If you import your driver folders into nLite, it will create it's own WINNT.SIF file that will have the OemPnPDriversPath line you need.

Has anyone typed out all the paths for all packs yet?  I'm trying to go through all the directories, but it's taking hours.

thanks, JP

What program did you use to (try to) extract them?

From my own experience, there's always one way or another to obtain the drivers from these darned exes (I very much prefer a plain and simple zip file, you know ).
WinRAR and 7-Zip gave me great success.

If not, just run the extractor, it will then extract the files into the temp dir.
YOu will not have to proceed with the installation, just kick-start it to the first "proceed" window.

Have a look for the driver INFs in your (previously cleaned up and swept out) temp dir, copy them out and cancel the installation.

Then you can either use nlite to add them in a M1 fashion to your source or create a 3rd Party DP for M2 use

Oh man it was fun

Some InstallShield EXE's worked great with the typical

 /a /p [path] -s

commands.  Some worked with

/extract_all

, and even some strange ones with to old

 /c

command.  Some packaged by Dell would open with WinZip,  Others would open with WinZip would reveal a Setup.exe that could be opened using the command lines.

Then still others would not extract via command line, or open with WinZip, Rar, Ace, Jar, 7z, or any other type of unpacker I could find.

I then attempted dumpster (temp folder) diving but it was a process that became WAY too time consuming.  Some would not simply unpack and wait for a next prompt.  Some (worse the chipset drivers) would run to completion by executing the EXE with no prompts.  Forcing me to move to VM machines hehe.  Others would not do anything unless they detected the hardware on the machine they were intended for.

So in that search I found this site.  And it's looking like these driver backup programs are going to be my best bet.

Once again, thank you all for your continuing help.

Figure out which drivers you want and copy the specific driver pack folders containing the drivers you require from the full packs to your 3rd party driver pack.  (copy only the folders with the *.INF files that contain your systems HWID's) then don't use/select the full packs provided here use your custom third party pack instead. you should easily be able to stay under the 4096 limit. helpful?

however if you don't use sysprep this becomes a non issue - That is what I and siginet were trying to get you to understand.

Understood, Thank you

------------------

I was not attempting to brag or impress with my references, only to show my receptiveness to new ideas, and to illustrate my situation.  If my wording / tone caused offense it was not my intention.

It sounds like an impressive tool, but those are areas I have already conquered.  It does sound like it could be a good reference in the future, thank you.

I really wanted to utilize RIS but again, it's a bandwidth constraint.  Our technicians have the unfortunate need to be able to walk on site with %90 of what they need to load on hand, and automated as possible.  Since I have not been able to find a solution faster, or more automated than Ghost images, I continue to use this method for our OS distribution / large app preload.  But as I said before I'm always looking for a better solution

I have been doing this a long time, though not quite as long as yourself.  These tools I have found in your forums are new to me and I am thankful to you, your staff, and the community for providing them and maintaining them. 

I'm sorry if I have hijacked this thread and having taking it in a direction outside of your forums normal subject matter, but I thank you for everyone's very helpful and speedy replies.

When I began this process I was attempting to extract the drivers from Dell's setup.exe files and having a horrible time with it.  Some of the EXE's would not extract.  Through this forum I recently discovered this Driver Backup programs.  These are definately a better alternative, but will still require that I install my OS on every model... install the drivers.. then back them up with these programs.

What program did you use to (try to) extract them?

From my own experience, there's always one way or another to obtain the drivers from these darned exes (I very much prefer a plain and simple zip file, you know ).
WinRAR and 7-Zip gave me great success.

If not, just run the extractor, it will then extract the files into the temp dir.
YOu will not have to proceed with the installation, just kick-start it to the first "proceed" window.

Have a look for the driver INFs in your (previously cleaned up and swept out) temp dir, copy them out and cancel the installation.

Then you can either use nlite to add them in a M1 fashion to your source or create a 3rd Party DP for M2 use

however if you don't use sysprep this becomes a non issue - That is what I and siginet were trying to get you to understand.

------------------

My first computer was a dumb terminal + mainframe over 38 years ago. I was old school before they built the school.
I won't even begin to give you my full background. Suffice it to say have clients that are 50+ locations spread over multiple states and others that are international. I'm not some script kiddie, I have more than just a clue....

WPI is very easy to edit (kill the installation display or just the abort button and set the selection timeout to 1 sec or bypass it) but moreover it is a learning tool. It will open doors showing you how other people have already figured out how to automate the install of almost any software program you can think of. You can just get the command line switches from the forums and then write your own scripts  and not even use the wpi interface if you don't want. just use the examples and not have to reinvent the wheel.

you could use RIS with my recomended combo for non DVD stations or even for DVD Stations given the fact that network transfer rates could in the right setup blow away DVD transfer rates, and I always carry my external usb dvd with me for emergency.

perhaps a little more research using my advise since this discussion is way beyond the scope of this forum....

if you use DP + nLite + WPI  the sysprep method is Antiquated

I am building images in a big brother environment with thousands of workstations.  From what I understand WPI does the opposite of what I want to do.  I need these machines to image, reboot, complete automated tasks and be ready to use.  Not relying on users to enter the correct information.  Though I could see WPI being very useful in smaller, or more loosely governed shops.

Software is distributed by our software distribution systems once the images connect to the network.  Some applications are pushed to the images before hand, such as Office due to bandwidth restrictions in lower bandwidth offices.  Hence the need for images over XP installations from CD or from the network.  And due to licensing, we are still stuck with Win2K / Off2K, WinXP / OffXP, and WinXP / Off2K3 configurations that must be simple for the technicians to restore.  I had thought about integrating the office installations into the OS DVD's but all of our workstations do not have DVD players and we would also rather these installations be regulated by our software distribution systems, giving us the ability to self heal and reinstall remotely.

But I am old school.  If your reading this and know of a fresh idea to accomplish what I am doing then I'm all ears and thankful for the help.

When I began this process I was attempting to extract the drivers from Dell's setup.exe files and having a horrible time with it.  Some of the EXE's would not extract.  Through this forum I recently discovered this Driver Backup programs.  These are definately a better alternative, but will still require that I install my OS on every model... install the drivers.. then back them up with these programs.

So to farm what was already provided by deleting the the stuff I didn't need seemed like a good idea.

Understood... then I won't be tampering with this one.

Well no... problem was the OemPnPDriversPath limitation being exceeded.  I am using this method not for an XP install CD but to facilitate the Sysprep process.  Not that it would not be nice to have a Method 2 disk for begining my builds.

Looks like I have some more experimenting and reasearch to do then, thank you

Why do you prefer method 1 over method 2?  Method 2 is faster and more efficient... and saves a ton of space.  In my opinion method 1 is almost obsolete now.  Only times I see method one might be useful is in ris... maybe.

Because I like it nice and clean and I will mostly only be using this method to populate my OemPnPDriversPath for Sysprep.

i have had trouble with my sound drivers in VMware useing m2 and WPI the drivers arn't installed soon enough to beat the native windows drivers to the device but other than that...

You said you only needed to support two dell platforms ? ? ?
I am thinking making a pack of 50 or so drivers would be much easier than removing several hundreds.
That would be a very short list of drivers, what am I missing here?

"(other than the mass storage pack which I likely won't change)."
Extremely high likelyhood of going down in flames messing with the mass storage pack with text mode support turned on.  please DON'T go there! It will almost certainly be a catastrophy. Now, if you wish to give up text mode support, I'm not sure how that will shake out. Maybe you will have limited success.
I am guessing now that disk space is your main concern. The mass storage pack is quite small at a measily 20 meg after extraction. Not much room to be had, even if you cut it completely.

nLite has always worked wonderfully for me with mass storage drivers.

Unfortunately I need drivers from each and every driver pack except for Sound A.   So limiting the packs is not an option.

In that case, you will have to use M2 anyway.

Check the 3rd Party DP forum for instructions on that.

Unfortunately I need drivers from each and every driver pack except for Sound A.   So limiting the packs is not an option.

It there anything special to creating a 3rd party pack?  Or am I simply moving my file structure into 7-Zip files?

Is your only concearn with hacking the driver packs the time required?  Or is there potentional for added failure? (other than the mass storage pack which I likely won't change).

I am actually using nLite to integrate the windows updates, but was told to use this tool for drivers.  Will I run into any problems with Mass Storage Device drivers with nLite?

On and one final question.   This process works for Windows 2000 as well correct?  (concearned with the mass storage section especially).