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nlite, msfn guide, virtual machines, scripts

phaolo
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phaolo

phaolo

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Hello,

I've read the guide at http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/1/

The site is wonderful but there are really lots of infos!

So I have these questions:

1- is it good to use nlite together with the manual changes?

Nlite seems a great program but I don't like very much the CAB method to install applications. I'd like to run zip,rars,setup,reg,bat files

What to use? Batch,RunOnceEx,WPI,WIHU?

Which is the best method that combines customizability and semplicity?

2- I'd like to test the result OS cd from a virtual machine. Which is best:

Virtualbox,VirtualPC,Vmware,Bochs?

What's the min space I need for the (virtual) install? Requirements say 1.5 Gb but mine is 4 Gb..

Thanks!

Edited by phaolo
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DL.

DL.

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1. You can combine nLite with your own stuff.

RunOnceEx is probably the most commonly used method, but you can combine it with batches and regs (in cmdlines.txt or elsewhere).

It really depends on what you want to do and are comfortable doing...

There are lots of things you can do with your own unattended setup, some of them require more skills and knowledge than others.

2. They say Virtualbox is fast (and it's free), but I haven't tried it, I use VMware.

The size depends on what OS and which apps you are installing, but don't make it too small (1.5 GB is too small).

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phaolo

phaolo

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Hello, thank you for replying

Yes, manual edit + nlite seems to work. Before I was afraid that the program could overwrite something.

I tried VMware also and..****, it rocks! And VMtools are fabulous too. :lol:

Win XP fits good in a 3 Gb hdisk (in total takes 1,5 Gb as said)

Next I'll try RunOnceEx from cd method (directly from nlite maybe) to install programs, run setups, batch files and vbs scripts.

Questions:

-Windows "Zip folders" can extract ZIP files without WINZIP, right? Can it be done from command line compact /U or should I use a script?

-I'd like to set all possible switches for setup programs (like noreboot, quiet, installpath, components). Dos /? method doesn't work always. Is there an alternate way to find them?

-Do any of you know a script to set a fixed page file 1,5 times bigger than the machine ram?

Thanks :)

Edited by phaolo
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DL.

DL.

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nLite may overwrite some settings, but the ones you set after nLite has done its things (in cmdlines.txt) won't change.

I don't use the tweaks in nLite since I've got my own reg-file which sets everything the way I want it to.

Use 7-Zip (it's free, but you can use WinRAR too) to create a selfextracting exe instead of using the built-in zip-support, that's the way people do.

You can use the Universal Silent Switch Finder to find the switches, or just search the forums for the switches for that program.

Search and you will find the script to set the page file.

It takes lots of work, searching and testing to make a nice unattended setup that does what you want, so be prepared for it.

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phaolo

phaolo

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Yes hehe I noticed that. Lots of testing & tweaking..but it's quite funny and useful.

I know nothing about vbs, so I have to do many searches + copy&paste + puzzling. Luckly most of the things can be done with dos commands.

Even if nlite is great, you are right about some settings: for example the option to disable "fast user switching" is not working very good. It would be great if nlite could export simple registry modifications to a reg file for manual editing.

I tried Peid + Ussf but it seems it can only find nullsoft nsis installers with same switches types (what's the helper.bin thing). Where did I go wrong?

About the page file, I know how to set it, but I'd like to set it according to the ram of the system.. I'll have another google round then

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DL.

DL.

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It sure is quite useful and you'll learn a lot, but start small until you've got all the basics.

Most things can be done with batches and regs, in the (rare) case you need to use VBS there is probably already a script out there for you.

What program are you trying to find switches for?

I know I've seen a script to set the pagefile to 1.5xRAM, that's what I said in my last post but maybe I just wasn't clear enough.

As always; search and you will eventually find...

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phaolo

phaolo

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I'm trying to find switches for lots of programs. Probably it's my fault, but /? seems to work better than USSF..

Anyway, pagefile ok! ;) (not so an easy find though)

For those who are reading this post, the original script is at this page (2 x ram):

http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t58653.html (at the end)

Here I put the simplified version (removed subs, deleted messages and set pagefile to 1,5)

I don't dare touch anything else as I don't understand the code in GetObject parts

'+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Option Explicit

Dim intRAM, objRAM

Dim objPageFile, objWMIService, colPageFiles

' Puts Total MB of Physical RAM into intRAM variable

For Each objRAM in GetObject("winmgmts:\\.\root\CIMV2").ExecQuery("SELECT TotalPhysicalMemory FROM Win32_ComputerSystem")

intRAM = (objRAM.TotalPhysicalMemory / 1024) / 1024

intRAM = FormatNumber(intRAM, 0) + 1

Next

' 1.5 Physical RAM

intRAM = intRAM * 1.5

' Set current Page File to be 1.5 times RAM

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

Set colPageFiles = objWMIService.ExecQuery ("Select * from Win32_PageFileSetting")

For Each objPageFile in colPageFiles

objPageFile.InitialSize = intRAM

objPageFile.MaximumSize = intRAM

objPageFile.Put_

Next

' Exit Script

WScript.Quit(0)

'+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Edited by phaolo
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DL.

DL.

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You're quite new to the whole forums thing, right?

The RegTweaks-thread is a "sticky" which means it's been put there by some moderator more or less permanently to make it easy for people to find.

Browse the forums and you will probably find more things of interest. Make sure you have read the Forum Rules to avoid common mistakes.

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phaolo

phaolo

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Woops.. sorry, hope I didn't annoy you.. :blink: (can't I delete useless post then?)

Some other questions (if you want to answer):

-I'm going to install "net framework 2": I don't need "dotnetfix" from winXP cd, right?

-Do I need IIS if I don't set up a server or use asp code?

-Another script request.. how to set "save file" window view to details instead of default "icon view"? (I've searched but..)

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