Multiple Cds?

[Dark_Cobra]

Hello, i dunno if its been asked or discussed, i havnt been able to find the answer. But is it possible to split the install on to multiple cds? Eg: Windows XP install files on one cd, while the $OEM$ files & addons on a seprate?

Right now im up to around 950Mb on the ISO, cutting out as much as I can. I dont have a DVD burner or this wouldnt be a problem. I would like to make a single install set so i can have everything, more or less, installed at once, yet still be "universal" enough to use it on multiple computers.

Thanks in advance.

[Alanoll]

like this: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=8381

[Dark_Cobra]

like this: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=8381

No, not really, i ment a way where it would prompt me to change cds during the install of xp while its copying the $OEM$ & setup files.

OT: A note bout the moderation of this board: Its sad when a MOD has to cramp a thread about deleting repeated topics... but then i guess this forums hasnt reached a stage yet where its seen many people, and the mods arnt old enough to realyze that topics will get "repeated" (and this isnt quite a repeat, as it is slightly different then the other topic), but each to their own I guess. Its also become sad where a mod doesnt help any more, but is a sarcastic lazy bum, and the members follow blingly.

[[BM]Crusher]

if you looked at the other topic properly and understood about the windows setup process, you would understand that what you are asking cannot be done... basically it can't be done because there is no way to script the $OEM$ file copy in any way, shape or form... and you cannot set two OEMFilesPath settings, the second one takes over...

the only way so far to have your apps on 2 cd's is the method mentioned in that post with the batch file to work out the cd drive name and having the disk get changed during the app installation....

it might take an extra minute or two to install off the cd but at least it's possible... anyway, copying the $OEM$ files takes forever because there are no proper drivers installed to enable fast performance, it might even be quicker to install the stuff directly off the cd than having it copied to the hard drive anyway

[dkreifus]

If you check out the Office 2003 installation, it tells you how. I've done it...ill post my code..

CLS
@echo off
TITLE Windows XP SP2 CD 1- Unattended Installation

ECHO.
ECHO Over the next few minutes you will see automated installations 
ECHO of various sofware applications, windows updates, and registry
ECHO tweaks being implemented. The computer will restart automatically
ECHO once the whole process has finished!

ECHO.
ECHO Starting installation of Applications
ECHO.
ECHO Installing TweakUI 2.10 Powertoy
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\TweakUI\TweakUI.msi /qb

.
.
.
ECHO.
ECHO Installing AIM 5.2
ECHO Please wait...
start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Applications\AIM\Install_AIM.exe /s



ECHO.
ECHO Ejecting CD-ROM Drives...
ECHO If you are using a cd rom please remove it from
ECHO the cdrom drive and If you have a second cd place
ECHO it in the drive at this time please.
ECHO.
ECHO If you are using a dvd please remove it
ECHO at this time.
ECHO.
ECHO Wait till the cdrom/dvd drive stops blinking
ECHO and then ...
%systemdrive%\install\tools\cdr.exe open %CDROM%
ECHO.
ECHO Insert CD 2 of the installation and...
PAUSE
%systemdrive%\install\tools\cdr.exe close %CDROM%
PAUSE



SET CDROM2=
IF EXIST D:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=D:
IF EXIST E:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=E:
IF EXIST F:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=F:
IF EXIST G:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=G:
IF EXIST H:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=H:
IF EXIST I:\install\applications.cmd SET CDROM2=I:

Echo CDROM2 is %CDROM2%

ECHO Please be patient while files are copied to your hard drive.
xcopy %CDROM2%\install %systemdrive%\install2\ /S /C /Q /H /Y
ECHO.


start /wait %systemdrive%\install2\applications.cmd


ECHO.
ECHO Restarting the PC in 2 minutes...
shutdown.exe -r -f -t 120 -c "Windows XP will now restart in 2 minutes, this will give enough time for the shortcuts to update and for the shell to fully load before its ready to restart!"


ECHO.
ECHO Removing useless shortcuts...
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Set Program Access and Defaults.lnk"
DEL "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Windows Catalog.lnk"
ECHO Deleting Temp Installation Files...
RD /S /Q %systemdrive%\install
RD /S /Q %systemdrive%\install2

EXIT

[XtremeMaC]

about the search I agree it's not really efficient. but its ipb's fault I believe.

@Alanoll if I were u i'd delete the posts' that don't have any usefull info on them. or make a new thread or add the nice threads that ppl often ask in the "threads of interest thread"

I could do it

[Alanoll]

@Dark Cobra

Now if only you had seen the number of times this particular subject has been brought up. I'm quite new at this, so forgive me if I'm slightly perturbed at repeated posts. When I was a normal user, I've always just wanted to delete the post, or give them a link and close it. But did I close this thread, I think not.

and as for this

No, not really, i ment a way where it would prompt me to change cds during the install of xp while its copying the $OEM$ & setup files.

Like said before, $OEM$ can not be scripted. If you wanted to change the process. BUT seeing as you've dissed me, I'm not as inclined to help all that much anymore. The ONLY way that I can think of at the moment, is to use Windows PE, and have a custom script that copies the files from CD to HDD from both CDs, and THEN starts the install from the new source. It would be like starting from a network share. Though thinking again, it doesn't have to be Windows PE, maybe DOS?

As for helping, it's hard to help when you're not too specific. It's also hard to help, when people only reply (not particularly in this thread) "It doesn't work, Help." but they don't say what worked. Give any frame of reference or even begin to describe the problem.

I most admit, I can be quite sarcastic at times, but anytime I say I'm going to close a thread, it RARELY happens. For this very reason, each thread is slightly different, and the user may explain themselves better in a future post. The ONLY times i have closed a thread is when the thread broke forum rules, in which case I was in my bounds.

Oh, and I'm sorry this forum is nothing like neow1n. But hey, to each their own right?

OT: I'll be going through when I get some time, adding more links to the "Threads of Interest". If anyone has suggestions, please post a reply in that thread, or PM me. They'll be added.

And at the suggestion of the XtremeMac, I've deleted the posts that don't have any useful information. It's said when a user of the board, thinks so lowly of the mods that devote time to the board, and the mod tries to add a little humor (albeit bad humor) to lighten the mood. Next time, I'll be sure to do it in a thread with people I know won't get offended.