Easier Virtual PC usage?

[Fascix]

Hi

As i am sitting here waiting for my Virtual PC to finish installing Windows XP for the 10000 time i was thinking, is there a easier and faster way to test the changes i have made.

As for now when i test the changes i have done is:

1. Make an ISO of everything

2. Start up Virtual PC

3. Reboot it and load up the Windows text install

4. Install it (witch takes AGES)

Possible to just keep all my apps i have in the ISO in C:\Install\Applications and then run runonceex.cmd and reboot? would that do the trick for changes to atleast THAT file?

Any idea´s or am i just beeing a "lazy f*ck"

[MHz]

Possible to just keep all my apps i have in the ISO in C:\Install\Applications and then run runonceex.cmd and reboot? would that do the trick for changes to atleast THAT file?

Any idea´s or am i just beeing a "lazy f*ck"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not lazy, but smart. If your OS installation is fine, then testing your application installs, can be done in a separate process. Virtual PC, can be setup to not save changes, so you can test your application installations very quickly. It only takes a reboot to test.

[Fascix]

Ehy ehy ehy.. stop right there sir!!!

Intresting most defenetly intresting?

Iam not quite sure what you meen, please explain further!

Thanx

[Martin Zugec]

Install core of OS - save image - test what you need - turn off virtual machine WITHOUT saving changes

[Fascix]

I appriciate your replies guys but i still dont get it.

Call me dumb, call me an id*** but fact remains i dont get it?

What do you meen core of os

Like i install Win XP using my orginal cd on Virtual PC first?

Then "save image" i am all lost what image?

then test what you need... whaaa i am all lost

Sorry for this but if i could just understand this i would finish this UA DVD soooo much sooner

Maby i need a fool proof id*** guid whit pics and stuff haha no but seriously. maby a little mini guide atleast!

Thanx alot

[Fascix]

Anyone?

[oioldman]

Exactly what you said.

If you read the Virtual PC user guide it will tell you, you can have multiple OSes installed at different stages so you can do that.

Install The OS as you want it, saving the image.

Then run the image and install apps etc, then when you close the image you have two opens, close and save changes, close do not save changes.

You choose your option.

[Achdine]

You can do save states with VMware as well, and VMware seems to run much faster and with fewer problems than Virtual PC (at least on my computer). It's also more user friendly. Highly recommended.

[jack99]

VM workstation 5 kicks azzch lov it. very stable .

[MHz]

Basically, you can test single parts of your installation.

• Make a bare WinXP + SP2 ISO.
  
• Install windows from this ISO.
  
• Install Virtual PC Additions, then reboot.
  
• Shut down the Virtual OS.
  
• Look at the Virtual PC Console window. You should see buttons New, Settings, Remove and Start. Press the Settings button.
  
• In the new window, Go to Undo Disks. Check the Enable Undo Disks checkbox.
  
• This is optional, Go to Close, at the bottom left. Select Automatically close without a message and:. Then select Turn off and delete changes, from the combobox.
  
• You should be able to click the OK button to complete the setup.
  

You now have a basic installation of Win XP + SP2. When you boot it up, any changes made, is saved to a separate file, not to the Virtual OS image. This separate file, will be deleted, when you shut it down. This gives a perfect testing environment.

Start

You can now, boot up the Virtual OS. If you have for example, a runonceex method, that installs from cd. You should see in the toolbar, CD. In the dropdown, you will see Capture CD Image. Select this, and select the Win XP + SP2 ISO image with all your software on it. It should mount on the Virtual OS. You can then browse the mounted ISO, and click on the Runonceex.cmd. This will add the entries to the registry. All you need to do then, is reboot the Virtual OS. The Virtual OS will reboot into the runonceex period, and will start installing the software.

This is the similar as testing your software before, but you already have a clean installation of windows. If the software installation, did not work, as it should. Then you you can shutdown the Virtual OS, and the changes made, example, all of your software installations, are deleted.

You can make changes required to your unattended ISO, and test again, by going to the Start, on this page, in blue. Your fresh installation of Win XP + SP2 is ready, when you boot Virtual PC again. This enables you, to quickly test your software installation, without installing windows with it, each time.

[matthewk]

Give this one a go: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=48629

I am still new to all of this, and I managed to get it going with my first compiled nLite iso in less than a minute. It took it a little while to boot; it is detecting devices right now and doing the install.

Edited June 17, 2005 by matthewk