WinNTSetup v5.4.1

[exta]

Hi everybody,

I use WinNTSetup since version 1.5 and I really want to thank you JFX for your great work !

I've just one suggestion about XP install. Can you add a button to switch partition alignment between XP and Vista/7/8 and a button that shortcut disk management (or an embedded disk management with option to create an XP or Vista/7/8 partition but I assume that's a lot of work for a small enhancement). I use Win7PE_SE and I change the default partition alignment with the registry keys that is on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931760, then I create the partition before launching WinNTSetup. It would be faster to launch only WinNTSetup for doing that.

But it 's just a very small detail, because your software is already perfect for installing XP from Win7PE_SE.

Again thank you for your amazing work on this software !

[JFX]

Hi exta,

I have added an alignment option inside the system menu (right-click on title bar or ALT+SPACE)

If you click WinXP it will set these 4 Dword's to 0. A click on Win7 will delete them.

Hope that's what you wanted.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[exta]

That is exactly what I want and that is already include, just wonderfull !

Thanks again ! =)))

[exta]

After doing some tests with beta 2, x64 works fine on x64 os and x86 works fine on x86 os .

I don't know if this is a bug but the x86 has some issues on x64 os, the menu is incomplete and there is an error when left-clicking on the title bar.

As I said each version works very well on the os it is expected to work on.

Edited June 12, 2012 by exta

[JFX]

Had not expected someone would use the x86 in an x64 Winpe.

Should be fixed now, no version change this time.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[exta]

I know that it is not a common use but that allow me to use just one exe (not lazyness, just for simplicity).

What are the advantages of running x64 versus x86 on WinPEx64 ?

For me x86 has the advantage of a better compatibility, however that's great to have the choice between compatible and optimized version =)

Thank you very much for the fix !

[JFX]

What are the advantages of running x64 versus x86 on WinPEx64 ?

Only 1 real advantage: the x64 version will always be a bit faster.

my average time to apply an install.wim:

x86 : 40 seconds

x64 : 37 seconds

So with SSD's or RAMDisk's one can noticed a slightly faster install, but with normal hard disk there won't be.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[exta]

Thanks for these informations, as I don't have (yet) SSDs I couldn't find the speed benefit. Good to know for the future

Edited June 13, 2012 by exta

[Escorpiom]

Hi JFX,

At the moment I'm using nt6fast installer, modified to suit my needs. I would like to start using your GUI installer, and it definitely works for W7.

The point is, I have made an universal XP WIM image, that can be applied by the nt6fast installer script.

I have modified the script so it doesn't create W7 bootfiles but instead XP bootfiles when the XP WIM has been selected.

Could you implement some (advanced) option to choose the type of bootsector to be written?

I would be able to select my XP WIM and after imaging the WinNTSetup would write the correct bootsector.

On a side note, I don't use normal XP setup anymore, it takes too long.

Another request, is it possible to add a post processing command in the tool? Such as: After imaging run xxx.cmd.

So far for the requests, I can't remember if there is an option to automatically load the .ini at startup...If not, it would be neat!

It should be noted that the NT6fast installer didn't work on Windows XP, I'll have to test your tool to see if it does, the problem lies in the multilanguage OS.

I use Spanish and it only runs on Windows 7, not on XP.

Given the fact that my XP PE is much smaller and thus loads faster, that would be the preferred platform for WinNTSetup.

Cheers.

There may be a solution to this...

From the help page:

- /NoBootSect - will not update BootSector and Master Boot Record

- /RunAfter:{command} - will run a command before reboot

So lets say we use these commandline switches to launch WinNTSetup, then it would be possible to run a .cmd file that does the bootsector for XP.

Automatically loading of the .ini should be possible in the same way.

You have done a pretty good job!

Edited June 26, 2012 by Escorpiom

[JFX]

Hi Escorpiom,

You could do this indeed with the runafter parameter. But no need, I have added a check that will automatically write the right Bootsector.

be careful installing that way, winntsetup don't understand that currently, so any GUI option will not work

WinNTSetup2.3 beta3

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[Escorpiom]

A huge thanks for the quick implementation!

Dont worry, I do not need most GUI options at this moment. This is my flow:

1. Prepare disk

2. Choose OS

3. Choose OS version (Ultimate for example)

4. Choose Install partition

5. Apply Image

6. Postrun command executed (.cmd file)

From that moment I reboot the system and the rest of the whole process should be unattended, both for XP and Win7 including program install from ROE.

Goal is to deploy several OS with the help of only one utility, and to make it as simple and fool proof as possible.

Sometimes however I forget stupid things, for example to set the primary partition active, causing no boot and that makes me loose time.

Your program is a bit more automated so that's one thing I like, later I hope to move the disk preparation also inside WinNTSetup.

The reason I did the WIM for XP is because a lot of computers I work with still run XP and won't be upgraded to 7 anytime soon.

Please allow me to test this method, if anything comes up I'll give feedback.

Cheers.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Escorpiom

[JFX]

... later I hope to move the disk preparation also inside WinNTSetup.

The v2.3 versions have disk management (or if not available diskpart) link in system menu (ALT + SPACE)

The reason I did the WIM for XP is because a lot of computers I work with still run XP and won't be upgraded to 7 anytime soon.

Please allow me to test this method, if anything comes up I'll give feedback.

Can't really remember how to create fully hardware independent Windows XP sysprep images.

But yes, this is indeed a great and fast way to install WinXP.

Currently WinNTSetup is more or less a frozen project for the next months, but maybe I add full support for this way of installation.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[testplayer]

I was trying to use v2.3 beta 3 to install windows 8 RP on a VHDX file, and it said that installation on vhd is only available for windows 7 ultimate and enterprise. Could you please fix this problem? I know it is simply an imageX /apply bla bla bla, but I like GUI not command line. Thanks!!

[JFX]

Hi testplayer,

sorry I can not make an update until weekend, but you can enable/disable that check with right-click on "VHD >>>" button.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JFX

[testplayer]

Hi testplayer,

sorry I can not make an update until weekend, but you can enable/disable that check with right-click on "VHD >>>" button.

:thumbup That's cool!! Thanks a lot!