Unattended Website Additions

[Alanoll]

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

I've recieved permission to update the unattended guide. Now to accomplish this in a timely manner....weeks instead of months...gonna need some help. Not the writting portion or anything like that, just gathering information.

Any suggestions for additions will be considered, but not promised to be added.

If you are referencing a topic that was discussed on the forum, and feel it should be on the site, then please provide a link to it in your post. Do NOT PM unless I tell you to.

I'll try to keep a running list in this post (not topic, but this VERY post) of any suggestions so they are not repeated. Please read the thread to see if your suggestion has been made...

I'll get to work on it soon, after the Winamp MSI since I've already said I'd do that, so that should give you all time to accomplish suggesting most things.

That is all,

Alanoll

Already requested:

• Make a clear recommendation that people test their CDs/ISOs with some Virtual-Machine emulating app. I did not have anyone telling me that, and wasted 5 CDs or more, till I got round to that method for testing the installs.
  
• Registry Tweaks Category
  
• update switches to include all the new programs
  
• update cleanup.cmd
  
• provide link to Simonsay's software, Alanoll, RyanVM, BashRat, totoymola etc. who hv made special installers or msi.
  
• The 1,2,3 steps that are current, are not up to date. There is software out there now (nLite, XPcreate, xplode, etc) that make it much easier to make the persons first uA.
  
• uA isnt all about getting application switchs and what so not anymore. There are the pretty aspects such as the setup screen (WINNTBBU.DLL) and other stuff posted Giving Your Windows Cosmetic Surgery
  
• Informing about the existence of the "/?" switch to find out switches is a good idea.
  
• The guide in its present state has a single layout - and you need to choose to read which pages you want, whether you are a beginner (simple) or advanced.
  
• I would ike to see more separation between RunOnceEx and GuiRunOnce methods. Noobs accidently mix these 2 together.
  

Edited November 23, 2004 by Alanoll

[MAVERICKS CHOICE]

Here Here!

[prathapml]

1. Make a clear recommendation that people test their CDs/ISOs with some Virtual-Machine emulating app. I did not have anyone telling me that, and wasted 5 CDs or more, till I got round to that method for testing the installs.

Suggestions by RyanVM:

2. http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/installhotfixes.htm

might help if this page actually had content

3. some of the beginner's stuff could probably be updated for more clarity.

[Astalavista]

Suggestion:

Advice Newbies or First Timers to use VM or CDRW or DVD +RW

1. Registry Tweaks Category

2. update switches to include all the new programs

3. explain how to tell from installshield installer and wise installer & what switches to use.

4. update cleanup.cmd

5. provide link to Simonsay's software, Alanoll, RyanVM, BashRat, totoymola etc. who hv made special installers or msi.

[oioldman]

With ref to switches for Apps, in that section can we highlight more obviously, that people use the Search function before asking, and that they realise the /? will assist as well.

Based on fact there was a bit of dicussion by older members, not wanting to respond on often repeated topics.

The cmdlines.txt - When I first read this, I thought that I needed one for each command added to it for retweaks | useraccounts etc. (May be my way of reading) but is it possible to say that multiple can be added into it?

[Zilevoli]

Whew ... I am back and I am glad to see this thread starting.

When I first started making a uA, I relied heavily on the forums. I only refered to the site for minor things. But here goes my first suggestion.

----IDEA 1----

The 1,2,3 steps that are current, are not up to date. There is software out there now (nLite, XPcreate, xplode, etc) that make it much easier to make the persons first uA.

Basically there should be a quick guide using specific software. I would definately mention an organization of folders as well. Its mentioned somewhere on the site but within the quick guide would be a GREAT idea.

Windows_uA_Stuff

-XP_Orig_CD

-XP_uA

--OEM

and so forth. Organization is very important as I have found out so yeah ... I hope you stress it too.

--IDEA 2----

Take any links that refer to the Forum and organize it for the site itself. I really dont like reading through mindless posts that have no informational value, just there to take time reading.

--IDEA 3--

Picture is worth a thousand words ... and in some cases very informational. Tells the person they are on the right track and so on. So on a step by step basis ... take pictures.

--IDEA 4--

uA isnt all about getting application switchs and what so not anymore. There are the pretty aspects such as the setup screen (WINNTBBU.DLL) and other stuff posted Giving Your Windows Cosmetic Surgery

--IDEA 5--

Kinda coming from IDEA 4. Those stickys ... if they are so important ... put them on the site.

I hope this helps get the noodle going and I hope you can organize this in a fashion that noobs and advanced users alike will enjoy going through the site. Obvious alot of reading and writing and rewriting is ahead ... good luck and ask for help when you need it.

[CoffeeFiend]

I have to suggest my old registry tweaks and switches database idea (with forms to search, submit, results, etc). I do know it's a lot of work (not so much to create the pages that accesses the DB, but mostly to populate the DB). Perhaps let everybody submit entries that have to be accepted by mods... I could do something like that, but I'm so not hosting this on my server

Other than that, I think there's already a lot to upgrade and add on the site without having to add too many suggestions. Ideally, you'd need more than a couple ppl to work on it as there's lots of work to do.

[prathapml]

The cmdlines.txt - When I first read this, I thought that I needed one for each command added to it for retweaks | useraccounts etc.  (May be my way of reading) but is it possible to say that multiple can be added into it?

Very right!

I find cmdlines.txt very important/useful - most of my uA work is scheduled to happen thru it. Considering its importance, its amazing how little info is available in the guide. Please have atleast a 4-line run-through of things-to-know in the cmdlines section. And don't dare forget to include an example cmdlines.txt!

Informing about the existence of the "/?" switch to find out switches is a good idea.

And one important thing:

The guide in its present state has a single layout - and you need to choose to read which pages you want, whether you are a beginner (simple) or advanced.

I think having it in two variations of the main index.htm (but links will link to same pages in both pages) will be a good idea. I mean.... one index.htm will list only the pages that are simple for a beginner to understand, and another "advanced" Index page that has all the explosive bang-bang stuff.

(where, stuff= whatever is currently present, and whatever you're gonna add)

[Astalavista]

I have to suggest my old registry tweaks and switches database idea (with forms to search, submit, results, etc). I do know it's a lot of work (not so much to create the pages that accesses the DB, but mostly to populate the DB). Perhaps let everybody submit entries that have to be accepted by mods... I could do something like that, but I'm so not hosting this on my server

Other than that, I think there's already a lot to upgrade and add on the site without having to add too many suggestions. Ideally, you'd need more than a couple ppl to work on it as there's lots of work to do.

as prathapml has said before just do it. and contribute it

[CoffeeFiend]

as prathapml has said before just do it. and contribute it

Hmm, I don't recall him saying that...

The original idea was a stand alone app/db, but that meant updating all the content myself, and providing download mirrors and everything (definately too much). The online version is a new thought (in fact, I already got something, but it's asp/mssql based, and redoing it all in php/mysql isn't planned (yet?).

Anways, we'll see.

[oioldman]

I agree with prathapml about having a simple and advanced versions of the doc - It still answers some questions i have!

Think you'd best decide what is actually needed, or you'll never get it finished as people will want more & more added!

I feel that the basics should be

create a slipstream

add h/w drivers

create winnt.sif

make iso

burn it

The extra's about apps, setup screens etc, should be available, but maybe under it works!. As in

beginner - gets it working

it works - it works with no errors, now add apps, setup screens

advanced - extra detailed info

[Astalavista]

Juat an idea for registry tweaks... check this page out their format is pretty good. but they dont hv all our special tweaks.

but the format is not bad http://www.winguides.com/registry/

[MHz]

-> Firstly, would like to see any progressing changes that may happen tabled in the first post.

-> I would ike to see more separation between RunOnceEx and GuiRunOnce methods. Noobs accidently mix these 2 together.

PDF's are great. One for each type of methods as above.

-> Clear warning that only All Users and Default User accounts only!!! exist in $Docs folder.

-> Mention of application switches forum and other forums for help involved by need and expertise.

-> The msfn unattended cd guide needs more, clearer advertising. Most noobs do not know of it's existence, even til the end of their project. Same with deployment tools. This is a important to save commonly known basic questions and let the level of knowledge rise.

[xper]

The msfn unattended cd guide needs more, clearer advertising. Most noobs do not know of it's existence, even til the end of their project. Same with deployment tools. This is a important to save commonly known basic questions and let the level of knowledge rise.

Something like this?

[MHz]

@xper

That is great advertising for msfn and unattended cd's. But my point is the links to the unattended guide itself? Even have a link positioned right under that banner to the guide. Or a button or something on the home page for the guide? So it will be go un-noticed?

Just throwing up some idea's.