Select applications to install before XP installation starts...

[joelcd]

Hi all,

I want to create an unattanded installation of windows XP where i can select in a menu the applications I want to install.

The difficult is that I want to select the applications before windows xp installation starts.

Someone have an idea?

[IcemanND]

Windows PE

Boot to PE, partition and format the hard drive, run the application to select the programs to install, create answer files and installation scripts on the hard drive. Start winnt32 with unattend switch pointing to answer files and away you go.

[joelcd]

It's a good way, but I don't see how I can make an answer file which includ all combination of installation (ex : nero + acrobat reader + winzip or winrar + nero + media player or nero + vnc or ...)

[IcemanND]

Depends upon how you install your applications.

Have your selection application write the appropriate installation lines to the appropriate file, runonceex.cmd, winnt.sif, cmdlines.txt or whatever you want to use. You could even copy everything to the hard drive first and run the installation from the hard drive for windows, then your installation source is already there and you should never be asked for a cd.

[joelcd]

I understand, but how increment my file (runonex.cmd, winnt.sif, cmdlines.txt, ...) automaticaly and depending my selection of applications?

[IcemanND]

depends upon how you write the application selector. If you use vbscript you can just append to the existing file, same with other programming languages like VB an C.

If you are going to use CMD scripts it is a little more difficult but still doable.

[joelcd]

Thanks a lot Iceman for your quick reply and sorry for my bad english!

[RyanVM]

WPI can let you do that, though it does so post-install

[joelcd]

Yes but the selection of application must be absolutely before the installation of windows.