components and tweak integration

[vinifera]

have in mind im noob

so i extracted XP SP2, then used nlite to update it with SP3

now i wish to integrate WinRAR, IE8, .NET 2.2, directx 9 (newer) and wmp 11 codec

but all of them always require user interaction (next/yes buttons and all that..)

so what should i do to make it... silent or whatever ?

(please in steps im noob)

Edited September 24, 2009 by vinifera

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

-You can find an add-on for WinRAR HERE;

-for IE8 HERE (works on 32-bit with SP3);

-.NET 2.0 (maybe you mean with SP2) you can make it on your own HERE; download the packages and use the tool to create a silent installer;

DirectX - extract the package and run DXSETUP.exe with the switch /silent;

If you want Windows Media Player 11, look at THIS; if you just want the codecs, download wmfdist.exe from MS's website and add it under hotfixes and add-ons section in nLite; I tried it and it works with Windows Media Player 9.

Good luck, and if you need anything else, ask specific questions and use SEARCH. All the add-ons can be added in hotfixes and add-ons section of nLite. Silent installers are a different thing.

Edited September 24, 2009 by Sp0iLedBrAt

[vinifera]

DirectX - extract the package and run DXSETUP.exe with the switch /silent;

can you please explain where do i add this switch

i dont see nlite providing anything "per hotfix" to add commandline

or should i use the "svcpack.inf" method for this one ?

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

DirectX is tricky to run through SVCPACK, so this is basically a silent installer, not an add-on. To do this, in the folder where you copied your Windows source CD you have to create a folder called $OEM$. Inside create a folder DirectX. So, the order is: Source CD->$OEM$->DirectX. Copy the files you extract in the DirectX folder.

Next step: open notepad or another text editor and enter these lines:

REM DirectX

start /wait %Source%$OEM$\DirectX\DXSETUP.exe /silent

REM Finished

Exit

Save the file as BATCH.cmd and put it in the source CD folder, in the same one as the $OEM$ folder.

When you start making CD with nLite, wait until you reach the screen where you have a tab RunOnce. Open that tab and enter this text: cmd /R %source%BATCH.cmd. Press Add and that's it! Now you've added the command to start installing DirectX at first boot after the install.

I know it looks complicated, but just follow the instructions; you can always test it first on a virtual machine. After you've created the batch file, you can use it to install other programs too from the $OEM$ folder. Just add the programs in separate folders inside $OEM$ and add lines with appropriate switches to the BATCH.cmd file. Every type of installer has its own switches for silent install; see THIS under Intermediate Users->Applications, and THIS.

Enjoy

[vinifera]

oh this is beautiful ! THANKS !

can i execute more things from within that same batch

like "reg add" (like 3 or 10 inputs), then do copy of files

or is it sensitive to have 1 bat file per operation (sounds crazy but what the heck... have to ask )

?

Edited September 28, 2009 by vinifera

[beats]

No, you can add all your commands to the same batch.

[vinifera]

i have few more specific questions

hope you won't mind

1. for registry import, i see some use via cmd REG ADD, and tutorials here use REGEDIT /S

so which one is actualy recomended ?

2. can the same method described above for Direct X install, use for Windows Installer 4.5 ?

3. if i wish to copy portable programs to PC, so they are "installed", can i use again the $OEM$ folder technique

and then just trough batch use copy command ?

4. regarding XP themes, i did search forum and found how to add new ones, but i am wondering

how can i remove Luna, Silver and Olive completely and set new theme as Default one that

will already skin OS upon load (as Luna does), can this be done without breaking something ?

Edited September 29, 2009 by vinifera

[beats]

1. for registry import, i see some use via cmd REG ADD, and tutorials here use REGEDIT /S

so which one is actualy recomended ?

It's personal preference. Using regedit is easier, using reg is more elegant.

2. can the same method described above for Direct X install, use for Windows Installer 4.5 ?

Yes. Both can be installed silently from the same batch.

3. if i wish to copy portable programs to PC, so they are "installed", can i use again the $OEM$ folder technique

and then just trough batch use copy command ?

Indeed. you can use either method, but you don't have to use both.

4. regarding XP themes, i did search forum and found how to add new ones, but i am wondering

how can i remove Luna, Silver and Olive completely and set new theme as Default one that

will already skin OS upon load (as Luna does), can this be done without breaking something ?

The easiest way to remove them is nLite. To make your own theme default, place the theme file in your $OEM$\$$\Resources\Themes\ directory and add/modify the following lines in WINNT.SIF's [shell] section:

[Shell]
CustomDefaultThemeFile="%SystemRoot%\Resources\Themes\My Theme.theme"
DefaultThemesOff=No

Edited September 29, 2009 by beats

[vinifera]

thank you for nice answers

i got few more questions lol (sorry if i put it on same topic, but rather that than spam new threads)

1. as \$OEM$\$$\ represents \Windows\ folder, if i want to after OS install have custom folder in Windows folder

(like \Windows\My new folder\) do i then just create empty folder via rclick in $OEM$\$$\ or i must

do it via batch with MKDIR ?

2. this is regarding hotfixes, since after XP SP3, XP got huge number of hotfixes, some are for same thing

but later trough months i guess updated (like the SMB hotfixes, there are like 3 or 4 of them)

so should i only integrate latest one, or all of them (older and newer) and will only newest be applied or the every newer hotfix is made only as patch to last one and not as total patch to all prevoius bug ?

(hope you understand) :S

3. regarding registry tweaks, if i execute registry tweak during setup, but tweak that is only for HKCU, will it work at all ?

if i understand HKCU is only for current account logged in ?

Edited September 29, 2009 by vinifera

[beats]

thank you for nice answers

i got few more questions lol (sorry if i put it on same topic, but rather that than spam new threads)

You're welcome.

1. as \$OEM$\$$\ represents \Windows\ folder, if i want to after OS install have custom folder in Windows folder

(like \Windows\My new folder\) do i then just create empty folder via rclick in $OEM$\$$\ or i must

do it via batch with MKDIR ?

Although I never tried it with an empty folder, in theory yes. Folders that contain files are copied for sure.

2. this is regarding hotfixes, since after XP SP3, XP got huge number of hotfixes, some are for same thing

but later trough months i guess updated (like the SMB hotfixes, there are like 3 or 4 of them)

so should i only integrate latest one, or all of them (older and newer) and will only newest be applied or the every newer hotfix is made only as patch to last one and not as total patch to all prevoius bug ?

(hope you understand) :S

The easiest way is to use one of the available post-SP3 update packs. They contain all hot fixes and (depending on the pack), some extra stuff and goodies. There are several Update Packs to choose from. RyanVM (now done by user_hidden), OnePiece, redxii and xable. Another way to do this is to use a tool like Windows Updates Downloader, it will download all the files you need, and you can integrate them all with nLite then.

3. regarding registry tweaks, if i execute registry tweak during setup, but tweak that is only for HKCU, will it work at all ?

if i understand HKCU is only for current account logged in ?

That is partly correct. HKCU only applies to the current user, BUT, when you import them during setup with the batch (at t13 or svcpack stage), the SYSTEM account is running. All tweaks are applied to [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT], so every new user that logs on, will get these settings as well. [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT] is the "template" for HKCU.

[vinifera]

3. regarding registry tweaks, if i execute registry tweak during setup, but tweak that is only for HKCU, will it work at all ?

if i understand HKCU is only for current account logged in ?

That is partly correct. HKCU only applies to the current user, BUT, when you import them during setup with the batch (at t13 or svcpack stage), the SYSTEM account is running. All tweaks are applied to [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT], so every new user that logs on, will get these settings as well. [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT] is the "template" for HKCU.

so if i use the method with runonce from nlite that user "Sp0iLedBrAt" described with $oem$ folder

is that the phaze t13 ?

or simpler... will that method add the reg tweak to as you say [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT] ?

thanks you again

[beats]

so if i use the method with runonce from nlite that user "Sp0iLedBrAt" described with $oem$ folder

is that the phaze t13 ?

or simpler... will that method add the reg tweak to as you say [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT] ?

thanks you again

No, RunOnce is excuted when Windows boot into the GUI the first time. To import your tweaks at the T13-stage, and apply them to the Default User, place a file named CMDLINES.TXT in the $OEM$ root; Windows Setup will use it automatically when its present. The syntax of cmdlines.txt is:

[COMMANDS]
"MyBatch.cmd"

Place your batch files in $OEM$ as well, so Windows Setup can find it. For a detailed explanation of cmdlines.txt, see this guide. Keep in mind that it's better to execute all actual commands from your batch file, because cmdlines.txt has its limitations and quirks.

[vinifera]

sorry for being annoying :/

but by

it's better to execute all actual commands from your batch file

can i use regedit /s or must be reg add (in t13 stage)

again thanks for info and patience ^^

[beats]

Doesn't matter, you can use both methods in the batch file.

[vinifera]

ah nice

i got 2 more questions

1. regarding commands for executing or copying from $OEM$ folder (listed up up), is it %Source%$OEM$ or

%Source%\$OEM$ ?

2. same regarding copying or executing from $OEM$ folder, i read in tutorials here that microsoft has this limitation of 8 characters so all hotfixes or whatever has to be max long 8 chars, does this also apply for any folder in $OEM$ folder ?

for example i wish to copy Opera, Firefox and Iron portables to Disk with runonce via bat file, but dont know can i have long folder names as Opera_Portable, or it must be 8 chars long only ?

Edited September 30, 2009 by vinifera