Ideas for a possible UNOfficial Windows XP SP4

[maheep]

Hello people, after Gurgelmeyer's successful release of SP5 for Win ME, I thought of creating an SP4 for Win XP as well, which would include all the updates post SP3, PowerToys, some extra tools and even those which were fixed by the members at the community. Based on the data gathered so far, I could even tell that it can be slipstreamed via nLite and also contain the installation switches as provided by Microsoft

Please tell me of any improvements in my ideas and your interest in this matter

Regards,

Maheep

[jaclaz]

Hello people, after Gurgelmeyer's successful release of SP5 for Win ME.....

Not that it matters, but are you sure that Gurgelmeyer made a SP5 for Windows ME

jaclaz

[tomasz86]

Have you already tried (and succeeded in) making it or is it still just an idea?

Just one thing - WildBill's update.exe won't work for SP. You'll need to use update.exe from Gurgelmeyer's USP5 or modify the one from XP's SP yourself. The update.exe from non-SP updates doesn't seem to support the /integrate switch when used in SP mode.

Edited August 7, 2011 by tomasz86

[nsaini10]

when did MS launch SP4 ?

[Kelsenellenelvian]

THEY DIDN'T!

IF you read the first post you will see the OP wants to make one.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Kelsenellenelvian

[maheep]

sorry for the errors in my post. However, I have successfully modified update.exe from sp2 and added new entries to its inf for a program called Notepad2. I had successfully slipstreamed the modified SP2 via nlite and it worked fine . The SP's contain a file called update.msi (probably called for direct installation on live system), which one must need to modify (or create new one, but I have no experience in MSI scripting) Edited August 8, 2011 by maheep

[Joseph_sw]

change to less misleading title, like: ideas for UNOfficial SP4

[tomasz86]

Are you sure about the update.msi thing? Win2k's SP4 also has this file but it doesn't seem to affect the installation of a modified SP. In other words, it seems that you can modify the rest and leave this file as it is.

[Yzöwl]

How about this for an idea…

Stick all of the updates in a single location then if you ever need to use them, do so with a script!

If you produce a Service Pack, I'm guessing it could only be for your own use, since the alteration and distributing of those Microsoft wares would be in breach of their rights etc.

[tomasz86]

Yzöwl,

why is Gurgelmeyer's USP5 (& unofficial updates for 2K) allowed then? All of them use modified files.

[Andromeda43]

I think many of us have already created what might be called an SP4, by tweaking and tuning XP for our own use.

Putting everything into a 'distributable' file, might incur the wrath of the Licensing Police.

Remember Orwell's 1884............. "Big Brother is Watching!".

[gUiTaR_mIkE]

Putting everything into a 'distributable' file, might incur the wrath of the Licensing Police.

This is guaranteed, and having it linked here @ MSFN would be problematic. Have you compiled a list of updates - what do you envision for a SP4...?

[maheep]

I have thought of the following:

- OnePiece Post SP3 Updates

- Vista Style Windows XP Sounds >>DONE

- Some 3rd party powertoys

- New system drivers (SATA/RAID)

- Notepad2 (by Florian Balmer) replaces Windows Notepad >>DONE

- LogonUI (self-made) >>DONE

- HashTab

- Unlocker

- ISO Recorder

- HighMAT CD Support

- WinXP Resource Kit Tools (only selected)

- CMD Here INF

- UX-Theme Patched >>DONE

- QJot (by xtort.net) Replaces Windows Wordpad >> DONE

- Some new Console Apps

- I have already obtained the Updates till the date 05-08-2011. But I shall include latest, if any when I release the beta.

MS have also create a file called sp(version).cab in their package, to include some extra files, probably, the new features.

I am currently working on this part and indexing of catalog files.

Still, I have not been able to integrate IE8 in my package ( All the MUI files and some other DLL's. Maybe I could try doing with OnePiece's Add-on) . Also, please tell me if reshacked files are approrpriate for this pack. Regarding posting the pack at MSFN, I leave it to the MODS and ADMINS. I think I could upload it to Softpedia or similar website, since I found link to Gurgelmeyer's USP5 there. If I get to include any 3rd party files, I'll make sure the Authors are properly credited.

Unnecessarily adding features and progs is not the case. I hope it takes about 300 MB Disk Space, when downloaded

Regards

Edited August 8, 2011 by maheep

[bphlpt]

Is what OP proposes that much different than what Gurgelmeyer, Onepiece, and user_hidden have provided? If not, then I don't see why there should be a problem with such a pack being discussed here. It seems that OP wants to build an enhanced Onepiece pack, which some might consider overkill, but others will will think convenient IF they like the OP's choices.

Cheers and Regards

[allen2]

Most of those aren't usually in a service pack so the name "Unofficial XP SP4" might not be the right choice.

Also i totally agree with Yzöwl : i wouldn't install an official SP if i don't have all the source to create it (you could create a script or an app which would download then integrate on a source XP or install on live XP) and for each step the possibility to oversee what the script or app is doing and have the KB links for each downloaded patch.