XP, WIM and HAL.

[defyboy]

I'm not new to the Windows/multiboot cd world, but this is my first time posting here.

I'm in the IT business, I need to install many different variations of windows on a variety of machines several times daily. I have been trying to create a more elegant method of deploying windows on several different hardware with as little media as possible.

I have a 500gb portable hard drive which I use for many purposes, this now boots into PE 3.0 installation environment and allows me to install all available versions of windows vista, 7 and 2008. I would like to be able to add XP to the list, however, I know about the issues of deploying an image of Windows XP on incompatable hardware due to the HAL selection and sometimes the Mass storage drivers.

I would like to know, which part of the setup process is the HAL detected and used? Could I simply install XP with /makelocalsource /noreboot then take an image of the hard drive and deploy it?

If not, Since one of our policies is that we copy the I386 install folder to the root of the hard drive to create a permanant local source, Could I simply build a bootable hard drive image with the CD's boot files and the I386 source folder? This would leave a local source folder, and run full setup on first boot.

[Tripredacus]

We have topics about this in the WinPE forum, which is where I am going to move this topic to.

[defyboy]

We have topics about this in the WinPE forum, which is where I am going to move this topic to.

Thanks, but my questions were related to the Windows XP Installation.

[cluberti]

Well, if you're doing this A LOT you might consider a more elegant deployment solution itself that is scriptable and customizable, like MDT 2010. Considering installations seems to be your main function, and it doesn't sound like an environment that would do well with System Center ConfigMgr, using something like MDT 2010 might be a good way to go. The front-end time to set up multiple task sequences (you could use the same Windows XP source for all, keeping the actual file size down) to script different types of installs pays off for hands-off deployment quickly on the back-end once you've done the grunt work, and sounds very much like something you should consider if you do (re)installations as often as you say you do. To list your requirements this meets:

1. One media source - this means a very small deployment share size, likely able to fit on a small (bootable) USB key depending on how many apps you also have to store/install - reduces the number of CDs or DVDs to burn, and USB keys are at least as portable as an external HDD (that you're currently using).
2. Uses WinPE for the front-end for all deployments of WinXP, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008, Win7, and Server 2008 R2.
3. Has the ability to detect system hardware/HAL in WinPE and provide drivers for the install that match the system (MDT driver management), keeping the actual installation size down as well (only drivers that are required are installed).
4. Given that the "task sequence" that is used to deploy an OS is 100% repeatable every time you use it, you don't have to worry about imaging XP and hoping/praying your batch file skills can deal with hardware/hal differences - MDT produces the same install every time, without resorting to images, but still keeping the deployment share and the ultimately deployed OS as small as possible.
5. It has built-in logging, so if something does fail for any reason, you can see what and why - great when you're building a new task sequence and testing it for the first time (in a VM, of course ).

[wimb]

After booting with PE3 from USB-harddisk, you can use USB_XP_Setup.exe of U_XP_SET package

to prepare local harddisk for Install of XP.

See Step 6 in http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21883&st=35

You can use Make_PE3.exe of Make_PE3 package to create and install pe3_x86.iso booting from grub4dos menu.

Instead of using XP Setup you can also make use of Universal XP Image files

and use IMG_XP_Restore.exe of IMG_XP package to Install XP on various hardware.

In this case one can restore the Universal XP Image file which may include installed programs like Office 2003.

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=23553

Edited May 12, 2010 by wimb