G
Guest
Hi all. I'm a newbie at slipstreaming a windows installation cd with service
packs, windows update hotfixes, drivers, installation programs, and
customized settings/tweaks, but I've been reading up on the topic and
understand the overall process, just not some of the finer details on the
steps involved. Hopefully I don't use wrong terms or describe anything
inaccurately here, and hopefully I've provided enough information on my
situation for someone to recognize my difficulties and be able to help!
My current system (before wipe and reinstall):
Intel Pentium-IV 300GHz; 1GB RAM; 80GB HD; Windows XP Pro EN w/SP2
(v5.1.2600.2180); Broadband internet (cable modem) connection
Summary of steps taken thusfar to create the slipstreamed Windows
installation CD/DVD:
1. Copied Windows XP Pro CD contents to C:\XPCD
2. Successfully slipstreamed XP SP2
3. Successfully integrated Windows Update post-SP2 hotfixes (although I'm
not sure I got all of them or all the ones
I need -- I saw many different methods to get them, but does anyone
have 1 easy method to collect (download)
them all at one time for easy integration? I tried "Bâshrat the
Sneaky's Driver Packs" as one method, but it's not
clear if I need ALL the driver packs and all their content or not, and
I don't think I can integrate more than a
maximum # of drivers anyway, so I'd rather just integrate the ones I
know I need for my system components
anyway -- I'm just not sure of how to determine or do that!)
Now I'm at the point where I need (want) to integrate
(copy/setup/slipstream) the 1) drivers and 2) programs for my system
components, but I'm confused as to how I go about doing this and why it seems
so easy and makes sense to most of you but not me.
From what I understand, I can 1) point a program like nLite (which I've been
using) to integrate single .inf files or a folder (with its subfolders) which
contains the .inf file(s), which seems like the easiest method, 2) somehow
add Mass Storage drivers to my 'project' (the slipstreamed Windows XP Pro
install CD/DVD I'm attempting to create here), and/or 3) use executable
(.exe) drivers (to install via executable, application installation fashion).
The question/problem is this: when I go to the manufacturer's website for
each of my system components that have drivers I'm trying to slipstream so
they're installed automatically along with Windows from the CD, they usually
have a Support > Downloads > Drivers & Programs section I can find the driver
at, but it's usually an .exe file that I'd have to double-click and follow
the installer prompts to completion before the driver (and any other program
components, whether desired or not) installs successfully. For me, it seems,
it's not as easy as having a folder containing an .inf file (or more than 1)
that I can point a program at to find and integrate. Should it be that
easy?? I don't (yet) see it.
Most of you probably are familiar enough with your own system or drivers so
as to have them handy or are able to access exactly what you need in order to
populate a drivers folder with the .infs or whatever else is needed to
successfully install the drivers as part of the unattended Windows setup
process that runs from the slipstreamed CD/DVD.
So could someone please tell me, in an easy-to-understand-for-newbs format,
how I would go about 1) finding all the drivers I need for each of my system
components (chipset, network, video, audio, printer, scanner, etc.), 2) if I
need to 'extract' anything from the downloaded drivers -- which mostly seem
to be in .exe format, and 3) if I don't need to extract files, how the heck
do I get nLite or something to recognize what it needs to properly integrate
the drivers and nothing else without running the .exe as an installation?
I found on http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/ the "Unattended
Windows" guide which I am reading through, up to the point where now I am
stuck at successfully finding and integrating the drivers I need. In the
"Intermediate Users", "Device Drivers" section it mentions that ...
"You can use an application that monitors your software installation, and
then creates a silent-install package of the files and registry changes that
occurred during the installation. These types of applications are listed
below:
WinInstall LE 2003 (Freeware) Use the 'Discover' Wizard.
InstallRite (Freeware)
AutoIT (Freeware) and Collection of scripts from forum members
Symantec AI Snapshot (Included in Symantec Ghost Corporate)"
So do I have to do that with the driver .exe files I've downloaded? Do I do
that with the other programs I want to slipstream on the install CD/DVD as
well? Are there "silent install" switches I should be using -- and how do I
use them?
I thank you in advance for any assistance and clarification you can offer so
I can better understand what I'm doing and doing wrong, and have a better
grasp of the concept and it's steps so I can create my Windows XP Pro install
CD slipstreamed with SP2, all Microsoft Update hotfixes released since then,
all drivers for all my system components, and all programs I want to install
by themselves without me having to do that manually after the OS is installed
and I'm logged in to the desktop. I'm trying to minimize effort and
eliminate any manual steps other than some personalization or tweaking after
I've logged in to my fresh install.
Thanks all for taking the time to read all this and for your replies.
Perhaps the answers are closer than I can see right now.
Regards,
TygerZoyd
packs, windows update hotfixes, drivers, installation programs, and
customized settings/tweaks, but I've been reading up on the topic and
understand the overall process, just not some of the finer details on the
steps involved. Hopefully I don't use wrong terms or describe anything
inaccurately here, and hopefully I've provided enough information on my
situation for someone to recognize my difficulties and be able to help!
My current system (before wipe and reinstall):
Intel Pentium-IV 300GHz; 1GB RAM; 80GB HD; Windows XP Pro EN w/SP2
(v5.1.2600.2180); Broadband internet (cable modem) connection
Summary of steps taken thusfar to create the slipstreamed Windows
installation CD/DVD:
1. Copied Windows XP Pro CD contents to C:\XPCD
2. Successfully slipstreamed XP SP2
3. Successfully integrated Windows Update post-SP2 hotfixes (although I'm
not sure I got all of them or all the ones
I need -- I saw many different methods to get them, but does anyone
have 1 easy method to collect (download)
them all at one time for easy integration? I tried "Bâshrat the
Sneaky's Driver Packs" as one method, but it's not
clear if I need ALL the driver packs and all their content or not, and
I don't think I can integrate more than a
maximum # of drivers anyway, so I'd rather just integrate the ones I
know I need for my system components
anyway -- I'm just not sure of how to determine or do that!)
Now I'm at the point where I need (want) to integrate
(copy/setup/slipstream) the 1) drivers and 2) programs for my system
components, but I'm confused as to how I go about doing this and why it seems
so easy and makes sense to most of you but not me.
From what I understand, I can 1) point a program like nLite (which I've been
using) to integrate single .inf files or a folder (with its subfolders) which
contains the .inf file(s), which seems like the easiest method, 2) somehow
add Mass Storage drivers to my 'project' (the slipstreamed Windows XP Pro
install CD/DVD I'm attempting to create here), and/or 3) use executable
(.exe) drivers (to install via executable, application installation fashion).
The question/problem is this: when I go to the manufacturer's website for
each of my system components that have drivers I'm trying to slipstream so
they're installed automatically along with Windows from the CD, they usually
have a Support > Downloads > Drivers & Programs section I can find the driver
at, but it's usually an .exe file that I'd have to double-click and follow
the installer prompts to completion before the driver (and any other program
components, whether desired or not) installs successfully. For me, it seems,
it's not as easy as having a folder containing an .inf file (or more than 1)
that I can point a program at to find and integrate. Should it be that
easy?? I don't (yet) see it.
Most of you probably are familiar enough with your own system or drivers so
as to have them handy or are able to access exactly what you need in order to
populate a drivers folder with the .infs or whatever else is needed to
successfully install the drivers as part of the unattended Windows setup
process that runs from the slipstreamed CD/DVD.
So could someone please tell me, in an easy-to-understand-for-newbs format,
how I would go about 1) finding all the drivers I need for each of my system
components (chipset, network, video, audio, printer, scanner, etc.), 2) if I
need to 'extract' anything from the downloaded drivers -- which mostly seem
to be in .exe format, and 3) if I don't need to extract files, how the heck
do I get nLite or something to recognize what it needs to properly integrate
the drivers and nothing else without running the .exe as an installation?
I found on http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/ the "Unattended
Windows" guide which I am reading through, up to the point where now I am
stuck at successfully finding and integrating the drivers I need. In the
"Intermediate Users", "Device Drivers" section it mentions that ...
"You can use an application that monitors your software installation, and
then creates a silent-install package of the files and registry changes that
occurred during the installation. These types of applications are listed
below:
WinInstall LE 2003 (Freeware) Use the 'Discover' Wizard.
InstallRite (Freeware)
AutoIT (Freeware) and Collection of scripts from forum members
Symantec AI Snapshot (Included in Symantec Ghost Corporate)"
So do I have to do that with the driver .exe files I've downloaded? Do I do
that with the other programs I want to slipstream on the install CD/DVD as
well? Are there "silent install" switches I should be using -- and how do I
use them?
I thank you in advance for any assistance and clarification you can offer so
I can better understand what I'm doing and doing wrong, and have a better
grasp of the concept and it's steps so I can create my Windows XP Pro install
CD slipstreamed with SP2, all Microsoft Update hotfixes released since then,
all drivers for all my system components, and all programs I want to install
by themselves without me having to do that manually after the OS is installed
and I'm logged in to the desktop. I'm trying to minimize effort and
eliminate any manual steps other than some personalization or tweaking after
I've logged in to my fresh install.
Thanks all for taking the time to read all this and for your replies.
Perhaps the answers are closer than I can see right now.
Regards,
TygerZoyd