Hi everyone...

Searching this board for layout.inf gives so much results that it's hard to

find almost any valuable info...

Most of posts says "do not edit layout.inf" etc....

So my questions will be:

1. What is it for(layout.inf)?

2. Why are we not allowed to edit it(it's signed, i know)?

3. What would change if we could edit layout.inf

4. How will we benefit from it?

Thanks for answers...

Regards.

LAYOUT.INF - Loads all of the Operating System files to disc in preparation for installation

TXTSETUP.INF - Installs all of the Operating System files (do NOT go haywire, commenting everything out!)

A bit of trivia: you can modify LAYOUT and if you slipstream a Service Pack afterward, Windows will think the file is digitally signed.

Removing files from these two by commenting them out was how I got started removing useless Windows components. You need a hacked SYSSETUP.DLL or SETUPAPI.DLL to avoid errors.

A bit of trivia: you can modify LAYOUT and if you slipstream a Service Pack afterward, Windows will think the file is digitally signed.

Interesting! Even funny (;

Removing files from these two by commenting them out was how I got started removing useless Windows components. You need a hacked SYSSETUP.DLL or SETUPAPI.DLL to avoid errors.

Indeed, yesterdy and last night i worked on setupapi.dll to patch it

so i can edit layout.inf. It's done now... And it's a bit different from patch that can be found on your home page(which i saw number of times but only few minutes ago i saw patch for setupapi.dll)... (;

Anyway. While "working" on setupapi.dll and others i found something that could be

interesting to someone here(maybe)...

There is TestCert key that can be used under [unattended] section of your answer file.. Seems to me that this is path to your "test" certificate.

So, if i'am not wrong it could be possible to sign files by us and make it working...

I searched a littlebit on this board for TestCert but nothing came up...

Regards

There is TestCert key that can be used under [unattended] section of your answer file..

Hm. More info here:

http://www.google.com/search?q=testcert+un...3Amicrosoft.com

LAYOUT.INF - Loads all of the Operating System files to disc in preparation for installation

TXTSETUP.INF - Installs all of the Operating System files (do NOT go haywire, commenting everything out!)

A bit of trivia: you can modify LAYOUT and if you slipstream a Service Pack afterward, Windows will think the file is digitally signed.

Removing files from these two by commenting them out was how I got started removing useless Windows components. You need a hacked SYSSETUP.DLL or SETUPAPI.DLL to avoid errors.

How can i patch syssetup and setupapi ? I loaded both files into pe explorer but i cant find out where to disable the signature thing for layout.dll is....

I'd gladly take some help here ^^

best regards

- air

Use mine. Download my ZIP and extract SETUPAPI.DL_ and put it in i386. Rename your old one .OLD or something.

Also, open LAYOUT.INF and do a search and replace of ",_x," to ",," (comma underscore x comma to comma comma) and save the change. (_x instructs windows to check exact filesize, and if you edit LAYOUT, you need to remove all of these)

Thanks, but i was kinda looking for a patch for win2003

Here you go then

very nice THX =)

Does anyone know if theres a tutorial how to patch setupapi.dll ?

would be nice to know =)

thx in advance

- air

Just use any hex editor to remove the _x like he said.

-gosh

just editing layout.inf doesnt work, setup craps out on gui start.... so is there really no tutorial for setupapi hacking ? :/

just editing layout.inf doesnt work, setup craps out on gui start.... so is there really no tutorial for setupapi hacking ? :/

Why not try the one on my site?

2000, XP, 2003 included.

Edited December 24, 200817 yr by fdv

just to clarify something:

if i edit the layout.inf and then slipstream SP3 into i can use my modified layout.inf without any other required changes or do i always have to use a modified SYSSETUP.DLL or SETUPAPI.DLL?

I'm currently in those problems. if gui-mode setup starts a fatal error occours which tells me that the signatur for windows xp setup is invalid.

Thank you very much!

Edited December 23, 200817 yr by an3k

if i edit the layout.inf and then slipstream SP3 into i can use my modified layout.inf without any other required changes or do i always have to use a modified SYSSETUP.DLL or SETUPAPI.DLL?

It seems like you have to use a hacked DLL. I really don't recall; I have been using hacked DLLs forever. I wouldn't think of doing it any other way.