benefits of slipstreaming vs. silent installs

[Sonarcade]

What initially turned me on to the idea of the unattended install was not only due to the fact that it automatically installs my apps, but that it cuts down on clutter, hence increasing stability to the whole system.

I see how much of a time-saver slipstreaming can be and I have no doubts about that.

But as far as stability is concerned, I assumed that slipstreaming hotfixes and service packs can increase the stability of the OS by having the old files discarded or just not installed at all.

My faith in the benefits of unattended installs for apps, however, comes into question when dealing with applications or 3rd party drivers(3rd party in that they're not by MS).

I know no one's under any obligation and may even loathe shedding some light on this issue to a noob or maybe it's a very controversial topic. Who knows? It's just that I'd like to know if I'd be in the same situation stability-wise if I were to just create a batch file that installs all my apps after my slipstreamed unattended install of XP finishes or if I went through the process of learning about the various switches for each of my programs.

Thanks much.

[buletov]

i believe it is the same whether you install the 3rd party drivers manually or make them install unattended. you need the drivers.

[prathapml]

would I be in the same situation stability-wise if I were to just create a batch file that installs all my apps after my slipstreamed unattended install of XP finishes or if I went through the process of learning about the various switches for each of my programs.

Yes.

But if you spelt out your question in a simpler phrase, it'd be easier to know what you're asking. It looked like you have atleast 3 questions in that post there. Well, trying the best to respond to it, but if anything's been left out by me, do post your question in this thread again, (and in simpler phrases, so its easier to respond, point-by-point to 1 question in each sentence).

1. Slip-streaming is for service packs; silent installs is for apps. There's no reason why there's a "1 versus 2" between them.

2. As far as drivers go, yes you can integrate drivers into your install, and we all do it. And even after my 260 integrated drivers, I see no difference in stability - if that hardware is there, its driver is installed, that's all. Your driver's own stability matters of course (if the driver is beta, and is unstable, of course you'll see problems).

3. The apps you install don't by themselves matter to the stability either. If the apps themselves are stable, and if they run fine when you install them normally, its the same case with installing them silently too.

4. You need to anyway go about learning the switches for the apps you install, if you want to do them silently - so I don't know what you mean in that sentence. And whether you use a batch-file is up to you - there's many different methods possible (batch-files, direct from winnt.sif, cmdlines, XML, RunOnceEX, INF, etc.).

Hoping this helps....