Complete advice for beginners?

[Coolsights2000]

Coolsights2000, you gonna keep that reg entry for the master profile to yourself? Or, at least what do I use for a search criteria. I figured that most of these would go under the all users or default users profile as there is only one account for me.

I don't understand what you mean...

If your qusetions is where do they go... It all depends on where the programs looks for the key...

If the key is looked for in the HKLM ... then putting it in the HKCU will do you no good..... You have to put the key where it will be looked for by the program ,,,,,,

You canNOT just make up a key cause the lights will be on but nobody will be home ......

The regsiter is just a gaint Phone book.... Have you ever looked up an address in a old phone book just to find out it was dead when you called.... same with the register...

Settings are all over the place and you have to put them in the right place,,,,,,,

Hope this helps,,,,,,,

Look over this site

http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&guide=registry

Sit in your own set or you will be marked absent............

[Sulfurious]

Then I switch on the hidden default desktop ....... and do my silent installs from the HKCU run........ ALL ACCOUNTS are created from the hidden profiles,, Hard to explain it here,,, once you create a profile no one else will get what you install... LONG story once you understand how the register works you will go DOH.....

This is what I was referring to. Swithcing on the hidden default desktop. Perhaps I just missed the thread that spoke of this. Are you talking about the admin desktop? I don't understand, but I am curious about it.

sul.

[Coolsights2000]

IT is my bed time but here is a copy and past from an old post of mine from another site...............

I don't use user account because of the way the register works... I hate the way it works... 

Think of the register this way it is a cd player with a multi CD disc tray,,, one tray has a CD with a lid over it is sealed you can not log onto the spot never.... all the rest of the trays are open face.... you switch CD's when you change users.. The admin slot is open face... just like the rest IT IS THE SAME AS ALL USERS but it has a different number IN THE REGISTER... and they use a B.S> name called admin.. it is a regular desktop... profile.... what ever you want to call it... 

here is the kicker if some one messes up there cd you can replace that... But if someone messes up the CD player(the CD player is the shared part of the register) you are all screwed,,,, 
EVEN THE ADMIN ACCOUNT is history... 

on my computer I have managed to not use the admin account(never created one) it is really a joke slot... And I have removed the seal from the hidden default profile.. 
I have no users... The only user is the HIDDEN default desktop that I remove the seal from.... 

The problem is most software when you install it on bob's desktop tom and jane and bill will not see it... 

If bill changes stuff to his liking like the knobs on the front of the CD player you all get that setting......... 

One other thing is all desktop are created from the hidden sealed desktop which never gets updated again once you start to use users,,,, 
windows XP forces you to create a user when it gets done installing so you are screwed from the start.... 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
So to answer you question to install before or after what you install will be seen on that desktop you are on.. and when you creat a new user they get a copy of the sealed CD,,, Not what you added ...... I hope you can also see how that will affect the rest of the register the shared part... some programs will not install on a second desktop cause they see it in the shared part of the register... what a mess........... They will ask do you want to repair or remove... OH boy things are getting hairy here,,, they see the uninstall register keys... 

I use a combo of Vb script and register files to remove the sealed tray cover ... 
I have one CD and one CD player box......... 

I use moble hard drive docks to switch users,,,, 
when you want to use the computer you slide your hard drive in... SO now if you f-up yours ... Tom bill and jane still have perfectly good desktop and hard drives.. 

Just remember all users share parts of the same register ... 

........ NOT GOOD....... 

So even by limiting them they still can screw the shared part of the register or program folders up.... 

Limited account is a joke to................ 

I guess I better shut up now!... The windows register is one of my pet peeves...... just like Ex smokers are worse than people that never smoked. and you will see non-smokers giving a smoker a bad time while the non smoker is burning there brain with a cell phone by there ear.... 

Hope this helps.... 
Mac!

[Coolsights2000]

Here are the files for my trick of the eye

Don't know if you have used rapidshare

http://rapidshare.de/files/1582742/_OEM_.zip.html

also uploaded them here as an attachment

MACtote.zip

[Sulfurious]

Fascinating. That would explain a few things. I always created a new admin account because I noticed that what I installed on the default one would not neccassarily show up on futute accounts. Now I understand why. Very nice.

Some questions though. In spending every spare evening on researching this stuff, I am leaning more towards learing the .inf stuff. Can someone clear a few things up for me?

If I use winnt.sif and the guirunonce can I use .inf files?

If I use winnt.sif, not using guirunonce but using runonceex instead, can I still use .inf files?

I can see the differences between the guirunonce and runonce methods, and I can see how using an .inf can put reg values in or out, and how they can be installed by right clicking on them.

I haven't found the thread yet that tells me this: Do I edit the default hive .inf's on the source cd at all? Or am I using cmdlines.txt to call the setup.inf? I know both will work, and I see that a lot of threads show many different .inf's for different purposes, such as killing services. Am I calling a setup2.inf from the cmdlines.txt file, and then a setup3.inf after that?

Soooo much info here, and the threads all have 75+ posts. Takes a long time to dig around, and after the first 3 or 4 pages of the thread, I am heading down a different trail.

Is there a MASTER thread on the different methods of using .inf's and the proper sequencing? I have resorted to copy/pasting a LOT of this site in an attempt to put some order to all these bit's and pieces of examples.

Oh well, at this rate another 3 or 4 weeks and I should have it compiled enough to see what each method does, when to sequence it, and some basic examples of them and thier diffences to couterparts.

Not that the guide isn't good, because it is. I just need to know a bit more. A control freak to absurd proportions I am. Why. Why. Why. Curiosity killed that cat and all.

Sheesh this is a huge site, and a huge topic.

Sure am having fun tho.

Thanks for any new pointers.

sul.

[Coolsights2000]

To answer all you questions down and dirty,,,

It doesn't really matter how you do it, Just so long as the job gets done.....

The only key issue is where you install the stuff at. Will your settings get written over later done the line.... On some programs you have to add the register keys then install the program then redo the keys cause they get over written.....

That is why I inject my hive settings twice....... I don't change the default hives.... I just add mine... there is a thread some where on my hives settings

here is my latest hive settings this is how I like mine....

http://rapidshare.de/files/1637589/HiveInf.zip.html

I use mostly use CMD VBS REG and then INF files........

winrar SFX files too ... and the msi and exe files

You will never be able to use just one kind of potato chip...

MaC!

[Sulfurious]

Hmm. RapidShare seems to not like me. I loosed up my web settings all the way, and still not working. Any chance you can attach it like you did with the other file?

sul.

[Coolsights2000]

here you go

HiveInf.zip

[Sulfurious]

Well, after much reading and a little playing, I am still not quite sure of a few things.

So, I can use a inf to run my installs of apps like adobe or whatever. Or an inf to add or delete registry settings. One way to call my inf is from cmdlines.txt. But I am missing something.

On a typical uA install, after the contents are copeid to the hdd, and I assume before a reboot for the gui portion, is this where anything happens? I have read some bits and pieces that something happens here, but I could not find it again.

If nothing happens there, then I am assuming that I want to get as much as I can installed/tweaked during the gui portion of setup, before a first logon. Is this where the inf files are processed? Is this where cmdlines.txt is processed? Is there another way of calling my inf files other than cmdlines.txt.

Pardon me, but I have read so many different ways, I am really struggling to piece it together. I understand that as long as it works just go with it and all. But

Hmmm. Let's say I have 3 infs. One for reg adds, one for deletes or changing things, and one for installing apps. If I wanted to get these to run before first logon, where COULD I call them from?

Now, let's say that I called them from cmdlines.txt. And I think that it does it during gui setup. So, assuming those tweaks and apps are finished, I would now use runonceex? Or runonce? I have seen both. Some stuff led me to believe that runonceex was a inf file that (in this case) put reg entries into the machine so that on first login whatever was there (such as installing an app from an app folder that is on my root, that was installed via the $OEM$ method). And then I am wondering about runonceex. The guide says to use it as runonceex.cmd, and put an entry into

cmdlines.txt to start it. Is it the same thing, only being put there via a standard regadd batchfile? And does it do it at the same time? Because it is from the cmdlines.txt file.

So, either way, I call it from cmdlines.txt?

Again, forgive me. I usually snap this kind of stuff up in me little brain. I just haven't found that one thread that has clarified the processes which are available.

I keep thinking,

create custom inf--call it from cmdlines.txt--create runonce inf--call from cmdlines.txt

But I think I am missing something.

Am I, or am I finally really and truly just annoying?

Thanks yet again fer any help.

sul.

[Sulfurious]

Hmm. Learning more here. As per a post by greenmachine, this is the order

runonce

run

runonceex

runex

And also this by greenmachine

You will have some quote issues with that example. For the price of one reboot, you can find out: RunOnce and RunOnceEx keys are NOT windows setup keys, they are processed everytime the system boots (HKLM) or the user logs on (HKCU). Import the reg settings, reboot, and voila!

Does this mean that when I use an inf to put the reg entries in runonceex, that they will be used on every boot? I know to look in those areas for rogue apps and stuff.

And now I am seeing more mention of using guirunonce. I thought that was the not preferred method. Specifically it was talking about using it to install apps.

who would have thought building a simple uA cd could be so full of differences.

sul.

[Coolsights2000]

Somebody needs to point you to a link explaining the run key combinations....

there are HKLM and HKCU run key combo's ........

OK somebody has to have a link......

I install stuff from the HKCU run key..... Just because I think stuff needs to be installed on that side of the boot proceeder.......

I don't install any thing from the HKLM run keys........

and I reboot after each install ...........

ONE of my pet peeves with the run keys.......

and on the main site you will find the install time line and what happens .....

I just doctored up my cmdlines.txt to call a file called T-12stage.cmd

it installs allot of stuff,,, no programs

This is just for lighting of windows /// This all happens before the first users is created... things are added to that hidden default user with the wrapper over the CD........ In the end my trick of the eye default user is made then after it log into that profile SID is added and then reboots to use the hidden default user...

This is just to show you it still depends on how you want to do stuff

I have a combo of stuff here

cmdow @ /HID
@echo off
Cls
TITLE Installing T-12 Stage Stuff

ECHO.
ECHO Install Hive/Register tweaks This makes the Windows Desktop, IE and explore(File Manager) how I like them ..

start /wait rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 C:\Install\HiveInf\HIVEMY.INF
start /wait rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 C:\Install\HiveInf\HIVEadva.inf
start /wait rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 C:\Install\HiveInf\HIVEexpl.inf
start /wait rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 C:\Install\HiveInf\HIVEStre.inf
start /wait rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 C:\Install\HiveInf\HIVEsite.inf

ECHO.
ECHO Merging Regedit Favorites

start /wait REGEDIT /S C:\Install\MergeReg\RegeditFavorites.reg

ECHO.
ECHO Merging Restricted Sites and Blocked active-X

start /wait REGEDIT /S C:\Install\Securityfiles\blocklist.reg
start /wait REGEDIT /S C:\Install\Securityfiles\ie-ads.reg
start /wait REGEDIT /S C:\Install\Securityfiles\adult.reg

ECHO.
ECHO Change attrib of files copied from the DVD to not readonly *** one line does all ***

start /wait attrib -R "%programfiles%\*.*" /S /D

ECHO.
ECHO Create "Default User" User Account Will be deleted later

net user "Default User" /add
net localgroup Administrators "Default User" /add
net accounts /maxpwage:unlimited

ECHO.
ECHO Auto-Login Settings

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
REG ADD %KEY% /V DefaultUserName /t REG_SZ /D "Default User" /f
REG ADD %KEY% /V DefaultPassword /t REG_SZ /D "" /f
REG ADD %KEY% /V AutoAdminLogon /t REG_SZ /D "1" /f

;Disable ASPNET and Administrator User not going to use them anyway

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
REG ADD %KEY% /V ASPNET /t REG_DWORD /D 0X00000000 /f
REG ADD %KEY% /V Administrator /t REG_DWORD /D 0X00000000 /f

ECHO.
ECHO ShutDown Services Not Needed

Start /wait C:\Install\Services\SerToshu.cmd

;After First login change to the Hidden "Default user" Then reboot

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
REG ADD %KEY%\999 /V 1 /D "REG ADD HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce /V SID.cmd /D "C:\Install\SID\SID.cmd" /f" /f

EXIT