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Problem "Locating the windows Installation"


RussellXPD

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Hi I'm Russell,  new to NLite. When I saw it I thought it can be the answer the my problem but I've got stuck at the second hurdle.

 

I've got an XP system, 8yo, 40Gb clear space on C drive, 2Gb memory, and a healthy system.

 

Recently I had to reinstall because of a power failure etc etc.

In the process I lost SP3 and a hundred odd updates.

 

From the web pages expertreviews.co.uk I saw that I could use a slipstream process to put SP3 and all the updates back using NLite.  I've got back SP3 and the updates downloaded ready on the PC.

 

NLite downloaded fine but the problem came in locating the the folder with the updates. In my case this was a folder called UDC with all the updates in. When I tried to locate the folder in NLite I got this message:

 

"Make sure that the selected folder or drive contains the i386 or AMD64 directory and proper Windows installations files. nlite is for a preinstall environment .....      Press OK.  Which I did 

 

Going back to Browse I chose the right location again and again the above message came up.

It seems I'm missing one process in the sequence. Could anyone please tell me how to move forward?

 

Russell

 

 

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I think you got it wrong on what nLite really does. nLite transforms an original installation disc (Microsoft XP CD) in a customized installation disc that contains whatever you added or removed (in the limits of what nLite is able to add/remove). nLite does not modify a running Windows.

1st step is to locate the folder where your XP install CD is copied ("locating the Windows Installation"), not where your updates are. You can't skip the 1st step. But I'm not even sure if you want to do this anymore.

Edited by Ponch
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As Ponch said...

Where's your XP (pre-SP3) Source located?

I've got an XP system, 8yo, 40Gb clear space on C drive, 2Gb memory, and a healthy system.

 

Recently I had to reinstall because of a power failure etc etc.

In the process I lost SP3 and a hundred odd updates.

You must have an I386 Source folder "somewhere". :unsure:

 

I believe Ponch is saying "If you already have reinstalled, all you *really* want to do is install the Updates". That is unless you want to integrate using nLite and reinstall *again*?

 

Easiest (maybe) if just install Updates:

1 - Install SP3

2 - Install the first 3 Updates listed in the UDC website (the 2nd one has an executable inside it - extract & run it)

3 - Go to Windows Update and do "custom" and get the list

4 - Install from the UDC folder just those listed

Note that just because you got all of the Latest Updates it doesn't mean that you can install them all since you don't have *all* items Selected (Add/Remove Windows Components), e.g. you *can't* install  the FTP Fix since you won't have that installed.

 

I guess we could ask - by what means did you reinstall? Retail Full/Upgrade or OEM XP, or is it a "Recovery" CD/DVD?

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Thanks Ponch and submix8c

 

I didn't fully understand this, Ponch, tho' I guess you're saying I've got to first of all got to put in the installation disc data and add to that. However it doesn't matter so much now as I 'll explain.   

 

Last Sunday I'd used the XP SP2 CD to format C:\ leaving two other internal drives untouched. It went quite well.

 

Between yesterday and now a number of steps took place and this what happened.

Belarc told me I lacked XP SP3 and 118 updates, several critical.

Using the expertreview website, I managed to download appropriate updates, 140 of them, they went in via UDC.zip and unpacked to UDC folder. 

Also from a YouTube video I saw the exact page process in MS.com needed to download SP3. I'd tried unsuccessfully twice already and got a lecture about migrating to Win 8.1. As you do.

I downloaded and implemented SP3. Wahey!

 

Very pleased, I started using my computer.

Later in the day I discovered the PC was downloading umpteen updates.

After these had been implemented I compared them with the info from Belarc. Which said that now only 4 updates were outstanding.

I located and set up 2 of these.

 

So, the main problem is solved and although it's not a critical issue now, I'm going to try and find out how NLite could have helped me if I'd known how to work it.

 

Thank you both for the advice and corroboration.

 

Russell

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I edited the 1st line of my reply to confirm that nLite starts from an installation disc and produces an installation disc. This shows nLite is not always going to help you save time as you still need a runnning OS to use it at first. So nLite becomes interresting if you are going to REinstall a few times. 

As well, as you discovered, UDC will help you download and integrate updates (via nLite) in the installation disc, not in your running system (though you can use those downloads and integrate them manually but this is not going to help you save any time compared to Windows Update).

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Thanks Ponch

 

I noted your amendment and I agree, I wouldn't be saving time compared to Windows Update, which burst into life when I wasn't expecting it. 

I'll leave well alone now: I'm very happy with my 13 yo OS and I've got a better idea of how NLite can help.

 

R

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