Looking for a good DriverPacks Tutorial... (Page 3 of 3)

Hi Erik,
you did not.
Ton80 means that noobie txt I posted in here.

I was rewriting it because of his wise words. (And I pulled the old one)
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Dear Gentlebeings,

do YOU have to install windows XP on a regular basis?
Don't you hate it when you need that F6 FLOPPY?
Do you wish you could spend less time installing drivers on each installation?
After installing XPSp2, do you want to save an hour or longer with several restarts while doing windows update?

Well, spend some time on this, and save a couple hours each time you run setup.

A DVDRW is highly recommended.
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I knew a few things about unattended setup.
I knew about MsBatch, sysprep, and answerbuilder, but these tools are not the most convenient when one wants a bootable installation disc that sees your non-supported hard drive controller and has to be able to run a repair session.
One could do that with these tools and some geeky knowhow.
However, manually adding the needed drivers is tedious, prone to error, and has to be done per type of machine.
This is not really something I want to spend my time on.

So, my goal was to build a "setup" CD that can detect hard drives without using a driver-floppy in just about all machines.
Well, I learned there is a huge "filtered" collection of mass storage and chipset drivers available.
That took care of that F6 floppy need.

BUT, people whom are going to install on a regular basis need better.
Graphics cards, Lan, Wireless devices and sound driver installation can be a pain.
Some Hotfixes released after XP Service Pack 2 might be NEEDED to successfully install some drivers...

Well, I was not the only person looking for a convenient solution and I found some COOL projects.
They offer the integration tools for hotfixes and drivers, in such a form that the result can still fit a 700 or 800 Mb CDR.
The drivers were zipped with 7zip.
It depends on your selection, but these 7zip files contain well over a Gigabyte of drivers Windows does not have.
The packed Hotfixes are also taking room.
When one integrates all the hotfixes, several addons, all the DriverPacks and removes nothing from the Windows Source, then one will need a DVD.
(That's not a bad thing in itself... On a DVDRW one can really go for roll-outs.)
If you use Nlite to slim down your source BEFORE you integrate hotfixes and slipstream the drivers, you can usually get it to fit on a CDR.

I spent some time at these guys hangouts and learned, and tested and learned.
When new releases were in the works, I ran tests on a few "exotic" machines.
These programs improve over time, and I try to watch their evolution.
But I ramble..

For those of us that regularly run setup on a variety of new machines, here is something that works.
Actually, after a few runs, you find they are SIMPLE steps.

If you want it to fit on CDR: Nlite (slimming it down/other functions) and RVM (hotfixes/addons)
After that, Slipstream the Driverpacks into your source with DPs_Base.

If you are using a DVD:
Maybe you still want to use Nlite for some of its functions.
RVM to include hotfixes and addons.
The last slipstream is adding the DriverPacks with DPs_Base.

Common to CDR /DVD is that when you are done with the streaming, you burn a bootable or create an ISO.
(An ISO is usable for burning, for RIS or for testing in a Virtual PC).
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Let's get into detail
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RVM for slipstreaming post SP2 HOTFIXes and ADDONS

http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html
This is the page for Ryan Vander Meulen's integrator.
You want Hotfixes, so get his RVM POST SP2 hotfixes pack.
You should also get his RVM integrator and while you are at RVM's site, I can suggest you also look at the addons.
If you want them, download them into the same folder.
I usually select DOTNETFX with its hotfixes and some other addons I want.
My experience with addons is that you best do them in the same session..

Note, you could use Nlite to integrate RVM's hotfix pack and RVM's addons, but I do NOT use Nuhi's Nlite to integrate these....
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The source.
In this example I'll use an XP HOME edititon.
Copy your OEM home sp2 CD to a folder on hard drive.
eg, oemsp2_HOME
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NLITE NOTES -->
Slimming down to fit on a CDR.
If you are going to use NLite to make a build fit on a 700Mb or 800 Mb CDR, then PLEASE do not do this after you slipstreamed the Driverpacks .
I will also advise to not use Nlite for integrating the RVM hotfix packs.
I once ran into a bug in NLite when it integrated RVM's hotfixes.
Well... I got an error, and then svcpack.in_ (which is a txtfile) showed a size of 1.2Gigabyte.
NLite had revisions, and this should be fixed by now, but I still use RVM for RVM's hotfix packs.

Still, you most definately do not want to use N-Lite for slipstreaming the driverpacks.

Anyway, I use NLite for slimming down the source.
Do NOT remove of the :\I386\WINNTUPG folder.
It's needed for the Windows Recovery Console on a winxp sp1a with sp2 slipstreamed.
The other *UPG can be removed but for some reason the WRC needs that WINNTUPG folder.

The dotnetFX folder is not needed. (The RVM hotfixed dotnet is newer.)
DotNet is going to be needed for ATI graphics control panel, and many other programs will ask for a later version than what was originally on the Disc, so this RVM hotfix is highly recommended.
You could do away with the components folder altogether if you don't use tabletPC component.
Move NTbackup folder into support folder (If it is a Home edition).
You can delete valueadd folder.
I do NOT delete support folder (the tools are too valuable).

Then you run Nlite on that already slimmed down source.
I would suggest you remove the unneeded languages and unneeded keyboards.
Music samples, and the guided tour are also things you don't need.
Use NLite for removing things you do not use, and tweak the tweaks you would recommend.
Then let it do its thing and you've slimmed it down quite a bit.
I prefer to use Nlite FIRST, then RVM, and then DPs_base
Other reliable folks tell me they do RVM first, then Nlite, and then DPs_base.
All experienced DriverPacks users slipstream the drivers with DPs_Base and do that as LAST slipstream.
end notes <--
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The RVM integrator.
Get to the folder you downloaded RVM integrator and the RVM packs into.
Run the integrator, and browse it to the selected source for this session.

IMPORTANT
For some NON-English Windows source CD's, if you want HD-audio drivers load correctly, this is a required setting.)
hit the advanced flag
tick to ENABLE advanced
tick to convert UNICODE TO ANSI
go back to MAIN
(note, the latest RVM seems to have set UNICODE TO ANSI as DEFAULT, but if your Windows source is not an English version it is still worth your time checking into this.)

In the integrator, you can have it make a copy to a new folder for the slipstreaming.
(You don't need to, but it's handy when you are going to make variants.)
eg, oemsp2_home_hotfixed
This oemsp2_home_hotfixed folder would have the rootfiles and 386 folder only.
I suggest you copy the SUPPORT folder to oemsp2_home_hotfixed folder.
And in HOME editions copy the VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP folder to SUPPORT folder.
This way, you would have these valuable tools when you need them.

You can let it work without making a copy too, though.
Browse for selecting the update pack and addons, and then let it integrate them...
You can build an ISO in the same session, but since you will slipstream a cartload of drivers later on, you don't do that yet.

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Now let's get those drivers into windows setup CD.
http://www.driverpacks.net/
The files are under driverpacks.
You need DPsBase to roll them into the hotfixed source.
If you want to avoid F6, you definately need the Mass Storage Pack (For TextMode).
Chipset drivers are critically important.
(Many other drivers may not function when your chipset drivers are not installed.)
CPU has an AMD fix.
Sound has been split into two files by now.
Graphics has been split to Three
and LAN and WLAN are also found on main download page.
(There are third party driverpacks found in the forum.)

Download the files you want to same folder you downloaded DPsBase_xxxx.exe to.

Now, since you will probably do this more than once, you can make a folder for DPsbase.
for instance; C:\BASE

Copy DPs_base_xxxx to that folder and run it.
It selfextracts.
After this, you'll find an empty driverpacks folder in there.
Copy the driverpack files you want to it.
(Third party packs have to go to thirdparty folder)

Run Dps_Base.exe, hit the arrow to get forward.
Select DISC (which is the default), and click Browse.
Browse and point it to the oemsp2_home (or oemsp2_home_hotfixed) folder
If you want all drivers, you should use method 2
(It's the default.)
Click forward
>> Note;
Method 1 is NOT your choice if you do ALL, as the path statement string would become too long.
The $OEM$ path statement can be only so long (1024 characters in windows 2000, and 4096 in XP), and the drivers in path strings exceeding this statement Limit would be skipped. The paths are kept really short, but you won't ever get ALL in your build by using method 1....
<<

Select the DriverPacks, and for avoiding F6, you HAVE to use TEXTMODE.
(since you use method 2, just hit the select ALL button)

Suppose you have a machine you use for hardware testing.
You are going to be regularly adding/shuffling different cards in that box later on.
Then you probably want to select KTD (keep the drivers).
(KTD will add some extra time during setup, but the drivers will be readily available for you.)
The default is to NOT use it.

Pretty soon you walked through all the pages, and you hit the slipstream button.
A couple minutes later it's done.

Check the size of your hotfixed and driverslipped folder.
You might as well use a DVD...
(if you slimmed down the source, you can use a 700Mb CDRW)

Note;
CDRW or DVDRW highly recommended if you want to test different versions before burning finals for your toolsbox.
If you are new to this, or want to test with new releases, it is a good idea to first test these builds on a non-production machine.

TIP, do not delete older versions of these tools and packs.
Those that worked for you, should be kept as fallback.
New releases CAN have issues.

You can run tests in a virtual PC too.
After a few tests with finished builds, I think you will run the integrator and driverpacks base slipstream builder on all the sources you want slipstreamed versions of.
eg, If you have to do Retail CD versions, why not?

OH, you may need to do this to older Windows versions, or the first releases..
Then you will want to first slipstream the current service pack.
(You can use Nlite to do that, but autostreamer can also help you with that.)
Do the XP hotfixes after latest servicepack (currently SP2).
They are, after all, POST SP2 hotfixes.

The older the version you have is, the more time you save when you have to use that slipstreamed build.
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Make ready to burn.

NOTE; If you use a DVD, one could copy or add some other stuff to the folder before you do that. Tools and programs you downloaded and will put on the new machine can be put in that DVD... Some people actually have the DVD run unattended installation of additional programs. << end note

Now you CAN make an ISO with the integrator or Nlite, and the ISO will have a bootsector.
Run the integrator or Nlite, and hit ISO.
Tell it where the source is at, where to save the ISO, and the label you want to give it.
Then hit MAKE.
After this, you can burn a Disc from the ISO.
(You can also test it in a Virtual PC).

--OR--

If you want to use a burning suite with selection pane (like Nero), you need a bootfile image.
Isobuster can get it off the source CD.
Save it as IMA if you plan on using NERO.
I used NERO...
In nero burning rom;
Bootable DVD
Select the floppy image file
Set options to NO EMULATION
Set SECTORS to 4
Drag the files into the selection pane to build your compilation.
Burn and test it.
I think you'll love it.

After using it a couple times, you probably saved yourself a few hours already.
These tools have a Donate button, and when you are satisfied why shouldn't you?
For issues with these programs, visit the forums these guys have.
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A few Notes about Unattended.
You will probably NOT want to put the key in the winnt.sif for OEM or Retail installs.

For new machines, you can make it automatically select  a partition and you can have it automatically partition the hard drive too.

in [DATA], autopartition=1  (this is used as default if that line is not there)
In [unattended] Repartition=YES (or 1) (This line is not present and the default is NO)

WARNING, automatic REPARTITION should not be used when you want to split the hard drive into more than one partition.
Repartition=1 will zap all partitions off the drive.
You also do NOT use this if you want to use this Disc for Windows Repair.

Maybe you don't want to use FULLY unattended.
A Winnt.sif you had created and use should be in the 386 folder before you run DPs_base.
It makes a backup of it and it adds its entries to it.
If you didn't have a winnt.sif yet, a winnt.sif is created by DPs_Base...
This will still allow you to get to RECOVERY CONSOLE when you need it..

You CAN use a non-full unattended WINNT.SIF file.
You can make it NOT automatically go to the partition without windows ( autopartition=0 ).
Note; autopartition=1 is the default if that entry is not present in the txtfile, and that is how Windows can surprise you by ending up on another partition after an attempt at repair setup.

So, I started to use autopartition=0 to have better control over where it would go to.

I think that when you already rolled out a few and use your own winnt.sif files, you know more than I do.
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NLite can help you make a WINNT.SIF for full or semi unattended..
Oh, I have used Nlite to roll just the FEW drivers on the floppy into a disc a few times, but this driverpacks package has like 1500 different devices... and Nlite fails when it has to do all the packs.
It also breaks the driverpacks if it is run after BPsBase slipped in those driverpacks.
But I ramble.

So, having done several tests, I will go for what works.

In short;
After Nlite for slimming, I use RVM, and after RVM, DPs_Base.
Either make an ISO and burn it, or use NERO with a bootfile image.

Do not risk data, use a machine that can be formatted anytime for your tests.
The real tests are done on real machines, but one can use virtual machines too.
Once you are satisfied that the process does what you need, you can use this in the real world, and have an improved toolsbox.

( There is something I don't do for I don't do huge networks, but a good many people use these tools for RIS. I read they also use Siginet's AUTOIMAGE for that. I mention this for that might be the answer you was looking for when you stumbled onto this article here..)

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At the driverpacks site.
each download page has a changelog and supported drivers listing.
For instance, sound B
http://www.driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/ … ound_B.htm

stil, here is a quick note on the Graphics driverpacks.
DriverPack Graphics A contains the ATI Radeon and the nVidia GeForce (Go) drivers;
DriverPack Graphics B contains other brands graphics drivers;
DriverPack Graphics C contains the drivers for ATI & nVidia's professional devices, as well as the legacy driver for the TNT2-GeForce 2 series of nVidia and some legacy ATI;
When you slipstream all three of them, they 'melt' together as a whole!

In XP and Windows 2000, If you do ONLY mass storage and chipsets to avoid the F6 floppy, you can use method 1, and textmode.
Far as I know, you cannot combine method 1 with method 2.
Method 2 can handle all packs, and is fast, so most people use this nowadays.

Method 1 cannot use ALL drivers.
(it warns you when it exceeds the limit, and if it does, you can run Method one again and unselect a DriverPack you do not need.)
METHOD 1 DOES HAVE ITS USES.
However, Method 1 can easily add over 500 Megabyte to a source because the drivers are "cabbed" into the source rather than copied to a folder, and he much higher 7zip compression level makes a difference then.
In Other words, if you select the maximum amount of drivers it will allow without Base giving you the warning that 4096 characters were exceeded, it won't fit on CDR.
One of the uses is that a DVD you prepared with Method 1 will work "out of the box" when you use Windows' "update" function to update Windows from the DVD.
BUT, there was a discussion about the error a method 2 streamed Disc will cause when one tries that, and we learned that a method 2 streamed source can also be used for "update" if one adds this line to presetup.cmd before you burn.
DEL /F %systemroot%\system32\setupold.exe
(I'll be testing this soon enough..)

Last edited by Jaak (2008-02-25 20:31:22)