Create a unattended install similar to nlite's capabilities?

[cmonkedo]

Hi everyone I am trying to find out if it is possible to do what nlite does without nlite. I am not trying to avoid giving credit where credit is due. I will be the first to admit that nlite is the most powerful unattended tool I have ever seen or used, however it is for Personal Use Only and I need to create install discs that I can do with what I please and that is why I am wondering if there is even any possible way to do what nlite does without a programming background.

[Guest]

http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

[Martin H]

If wanted, then for disabling the installation of unwanted components, then for starters, exchange syssetup.dll with a hacked one(unsigned) and then expand syssetup.inf and sysoc.inf from the I386 folder, and comment out what you don't want(or clean out the referenced INFs) + comment out those INFs referenced files from textsetup.sif(and layout.inf if first removing the signing...) and if you're installing from network/dos also dosnet.inf...

You can look up more details on the net...

Edited August 10, 2009 by Martin H

[cmonkedo]

First let me thank you for your replies. Second let me tell you that I think my brain is going to explode. I have been going through the guide that -X- has provided and I am making my way through. I have gone through the beginners section and feel comfortable with slipstreaming service packs and updates. Now I am on to the Intermediate section and I find myself scratching my head alot. I have found that the guide recomends batch files and RunOnceEx but it looks like nLite is doing most of the work through svcpack.inf I am wondering is there a benefit to using one over the other? or are there just three ways of doing the same thing? I'm sure I will have a lot of questions as I go through the guide and I hope you all will bear with me. As always I will search the forum before posting any questions here. Also should I be posting further questions as a new topic or just a reply to this one. Thanx everyone!

[HØLLØW]

Hi cmonkedo,

the "svcpack.inf" is for installing updates/hotfixes for your OS.

The "RunOnceEx.cmd" is for installing applications. Just read the guide, it's very easy and your unattended CD will work fine

Ask any question you have.

Edited August 9, 2009 by HØLLØW

[cmonkedo]

Thanx HOLLOW! Ok next question. If I have created switchless installers for all of my programs am I correct in assuming I do not need to add switches to the RunOnceEx.cmd file?

[radix]

Thanx HOLLOW! Ok next question. If I have created switchless installers for all of my programs am I correct in assuming I do not need to add switches to the RunOnceEx.cmd file?

It's correct. I don't use switches in RunOnceEx.cmd. All my installers are silent (very usefull if I have to install again from Windows some of them later).

[cmonkedo]

Alright we're making progress now I have input all of program entries into the runonceex.cmd and just on a wim I decided to check the size of my unattended folder and its huge 726MB. Am I missing something on my nlite discs I have no problem adding 8 or 9 programs and slipstreaming sp3 and adding updates. I would like everything to fit on a 700MB cd-r. Let me know if I missed something.

Thanks

[cmonkedo]

I am still confused as to why nlite adds silent installs at t -13 instead of using runonceex.cmd. Here is what I am talking about I have attatched a copy of an nlite svcpack.inf, let me know if there is a benifit or if this is just to hide what programs are being installed.

Thanks

svcpack.inf

[Martin H]

nLite has an addon section, where people can e.g. make or use others ppl's app-addons, and the people that make those app-addons, ussually makes them so that the apps install from svcpack.inf at T-13, and that's not nLites fault...

Many ppl prefer to install apps at T-13, but nonetheless, if you don't(like me), then nLite also has a RunOnce tab, where you can add commands to be run at first logon to e.g. install your apps, but you need to add the apps to your install source yourself(before you start nLite, or just before you make the ISO).

If you always install to the same box, then you could use nLite's RunOnce tab to call an INF or batchfile from a second partition on your HDD, which then installs all your apps from there. That's what i do...

[HØLLØW]

OK, I'm sorry that I forgot to say there IS A DIFFERENCE between the "svcpack.inf" and the "RunOnceEx.cmd".

Thx to Martin

Edited August 12, 2009 by HØLLØW

[g-force]

If you want to save space on your XPCD, you can savely delete these folders:

-ROOT

--DOCS

--VALUEADD

--SUPPORT

--DOTNETFX

also

-ROOT

--I386

---WIN9XMIG

---WIN9XUPG

---WINNTUPG

These are only needed for upgrade from older systems.

You`ll save about 100mb on your XPCD by removal.

[cmonkedo]

thanx g-force I was just checking in to see if anyone noticed my question as I posted one almost immediately after that one. can you tell me what those folders are for as I would like to leave multiple language options for usability. Thanks again everyone.

[cmonkedo]

sorry I got lazy on the last post. so i did some searching and found that these folders WIN9XUPG WINNTUPG are for upgrading from windows 9x and NT respectively. Thanks

[cmonkedo]

Can anyone look at my useraccounts.cmd and autologon.reg to tell me if I have it set up right for a new user (Owner) with no password and have it autologon?

useraccounts.cmd:

net user Owner /add

net localgroup Administrators Owner /add

net accounts /maxpwage:unlimited

REGEDIT /S autologon.reg

EXIT

autologon.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]

"DefaultUserName"="Owner"

"AutoAdminLogon"="1"