Complete newbie - need help please.

[sai351]

I just found out today that it's possible to create an UA Windows cd. I've been searching on the net for several hours and have found a lot of useful information. However, i'm running into a lot of problems and I need some direction. I've looked around on the forums for a few hours but everything I see doesn't offer a clear explanation (in lamens terms) so i'm not sure how to do it. Here's what i've done so far:

Downloaded all applicable windows updates.

Downloaded the newest drivers (non-beta) for all my hardware.

Slipstreamed XPSP2 into XP Pro using Nlite.

I found a few articles on adding hot fixes and how to make your own but I haven't found a good place to "start." Everything I find requires prior knowledge of windows registery or some specific program or method. Adding the windows updates seems simple enough but I would like to add some programs, codecs, plugins, firefox, etc... Can anyone recommend a good place to start learning?

I extracted all my hardware drivers from their respective .exe files but I ran into a few problems. The usb2.0 driver doesn't have an .inf, most of the other drivers contain multiple .inf's, and the Sapphire Radeon X800GTO 6.1Drivers+CCC.exe doesn't give me the option to extract. I was reading up on alternative methods such as the winnt.sif method but I haven't found any information that explains exactly how to do it or what the best method is depending on what you are trying to do.

I'm very knowledgable in the hardware department and with windows for the most part. The software part is what kills me!

Can anyone point me in the right direction? I'd appreciate any help

[BoardBabe]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Please read the complete guide at unattended.msfn.org before you advance with additional tasks. You will get a whole new understanding of the UA process after completing that guide.

[sai351]

Thanks for the help. I've been reading through the article quite a bit but i'm stuck on one thing right now. How do I make a winnt.sif? Do I just use a .txt document? I can't find any answers on that one.

[Lost Soul]

Thanks for the help. I've been reading through the article quite a bit but i'm stuck on one thing right now. How do I make a winnt.sif? Do I just use a .txt document? I can't find any answers on that one.

first look at and read the guide it has all your answers that youll need and if you get stumped after reading the guide then by all means post away,,

best of luck

http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

[BoardBabe]

You can make winnt.sif manually with notepad yes.

[Lazy8]

Welcome to MSFN forums, sai351. Winnt.sif can be written from scratch using notepad, although you'll find the Deployment Kit (linked to Unattended XP Guide) will make the job much more convenient for you. Don't forget to look over the Ref.chm help files for clarification and options for editing your .sif file. Most of it can be interpreted pretty easily by a layman. If you used Nlite for unattended prep, then you already have winnt.sif in the I386 directory of your source.

Since this is your first attempt, you'll face far fewer frustrations by reining in your more ambitious plans, and stick with a fairly basic setup to work the bugs out of your initial process. Unattended Guide covers the basics of program installation. Extras and tips from members can be found here. You're encouraged to use our search bar to locate more specific information.

Drivers are regarded to be simpler to install than apps. Finding them is the challenge. Your graphics card may require extraction software that you haven't tried. If you can't extract it by any means at your disposal, and you are presently using the card on your target machine, you should be able to retrieve the individual files as a backup. Double Driver is an excellent free app for that. Also, Bâshrat the Sneaky has made a number of driverpacks (linked to the Unattended Guide), which may include everything you need. USB controllers are included in Windows XP by default, so you shouldn't need to bother with them, unless you removed them from your source. Winnt.sif method is capable of installing drivers with multiple .inf's, as is nLite.

You can actually prep your UA CD with only a rudimentary familiarity of the Windows registry. The UA Guide was recently appended with a terrific summary of its workings. Importing your own tweaks may be one of those enhancements best saved for later--there's nothing wrong with using TweakUI Powertoy or another app in the meantime.

To save yourself time and a few bucks, record your test CDs on rewritable media, and try one of the virtual machines recommended by the UA Guide. Your single best starting place for information is the Unattended XP Guide, and Ref.chm. The topics are interrelated--I had to read through them at least once and refer to it for days before it really began to sink in--but they cover all the basics of unattended prep.

Good luck on your XP Pro installation!