New FDV fileset feature: add/remove components on install (like NT4)

[fdv]

I know about the whole don't double post bit, but this is directly relevant to the XP forum as well as this one.

First look at the original post here

I can fully confirm that somehow I have accidentally added Add/Remove capability to Windows XP on installation, just like NT4 used to have.

I don't yet know how I did it (kind of like when I accidentally disabled SFC with one registry edit and couldn't figure out which one for months) but I suspect it was some specific edits to two different files that require a hacked setup DLL, so really, though it's appropriate for the XP forum, in order to make it work it takes more file editing than most XP users are probably comfortable with.

So as I figure out what triggers the display of the options box (see linked thread for pic) I will try to document it here. I am trying to duplicate it for Windows 2000 and 2003 as well. I uploaded a Win2k fileset update that might work but I have not tried it yet (it's the standard download -- same link). I am also going to try to optionalize things that have never been optionalized. Right now, some compatability stuff that only XP fileset users would know about. Later, probably Internet Explorer itself and maybe other things. Stay tuned.

[bphlpt]

Hey fdv

I read both threads, and also saw the apparent lack of interest. I guess everybody is like me, thinking "So? The dialog box pops up. And this means?" There are several people on the board that I would have thought would "get" the importance of this - maybe they haven't seen this yet. But for the rest of us, would you please expand a bit on the implication of this. Then we could better help you spread the word as to what this can do and drum up help for you. I know many are focusing all the efforts on Win7, but there are lots of us that still use the "older" OS's out there.

Hoping to understand more ...

Cheers and Regards

[fdv]

Open SYSOC and have a look. There are SYStem Optional Components.

Let's have a look at a sample group of entries:

Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,,7

AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,,7

CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,,7

MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,,7

AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,,7

Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,,7

MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,,7

ZoneGames=zoneoc.dll,ZoneSetupProc,igames.inf,,7

Note that I have removed the word HIDE from them. "HIDE" prevents these options from ever showing up when you use "Add/Remove Windows Components." This effectively means that Microsoft is forcing you to use card games and pinball (for example) on your machine.

nLite permanently removes these components forever, and my fileset comments them out (so at least you can add them later).

Being able to select components BEFORE you install them was something Windows NT had that 2000 and XP and 2003 took away. nLite ripped those components out. My fileset makes Windows ignore them.

But what if you could create an installation ISO that let you choose whether or not to install Minesweeper at install? You can't do that right now as XP is. That's just one example. ANY inf file can be optionalized... Internet Explorer can be made to be a simple checkbox! That's a heck of a lot more flexible than re-running nLite or making edits to my files. Now you'll have install media that lets you choose.

Right now I am having COM problems during install, on an unrelated matter. I'd post my new fileset but I want to get it straightened out.

[jaclaz]

Nice find!

Here is an explicit link to the "other thread", where all the info is, just in case friendly names will be botched again at next board update:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=143980

jaclaz

[fdv]

okey-doke.

Now that we have HFSLIP / FDV fileset folks attention (I need all the help I can get on this feature) I am going to lock this thread now so the two don't both expand.