Stop $WIN_NT$.~LS temp file deletion during XP setup

[porear]

In the initial stages of XP setup, some of the installation files are copied from the installation media to the hard drive where XP will reside. One directory of such files that is created is $WIN_NT$.~LS .

During the next text mode portion of XP setup, some of the files copied from the temp directory $WIN_NT$.~LS are deleted as soon as they are copied into the final installation directory.

Is there a way to stop this deletion from happening? Is there also a way to stop directories $WIN_NT$.~LS and $WIN_NT$.~BT from being deleted as setup completes?

I've looked at TXTSETUP.SIF but cannot see anything there that distinguishes the individual files being deleted from those that are not deleted. I have not been able to find a definitive guide to explaining all the switches used in TXTSETUP.SIF. Such a reference would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[cluberti]

First, no, there's no way to stop those files and folders from deleting with switches as that code is hard-coded into the installer functionality. You can mark them as read-only once the install reboots into GUI setup, but I've seen that actually cause the installer to fail (but only sometimes).

May I ask why you need to keep these folders? They're basically just expanded files from the installation media...

If you want a reference to .sif file creation, you'll find great (and complete) documentation on the Windows OPK, downloadable from oem.microsoft.com (registration required).

[porear]

Hello, cluberti. Thanks for the response. The reason why we're trying to stop this deletion is due to an ongoing project over in thread http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=61384 attempting to install XP from (not to) a USB stick.

Some of the individual files we're trying to keep are immediately deleted during the text mode setup as they are copied. At the end, the temp directories are deleted. Since our USB install method is based upon jump starting the setup process with the $WIN_NT$ directories placed upon the stick, unless we can stop file and folder deletion, we have only a one-shot solution.

[Camarade_Tux]

Wasn't there something with EWF ?

Also, you may recreate them at the end of the installation.

Or use CDShell and set it to mount a .iso file.

Edited November 18, 2006 by Camarade_Tux

[porear]

I've not used EWF before. We're booting the FAT16 stick using NTLDR (and GRUB) into the setup environment using SETUPLDR.BIN. Could EWF be used here, or does it require you are already running Windows?

Looks like its a RAM overlay that intercepts writes. Would you have to somehow feed it specific file names to watch for?

[Aegis]

Run "winnt32.exe /?" from the I386 directory. One of the switches does what you want.

[Camarade_Tux]

/noreboot

I first posted that but that's not what he wants : he does not want to get this files, he wants them not to be removed during setup so he can reuse the USB key.

At least, that's what I have understood.

[jaclaz]

Yep, just to keep things together and prevent possible misunderstandings, here is the thread where it all started:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=61384&hl=

jaclaz