Make Your Own Unattended Xp Cd

[BR3TT]

Hey people,

Ive been reading/doing this guide on making your own Windows XP CD with what you want and don't want, and it worked, and it's great!

I highly recommend it.

You can choose what programs are preinstalled, games, wallpapers.. The LOT.

This link gets you started:

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

I would recommend putting a few hours aside to do this, but its mad when you complete it.

~Brett

[manifesto]

thats phat so doin that!

alienware do that with their systems u buy, giv u a cd that resets everthing to how it came with all the setings etc.

[RavenKittie]

I've only made SP1 and SP2 integrated CD's but that looks like more fun :)

[manifesto]

hang on brett where are u meant to make those batch files for the apps? it doesnt explain that bit very well... :S

ive dun evrythin else but adding in the apps...im confused

[BR3TT]

Yeah bro, don't worry I found it hard aswell:

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

Basically you need 1 batch file that runs at the start:

Examples are here:

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

I would recommend browsing here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=80

Hope that helps dude,

Brett

[SilverShaft]

The question begs however

WHY?

[BR3TT]

Umm.. Why not?

You can tell it to install all the programs you need, wallpapers. Etc

When you format alot, you know the hassel of installing programs and stuff to get ur pc back in working order, but if a windows xp can do it for you, why the hell not?

:D

[Dezza Bot]

makes things a hellulva lot faster and easier.. I've got a lot of other tools that someone will likley post on this subject, but I'm too leet to :D

/me waits around for sevendust to post, but I dont think hes home

[MaJ]

iv got images of my installs & made them into recovery cds.

takes me 10 minutes to reformat & all my . is installed when its done.

[linux_inside v2]

lol sif.

i gots me an OEM Windows Preinstallation kit with automatic install, and all my games movies music and apps are on my Raid array so when i reinstall i only have to reinstall a few apps, most of them still work without being installed

[Domo-Kun]

is it possible to make a recovery DVD instead?

[Mlloyd60]

As long as you can boot from your DVD Drive, yes.

[SilverShaft]

Originally posted by linux_inside v2@Dec 28 2004, 11:21 AM
i gots me an OEM Windows Preinstallation kit with automatic install, and all my games movies music and apps are on my Raid array so when i reinstall i only have to reinstall a few apps, most of them still work without being installed
64401



Exactly and if you have ur progs on a seperate cd it takes the same time to install anyway

It will take longer buggerising around creatin the damn thing in the first place.

Pointless really

only good as has been said, as a OEM disk that allows recovery of preinstalled binaries

[coogle]

To add to the fun....

If you set yourself up with 10gig partition for system stuff, you can re-install any time you want without reducing your computer to nothingness every time.

[Sevendust]

Originally posted by Dezza Bot@Dec 26 2004, 10:54 PM
/me waits around for sevendust to post, but I dont think hes home
64207

took me a while but here it is:

Unattended CDs rock!
I got an original XP CD with no SPs on it then I used nLite (http://nuhi.msfn.org/) to get rid of all the - Windows installs off the disc before it has a chance to install itself. nLite also integrated SP2 for me which took all of 5 minutes. This CD alone rocks because now I have none of the associated SP2 problems all the whingers complain about on the net these days.
Then there's the unattended part. Browsing the forums of MSFN gave me all the parameters for the batch files that are instructed to run during install. So with some ingenuity and persistence I now ahve a CD that I put in the drive, restart windows, load the CD up, tell it where to install to, then wait 20-25 minutes and everything I will ever use on a regular basis is installed for me when I login - Firewall, AntiVirus, Drivers, Video and Audio Codecs, Photoshop, Trillian, Firefox, Flashget, the list goes on but there's probably about 30 or so programs and such installed, (with the exception of Alcohol 120%, ATi drivers and instant admin login because they require user interaction and thus cannot be installed unattended).
It applies registry tweaks for me so the classic theme is loaded up, no mouse shadows, XP start menu with my most frequently used programs pinned to the start menu and many other tweaks that I like. I am just about finished making this Unattended CD, once I make an unattended Office 2003 cd I will get the XPCD to make a shortcut to load up Office 2003 too.

Cliffnotes: Unattended CDs rock! I put the CD in, tell it to install to C: then leave the room to do something for 20, 25 minutes and I can do whatever I would normally do with my comp because all my settings are restored via the registry entries.

If you have time for a small, fun project I recommend investing your time into an unattended XPCD, 20-25 mins for an install and tweak fest that would normally take over an hour with all the user interaction and so.

[Robbo]

Ill just stick with my Windows Nemisis 3.0

[AlCaTrAzz]

Originally posted by Robbo@Jan 3 2005, 01:45 PM
Ill just stick with my Windows Nemisis 3.0
65089


what the?

[coogle]

Yeah, they are pretty useful.

I sort of decided not to pre-load everything, cause my main annoyance was losing all my settings and not having a useful backup method.

Now I've got dual boot, with all programs and docs etc on a seperate partition, so I just make an image of the primary drive every so often and re-install it back using the second boot drive.

And I like a copy of xp that boots in -20seconds.

[Icefire]

If your wanting to do this you can use a proggy called NLite

http://nuhi.msfn.org/nlite.html

Makes life easier :)

[Dezza Bot]

I've been using nlite for all my windows installs for the last few months... its awesome... getting better all the time too (and in the areas which I would like improvments which is a big surprise)

[neo_kre8or]

lol i suggest every1 justs makes there own operating system. :)

Looks like a good idea

ATM i install WinXP and all Apps and . like that then create a GHOST Image and write it to DVD. Total system restore in around 20mins.


And it is totally automated after selecting to restore from Boot.

Cheers

[coogle]

Originally posted by Dezza Bot@Jan 4 2005, 11:03 PM
I've been using nlite for all my windows installs for the last few months...* its awesome...* getting better all the time too (and in the areas which I would like improvments which is a big surprise)
65418


I like that you can basically do all the setup hacking in it, then still edit the files it creates for those final tweaks....

[Sevendust]

Yep, nLite rocks and is getting better and better.
As for the ghosting comment, I prefer the unattended method; two steps after telling my comp to boot from CD and a 20 minute wait after that and my computer is purrfect again. Also, no chance of residual spyware or virii like a ghost image. Probably not as simple as a ghost image, but nothing beats a fresh install and a fun project to boot.

I just finished creating my unattended version of Office XP from the same MSFN guide and it's sweet as. No more inserting my CD-Key, clicking next, or this and that. Pure bliss. I'd much rather be drinking a couple of smirnoff black labels than be clicking next...

[Robbo]

Originally posted by AlCaTrAzz@Jan 3 2005, 03:27 PM
what the?
65124


Windows Nemisis 3 is a remade XP 2sp + patches and other software usful.
Use to be called Windows FD

its just like making ur own but has been around for some time longer than this information. It contains reg fixes and other fixes to make performance better. + added already drivers for sata hdds etc. Nemisis or FD was created long ago with earlier versions before this information on making ur own came out.

[Dezza Bot]

Originally posted by coogle+Jan 4 2005, 10:24 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(coogle @ Jan 4 2005, 10:24 PM)</div>I like that you can basically do all the setup hacking in it, then still edit the files it creates for those final tweaks....
65432
[/b]
Exactably
<!--QuoteBegin-Sevendust@Jan 4 2005, 11:47 PM
I'd much rather be drinking a couple of smirnoff black labels than be clicking next...
65450

Ain't that the truth :D I'm gonna hafta work with you sometime in building a couple of unattended install cds

[Sevendust]

Originally posted by Dezza Bot@Jan 5 2005, 12:58 PM
Ain't that the truth* :D** I'm gonna hafta work with you sometime in building a couple of unattended install cdsDeal. My current one is basically all finished bar updating Symantec AV automatically, but I don't know whether I'm going to do that or not yet.

With all the programs mentioned in that guide and the forums, it's so very simple to make an unattended XPCD. Not only that, but all my drivers and favourite programs and then some, are on this CD.