Converting Pro to MCE

[Bezalel]

This MS article http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/sitpcdep.mspx discusses how to use sysprep to deploy TabletPC from a Pro image. Can a simular method be used to convert a Pro install (from CD1 or upgraded with CD1) to MCE.

[KamiQuazi]

Wrong, did u read the whole document?

Before You Begin

We recommend that you complete the following tasks before you begin implementing the steps in this document: 
•	

Obtain the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 media. The Windows XP Professional media do not include the necessary files for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
•	

Obtain a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 volume licensing key. For more information about volume licensing, see the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site.
•	

Understand the Sysprep process that is described in the article, Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. For more information, see the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this document.
•	

If you are not using an existing deployment image, or you would like more information about deployments, visit the Windows XP Professional Deployment Web site. This site contains detailed information about how to plan and build your base image for the systems in your enterprise.

It requires both CDs... not just one

[tkmadison]

It requires both CDs... not just one

Interestingly enough, I was just browsing a computer in a local retailer (I believe it was an HP model) that was running on Media Center.

I noticed in the C:\ directory a folder called CMPNTS (or something like that).

Within that folder were three others: one was labelled MediaCenter; the second was TabletPC, and ... well, I don't remember the third...

Anyway, each of THOSE directories had within them an I386 folder.

In the MediaCenter I386 folder there were three CAB files, and that was it.

The TabletPC version had a lot of files...i didn't look it over too much.

My question sort of follows the original for this thread...does this mean that the two (or three, the computer seemed to be running a straight-up xp pro) can all be integrated on a single cd or something?

Is it these files that are required (not necessarily the entire CD) in order to convert xp pro to mce?

[K e n]

It requires both CDs... not just one

Interestingly enough, I was just browsing a computer in a local retailer (I believe it was an HP model) that was running on Media Center.

I noticed in the C:\ directory a folder called CMPNTS (or something like that).

Within that folder were three others: one was labelled MediaCenter; the second was TabletPC, and ... well, I don't remember the third...

I actually own a genuine set of holographic OEM MCE2005 CD's bought off ebay,

came with a peice of dead ram.

The 3 folders your'e talking about are = mediactr, netfx, tabletpc, all 3 of those folders have an

i386 folder in them.

What I would like to know is what file on the 1st CD determines whether or

not the setup becomes Tablet instead of Media Center, if possible that is.

The reason I ask is I own a genuine VLK MSDN set of XP missing the disk 1 of Tablet PC but

own disk 2, to my knowlwedge disk 1 is just XP pro similar to MCE setup disks.

Edited October 28, 2005 by K e n

[getwired]

The product key, not any one file, specifies whether a Pro install will be Pro, Tablet, or MCE. But to do that requires CD2 and a retail or OEM copy of Windows XP Pro (which is all "CD1" ever is).

[prathapml]

XPMCE2005-CD1 & XPproSP2 - the two discs are almost the same, except slight differences:

5 files in the I386 folder.

& the CMPNENTS folder.

[jdeboeck]

Just 5 files? MCE2005 has media player 10 builtin, while SP2 does not.

The product key determines which version will be installed.

Unfortunately there are no VLK product keys for MCE.

So you can only mix and match between OEM cds.

Edited October 29, 2005 by jdeboeck

[prathapml]

The thing to remember here is, you cant use an XPproSP2 CD + MCE CD2, & expect to enter an MCE key & install MCE!

You *NEED* the MCE CD1 + MCE CD2.

[getwired]

Actually, if you use CD2, any CD1 that is XP Retail or XP OEM will work with it.

[tkmadison]

Actually, if you use CD2, any CD1 that is XP Retail or XP OEM will work with it.

That's good news....here's a followup question:

How hard is it to integrate both CD1 and CD2 onto an unattended DVD I'm making.

CD1 is easy enough to put on there, but what about copying over the files from CD2? Do you have to sit back and HEX-edit anything, or can you just plain copy the directories over?

[tkmadison]

XPMCE2005-CD1 & XPproSP2 - the two discs are almost the same, except slight differences:

5 files in the I386 folder.

& the CMPNENTS folder.

OK, now I'm confused....is the only difference the second CD or are there actually different files on CD1 for MCE?

I know for MCE the second CD has the CMPNENTS folder, and there, I assumed, within the I386 folder, in the CAB files were everything that made it MCE.

Is this not entirely true?

[Hatefulsorrow]

@All

There is a file in your i386 directory of any winxp based cd. It is called SETUPP.ini. This file is what tells the set up what type of windows is being installed (OEM, Retail, VLK) and also which product key it accepts. The file looks like this.

[Pid]
ExtraData=796674736977656D7A622E3858xxxx
Pid=55274270

Now in the extra data part of the file i have taken out the last four charactors to avoid any legalities. This part of the file tells setup which key to accept. I have a document that tells one how to convert their key into these numbers. PM me if any one needs this file.

The Pid part of the file tells setup the type of windows. The last three charactors are what change.

270 = VLK

OEM = Oem

And the other for retail, well I forgot but I will look through my files to find out for sure in some one needs it. My post is that one can make a VLK out of a normal OEM or Retail Pro or home cd to replace one that is missing. The easy way would be to take the SETUPP.INI file from your cd2 and move it to a copy of the i386 directory of a xp pro cd to make a replacement. Some other files (like the one to make windows activated) may need to be copied as well. But in my experience this has worked quite well.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Hatefulsorrow

[Nakatomi2010]

Actually, if you use CD2, any CD1 that is XP Retail or XP OEM will work with it.

That's good news....here's a followup question:

How hard is it to integrate both CD1 and CD2 onto an unattended DVD I'm making.

CD1 is easy enough to put on there, but what about copying over the files from CD2? Do you have to sit back and HEX-edit anything, or can you just plain copy the directories over?

Not hard at all, I did it... If you strip it down you can actually incoroporate both CDs into one....

Basically make a directory called "MCE", you'll have to locate the M, C and E keys on your keyboard and press them in sequence, once the directory is made insert CD1 into a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, CD-RW, or any of those optical type drives that'll read compact discs, then locate your CD-ROM drive letter in my computer and begin copying the contents of CD1 to the root of that directory... Now the tricky part, once the copying of CD2 is done eject the optical drive and insert the next dsic, and begin copying its contents to the root of the same directory above... Upon completion you may remove the disc from the try and reinsert it into it's protective casing.

That's it, there's your CD...

Edited November 1, 2005 by Nakatomi2010

[tkmadison]

Actually, if you use CD2, any CD1 that is XP Retail or XP OEM will work with it.

That's good news....here's a followup question:

How hard is it to integrate both CD1 and CD2 onto an unattended DVD I'm making.

CD1 is easy enough to put on there, but what about copying over the files from CD2? Do you have to sit back and HEX-edit anything, or can you just plain copy the directories over?

Not hard at all, I did it... If you strip it down you can actually incoroporate both CDs into one....

Basically make a directory called "MCE", you'll have to locate the M, C and E keys on your keyboard and press them in sequence, once the directory is made insert CD1 into a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, CD-RW, or any of those optical type drives that'll read compact discs, then locate your CD-ROM drive letter in my computer and begin copying the contents of CD1 to the root of that directory... Now the tricky part, once the copying of CD2 is done eject the optical drive and insert the next dsic, and begin copying its contents to the root of the same directory above... Upon completion you may remove the disc from the try and reinsert it into it's protective casing.

That's it, there's your CD...

That's almost exactly the way I pictured it in my head, only it didn't sound quite as condescending.

[Nakatomi2010]

Actually, if you use CD2, any CD1 that is XP Retail or XP OEM will work with it.

That's good news....here's a followup question:

How hard is it to integrate both CD1 and CD2 onto an unattended DVD I'm making.

CD1 is easy enough to put on there, but what about copying over the files from CD2? Do you have to sit back and HEX-edit anything, or can you just plain copy the directories over?

Not hard at all, I did it... If you strip it down you can actually incoroporate both CDs into one....

Basically make a directory called "MCE", you'll have to locate the M, C and E keys on your keyboard and press them in sequence, once the directory is made insert CD1 into a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, CD-RW, or any of those optical type drives that'll read compact discs, then locate your CD-ROM drive letter in my computer and begin copying the contents of CD1 to the root of that directory... Now the tricky part, once the copying of CD2 is done eject the optical drive and insert the next dsic, and begin copying its contents to the root of the same directory above... Upon completion you may remove the disc from the try and reinsert it into it's protective casing.

That's it, there's your CD...

That's almost exactly the way I pictured it in my head, only it didn't sound quite as condescending.

Sorry, I was trying to make something simple complicated... You know, followign in Microsoft's footsteps......