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[Release]: XPize (Off Topic)


XPero

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@keytotime

1)Increases install time? What by two minutes, the only time you'll ever install it? If you can't spare two minutes you must lead a very important life.

2) Increases size of XP cd? By 4.5mb? If you aren't using any $OEM$ folders on your cd your XP installation would easily fit on a cd with room to spare anyway.

3) Increases size of XP when installed?... only because it backs up your files and it keeps the resources on your system so the updater will work. If you don't want that stuff just delete the XPize folder in your Windows directory (it's hidden by default). Just keep in mind if you delete the whole folder you can't use the update feature or the uninstaller. And it only increases the size of XP by maybe 50mb or so. If you can't spare that much space on your hard drive you need a new hard drive.

4) Increases time needed to install xp. Yes, like number 1, by another two minutes maybe. How many times do you install xp? And if you have the time to install xp over and over I think you can spare a couple of minutes.

5) It does not force the use of $OEM$ folders. You don't have to use it unattended. Just install it after you've installed XP. Once again, I doubt you reinstall XP every day or even week, and even if you do it takes only a couple minutes to install XPize from the installer. Go get a drink of water or something while you wait. And even if you have to use $OEM$ folders, that takes maybe a minute to setup if you're already using an unattended winnt.sif file.

@klasa

The updater cannot be an extra in the classic pack. It does not work that way. The installer copies the raw resources (icons, bitmaps, avis) to the system, moddifies the file on your machine, and then writes the file size of the newly moddified file to the registry. The updater then compares the file size stored in the registry with the file size of the actual file on the system. If the sizes differ, the file is updated, if the sizes are the same the file is left alone.

Not only that, but the updater requires that the raw resources be stored on the computer, so that it can mod the new file with the resources. Meaning in an unattended pack, where the resource folders aren't copied over to the computer, the updater can't update the file because no resources exist on the system. How's it gonna update the file if it can't find any info in the registry and the resources aren't on the system to mod the file with? Not to mention the updater requires certain tools to do what it does and to replace the file, because it's actually done on restart using a special method.

There is no way the updater can be done seperately without the installer.

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It's not like the installer includes spyware or copies a lot of weird stuff to extra folders or even makes your system slower. Everything needed is in the Windows directory in a folder called "XPize". All registry values are written to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\XPize". Pretty simple and clean.

It's a heck of a lot easier to use an $OEM$ install with the XPize installer that works for any file versions, than it is to update the compressed files for every update and make a new xp cd, or to even do it yourself. Once more hotfixes are released, none of the original files in the classic pack will have the same file versions, requiring XPero to update them constantly, which is a pain. Not only does he have to update the files, then you have to makecab all the new files and modpe them, rezip them and find a place to host them again, and let everyone know the files have been updated.

Not only that but having the actual system files isn't smart. Some of the files differ on XP home and XP pro, because XP home doesn't have all the exact features of Pro, and therefore certain dialogs and strings are different or missing. Plus the files would only be in one language, meaning other people would have to make other classic packs for new languages or only English users could use it.

Plus if you do include actual compressed cab files on your cd that are from a bunch of hotfixes, when you reinstall XP, Windows has no idea that those files are from the hotfixes. When you visit Windows update it thinks those hotfixes haven't been installed, even if the files on the system are from newer updates.

READ THIS

If you're still REALLY wanting to include the files in your cd without the installer, you can do this. Once you are ready to make a new XP cd because you're going to reformat, install XPize with the installer, but do NOT restart. You will find all of the newly moddified files in the Windows directory in a the folder XPize\NewFiles (XPize will be hidden by default). You can copy all of the files to a new folder or even move them out of that folder. If you move the files out of the folder and restart, it won't hurt anything. You just won't have the new moddified files installed on your machine.

You can then makecab and modpe all of the files you just copied, add them to your XP cd, and there you go, an XP cd with YOUR correct language and version files all with the XPize resources. This method allows everyone to do it, whether you're on XP Pro, Home, Media Center Edition, Server 2003, SP1, SP2, German, French etc.

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flyakite: About the "READ THIS", so why isn't possible to create a simple "updater" that does this same changes over the installation files, instead of needing to mess with the current windows install files (they could not be the latest versions).

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@flyakite:

:thumbup

@kalavera:

Install Windows with only SP2 integrated (no hotfixes). Install XPize and follow what flyakite have said in his "read this". Save the files on a safe place and you will have the "classic" XPize pack for every reformat ;)

PS: I'm on a trip. Sorry for not replying.

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XPero: the problem is that sometimes i don't have the latest windows version with all the updates installed, and then i prepare my unattended cd with the latest RyanVM update pack, etc and also with the latest XPized files. Having a tool that could update those files without having to install windows to get them would be the best!

One thing: in the mmc.exe the toolbar icons are a bit strange, specially the help and the back and forward disabled icons.

Thanks

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XPero: Can you change the installer so you can choose where the files are located? This way we could point to our i386 dir, patching the files (of course, unpacking them first if needed, patching, modpe, and repacking).

This way would be the best of two worlds with just one installer :)

Also ... if possible fix the mmc.exe graphics i mentioned above (just run mmc.exe from start...run and you will see)

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The installer will be redesigned so it will have a custom page that has two options:

1) Integrate XPize into the i386 directory of a custom XP CD

2) Install XPize

Hope this solve all problems some people got when I decided to get rid of "classic packs".

EDIT: It will take time to develop it...dont expect it for tomorrow...

XPero

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