• Registered: 2008-03-02
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Questions

Alright Well allitle background info is needed for my question to be answered correctly. I am a Network Operator and Maintainer for the United States Army, one of many so im no expert nowhere close to it but we have a side job of setting up laptops that the army uses for all types of communication. Well Im getting tired of spending 4 hours per laptop installing all the required programs security settings and drivers that the laptop needs to be fully operational so I am looking to make one CD or DVD (If necessary) to automate the whole process. I have the unattended part of it down and working on making a WPI for the applications but Im stuck on this driver problem. I cannot use any third party programs to alter windows in anyway so Bâshrat the Sneaky DriverPacks are out of the question. So I know the answer would have to be done I believe through winint.sif and RunOnce but here comes my question. How can I make windows know which driver to install and how to install it because some have Inf files others have just setup.exe. I would say Im going to be working with about 20 or so dell models to work with. Any and all help would be appreciated and any questions you have for me I will try and answer.

Thankyou
PFC Downey

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

Re: Questions

Bâshrat the Sneaky DriverPacks uses standard documented and approved MS windows OEM driver installation techniques (if you use method one)

so it is not a third party install it is a standard MS install the we automate / prepare for you.

so you can use DriverPacks if you use method one. Method one does not alter windows it enables Microsofts built in support for OEM's.

(if you can use WPI then you can use DriverPacks they both use OEM installs they just automate it for you)

not out of the question at all - some background and education was needed.

DP BartPE Tutorial   DP_BASE Tutorial   HWID's Tool     Read BEFORE you post    UserBars!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
The DriverPacks, the DP_Base program, and Support Forum are FREE!.

OverFlow's Website

  • From: Cambridgeshire, UK
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 6,226

Re: Questions

Revampster wrote:

How can I make windows know which driver to install and how to install it because some have Inf files others have just setup.exe.

Howdy Private! smile
Welcome to DriverPacks!

Overflow is correct.  You don't have to figure out how to make Windows detect the drivers.  You declare the path to the driver pool (%systemdrive%\drivers) in winnt.sif and the driver enumerator takes care of the rest...That is how DriverPacks Method 1 works. 
You are correct in the fact that we (DriverPacks.net) redistribute the OEM drivers and as such you can't verify the integrity of the DriverPacks without trusting us implicitly.

I'm a MSgt in the USAF, and we use a custom XP build AF-wide, it's based on sysprep with a customized front-end and uses the winnt.sif method so you're limited on the drivers you can include (4096 char path limit) and no .exe can be run.  It's kludgy, but it works for 80% of the systems we deploy.  When we come across a system the AFSDC (Air Force Standard Desktop Configuration) does not work on (blue screen), our IT guys drop it on my desk to figure it out.  Lucky me. big_smile

So, the bad news is that in your official capacity in the Army, you CANNOT use the DriverPacks.  But you CAN use the methodology to implement driver install, because it's standard MS protocol.

Clear?  Dismissed.  smile

Last edited by mr_smartepants (2008-03-02 19:06:57)

Read BEFORE you post.  HWID tool   DriverPacks Tutorial   DONATE!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Kevlar!
  • OverFlow
  • DriverPacks Administrator & BASE Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati
  • Registered: 2006-12-02
  • Posts: 6,730

Re: Questions

well I have been learned...

if you need assitance in the hows and the whys
i code base and am very familiar with what is atually done by the base to make it work...

so since i now know that we can't be trusted wink at least i can keep you from pulling your hair out...

oops, forgot you probably lost your hair already - guess i lost my head - tee hee

DP BartPE Tutorial   DP_BASE Tutorial   HWID's Tool     Read BEFORE you post    UserBars!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
The DriverPacks, the DP_Base program, and Support Forum are FREE!.

OverFlow's Website

  • From: Cambridgeshire, UK
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 6,226

Re: Questions

LOL, still have ALL of my hair!

Read BEFORE you post.  HWID tool   DriverPacks Tutorial   DONATE!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Kevlar!
  • OverFlow
  • DriverPacks Administrator & BASE Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati
  • Registered: 2006-12-02
  • Posts: 6,730

Re: Questions

ROFL  - I meant PFC Downey AKA Revampster

Don't ever change, you are excellent sanity maintenance for me... (so i can keep my hair)

DP BartPE Tutorial   DP_BASE Tutorial   HWID's Tool     Read BEFORE you post    UserBars!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
The DriverPacks, the DP_Base program, and Support Forum are FREE!.

OverFlow's Website

  • Registered: 2008-03-02
  • Posts: 2

Re: Questions

@mr_smartepants- thanks mSgt I however am in the army were things so big there very could be a CD out there that I dont know of that has all the drivers and apps installed however i have taken on the mission to make one for our little Network Operations Center and so far havent made much progress.

@Overflow- Yes i would like any help you would like to give I dont really have a deadline for this task because its more of a bettering my surroundings then the last unit that was here type thing but would be a very nice thing to present to my Colonel as a sign of wanting to exceed expectations of the IMO world.

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

Re: Questions

the best advise i can give you is to read this...

http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

everything you wish to know is there...
if you can't find it there you are welcome to ask...

DP BartPE Tutorial   DP_BASE Tutorial   HWID's Tool     Read BEFORE you post    UserBars!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
The DriverPacks, the DP_Base program, and Support Forum are FREE!.

OverFlow's Website

  • From: Cambridgeshire, UK
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 6,226

Re: Questions

A very good place to learn about the unattended process can be found here:
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/
And it's where I began my lessons.

The section that specifically deals with drivers via winnt.sif is here:
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.x … d787e8489/

I think that if you ask around, you'll find that the Army is moving to a unified DVD architecture like we have.  The upshot is that it's centrally managed, and universal.  The downside is you lose local control over your material.
In any case, read up at msfn.  You'll learn a lot, and you have friends here who will always help when asked.  Good luck with your Colonel, if he's like mine...you'll need it. smile  (don't forget to include your chain of command in your progress, that's essential)

Read BEFORE you post.  HWID tool   DriverPacks Tutorial   DONATE!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Kevlar!
  • OverFlow
  • DriverPacks Administrator & BASE Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati
  • Registered: 2006-12-02
  • Posts: 6,730

Re: Questions

lol cross posted - with the same advise no less...

DP BartPE Tutorial   DP_BASE Tutorial   HWID's Tool     Read BEFORE you post    UserBars!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
The DriverPacks, the DP_Base program, and Support Forum are FREE!.

OverFlow's Website

  • From: Cambridgeshire, UK
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 6,226

Re: Questions

27 seconds apart...I'm getting slow in my old age! tongue

Read BEFORE you post.  HWID tool   DriverPacks Tutorial   DONATE!
http://driverpacks.net/userbar/admin-1.png
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Kevlar!