I have been playing with a particular windows unattended disc and I've got it down to 1.1 GB. It first boots to BartPE to create partitions; meaning that the final step in my process is to use PEBuilder to create an image of a directory. I'd like to explore compression possibilities beyond what PEBuilder does by default. I imagine that RE-compressing the iso would be useless...but perhaps I could compress some other files in a way that would be automatically extracted as they are called by windows setup? Could I change the parameters of mkisofs to amp up compression without hindering the functionality of the end result? I don't care if it takes longer to install...I just want it on a CD.

I have no idea and I can't find any relevant threads. Anyone have thoughts on the subject?

Thanks in advance!

Edited April 22, 200917 yr by mrquincy

Use WinBuilder to create PE images.

Use DVD, USB, or PXE to improve speed and allow larger images.

As for compressing to fit on a cd, compress binaries with UPX, reduce the number of packages, eliminate redundant packages. At a maximum of 700MB without overburn and special media, you have a lot to trim.

WinPE has these commands

PEImg /prep

ImageX /compress maximum

WinPE also supports split WIMs (swm) using the /ref param.

not sure about mkisofs

Some unofficial versions of mkisofs have a -duplicates-once switch, which might save a little space if your windows install is from plain xp files rather than an image. But 400mb is a lot to cut, unless this is a x-in-1 project.

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7281