nLite - Dell Reinstall CD - Gaming Application

[yellowsnow4free]

I have a Dell Windows XP Home Edition SP2 Reinstallation CD (image here).

First Question: Will this CD work with nLite?

I'm hoping to use a nLite'd version of XP in a dual-boot with Ubuntu 9.10; the XP partition will be gaming-only (maybe a couple other programs too).

After watching a video tutorial on YouTube, it looks like nLite asks for your Windows Serial in the setup process.

Second Question: What happens if I leave that "Windows Serial" area blank?

Finally, drivers. When I installed XP on this laptop before, (I think) most of the drivers came off the Dell CD.

Third Question: After I install XP via nLite, to install the missing drivers couldn't I just have XP look on my Dell CD?

Fourth Question: I'm trying to get my XP SP3 install as small as possible. What drivers are 100% required to be put on the nLite Windows Installer?

Thanks!

Edited March 2, 2010 by yellowsnow4free

[johnhc]

yellowsnow4free, all good questions, but do us a favor and Full Edit your post and change the title to something like "nLite a Dell Reinstall CD". The answer is more difficult. Please do some searching here for recovery CDs. It may work and it may not. You may need to do some testing, preferable in a virtual environment. VMware Server, VirtualPC and VirtualBox are all free. I have never used a recovery CD, but in general you cannot install Windows without a CD key. You can leave it out of the nLite Unattended Task, but it may well ask you for it later. If you are hinting that you do not have a key or you want to install Windows on a PC that is not the one the CD came with, then that violates the Windows EULA and we cannot help you here. Windows will only install drivers actually needed by the HW. Using nLite you can include the necessary drivers, then delete the driver file (nLite Options) after install saving the space. I would recommend that you get the latest copies of the drivers from the Dell DL site and use nLite to load them. Please be careful what you remove using nLite. Restoring a needed component later is difficult if not impossible. Enjoy, John.

[yellowsnow4free]

I don't want to put in the key because I'd like to put in the key later. That way this can be a universal "Lite XP SP3" install disc.

[johnhc]

yellowsnow4free, it cannot be a "universal install disk" since it is a recovery CD and therefore an OEM version of Windows which can be installed on one and only one computer. Please read the EULA. Enjoy, John.

[Ponch]

Full Edit your post and change the title to something like "nLite a Dell Reinstall CD".

Please do. You are currently violating rule 12 of the forum. Some people ignore those threads.

[Ponch]

First Question: Will this CD work with nLite?

Yes. I believe Dell still deliver full standard XP install discs

Second Question: What happens if I leave that "Windows Serial" area blank?

Here I think you mainly have 2 options; leave the "unattended" part untouched and so let Dell use its OEM key, in which case the key will be checked along with your computer's bios and some files dell has included in their CD to automatically activate the OS, or overwrite the Unattended part and either fill or leave the key blank, in which case you'll be prompted for one at install. If you overwrite the key with one that's not valid, you'll still be prompted for an other one.

Third Question: After I install XP via nLite, to install the missing drivers couldn't I just have XP look on my Dell CD?

I think Dell provided a 2nd disc with drivers that are not included in XP SP2.

Fourth Question: I'm trying to get my XP SP3 install as small as possible. What drivers are 100% required to be put on the nLite Windows Installer?

It depends on your hardware, nLite has a warning for those that can be removed if own driver is included and replaces them. The advice is to not remove drivers unless you are 100% sure you'll never need them (...like "battery" for a desktop).

Edited February 24, 2010 by Ponch

[yellowsnow4free]

First Question: Will this CD work with nLite?

Yes. I believe Dell still deliver full standard XP install discs

Second Question: What happens if I leave that "Windows Serial" area blank?

Here I think you mainly have 2 options; leave the "unattended" part untouched and so let Dell use its OEM key, in which case the key will be checked along with your computer's bios and some files dell has included in their CD to automatically activate the OS, or overwrite the Unattended part and either fill or leave the key blank, in which case you'll be prompted for one at install. If you overwrite the key with one that's not valid, you'll still be prompted for an other one.

Third Question: After I install XP via nLite, to install the missing drivers couldn't I just have XP look on my Dell CD?

I think Dell provided a 2nd disc with drivers that are not included in XP SP2.

Fourth Question: I'm trying to get my XP SP3 install as small as possible. What drivers are 100% required to be put on the nLite Windows Installer?

It depends on your hardware, nLite has a warning for those that can be removed if own driver is included and replaces them. The advice is to not remove drivers unless you are 100% sure you'll never need them (...like "battery" for a desktop).

Thanks so much for the reply! That answers most of my questions.

As far as question 2 goes, I'd like to do this one:

leave the "unattended" part untouched and so let Dell use its OEM key, in which case the key will be checked along with your computer's bios and some files dell has included in their CD to automatically activate the OS

I'll look into the drivers as well.

[submix8c]

You might want to check that Key and "certain files" (another thread on MSFN re. installing OEM Pre-activated) and compare them to the CD. You might also want to get the Key from the running PC before-hand as the Key on the PC Case will cause Activation request (and probably won't work on any other PC). I successfully re-installed a friend's using that method. There's also a thread on using a Dell CD. Using it (the CD) in a "generic" way may or may not be good on another PC (using any legitimate key).

edit - just following Ponch's line of reasoning (correct, I might add).

Edited February 24, 2010 by submix8c

[jaseuk]

Hi guys,

This is my first post but have used nLite a couple of times over the years.

Instead of starting a new thread I thought I would attach my post to this one as my problem is exactly the same.

I was trying to nLite a version of Win XP Home Edition using a Medion recovery CD and could never get past the input your product key stage of the installation.

After reading this post I guess its just not doable so I will have to get me another copy of Win XP Home.

Edited February 24, 2010 by jaseuk

[submix8c]

OK... FWIW, before anyone goes "can it be done, yes/no" and makes assumptions - the answer is probably YES (i.e. not always no)! Find the threads I mentioned for your answers. (Busy right now, so no time to find them for you. Sry...)

[yellowsnow4free]

UPDATE

Okay, I made my first XP ISO today. I'm currently testing it in VirtualBox.

As I said before, this is for a "gaming" application (gaming only because I dual boot with Ubuntu for everything else)

Everything seems to be working except for:

1) Internet. I deleted IE and tried to install Google Chrome, but it doesn't detect that my internet is connected.

2) Windows Update. I'm sure this was just an option I accidentally selected.

3) Theme. It's in Windows Classic theme right now, no "Bliss" background either. I think this might have to do with "Active Desktop" being turned off.

I'm going to attach my "Last Session" file, just for debugging.

Thanks!

LAST_SESSION.txt

[johnhc]

yellowsnow4free, yep, you have taken out too much:

1. Internet Explorer Core
   
2. Automatic Updates (Services)
   
3. Color Schemes
   

These are just guesses. I suggest you go into nLite-Components and look at the text displayed when you mouse over each component you have removed. Enjoy, John.

[yellowsnow4free]

yellowsnow4free, yep, you have taken out too much:

1. Internet Explorer Core
   
2. Automatic Updates (Services)
   
3. Color Schemes
   

These are just guesses. I suggest you go into nLite-Components and look at the text displayed when you mouse over each component you have removed. Enjoy, John.

Okay, I've made another revision (now version 1.5)

I basically followed this guide (with some modifications).

The good: Windows XP theme is working, so are the backgrounds. Windows Update is working as well. Also, the installation is even smaller (829 MB!)

The bad: Internet is still not working. Also, IE, Remote Assistance, and E-mail are still installed. I want to remove IE but keep online capability.

My '.ini' file is attached.

Thanks!

LAST_SESSION_1.5.txt

Edited February 25, 2010 by yellowsnow4free

[johnhc]

I suggest you go into nLite-Components and look at the text displayed when you mouse over each component you have removed. Enjoy, John.

yellowsnow4free, did you do this? Seems to me that two out of three is not bad. You took out Ethernet (LAN) - candidate? Take a look. Get the Internet working, then take out IE and whatever, testing to be sure you are OK. Enjoy, John.

[yellowsnow4free]

I suggest you go into nLite-Components and look at the text displayed when you mouse over each component you have removed. Enjoy, John.

yellowsnow4free, did you do this? Seems to me that two out of three is not bad. You took out Ethernet (LAN) - candidate? Take a look. Get the Internet working, then take out IE and whatever, testing to be sure you are OK. Enjoy, John.

I did; I was pretty careful not to delete anything that looked important.

I'm pretty happy with my latest build (1.5).

If I can get the internet working I'll be really happy though.