Hello All,

I've solved a problem I ran into with HFSLIP and I'd like to share so nobody else needs to suffer my misery!

Problem:
I use SNMSynth to create an all-in-one .NET installer. When this is installed on an HFSLIP'd installation of Windows XP, none of the hotfixes that were included in SNMSynth get installed. That is, Windows update reports that KB951847 (the service pack for .net 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5) needs to be installed, even though the patched files from KB951847 are in the installer. There were no errors running SNMSynth and the installation logs (e.g. DNF20install.log) indicate the patched files are being copied, but in fact they aren't: the unpatched files are copied.
Other software installs work fine.

I am using HFSLIP 1.7.10 beta K v4 and Windows XP generic OEM SP3 source. There are no errors reported during HFSLIP creation. I'm running the SNMSynth installer after Windows is installed: it is not part of the HFSLIP-created XP iso.

Cause:
In HFSLIP, I am slipstreaming Windows Installer 4.5 KB942288 and its hotfix KB981669. If I remove KB981669, or I move it from the HF folder to HFSVCPACK_SW1 folder, then the SNMSynth installer works fine.
It's probably caused by the fact the KB981669 is applied before KB942288 in the HFSLIP script. However, the older files in KB942288 are *not* overwriting those from KB981669: the script is working properly there. But something else in Windows Installer 4.5 is being messed up.

Solution:
Move KB981669 to to the HFSVCPACK_SW1 folder.

Mim0: perhaps you could update your site to recommend this change.

I am thinking of modifying the script so that KB981669 is applied after KB942288 and see if that resolves the issue as well.

I suspect this bug might also rear its head when installing from an administrative install point that has had patches applied. This is basically what SNMSynth does.

Clark.

I think the problem is probably not a broken Windows Installer, but SNMSynth causing issues. At what moment are you installing .NET during setup?

KB951847 will show up if you are installing .NET framework at logon as the Windows Update service will search for updates before launching the .NET installer and report the .NET framework is missing.

You can workaround this by disabling the Windows Update service during setup and reenabling it again after you have installed the .NET framework.

Another option is to install .NET framework at T13 using the SystemSetupInProgress registry tweak.

Yes, it turned out not to be a problem with HFSLIP. There is some problem with my main Windows XP machine that causes the SNMsynth builder to produce an installer that doesn't install the integrated patches. I was able to build a good installer on a Windows XP VMWare machine fine. I didn't keep proper track of the various changes I made when troubleshooting this issue, so I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

My apologies!

During my testing, I wasn't running the SNMsynth installer during the Windows install. I was rebooting after complete Windows install, then installing SNMsynth like a normal install.

Now to figure out what is wrong with my main machine...

Clark.