Curious...why preinstall applications at all?

[-.-PhanTom-.-]

hey all..

Been wondering why people, as in your normal home user with 1 or maybe 2 pc's, would want to preinstall applications?

I mean, normally you rarely do a fresh install of windows more than twice or maybe max 4 times a years, and in the time between fresh installs, it is more than likely that a newer version of your preinstalled programmes have been released, is it not?

Then the time needed to update your automated install batch files would be about the same amount of time needed to update each application manually from within windows, or?

And... all these unattended fresh installs.... is there really a need...don't pople use imaging software like Acronis???

Edited October 18, 2005 by -.-PhanTom-.-

[gosherm]

hey all..

Been wondering why people, as in your normal home user with 1 or maybe 2 pc's, would want to preinstall applications?

I mean, normally you rarely do a fresh install of windows more than twice or maybe max 4 times a years, and in the time between fresh installs, it is more than likely that a newer version of your preinstalled programmes have been released, is it not?

Then the time needed to update your automated install batch files would be about the same amount of time needed to update each application manually from within windows, or?

I find that it definately saves me time. If I do a full system install from scratch without my unattended DVD, it takes me from 12-14 hours (plus about 3-5 hours checking for updated software, plus 2+ hours installing Norton & Microsoft patches... nasty reboot cycle). With my unattended DVD, it takes me 3-5 hours checking for updated software and changing my install script (doesn't usually take much time to *change* an item, it's when it's a *new* item that it can get nasty). To then install, it takes about an hour, including installing software that I don't have automated yet and any post-install tasks such as relocating the IE cache, changing the swap file settings, etc.

If I don't bother doing any of the updates, it takes me about an hour to be up and running again. Can't really beat that. (Not to mention, that I can just stick the disk in, walk away, come back after dinner and it's up and running -- try having that experience with a "clean" install.)

And... all these unattended fresh installs.... is there really a need...don't pople use imaging software like Acronis???

Actually, I do. After getting everything installed and configured *just* how I like it, I make an image using Ghost. The reason being, that if something happens and I need my computer back up now, this is the best it gets... much quicker than doing a clean install.

[XL-DJK]

<phew> For a while there I thought I was the only one that reinstalls XP more then once a year on my systems.... I tell you, the preinstall method makes life a lot more simplar in the long run.

It's very easy to just slap a few minor updates and reburn a copy every few months... especially with the new /integrate switch for the hotfixes...(I wondered when MS would get around to doing something like that)

Batch scripting once learned, can be done with eyes closed (so to speak) so really, when you think about it, it's really not that big of a problem...

[yoyo92]

it's for fun

[Zxian]

The great thing about batch files is that they can easily be run from anywhere!!!

I've got a collection of freeware apps that I carry around on a CD. When it comes to installing it on a friend's computer, just run the batch file. It's pretty much the exact same directory structure/files that I add to my UA CDs. The only difference is that it comes with a readme file for what each program does...

[InTheWayBoy]

And even though I only have a small (3 PC) network, I use these skills daily in my job as Network Admin. Most people in here seem to be in the technical field as well, so I'm sure many profit from these skills as well.

As for frequency of reload, at one time I was reloading every week! That was a few years back, now it's more like once a quarter. The funny thing is that by the time I do a reload, I've gone through so many revisions that it's never the same install! So in essence that special UA only got used once, before I wasted more time making a newer and better one...that will eventually be replaced. So if you are speaking in strickly time measurement, then I loose time on these at home.

But at work, where I don't change the UA unless it's proven effective, each revision saves me countless hours since I can just reload instead of troubleshooting. I saw on a site a quote that went something like this:

"Minor Problems, Reboot...Major Problems, Reload."

Only problem with that is you don't stay so sharp with your diagnostic skills. But hell, I got other things to worry about right?

So for those who are in the computer industry, in almost any field, benefit from it...for the rest it's something else. And as yoyo92 pointed out, it's just fun...all the scripting and compressing and research...I dig it!

[suryad]

I had this question myself and frankly after nLite installing the other softwares for me at least do not take more than 2 hours. Then another additional hour to get all sorts of registry tweaks and turning of services and so on. I cant believe it took the first poster 12 hours to reinstall his setup!!! Thats insane!!! WOW!

[MHz]

Here is my last test in Virtual PC with install timing logs.

_.Net_Framework_v1.1sp1.au3
219 seconds

_AdAware_Personal_v1.6.au3
9 seconds

_Additional_XP_Themes.au3
19 seconds

_Advanced_Disk_Catalog_v1.51.au3
4 seconds

_AutoIt_v3.1.1.au3
11 seconds

_Avast4Home_v4.6.691.au3
19 seconds

_BookMark_Master_v3.13.au3
4 seconds

_CCleaner_v1.23.160.au3
4 seconds

_CDCheck_v3.1.8.au3
2 seconds

_Chris_TV_Lite_v4.60.au3
16 seconds

_CMenu_v2.0.au3
6 seconds

_FFdshow_03.08.2005.au3
13 seconds

_FileZilla_v2.2.16.au3
6 seconds

_FlashPaste_Lite_v3.2.au3
2 seconds

_Foxit_Reader_v1.3.0.930.au3
3 seconds

_Free_Download_Manager_v1.9.au3
5 seconds

_HideOE_v1.1b1.au3
1 seconds

_HtmlHelp_WorkShop_v1.3.au3
12 seconds

_Icon_Snatcher_v3.6.1.au3
2 seconds

_Inno_Setup_v5.1.5.au3
4 seconds

_ISO_Recorder_v2.0.au3
8 seconds

_ISTool_v5.1.5.au3
2 seconds

_Jane_v1.47.au3
2 seconds

_KeePass_v1.03.au3
2 seconds

_Maxthon_v1.5.0.au3
13 seconds

_Meazure_v2.0.au3
3 seconds

_Nvu_v1.0.au3
9 seconds

_PatchWise_Free_v3.29r.au3
2 seconds

_PDFCreator_v0.81.au3
31 seconds

_PhotoFiltre_v6.1.5.au3
5 seconds

_Process_Controller_v3.0.au3
2 seconds

_PSPad_v4.3.3.au3
5 seconds

_RainLendar_v0.21.au3
3 seconds

_SciTe4AutoIt3_30.08.05.au3
14 seconds

_Spybot_v1.4.au3
4 seconds

_SunJava_v1.5.0.05.au3
88 seconds

_Talking_Messenger_v3.1.au3
3 seconds

_TaskSwitchXP_v2.0.8.au3
2 seconds

_tinySpell_v1.3.au3
2 seconds

_TortoiseCVS_v1.8.22.au3
6 seconds

_WinDowse_v5.1.au3
3 seconds

_WinMerge_v2.4.0.au3
4 seconds

_WinRAR_v3.50.au3
3 seconds

_Xplorer2_lite_v1.3.0.2.au3
3 seconds


Total time = 10 minutes

and that is lean anount of progams on a cd with custom files and settings added also. These are AutoIt scripts with all the tweaking that would take me hours to do manually installing and configuring. While time maybe lost on creating a unattended cd, you are but prepared for an installation which can be done while you sleep. I don't lose a tweak, or a favorite file or nothing as I keep adding to my project. It is an never finished project as it can be always enhanced on as time goes by.

Any task that you may do multiple times with a PC are saved time by scripting methods. Heck, probably why I luv using AutoIt so much. Plos it is an interest.

[gosherm]

I just had a <sarcasm>great</sarcasm> experience to add to the list of why to use an unattended disc. I routinely access my home PC from work. Last night, however, just before I went to bed, the blasted thing got into a continuous reboot cycle. This morning, before walking out the door, I booted my PC from my unattended disc, and about 20 minutes after getting to work the computer is back up and running.

[Nakatomi2010]

I use unattended CD's here at work, they actually allow me to do more in far less time...

Before doing a format and reload on a customer unit would take for ever, but now I can do it in about an hour flat, with all drivers and some software installed, and all updates....

Essentially I've got a DVD that I'm calling the 'Windows XP Solutions DVD'... It's a multiboot DVD I've made that allows me to install from scratch, or do a repair install of any flavor of Windows XP (From Home, to Pro, to MCE, to x64 edition)... I can take said DVD and then use it on a customer unit running Windows XP and reinstall XP, during the install it installs .NET framework with all patches and stuff, then at the end of the install WPI comes up and allows me to choose from all sorts of software, such as Open Office 2.0, Java runtime, Adobe Acrobat, AVG Free Antivirus, MS Antispyware, Ad-Aware, and other free yet useful tools... And so within an hour flat the system is ready to go...

In my job this DVD of mine save me about 2 to 4 hours of installs/reboots so for me they're EXTREMELY handy...

[galvanocentric]

hey all..

Been wondering why people, as in your normal home user with 1 or maybe 2 pc's, would want to preinstall applications?

I mean, normally you rarely do a fresh install of windows more than twice or maybe max 4 times a years, and in the time between fresh installs, it is more than likely that a newer version of your preinstalled programmes have been released, is it not?

Then the time needed to update your automated install batch files would be about the same amount of time needed to update each application manually from within windows, or?

And... all these unattended fresh installs.... is there really a need...don't pople use imaging software like Acronis???

Well love, when you're on a college campus such as I am you'll find that a certain number of tasks need to be done to mesh your computer with the network. Best to get them out of the way and not even know about them, you know?

I have things setup so that the default user (me) on auto-login is also conveniently my matching username and password on the network, which means on first login I can run a script that authenticates with the network, maps network drives, changes local users so their home directories are happily living on network drive H:\, syncs network time, loads Firefox's installer from a network source, loads Sophos anti-virus from a network source, loads Eudora from a network source, and etc...

Very, very handy.

[Nakatomi2010]

hey all..

Been wondering why people, as in your normal home user with 1 or maybe 2 pc's, would want to preinstall applications?

I mean, normally you rarely do a fresh install of windows more than twice or maybe max 4 times a years, and in the time between fresh installs, it is more than likely that a newer version of your preinstalled programmes have been released, is it not?

Then the time needed to update your automated install batch files would be about the same amount of time needed to update each application manually from within windows, or?

And... all these unattended fresh installs.... is there really a need...don't pople use imaging software like Acronis???

Well love, when you're on a college campus such as I am you'll find that a certain number of tasks need to be done to mesh your computer with the network. Best to get them out of the way and not even know about them, you know?

I have things setup so that the default user (me) on auto-login is also conveniently my matching username and password on the network, which means on first login I can run a script that authenticates with the network, maps network drives, changes local users so their home directories are happily living on network drive H:\, syncs network time, loads Firefox's installer from a network source, loads Sophos anti-virus from a network source, loads Eudora from a network source, and etc...

Very, very handy.

What happens if your network fails?