Your Help needing in making automatic software installation

[kamran]

hey i m new to this site i have understand the begginers section and a bit advanced section i have successfuly created a boot disk of windows xp with latest hotfix and sp2 integrated now i want to ask you that can you tell me who can i create this disc to install my favorite softwares automatically i will give you a list of them bellow i can' t understand who to make runonceex.cmd or what to make first etc its confusing me my friend has made a disk which is working good by reading the site but he is a miser and cant tell me how to do. so please help me can tell me who can i do my work with Windows XP Post Install Wizard this software my friend has made it whith this.

i want to install these softwares while windows installs.

office 2003 full all above and office in my drive d while windows is on c drive

winamp 5.12

realplayer

adobe acrobat 7.5

msn 7.5

download accelerator

winrar

thanks

[PROPHET]

There are alot of progs & stuff out there but for easyness i use Windows Post Installer or WPI as its known as you can put all your applications files in there and have a runonce cmd added to the WINNT.SIF file so it does that just after installing windows..that allows you to pick and choose install properties be it what drive special folders and so on

[jonathan_314]

Hehe, I know this is a diffucult part when you are new to it. For me it was the same, the next step seemed to be so high. I took the same way like you. So make a next move. I suggest, you try the runonceex.cmd method.

And try it with only one prog. To give you an easy prog try perhaps winamp.

So what do you need that is a file runonceex.cmd. How to make it, well look here http://unattended.msfn.org/ it is in fact a txt file saved as *.cmd a cmd file is a small application.

I will give an example what you must put in this runoneceex-file

@Echo Off
cmdow @ /HID


FOR %%i IN (D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) DO IF EXIST %%i:\win51ip.SP2 SET CDROM=%%i:

SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installatie van Programma's" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\005 /VE /D "Winamp 5.12" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\005 /V 1 /D "%PP%winamp512\winamp512.msi Xfull=1 /qn" /f
EXIT

how it works?

Well it is explained once again here http://unattended.msfn.org/

REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installatie van Programma's" /f :This is the title which you will see while installing

REG ADD %KEY%\005 /VE /D "Winamp 5.12" /f this is the title of the program you wil see while installing

REG ADD %KEY%\005 /V 1 /D "%PP%winamp512\winamp512.msi Xfull=1 /qn" /f this is the path and the switch of the app you want to install

What is the path in this case??

Simple: you see this in the file: SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\

so your path wil be %cdrom%\Apps\

so afther the %pp% don't put an extra "\" coz this "\" is allready there.

So on your windows cd make a folder called "apps"

In this case the apps will be installed from the cd

How will you start the runonceex.cmd file?

Make a file caled cmdlines.txt in your $oem$ folder (if this folder doesn't exists, then make it. I must be right under the driver letter, so it is not a subfolder)

In this cmdlines.txt you put this lines

[Commands]
"RunOnceEx.cmd"

Where do you put the runonceex.cmd file??

also in the $oem$ folder.

How do I find the switch for winamp?

Search this forum for the winamp switch. You cant use your own downloaded winamp.

Sometimes you must modify an app to let it work with switches. How to do that? Well look in the forum, many have made small tutorials for each app.

How can I add extra lines to the runonceex?

Easy put to extra lines in the file one with the title and one with the switch. Don't forget to increase the number I have put in red.

REG ADD %KEY%\010 /VE /D "Daemon Tools 3.47" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\010 /V 1 /D "%PP%daemon\DAEMONTools347.msi /qn /Reboot=Suppress" /f

The /f is not a switch but it is part of the runonceex program. so the app and the switch are always between ""

Don't use spaces in your file names, that will make it more complex for you.

Voila, I hope this is clear to you. If there is smth else let me know. Then I will help you further.

Kind regards,

Jonathan.

[kamran]

Thanks alot for your reply , God bless you, are doing a great work by sharing knowldge, dear friend i have done alot of practice on these command and programs till today and i m very happy that i have learn some of them and hope that i will be making my own windows unattended cd soon.

today i have a new question to ask that can you tell me is that possible to make a multi disc setup cd like i want to have only one cd which just contains windows xp setup files and another 1 or 2 cd in which i will put my favorite softwares to be installed later by runonceex.cmd or wpi and here i have another question which i want to ask is that who can i avoide the windows setup not to copy all the softwares which were in the cd disk to my hard drive and after completion of windows setup is this possible to make such type of command or file that help me to ask the user to insert the cd 2 or application cd in the cd rom while installing the softwares, i hope you understand what i want to say.

thanks.

[jonathan_314]

Hi,

Thank you for the blessing part .

I will try to answer all your questions.

1) how to avoid copying to the harddisk?

The answer was allready in my previous help. Look to this code:

FOR %%i IN (D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) DO IF EXIST %%i:\win51ip.SP2 SET CDROM=%%i:

SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\

The code searches for every drive letter (D, E, F, ...) if the file "win51ip.SP2" is there. If you integrated SP2 for windowsXP to your cd, then this file is on the cd. The file is only on the CD and nowhere else. So the CDROM receives the letter of your cdrom drive (CDROM=%%i).

Afther that It pass the variable to PP with this: "SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\" So all your apps must be for instance in D:\Apps. So in this case %cdrom% = D:

So %PP%winamp512\winamp512.msi is in my case D:\apps\winamp512\winamp512.msi

The app can look for its own drive letter so the apps won't copy to the harddisk to install from cd.

2) can I have multiple cd's?

Yup you can use a tool that makes the switch between 2 or more cd's. It is called a cd switching utility. A guy from Belgium made his tool an he has put it on the forum. look in this toppic.

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=41821

I didn't use it yet so you have to find out on your own. But it is made to switch between multiple dvd's or cd's.

Note: I hope you understood what I am saying. If not, ask me. Sory if my answer is like for a child of 5 years age. I don't know on what level you are yet. But in my life, I prefer an answer that is too simple but that I can understand. And that doesn't mean that I think you are a child.

Kind regards

Jonathan

Edited February 7, 2006 by jonathan_314

[kamran]

once again thanks i understand your tips i have download this cd switching utilty but it is not running on my pc when i run it does not do anything i want to do this that when the installation of windows finishes and when the runonceex.cmd is run i want here to set a message that says insert disk 2 and press ok when i insert disk to and ok presses, the wpi utility runs and install the desire. can you tell me how to do. i dont mind if you say me a kid its honour for me that my teacher says me kid you are my teacher and friend too. i am going to mad about this to learn this thing and make my own windows xp unattended cd.

thanks

take care.

[jonathan_314]

Hehe, Thanks,

But euhm I don't understand what you really want . Is it smth afther the runonceex? Or may it be while the runonceex. I will look once to the tool.

[kamran]

ok ok i have check this one you told me cdswitch utility it works i will try it when checking my cd after making image file. thanks alot for your help. know i think i m ready to make my cd and write all cmds and other. take care thanks alot you are a great person i have ever meet.

[jonathan_314]

Iepz, well some small hints,

to call the utitlity with the code :

cdswitch LABEL D:

you must put the tool in the folder: \$OEM$\$$\system32 on your cd.

But you can call it from anywhere, but you must be sure that your path is right.

Example

%CDROM%\cdswitch\cdswitch.exe LABEL D:

.

You want to split your cd in two parts so you could put this command on the begining of your runonceex.cmd afther this line it will ask the second cd. Afther the line you put all the other switches.

I guess that

cdswitch LABEL %CDROM%

will work too.

You can test your runonceex.cmd in a virtual machine (how to set it up look in the guide @ http://unattended.msfn.org/)

You can start runonceex.cmd by double clicking on your runonceex.cmd and then run this also:

rundll32.exe iernonce.dll,RunOnceExProcess

you can find the run tool in the startpannel of windows. (but I guess you know that allready)

The method is fast coz else you will write 100 cd's

There is also a help file that comes with the cd-switch utility (in it's toppic).

Perhaps I told many things you know allready, hehe anyway you have work to do

Greetz.

Jonathan.

Edited February 7, 2006 by jonathan_314

[kamran]

yeeh you are great super great. i will pray for you that God make you a rich person in all ascpect of life. you are a great teacher. i have try what you have tell me in this post and it works thanks alot

[jonathan_314]

Funny,

I like the praying part of your message. I will pray for you too.

I will send you a private message about that. So look here in the menu bars above on the right, you will find somthing like "0 new messages" in some minutes it will be 1 new message.

Or click above "My controls" then inbox. (I tell you that because I want that you really find my message, and am not sure if you are familiar with forums)

Greetz.

Edit: the message is now in you private mailbox on this forum.

Edited February 7, 2006 by jonathan_314

[kamran]

i am trying to implement my own make billboard background and images in the winntbbu.dll but every time i test it i got error while file copy progress of dos mode which is shown in picture if i skip this file the setup continue but i want to make this problem correct who do i make this file correct i have used resedit but got this error today i have tried winntbbuED which is on someone post in this board

[jonathan_314]

Iepz,

In the way you are doing it it wil never work. I never used this kind of stuff but I know one thing. when you look at alle the files on your cd the most are like this. SHELL32.DL_ the last is gone and is replaced by an underscore. If you will compare the size of the SHELL32.DL_ on your windows CD and the same SHELL32.DLL on your pc. then you will notice that the shell32.DL_ on the cd is much smaller. So what did they do? Well I guess those *.DL_ files are packed and compressed. So if you put an unpacked file on your cd. The installation will notice that. Perhaps the instalation will try to unpack the file. but since the file it isn't packed in the first place the instalation on this file will fail.

So you need to find a way to pack it.

The things you read above is just a storry about how I interprete things. I don't know if it is right, but I have read some stuff about this on the forum and that makes me 90% sure. As an Engineer I am trained to guess. (and to make right guesses)

To pack it: I heard this. It was to change Icons. There are Icon packs you can install in windows. Then the most icons are replaced in the shell32.dll file. So they have to install this pack in windows. Then grab the file and then aply modifype & makecab on it!!! and replace these both files with older one in your unattended windows cd's I386 Directory!!

So I think your problem is the same. So you must find the tool which can aply modifype & makecab on it. So look once on the formum for those tools or perhaps commands.

Those thing above are just hints for you to move on

Greetz

Jonathan.

[kamran]

Thanks dear friend i have read on the form for this and i have got the answer as you tell me that the file must be packed so i have packed it by modifype.exe and correct the problem and i have created my billboard here is a view for this in attachment i like simplycity in every thing so here it goes. Thanks again great man

[jonathan_314]

Looks nice