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Windows xp home OEM + nLite.

sanusart

By sanusart
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LeoniAquila

LeoniAquila

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I think not, but if you have the "C:\i386" folder you can make your own installation CD. You also need a serial number, but I don't know how to fix that. I previously had an OEM version, then I could extract the key with a program, but there was an other key under my machine (laptop).

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faimag

faimag

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I think it just might be possible. However, you do need an installation CD to start with. What you actually need from the CD is a few files to get the thing going; not much. These files are also likely present in your recovery CD/DVD (if you have one?): MSCorp.img and 2 or 3 files named WIN51-something. Any XP Home CD will do. Not the particular version which is installed on your machine (i.e., the HP; you can use a retail CD or another OEM or whatever). ANY!!!

Once you get one, do this:

1) copy the whole contents of the installation CD to a temp folder (e.g., MYXP).

2) copy the I386 folder from your computer (most likely in the root of your C drive) and replace the I386 folder in your temp folder. The I386 folder is copied “as is” on your PC when you install windows from a CD, so here is almost everything you need (it will be the exact same I386 folder that was on the CD that HP used to install windows - assuming you haven't tampered with it :whistle: If you're not sure, check your recovery CD/DVD; most likely you will find a copy there, too).

3) do the same if you have a CMPNENTS folder in your C drive (i.e., replace the cmpnents folder of the CD). There should be a netfx subfolder here with its own I386 subfolder and a netfx.cab inside (this step is not critical; you can always add .net framework later, after installing windows).

4) find the key used to install windows on your machine. Not likely to be the one written on the sticker. Use this program (http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml) to extract it and write it down.

5) nLite the temp folder MYXP and off you go!

Edited by faimag
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faimag

faimag

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There you go! :yes:

But: You need YOUR I386 folder for things to work with YOUR key. ok, nothing in the recovery DVD (not even an .iso file which could hold the I386? if you have a driver DVD as well, check that, too), but is there no such folder in your C drive ??? :unsure:

Get your gf's CD for starters, but if you keep HER I386 folder (i.e. won't replace it with yours cause you can't find it), you will also need HER windows key (ps: though there is a slight chance for the two keys to be the same since both lappies are HP; greater if both are XP Home; and even greater if both are the same model :angel ).

Needless to say, make sure you have all your drivers in your recovery CD!

Edited by faimag
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70runner

70runner

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2) copy the I386 folder from your computer (most likely in the root of your C drive) and replace the I386 folder in your temp folder. The I386 folder is copied “as is” on your PC when you install windows from a CD, so here is almost everything you need (it will be the exact same I386 folder that was on the CD that HP used to install windows - assuming you haven't tampered with it. If you're not sure, check your recovery CD/DVD; most likely you will find a copy there, too)

I just went through this drill with XP Pro and a Fuji laptop restore disk. The i386 folder and other installation files were contained in an encrypted folder on the restore disk, so there was no way to directly access i386 on the disk. I attempted to use the i386 folder from the windows folder and added the two other files needed, for an SP0 configuration: win51 and win51IP, provided by a forum member.

Nlite process went normally, however, the winXP install failed with an error message about a missing "netmap.inf" file. Google on this issue didn't turn up much, but there seems to be a connection between this error msg and using the i386 folder from a restore disk vice windows disk.

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sanusart

sanusart

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The nLiting went very well with i386 from the installed version (C:\), the backed-up version (DVD) of i386 is useless for it indeed encrypted as 70runner stated. However i did an drivers integration into nLite and it skipped the graphic cards driver for some reason (ATI radeon express 200m), so it's might be not safe for this particular card model.

I wonder why is the cd-key different from the one on the sticker though?

p.s.

.net framework setup is in a different location (not in CMPNENTS folder) in hp notebooks.

The step-by-step by faimag worked great.

Thanks,

Sasha

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faimag

faimag

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encrypted… like in a ghost image (.gho) or something? anyway, let that be…

@ 70runner:

The netmap.inf is a file containing information on the generic drivers that windows comes preloaded with. A windows CD has MANY such netmap.inf files, each corresponding to a certain group of generic drivers. Most (if not all) OEMs DO NOT include the generic drivers in their notebooks, simply because they integrate their own. So, yes, there is usually no netmap.inf files in your notebook’s I386 (not in the one located in your C drive, nor in the one in your restore DVD, even if you were able to access it; as I said, this folder is copied "en block" from the installation CD to your C drive). Now, if you use your NB’s I386 in a “typical” windows install and go like that, setup WILL FAIL because when it reaches the point where it needs to load the drivers, it cannot find the files needed! You can circumvent this problem by doing one of the following:

-a- with nLite, REMOVE ALL DRIVERS under components removal. This will let setup “know” that there will be no generic drivers to load (hence no need for netmap.inf files in your ISO). Do not feel uncomfortable with that, because you don’t need any generic drivers (almost no notebook does) since you have everything in the restore DVD.

-b- go with option (a) because as I understood it, you didn’t use a windows CD; you just pulled files and folders from here and there. If you were to use a CD, you could just copy your I386 and paste it on top the CD’s I386, clicking yes to replace all common files, and hence leave all other files (including the generic drivers and their netmap.inf files) untouched (i.e., you would not delete the CD’s I386 and paste your own afterwards; you would just paste yours on top of the one already there). Then you would be able to setup windows with generic drivers as well.

I hope (a) works for you! ;)

@ sanusart:

Regarding your graphics card driver, I think nLite only integrates the .inf files, but some components are kinda more complicated than that. What can you do… it doesn’t always work for me either… You can, however, drag ‘n’ drop the whole ATI folder (with its setup.exe) right before you make your ISO with nLite, so at least you have everything in one CD.

And, why are the keys different…? I wouldn't know that!!! :whistle:

But, here is a million $ question: let's pretend YOU were HP and you had to produce, let’s say, 2000 laptops of a particular model... Would you:

-a- perform 2000 individual windows installations, each one with its own key :wacko:

-b- make one windows image using a single VLK (= volume license key), then set it to automatically copy in all?

PS: if you go with option (a), I have to say, I will play SONY in this game!

Edited by faimag
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70runner

70runner

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-a- with nLite, REMOVE ALL DRIVERS under components removal. This will let setup “know” that there will be no generic drivers to load (hence no need for netmap.inf files in your ISO). Do not feel uncomfortable with that, because you don’t need any generic drivers (almost no notebook does) since you have everything in the restore DVD.

-b- go with option (a) because as I understood it, you didn’t use a windows CD; you just pulled files and folders from here and there. If you were to use a CD, you could just copy your I386 and paste it on top the CD’s I386, clicking yes to replace all common files, and hence leave all other files (including the generic drivers and their netmap.inf files) untouched (i.e., you would not delete the CD’s I386 and paste your own afterwards; you would just paste yours on top of the one already there). Then you would be able to setup windows with generic drivers as well.

I hope (a) works for you! ;)

Thx for the info on netmap.inf. Actually I did remove all drivers with nlite because I'm installing XP on a vista NB with complete new set of drivers.

I don't quite follow -b- :unsure: : I pulled the i386 folder from the installed windows directory and added the 2 win51 files. Then directed nlite to this folder. I don't have windows CD, only the restore CD.

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Ponch

Ponch

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But, here is a million $ question: let's pretend YOU were HP and you had to produce, let’s say, 2000 laptops of a particular model... Would you:

-a- perform 2000 individual windows installations, each one with its own key :wacko:

-b- make one windows image using a single VLK (= volume license key), then set it to automatically copy in all?

XP Home OEM uses OEM key, not Volume Licence key. The difference between your key and the one used by the recovery is that yours needs activation, the other one checks the Bios of your laptop instead of the internet for activation.

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faimag

faimag

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@ 70runner: it is weird if you indeed removed all drivers, yet setup asked you for netmap.inf. I didn’t expect that… I always remove all drivers, and I've never seen a netmap.inf in my nLite ISOs (despite having many such files in the original installation source, where the generic drivers reside). As for option -b-, sorry if I wasn't clear, this would be an alternative if you had a CD, that's what I meant. In that case, you could just overwrite (not delete) the I386 present in the CD with your I386 (the "if the files have the same name… they will be replaced…click yes to proceed" thing), and keep all extra files (i.e. the ones “missing” from your I386; this would include the generic drivers) from the CD's I386. I mean, you would paste your I386 on top the CD's I386 (as opposed to deleting the CD’s I386 first, and then pasting your own, which is equivalent to what you did).

@ sanusart: I would go for that, too.

@ Ponch: I really do not know what exactly is going on with each OEM and version of XP, but I am pretty sure about the following (don't take these as an offense :no: ):

-The key on the sticker does not work for reinstalling a “clean” copy (with one's own I386). Hasn't worked for me and for many others. I haven't been able to get to the activation stage yet.

-If you use the Recovery DVD to reinstall, you do not need to activate (+pass WGA).

-If you use a “clean” copy and the extracted windows key (different than the sticker), you do not need to activate either (+pass WGA).

-The key on the sticker corresponds to each license that each OEM gets from MS, yes, and it is 1 license per mobo, yes, but OEMs (maybe not all based on what you say) use a volume license program to distribute the OS in their NBs. I did not mean they use a VLK as the “corporate” key. Sorry about that.

However, now you set me up doing another experiment: I’ve made a custom XP Tablet CD (as described above) and used it successfully to reinstall OS on my tablet (so many times I can’t even remember). I am so very curious now to see what will happen if I try to install that same OS onto a different lappy, not a tablet, and of a different OEM. Anybody care to offer their laptop for science??? no?? :} ok, then. I will let you know what happens...just for the sake of experimentation...

Edited by faimag
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faimag

faimag

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you guys, you guys... seriously...

Here is the verdict: I used the custom XP Tablet CD I've made out of my Tablet PC using its own "extracted" windows OEM key (not the one on the sticker), and I successfully managed to install XP Tablet on another notebook (different make) with no problems, using the same CD and the same OEM key as above. But Ponch is right! :rolleyes: You need to activate Windows in this case - I didn't exactly knock on M$'s door, I just ran the command [%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /A] to check the activation status. Now, please don't get any ideas on how to go around that :whistle: This little experiment was just to satisfy my curiosity and all these are FYI only.

So, to wrap it up, following the instructions above you can make your own XP CD without all the OEM bloatware, and you can legally use it only with your notebook, in case you ever need/want to reinstall your OS clean and tight.

I guess I learned something today!

(my major problem now is that I have XP Tablet OS on a laptop that's not even a tablet pc! :realmad: ...did not virtualize...)

Anyway, I will deal with that 2morrow, cause it's super late and I am very sleepy... and I just found out that there is no sleeping emoticon with zzzz...

Edited by faimag
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Ralhyde

Ralhyde

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@sansuart I just did an media center edition disk there should be an I386 folder in C:\I386 you should be able to use that and I also have an HP Pavilion laptop and after deleting the c:\windows\sminst\hpcd.sys was ablw to burn a second copy of recovery disks if that might help you get any files then used the guide here at msfn with the nLite program and BTS driverpacks. If you need any help I'll try but still very much a noob

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