://ping.windowsdream.com -- Partimage Is Not Ghost http://www.windowsdream.com -- Corporate homepage.

News... News... News... News... News... Hi people; many thanks to all of you who sent me advice and feedback (even when feedback was, "it didn't work for me with such h/w configuration...") Some improvements have been done so to make the project more stable: The Linux script can now write a NTFS bootsector directly. Previously, it was only capable of writing a FAT32 bootsector, and DOS Bootpart.exe would convert it it to NTFS. This proved to generate problems with some S-ATA drives, as modern bios seem not to allow INT13 access any more. It shouldn't be a problem any more. Moreover, if there already is a working bootsector (say, booting either NT4, 2000, 2003 or XP), you've got the possibility to let the script know about it -- and avoid a bootsector rewriting. So, I'm pretty sure that in only very few situations, you should get trouble with this topic any more. Less drivers. Believe or not, there's a limit to the number of drivers you can add in your $OEM$ folder and your winnt.sif file. And when you overpass the (unofficial, undocumented, and seemingly hardware-dependent) limit, you get a BSOD just before the T-39 step. So, I seriously reduced the number of drivers proposed by default (note that you can change them), and no one should get a BSOD anymore because of this. DVD Generator 1.11 is out. It's more beautiful, does not install anymore in C:\DVD_Generator but in C:\Program files\DVD_Generator. Yet, the main improvement is it does not need Cygwin anymore to work. So, no more DLL conflicts if you were using a different Cygwin1.dll-based application at the same time. More improvements are on their way. Some of them: A more convenient way to choose drivers (probably a theme-based GUI, with a red light to warn you if there are too many selected drivers). A documentation so to explain how the Linux image can be downloaded through PXE/RIS with no copyright violation. A documentation explaining how to prepare a Network Image rather than an ISO. A graphical tool to generate your own 7z-based self-installable and self-extractable EXE install programs, with direct integration into your ISO / Network image. Still looking for suggestions & feedback. Regards Natan http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com -- Burn your own complete and unattended Windows installer on a DVD http://updater.windowsdream.com -- Auto-update your PC with freeware/opensource http://ping.windowsdream.com -- Partimage Is Not Ghost http://www.windowsdream.com -- Corporate homepage.

Hi Midiboy! thanks a lot for this long comment. I'm going to give further explaination about the project. You're right. Of course, I've started with some kind of proof of concept: showing it can be done this way... with lots of features planned to be added. Meeting the community's needs if mandatory. What's your MultibootDVD like exactly ? is it a DVD with a boot menu, leading to several versions of unattended Windows stored in the DVD ? the idea sounds great too... OK... just seen the page (specially the Creating a Boot menu section, indeed). Well, I don't think I would do it that way, because then I would lose the benefits of Linux as a PE OS. In fact, consider that once Linux, as the only boot choice, is booted, it's not very complicated for me to extend the possibilities of current scripts to install other flavors of Windows, and not only XP. Several Windows flavors could be stored on a SysAngel DVD. More than that: I could give you the possibility to pre-load the DVD with several winnt.sif for each stored Windows image... creating installation profiles could be done easily too. Even more: consider that Linux has great concepts, such as symbolic links. Means that I could save a LOOOOT of space, as so many files are similar between several Windows flavors. Etc. you get the picture. But I'll give details about the way I've seen the project below in the reply. For recovery console, I'm not sure I can do it... I don't think so. It would exceed the perimeter of the project, too, I think. But there's much you can do in a Linux shell with NTFS-write capabilities -- probably more than in the recovery console. Questions raised under Linux are not customizable right now, but I could add the feature soon. It's only a matter of if/then and ini parsing. Currently, computername and cd key questions are raised (though cd key can be avoided in the current distribution). Local admin password, domain/workgroup still need to be coded (currently: blank password for admin, workgroup joined). Great! this is the EXACT choice I've given to everyone! With one difference, though: there are 2 possible choices, and the question is asked under the Linux step, leading to...: Either format the first drive, and create a C and a D (C size decided by user) Either do not format anything. Then, only old C:\windows and C:\program files are deleted, for the new install to be clean. Doc'n settings is renamed to .OLD, and nothing else is removed. Yes. The current default distribution includes lots of drivers, many of them taken from BS. The total drivers size is 1 Go!! compressed to less than 250 Mo with 7-zip. From DVD Generator version 1.10, winnt.sif and drivers can be customized easily. Here's the plan: Linux boots CD/DVD is mounted Config questions are raised (which Office, which language, etc.) If the user chooses to format the first drive: - C is formated as FAT32 - D is formated as EXT3 to serve as a big temp; later, NTFS - Boot sector is rewritten - Windows files are unzipped from the c.7z file DVD Generator has created (open this file: you'll see, mainly, a $winnt$.~bt and a $winnt$.~ls folders... you know them! they are what is created on your hard disk after Windows setup has run its first stage.) If the user chooses not to format anything: - We make room on C (pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys, Windows, Program Files... out!) - Use it same as above Reboot: Windows setup should start... from it's second step. Of course, it's more complicated. Much, much, has been done. The DVD could contain only (isolinux.bin, isolinux.cfg, kernel, initrd.gz) files... and work. The scripts that run under Linux can connect to a LAN or to the Internet, and download all needed files. The Windows CD can be asked, and used the same way as the DVD Gen does. Even SP2 is slipstreamed under Linux in this current distribution. And the most important thing: you can have this launched from PXE/RIS rather than from a CD/DVD. Thanks for the encouragements. It could evolve that way, but I'd rather see it as an ambitious kind of world Active Directory Using the Linux OS is the key to Windows unattended deployments through the Internet. Think to it: currently, DHCP is mandatory for PXE/RIS unattended Windows to be deployed, thus limiting to big companies the benefits of mass deployment. We *can* do better. And SysAngel Updater ( http://updater.windowsdream.com ) can be used to deploy and update software. To reply to your last remark, we could also deploy an unattended Windows with NO software except the Updater, then have the Updater install what software the user will need. And use web interfaces to affect software to users, the way you'd do with a GPO. So... improvements are on their way. Will release new versions very soon. Natan

Hi Alsiladka! First of all, thanks a lot for spending so much time on it. Yes, right. It's already the case, if you download the .zip rather than the .exe, but I'll do something to release a .exe that gives more choices. The C:\ destination choice is not too good, but the MSI can be uninstalled thoroughly with control panel add/remove programs. I know it does... this won't happen before version 2.0, though, due to lack of resources Improving features, testing against a lot more hardware configs, must be done first. oops. Second oops. The resume feature is OK, but in the case the checkbox Advanced users has been checked, we should not overwrite the oem.7z file... unless it's corrupted, which can be considered as evidence of a partial download. Concerning the size of elements: yes, it can be shown. I don't think many people nowadays have slow internet links, and it seems to me that it's a reasonable bet to assume 1mbps has become common. But, no problem to show sizes. Moreover, I might consider sending DVDs with everything except Microsoft Windows on it. Send me your postal address, and I'll send you one as a special gift Thanks Natan

Hi there! lol, well, I'm not a good GUI designer. If you know C#, do you want to join the project ? Well. The main idea was: most people should choose to make a C system partition, and other partitions. And there's no need for a third-party product like Partition Magic if you don't have to resize the system partition. So, here's what the linux script currently does: If you choose to format the whole disk: will create a C partition (the users tells its size), and a D partition for all remaining space. Obviously, you can modify the D choice using Windows' Explorer (manage). If you don't want to reformat the disk, and this is your case: the script will work on the C partition only. How? Firstly, it will make free space by deleting pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys, C:\Windows and C:\Program files. Which should be enough to pre-install a new Windows ! (note: Documents and Settings is renamed to Documents and Settings.old) In all cases: only first hard disk drive is touched. The dont-reformat option takes more time than the format option, because NTFS-writing is long under Linux. But it's safer, because then, we don't have to write a new bootsector. Note that the Windows setup would install Windows on D: after finding an old Windows on C: --or reformat. Of course, you'd better make a backup, as usual. Much more customization options are to come. Simple question of time... the key was to add a Linux PE. Thank you for the encouragement. Natan

OK, now I understand what is going on. You got this when in Linux, with interactive menus. Here's the idea. Normally, the DVD Generator uses your Windows source to generate a file called c.7z that should be on your DVD. First thing: can you see it? If not, I'll have to investigate, and maybe make some corrections. Currently, I've made my tests on the following configs: Dell SX280 Dell GX280 HP Kayak 600 Dell Latitude D400 (laptop) Dell Latitude D800 (laptop) Samsung Q20 (laptop) VMWare 4.5.2 VMWare 5.5 I'd like to have more configs to make tests, though. Regards Natan Yes, if you check the "Advanced users: I want to customize a lot more and download a lot less" checkbox. Then, remove unnecessary software. With only Windows and the included drivers, you're OK on a CD. You might gain plenty of space if you've got your own collection of drivers and it's small. You can also use nLite to have a smaller i386. When testing, I've been able to generate a 300-Mo big ISO (nLite, no drivers, no apps). Natan

Hmmmm... can you give me more details... what is your hardware config? what is the exact message (so we can google over)? do you see the windows install begin (blue screens, etc.)?

Thanks. Well, adding features is only a question of time, now. I'll keep announcing new versions on MSFN. I'm impatient to get more feedback...

LOL. Don't worry! when having to choose your output directory, just choose the one you had already used. It will know how to use it, and won't download twice the same file, unless it has changed.

There's already a set of menus, available during the Linux PE step. Well, not exactly. Currently, and concerning your specific queries, the release does the following: Nuke parts: you'll be given a choice. Either nuke the first drive, either keep data. If nuking, then the script will create a C and a D parts on the first drive, giving you the opportunity to choose the size of the C (remaining space would go to the D). If choosing to keep data, the current Windows and Program Files reps of the C: drive will be deleted, Documents and Settings will be renamed to Documents and Settings.old, and a new Windows will be installed on the C drive -- with no formating, thus. Set name of computer: done. Add to domain, name the domain: has not been done yet. Currently, winnt.sif is set to be part of workgroup "Workgroup". You can edit it, but this is static, and would have to be manually edited during the Linux step. Yet, I could add menus for this quite easily... I like the idea. Soon to be released... Option 3: sure. http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com The generator asks you for an i386 folder. Slipstream in this folder whatever you want. You can edit the winnt.sif file before having an ISO generated, but cannot give more than one winnt.sif (it is being modified after answers are obtained from menus, when in Linux). And yes, the Linux step takes 5 minutes, and it's unattended afterwards. Well... this is the current way it's working. It's clear that with an embedded Linux OS, I can improve many, many things, and add features in the future. Having several winnt.sif and being given the possibility to choose what winnt.sif must be used when in the Linux step could be implemented in a near future. Natan

Yes. I'm not a genius, but the 5 demands are met by the SysAngel DVD Generator => http://dvdgen.windowsdream.com XPSP2 => slipstreamed (plus optional patches and SW) Computer name => asked by a Linux pre-environment before any Windows install (plus org. name etc.) Reformat first, take over and finish with no interaction after => done by the Linux PE too (was a main goal of developing it). Can also reformat without formating anything, a clean way. There's a winnt.sif, but it's customized during the Linux step. Make sure to read the product doc. Natan