Why don't we just use a compression utility for unattended install

[cpyder]

Yeah! that's my question. Why don't we install windows, required drivers and blah.. blah.. blah.. and then just zip (or rar or jar or whatever). Lets use a compression utility with command line option. Then boot the system using FreeDos or bootable win98 bootup disk. Unzip ((or unrar or unjar or unwhatever) to thier original locations. I suppose it should work. as all the files would be available wherever they need to be. that leaves us to only bother about the MBR and the kind. Hmmm.. once again, i dont think anything would be required to change or alter, unless, the reason for fresh install is a corrupt boot sector.

Probably, we would need to boot the system with some non-Windows OS for zipping. Coz, possibly the Windows will not let you touch few files for zipping if you tried it from within windows.

So, for the most, this method should work??

[Delprat]

This method rocks.

AFAIK, Norton Ghost is able to compress imaged partition, to split it on multiple media (ex. CDs), and to explore it. And it works with partitions, not files, so you don't have to worry about the MBR (maybe the "active" bit).

btw, why are you willing to re-invent the wheel ???

To get back on topic, there's tools to save/restore MBRs.

But i'm not sure that "compression utilities" can save ALL informations of a NTFS partition : there's security attributes, alternate data streams, hard links, ...

I believe that ZIP doesn't support ACLs.

RAR have it, but i don't know about ADS or hard links.

++

Edited June 17, 2006 by Delprat

[patwa]

It's a trade-off between time and size. Whether you want to fit as much on one disk as possible, or want to save the time (and space) it would take to decompress it all. I mean, say you had a lot of apps, putting them all on one DVD would be convenient, but then again if you had made a generic unattended disc, and were using it to re-install computers out on call, would you really want to have to take the extra half an hour or more waiting for it to decompress?

It's the same arguement when it comes to files on your PC, or sending things by e-mail. In the days of dialup, that extra 1MB made all the difference, but now if youre mailing a bunch of documents, it's hardly worth the time, except for the value of having them all wrapped up in one batch. also, with most people now having 160GB drives plus, an extra 10MB here or there makes really no difference at all. Half of us don't even bother to empty the temp files folder on a weekly basis like we used to, just to gain back that 20MB or so.

Just my opinion, but unless you're planning to do a MEGA unattended setup spanning several DVDs for your own personal computer, it's not worth it. Plus there's the whole hassle of needing a spare machine for the compression, software for the decompression, and the decompression space and resources.

Hussein.

[Nepali]

if simply zippng and unziping will do all these ,, whats the use of whole OS CD.

It the matter of security, HAL, settings and personalizations..

simply your thinking is correct,, but this doesn't work.

its different if u talk about the softwares like ghost, or acronis true image (sector by sector copying)

but simply copying and pasting or zipping / unzipping is not the solution.

For example:

Unattended CD will work on any Hardware,,

but zipped won't...

Edited June 25, 2006 by Nepali

[brainstane]

Hi,

I've done this in the past:

Kick off an unattended install from within bartPE.

Once winnt32.exe has completed and all files are copied to the hard drive, dont reboot the machine but rather create a ghost image of the hard drive prior to it restarting from within the same bartPE session.

This image can then be ghosted onto other machines at a much faster rate than a straight winnt32.exe setup is from bart.

[Nepali]

if i am not wrong

CPYDER is talking about zipping/unzipping (not Sector by sector copying programs)

Ghost is concerned with imaging software,, but still HAL matters,, so not the perfect solution...

[pmshah]

Hi,

I've done this in the past:

Kick off an unattended install from within bartPE.

Once winnt32.exe has completed and all files are copied to the hard drive, dont reboot the machine but rather create a ghost image of the hard drive prior to it restarting from within the same bartPE session.

This image can then be ghosted onto other machines at a much faster rate than a straight winnt32.exe setup is from bart.

Yes it will work but the second part of installation still remains to be completed. On the whole you haven't saved a whole lot of time. Better option would be to do it a bit differently. Do a complete install. Chnge the graphic & ide drivers to generic ones. Edit your boot.ini so it would boot in safe mode. Now make a ghost image. You can now restore this on practically any machine, it will by default boot into safe mode & load the correct drivers for the graphic & ide hardware. If you need any special drivers they can always be loaded later.

You must remember to restore the boot.ini to subsequently boot Normally & not in safe mode.

[Wraith]

This question has been partly addressed by Microsoft itself - with Windows Vista, the operating system is deployed from WinPE using a compressed file, which is also mountable with the help of a filesystem filter driver.

I had done some initial testing using the same method but using a sysprep'ed XP - the installation got to a point around 10 minutes in total. (Unformatted drive to fully bootable XP)

Never had time to pursue it, but I posted my findings at:

http://www.voidfx.com/FX/Random:WIM_Installation

Edited June 26, 2006 by Wraith

[Nepali]

oopss,, @Wraith,,thanks for the tips

but i have been playing since a year with sysprep

but have never got success even gone through various tricks including urs..

many sites discussed its the matter of HAL and drivers,,

i got success only on 10 % PC

tried on all typese of dell multiprocessor, HP desktop, Compaque Laptops, AMD PC, 32bit, 64 bit

but just failed

so i always go through unattended rather on syspreped/ghost/wim image

[aniperleo]

Awesome, we're having a similar discussion at http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=77115

Let's combine our efforts and dialog through this - we may be able to rework the XP installation!

You can IM me through MSN at pleiadesonline@hotmail.com or AIM at klyclsin