Question on nLite

[doonboggle]

In using nLite for adding hotfixes, etc., at the end of the process, before creating an iso file, there is an advisory on the option of adding additional files ... to the directory.

What do they mean by this ... and/or how does one do it? Where is the 'directory' at that time that they are referring to, etc.?

From my limited knowledge, the iso is created and there is no way to then add additional files.

It's also confusing in that, at the same advisory screen re: iso creation, I seem to recall that there is also the option of burning to cd.

Thanks for any assitance...

doon

[strotee76]

The 'directory' refers to wherever your XP CD was copied to the HDD.

What the program means when it says "you can add more files before you make it an ISO....." is that if you wanted to add a custom WINNT.SIF or switchless (.NET Framework, Java, etc) installers, etc to the 'directory' do it now before nLite makes the ISO.

One can always use a program like PowerISO to add files to the ISO if you already created it with nLite.

Hope this helps.

[Ponch]

at the end of the process, before creating an iso file, there is an advisory...

From my limited knowledge, the iso is created and there is no way to then add additional files.

... the answer is in the question.

[Mandarin]

You tell nLite where your Windows working directory is located right at the very beginning - that is your working directory. Let's call it nLiteCD.

nLite does its stuff and gets to the stage where you can add to your directory or carry on and make the ISO straight away. If you want to add to the directory, for example I add drivers for my Epson printer then minimise nLite by clicking on the "Tray" icon at the bottom left of the nLite window.

Now open your working directory nLiteCD.

Create another folder and call it something like Extras - you create this in your working directory as a new folder. So you now have a few existing folders and your new Extras folder all in your nLiteCD folder (working directory).

Add whatever you want to your Extras folder, creating sub folders if necessary - I drag my printer drivers into the Extras folder.

When you are happy you have added any extras that you might wish to have on your nLited CD close the working directory.

Click on the nLite icon which is showing in the system tray and the nLite program pops back up at the point where you left it.

Click on "create ISO", give it a name and save it to your desktop if you want to burn the ISO later or stick a blank CD in your burner and burn direct to CD.

This way your ISO includes all the Windows folders, a few files that nLite creates and your new Extras folder.

If you have the standard autorun on your CD you can browse the CD and open the extras folder so you can install whatever is in it at any time you want to.

[doonboggle]

The 'directory' refers to wherever your XP CD was copied to the HDD.

What the program means when it says "you can add more files before you make it an ISO....." is that if you wanted to add a custom WINNT.SIF or switchless (.NET Framework, Java, etc) installers, etc to the 'directory' do it now before nLite makes the ISO.

One can always use a program like PowerISO to add files to the ISO if you already created it with nLite.

Hope this helps.

OK. Now I get it. Thanks to you ... and also to Mandarin. But the other poster's comment makes no sense.

Thank you, both of you, for taking time to respond. nLite is a bit 'light' when it comes to detailed instructions I might add.

doon

[nuhi]

Agreed about the lite documentation, I am preparing myself to take one month to write a detailed guide about every single option (not every tweak ) after 1.3 hits final.

[doonboggle]

Agreed about the lite documentation, I am preparing myself to take one month to write a detailed guide about every single option (not every tweak ) after 1.3 hits final.

By no means was my comment meant to be a put-down of nLite. I think it's very good; and I, for one, REALLY appreciate the time and effort you've put into it. I could NEVER accomplish what you've done.

It would be a horrible job, as you touched on, to have to address all the settings and tweaks; I agree. But being a novice, my experience these past couple of days in trying to create a usable slipstreamed XP PRO SP2 disk has, in a short comment, 'been a nightmare'. Luckily I am using CD-RW disks; if not, would have gone thru at least 12-15.

My goal has been directed toward trying to clean up the unnecessary stuff; such as foreign keyboards, foreign lanquage, things that the dialogue indicated would be OK to eliminate ... etc ... etc. But not matter, so far I've been totally unsuccessful to create a usuable disk that goes all thru the installation process without a difficulty or hang up.

So while not addressing ALL the tweaks, etc., a broad guide in this area would be of great benefit to novices like me.

Just a suggestion.

doon