Newbie - Locating Windows installation

[drfrot]

Hi, sorry for naive question... Have searched forums and only come across one other similar post.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Pro. I have copied the entire contents of the disc across to a folder on my C: drive, that I have named "XP_source_folders".

When I run nLite, whether I point it at the disc itself, or I point it at this folder (or indeed, when I point it at any of the sub folders!), I always get a pop up that says:

"Make sure that the selected folder or drive contains the 'i386' or 'AMD64' directory and proper Windows installation files..." etc

What am I doing wrong? I have only ever seen an 'i386' folder in my C: drive itself (from a previously installed, different version of Windows XP). Do I need to copy this folder into my "XP_Source_folder" too? (This doesn't make sense to me, as that would be old installation and new installation folders mixed together).

Confused! Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

Giles

[zipzap]

Hi drfrot. Im no expert but hope to redo mine again soon. have you checked the guide.? http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/ Also maybe check the Xp files you copied to the hard drive and make sure the I386 folder is ok. I assume you installed Net framework.? Good luck.

[johnhc]

drfrot, please post a screen shot of your source folder on your hard drive. Just right click your folder, click Explore and take a screen shot of that window (alt-Print Screen). Enjoy, John.

[drfrot]

Hold your breath folks.... the new, sealed, OEM disc of XP I just got my hands on turns out to have... (wait for it) Microsoft Office 2003 on it!! This explains everything. I wondered why the hell I couldn't find the i386 folder.

Suffice to say it's been returned and I'll no doubt be back here with further questions when I get a replacement, try again and hit my next hurdle.

But with the correct software, I hope to at least overcome this first one!

Thanks for the replies guys.

G

[djlen]

My problem seems to be "similar" but not quite.

I point the program to the OEM XP64 SP1 install disk that I have, and it asks for the folder on my hard disk where I'd like the files to go.. C:\XP64 ...then it copies all the install disk to this folder. At this stage, C:\XP64\i386 now exists along with all the files in it.

When it asks for the service pack, I point it to my freshly downloaded Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers.

It extracts all the files to a temp folder, then pauses a few seconds, and I get an error box saying that some or all of the files did not copy. I have a jpg copy of the error box at home, and will post it here tonight.

Has anyone experienced this before?

Anyone know anything I'm doing wrong?

[johnhc]

djlen, there is no SP3 for XP x64. You are the second person to make this error in the last few days. Please take the time to look through these forums for ideas and problems others are seeing. Enjoy, John.

[drfrot]

Ok, here we go!

WinXP arrived. Copied everything over to the hard drive. Ran nLite (super piece of software, thanks - managed to halve the installation size). Pressed Finish. nLite closes.

Ummmm, what next? How do I create my disc to actually install the reduced version of XP?

Where is it?

Sorry for dreadfully naive questions once more...

Regards

Giles

[drfrot]

Ahhhh, it's the copied folders - they've been modified! Cheeky.

Let's give it a go then. Take a deep breath...

G

[drfrot]

Hmm, suffice to say it didn't work.

I'm installing XP on my Mac using VMWare Fusion. I need it for only a couple of Windows-only programs. VMWare just didn't recognise the disc I put in - "Can't find OS" it told me. So, two questions immediately spring to mind:

1. Are the any settings I *must* enable in nLite to ensure VMWare Fusion will like the disc? I didn't automatically create a bootable ISO last time... is this required?

2. If I have to keep going back to nLite to create different versions, is there a short cut to going through the whole process of copying install disc folders again (since nLite overwirites these)?

Cheers

G

[Ponch]

Ran nLite (super piece of software, thanks - managed to halve the installation size). Pressed Finish. nLite closes.

Ummmm, what next? How do I create my disc to actually install the reduced version of XP?

Where is it?

Easy to miss on the last screen: the "Make ISO" button. You might have clicked "Next" instead.

You can relaunch nLite selecting only the last step ("bootable ISO") and it will bring you back to that last screen without changing anything to your files or to your "last sesion.ini". There you have to choose the path, name and label for your ISO that will probably work (better ) in our VMWare.

2.: "...since nLite overwrote these", there is no other option than re-overwrite the whole bunch of files and folders.

Cheers.

[drfrot]

Thanks for that. I've got it all working by making an image and installing using VMWare. I've never known Windows work so effortlessly!

:¬)

G

[johnhc]

drfrot, to respond to your question:

2. If I have to keep going back to nLite to create different versions, is there a short cut to going through the whole process of copying install disc folders again (since nLite overwirites these)?

I simply copied my CD files to a folder that I left intact. When I want to make an nLite run, I then copy the files into my working directory. Always start with a fresh copy. Enjoy, John.