• From: Azores
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 34

Topic: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Unattended XP Install


This is a simple project that will allow to re-create a XP Install disk with our custom changes.


Download here (~900Kb)


This zipped file contains a custom wb with predefined web server - you only need to press the download button and follow the step-by-step instructions or read the quick start guide.

To start press Play



Main advantages
- Adds all known driverpacks automatically (including third party packs) - which includes a very extensive support for SATA, LAN and WLAN
- Add a liveXP project with extra tools to help cleaning up the drive of rescue/reorganize files before installing XP to disk (mmc also enabled)
- Launch the XP instalation in unattended method using XPsetupLauncher with your configuration (license key, username, etc)
- Do all these actions automaticaly


Known Issues

Wasn't tested on real hardware and installing XP under qemu took a long while - also had to be launched typing winnt32.exe /makelocalsource - for some reason I couldn't run xpsetuplauncher (but this might not be needed on real hardware).

You need to have web access to download the selected driverpacks from the web when running the project for the first time - they were too big to be included (>300Mb when all packs are selected), and they are automaticaly downloaded while the project is building if not already found on disk.

Takes some time to finish the project - on my machine it took around 15 minutes for a complete build (at least it's still much faster than doing all these actions manually by yourself)

Expect a very large ISO when adding all driverpacks (>1Gb)


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

DriverPacks was kind enough to offer their help and allowing for the whole slipstreaming process to be completely automated inside the overall project build.

http://forum.driverpacks.net/viewtopic.php?id=1536

A big THANKS to the driverpacks development team!

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



Please test and let me know your opinion on what needs to be changed or improved.
Would really like to know if the xpsetuplauncher can really work on real hardware and effectively install unattended windows as expected.

I've done this project mostly because it was very time consuming to do all the above steps by myself, maybe next step is adding grub4dos so that the setup install can also be launched at boot time.

You can also use other liveCD projects like nativeEx - there's a script that let's you decide which project to run - but this has been targeted to XP, so using vistaPE is not yet supported.


Also worth mentioning that driverpacks will slipstream the drivers onto the Windows Install Folder. LiveXP already contains SATA drivers, maybe a LAN pack should be added soon as a script if time helps or someone volunters to this task.



Have fun! smile

Last edited by Nuno Brito (2007-07-22 09:42:08)

Nuno Brito's Website

  • Helmi
  • Moderator & Translator (German)
  • Offline
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-27
  • Posts: 1,799

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

I'm checking this out now.

First look is nice, we'll see how useful it is  wink

http://d1syubgj0w3cyv.cloudfront.net/cdn/farfuture/AeXmpESLemRyQ4RE-dgdjRhN_hKaXMe7woWjOK2wsnk/perpetual:forever/userbar/moderator-3.png

Coming up next - useful links:
• If you like this project, please support it with your donation!      • Grab your HW info (HWIDs) here!     
• If you are a newbie, be sure to check out the DriverPacks tutorial!     • Here's how to create your own DP!
  • From: Azores
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 34

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Still a lot to learn from driverpacks - do let me know what you think that can be changed or improved - would be good to also add more tools, but my experience with Windows Installs is very reduced.

After this will start writing some pages on the wiki to help others getting started.. smile

Nuno Brito's Website

  • Helmi
  • Moderator & Translator (German)
  • Offline
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-27
  • Posts: 1,799

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Ok, I gave it a quick shot yesterday only DL the stuff because I didn't have time for more.

Very nice collection of apps, looks really useful.
DL speeds were quite fast, too, so that's a plus.

However, I noticed that (apparently?) all files are being DLed piece by piece instead of 7zipping them into one archive (per app, maybe) and sending that one over.
That should be even faster (esp. on slow connections, I have 6mbit so I don't really mind) and also save some bandwidth.

I will definately check this out further, once I get to it.
I have to finish (and troubleshoot...) my current UWXPCD first before I can start a different project, albeit with the same aim wink

http://d1syubgj0w3cyv.cloudfront.net/cdn/farfuture/AeXmpESLemRyQ4RE-dgdjRhN_hKaXMe7woWjOK2wsnk/perpetual:forever/userbar/moderator-3.png

Coming up next - useful links:
• If you like this project, please support it with your donation!      • Grab your HW info (HWIDs) here!     
• If you are a newbie, be sure to check out the DriverPacks tutorial!     • Here's how to create your own DP!
  • From: Azores
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 34

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Hi Helmi!

Thanks for trying, I've finally managed to get some real hardware were I could properly test things.

It seems that xpsetuplauncher itself is not working well and needs some extra parameters when calling winnt32.exe

On this project you can install XP from command line using WINNT32.EXE /MAKELOCALSOURCE - this should be enough to launch the setup process and place all files on disk - do you know any way to workaround this limitation?


Also been having an error with DPSbldr.exe when installing windows and no driverpacks seems to get installed - looked up the forums and found no reference to this file, but was hoping you would have a better idea on why KTD is not being applied - is something needing to corrected on the scripts that add support to driverpacks?


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

We also use individual downloadable scripts/apps because each script can use it's own version and people might not need them all (some are too big sized to be included by default)


Would be really great if you or anyone else with more experience could help us correctly implement the driverpacks itself - as you see - it's possible to completely integrate it along with other tools in a automatic fashion but this still needs to be tested and improved and I lack a lot of experience installing windows (our boot land talks are mostly focused on PE based boot disks).

No changes need to be made on DriverPacks - and hopefully this sort of developments will become acessible to a whole lot more people that will also certainly contribute to keep this project alive and well.

We are however discussing a complete replacement of the windows install setup and directly install windows on a machine without fuzz - this would make windows install probably be complete under less than 10 minutes (no need to make local sources or text mode setup) with extra flexibility to apply this as we need and already running from ISO images or USB drives.

Look here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.p … topic=2690

Windows Install is simply too limitative and we already know how to do it better..  :)

Nuno Brito's Website

  • From: MI - U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-05-27
  • Posts: 301

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Suggestions:
1) for the downloading process, the program should run hash checks on the files that are currently downloaded and compare them against the current server version. In doing so, it could be added into the program to only download copies of the files that have changed or are corrupt. Because, as of right now... the downloader will download everything regardless of of the file currently exists or not.

2) Would be GREAT to also have access to slipstream RyanVM updates and other update packs.

Otherwise, I haven't fully tested but WOW... you guys have really pulled things together to put things all in one place to make things easier on all of us!

Last edited by twig123 (2007-07-24 14:00:58)

  • From: Azores
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 34

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

Hi twig123!

An MD5 check is done on each downloaded file - this ensures  some integrity when downloading files.

These files are first downloaded to a temporary location and only if they pass the MD5 test are copied to the definitive position overwriting older files (if any).


Never worked with RyanVM - would be great to have more people with experience explaining what can be done next, it's all free and modifiable - really meant to make things simple.

smile

Nuno Brito's Website

  • Registered: 2009-09-14
  • Posts: 1

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

hi, i'm a system developer and i want try this funny toys is possbile??

thx

Last edited by kingmida (2009-09-14 06:29:48)

  • OverFlow
  • DriverPacks Administrator & BASE Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati
  • Registered: 2006-12-02
  • Posts: 6,730

Re: [project] Unattended XP Install with DriverPacks.

I don't belive this particular project is current anymore.
This thread is over two years old and the DL link is dead.

Please follow the links to BootLand for current info downloads and documentation. Tell them we said hello!.

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