edbro Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I am asking strictly for the home users out there. How many of you (I mean us) are building unattended CDs for home use? I have and I realized that I have spent countless hours over many, many days putting it together and tweaking it. All to shave a few minutes off of a normal installation. Is it really worth spending 20+ hours in an attempt to avoid interacting during a 30 minute installation?I am not trying to provoke an argument but that is just my own observation. Having said that, I will probably still work on my unattended CD. I just wondered if anybody else has thought about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyridean Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Some of us do it for the challenge (not me, do you see my title over there on the left?)Me->Some do it because they need one for work and M$ just doesn't do a good job of documenting all the goodies that Aaron and Co. have provided to us, and they certainly don't achieve anywhere near the simplicity and clairity we get there either.Me->And some of us do it because we're lazy, or we reformat our machine constantly (for me: "****, something doesn't work and I can't figure it out"->the solution: "Reformat and Reinstall, because I can't get to MSFN at the moment to ask why!--that's what the 120 gig harddrive is for: backup!") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edbro Posted July 15, 2004 Author Share Posted July 15, 2004 Yes, I tend reformat often also but usually I will use a Ghost image that I take after a clean install and after applying all the tweaking I want. Restoring from an image file is much easier than reinstalling Windows, even from an unattended install.Like you, I enjoy the challenge though. Thats mainly why I'm doing it. I will build my master unattended cd right after SP2 goes final but then I will probably use images after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyridean Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I dunno why, but I just feel..cleaner..if I do an install from an unattended CD, as opposed to an image... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel_98a Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 i am more for the unattended install. i started out just wanting to learn some more about the oses, but what i have learned here is something the MS doesn't always teach. i have managed to cut my install time by @ least 4hrs. i no longer have to seperately install each program, most of it is done for me. so i would say it is worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I like a challenge, I like to learn.It's been interesting making my Unattended and All-in-one CDs and DVDs.With Unattended I can kick-off an install and go off and do other things, saves me loads of time.[EDIT]Lame reply but ya get the message[/EDIT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyridean Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 How about the satisfaction of having something you did actually work the way you wanted to?[Off Topic]BTW Tim, your name reminds me of Tim in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Friends call me....Tim?"[/Off Topic]All my friends like the ones I made for them too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanoll Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Multitasking baby....The image thing is good, if you only use it on that ONE computer. I have 4 (personal, 2 desktops, 2 notebook), and it's alot easier to make the unattended disc then to have to sit through 4 unique installs and install different hardware (my CD determines the system on it's own).It may shave only a few minutes from a usual install, and when you just don't want to enter you ProductKey (got mine memorized from it) everytime you reinstall.The average home user, shouldn't even need a Unattended disc. The average home user doesn't know how to use Windows Update. For simplicity I make my CD, and I have a copy on my HDD so that when I need to update the software or add a patch or two, it takes me 5 minutes, and the burn away, trash the old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 [Off Topic]Here are some of the others I get:Tim, dim but nice (english comedian character)Top Cat (cartoon character, my initials are TC)Not heard about the Monty Python one before, i'll add it to my list [/Off Topic] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edbro Posted July 15, 2004 Author Share Posted July 15, 2004 Yes, I understand if you have multiple computers to set up. That's why I only asked of home users. I see the need for it in a business with lots of computers. I guess I was just questioning myself because I am always complaining that there is not enough time in the day yet I will spend hours debugging a macro that might save a few keystrokes off some given task. Same thing here, I have spent way more time on this than it will ever save me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkPhoenix Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Is it really worth spending 20+ hours in an attempt to avoid interacting during a 30 minute installation?Hmm.. I don't know how many programs you have to install after installing XP, but heh.. doing that for me takes almost half a day, when considering configuration, switching CDs, etc., etc. When I got myself a DVD burner and configured XP once and for all, I just put the DVD into the drive, set up the initial partition(s) during the text-mode, and then go to bed (or to school) and when I wake up (or come home) it's all ready for use. Isn't that convenient, or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koden Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 No it's not worth to use all that time on it, if you only can use the CD on your own computer.But I help a lot of my friends with this CD. I have burned several to my friends, and they are wery happy about it.AND it have learn me a lot about XP and installation, and it looks like that it gives me a new job here in the future, because my company is going to change NT4 with XP.And someone have ask me about how I have done this XP unattended.So it all depends on what you are using the CD to.Buy the way....I have used all the many hours while I was at work :-))Sorry for my spelling....danish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killerbee Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 hi,in my opinion it is woth all the time you spend. Or how long are you sitting in front of your computer reinstalling all applications you need and setting them up so they work the way you like?I' ll always need 3-4h reinstalling my OS attended, so doing it unattended in 40min is it really worth...cyaKiller Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 It may take couple of hours to make your first Unattended Windows XP disc, but after that, updating a 3-6 month old unattended source should take only 10 mins at least, as you only need to add extra hotfixes, or replace applications with newer versions (and in most cases the switches stay the same)So in my opinion, it is worth it, even though I only use it on 2 home workstation PCs. It's also a good learning curve should you ever get a job in IT Administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koden Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 For home 1 users I would use ghost instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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