How can I reproduce current XP settings in a new configuration

[SteveCGElliott]

My XP configuration has been running for some time and I need to do a "spring clean" reinstall.

I plan to nLite the MS install disks adding SP3 and up-to-date patchs.

I would also like to move my tweaks and setings from the current installation to the nLited configuration for future installations.

Can anyone suggest how to capture a presets/<My Current XP installation settings>.ini to use as a starting point for my new nLite image.

Ideally, for all possible nLite .ini lines I need to capture that setting in my current running XP setup.

Any help would most welcome.

Steve

[Happy-Dude]

From what I understand, you have to make custom registry tweaks and add it into nLite as an add-on.

This is the method I plan to use::

--nLite a disk the way I like it

--Virtualize the disk

--Use a registry snapshot utility (regshot? http://sourceforge.net/projects/regshot/ + http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Registr...omparison.shtml + others. I would use regshot, but Google is your friend for more research)

--Transfer all tweaks to somewhere/ take note of them, etc.

--Use reg2inf (http://siginetsoftware.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=12 ) to change all .reg tweaks into a .inf file which nLite is compatible with.

--Save the tweaks and use it as an add-on

Anyone else got a better method?

EDIT::

Made note of needing to use a Virtual Machine to take note of tweaks.

Edited August 20, 2008 by Happy-Dude

[TranceEnergy]

Well i have said this before but i think x-setup is very straightforward.

Just start record mode once in program, do changes as you like. export to registry files. F.ex 1 registry file for each category for easier maintance, ersfd spelling, and have nlite run from guirunonce, cmd /r regedit.exe /s mytweaks/appearance.reg , where appearance.reg is registry tweaks for icons,desktop,start menu etc.

"Mytweaks" would then be a folder found on root of windows cd. Make sure to look over registry file before applying it to root out any duplicates or errors.

[SteveCGElliott]

Thanks guys.

TraceEnergy - Unfortunately I don't remember all the tweaks that I have done (does anyone?) so I cannot do them again in order to see what they do to the registry.

Happy-Dude - This is a path I may take. I'll build a "virgin" install and do a reg comparison with my current reg. The comparison will have a lot of "noise" that is not related to nlite configurable items (all my addon applications etc) but I will need to work around this.

I was hoping that nlite could help a little more.

It knows what installation changes it can make (all possible .ini groups & lines);

so I thought there may be a way to look at each of the parameters and check my current reg for the current value.

An appropriate presets/ini setting could then be generated.

I would then have an ini file that nlite could use to configure an install that would reflect a large number of customisations and tweaks.

This would still need further customisation but it would be a good starting point.

Steve

[TranceEnergy]

Remember? You dont need to . X-Setup writes comments for many of its tweaks. And if you take your time doing it, there's nothing stopping you from copying&paste the information from the tweak plugin inside x-setup, to the registry file marked out as a comment with lines starting with ";" semi-colon.