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Make change in registry _early_ in installation process / prevent XP h


MerijnB

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Well, we have taken a left turn and probably we have veered into non-nlite area but I will loop around and address nLite at the end of the post.

That having been said, the whole reg process takes experimentation.

Is your system currently changed how you want it? Then do a search in your current registry and export the keys, then convert the REG files to INF (I have been doing this for over a decade so I am very, very good at it; I do recognize that it takes some fiddling) and then search for the same strings in the HIVE files. If they exist, change them, if they don't, add them. Make sure the HKU, HKLM, HKCU etc match. In other words, HIVEDEF is full of HKCU keys. It populates that whole branch in one big "explosion" and putting a bunch of HKLM or other keys will work, but results in a fragmented registry (which can of course be solved by a Winternals utility).

I have run into this CurrentControlSet versus Set001 several times -- you need to see your current registry to know if it's smart to add it to the HIVEs. (Don't worry too much, adding keys that don't belong rarely causes a problem, it's the deletion that causes problems).

Your absolute best bet of all? Install the OS on a totally clean system like a VM. Then install registry and file snapshot software. Set everything how you want it to be, compare before and after snapshots, and you will know precisely which reg settings need to be added or changed and which files have to go where, which you can adjust in TXTSETUP and LAYOUT. (Note that nLite edits SYSSETUP.DLL so that TXTSETUP and other files can be changed. You DO need to do this, or to take this edited file and put it into your original XP i386 folder so that you have it forever.)

Finally, when removing languages, note that there are something like 3 or 4 lang files that Windows requires to boot (nlite keeps them automatically). The rest can be eliminated. nLite actually leaves a few Japanese and Hangul language files, as well as Croatian (for Nuhi himself of course) even if you select all languages for removal, so to really take everything out, you sometimes have to make changes manually....

Yes, there really are things that nLite leaves that it doesn't have to! Open up SYSSETUP.INF for example and you'll see the files that go into SYSTEM (not32, just system). You can delete them all and leave that directory empty. And if you set permissions on it by manually editing DEFLTWK.INF and denying system, you could conceivably delete SYSTEM. This DEFLTWK file can also be used to prevent the prefetcher from even being created by denying system permissions on that directory.) Like so:

"%SystemRoot%\Prefetch",2,"D:PAR(D;;FAGAGRGWGXWD;;;SY)" ; DENY system

Any hard-to-delete directory can work the same way, for example:

"%SystemDirectory%\1025",2,"D:P(A;CIOI;GA;;;WD)(A;CI;GA;;;WD)" ; allow world so it can be deleted without deny access

I'll stop before this post becomes "Fred's one million undocumented windows tricks that he's kind of pi??sed he's never seen anywhere else because not enough people read MSFN"

ABout that last point: it seriously puzzles me why 'competitor' sites even bother carrying on considering by comparison they are literally in the dark ages, with users scared to death of editing system files, which the MSFN crowd got over years and years ago...

Edited by fdv
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it seriously puzzles me why 'competitor' sites even bother carrying on considering by comparison they are literally in the dark ages, with users scared to death of editing system files, which the MSFN crowd got over years and years ago...

You seem to be making comparisons and assumptions that may not be justifiable. I won't call you out on them specifically, but elitist attitudes rarely convey maturity and wisdom. Take what knowledge you can from where you can find it. There is much to be learned here on MSFN and elsewhere. Many of the "competitor" sites you mention were started by MSFN members.

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elitist attitudes rarely convey maturity and wisdom.

I'm actually comfortable with that: my celebrating MSFN isn't meant to convey either one. I don't really think other sites should shut down and turn out the 'closed for business' sign. I do, however, believe that MSFN is the cream at the top.

You seem to be making comparisons and assumptions that may not be justifiable. I won't call you out on them specifically

You don't need to call me out; I'll specify for you. Go ahead and list for me those other sites that have Windows component removal projects, hotfix slipstream projects, post installation projects, making changes to windows prior to installation by editing setup and HIVE files, etc, all in one site. Then I'll agree my comparison is not justifiable. Caveat: singularly focused sites like bootland would obviously not apply.

Many of the "competitor" sites you mention were started by MSFN members.

I didn't mention any, actually. But I won't call you out on them specifically, I'll just figure that when I go to techsupportforum, pchelpforum, computerhelpforum, techguy, geekstogo, tek-tips, etc. that any such site could have been set up by someone from here. I don't doubt it at all, but I still don't see others covering the breadth of ground that MSFN does.

We've got a nice place here, and that's nearly the whole of what was meant. Don't deep six an entire novel-length post for a sardonic, throwaway remark at the end that's 2 lines long.

Edited by fdv
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No offense intended. I was just attempting to offer a solution to your puzzlement. ;)

Edited by 5eraph
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Caveat: singularly focused sites like bootland would obviously not apply.

Is boot-land "singularly focused"? :unsure:

Being it the Official support Forum for:

  • Winbuilder (and all projects based on this engine) <- PE builds of any kind based on XP/2003/Vista/2008/Windows 7
  • grub4dos <- universal boot-manager
  • IMDISK <- ramdisk and filedisk driver
  • RMPREPUSB <- USB partitioning/formatting utility
  • Sardu <- multiboot CD build with Linux
  • TFTP32 <- TFTP Server
  • Winimize <- reduce Windows 98 size and boot it from almost anything
  • bearwindows <- universal video driver for 9x and NT based systems
  • Unetbootin <- advanced install from USB app
  • Firadisk <- new ramdisk driver with advanced capabilities

And the UNofficial one for:

  • fbinst <- USB partitioning, formatting and more
  • Syslinux/isolinux/memdisk <- you know what this is ;)
  • LODR packs <- a new approach to portable apps
  • Aerostudio <- graphical bootmanager for CD/DVD's and more

Besides being "another" home for these:

Maybe it is not as "singularly focused" as some other boards :whistle: , but who cares?

I mean, the imortant thing is to share and exchange experiences, ideas and knowledge and help each other, it doesn't matter on which board/place on the net. :)

And, BTW, this is cheating :ph34r: :

Well, we have taken a left turn and probably we have veered into non-nlite area but I will loop around and address nLite at the end of the post.

:P

:hello:

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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Jaclaz, your first list is all boot-stuff. But your second one is new to me, so I stand corrected that bootland is singularly focused. I've only ever used it for PE stuff which is my limitation not theirs.

5eraph, no offense taken. There's only been one individual in my history of using this site that I didn't get along with (actually he had a problem with several of us here) and he's pretty much never around.

I hereby purchase a virtual beer for you both :D

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I hereby purchase a virtual beer for you both :D

Hah, you should make it a LARGE one and also (virtually) deliver it. ;)

cheers.gif

For the record, among others, bearwindows, and IMDISK and FIRADISK (and WinVBlock which I forgot to mention :blushing: ):

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8168

are not necessarily "boot-related", whilst this one:

Universal HDD Image files for XP and Windows 7

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9830

(which also I forgot to mention :blushing: )

though "boot-related" is more the kind of topic you would like to find on MSFN, as well as Clonedisk:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8480

and the new "replacements" for NT setup (these should actually be of your interest ;)):

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7721

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10126

and even this small thingy to which I contributed a little may be of use in your future:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9765

:hello:

jaclaz

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