Slipstream Windows Easy « Icrontic Tech

Holy crap. I've been looking for a program like that for FOREVER. YAYYYYYY.

I've used it and it can do things that handmade custom Install Cd's cannot. I'm responsible for making OS install CD's that integrate all patches, all security settings, and profile tweaks. I do it by hand and update every time Microsoft releases updates.

nLite is very nice. You can basically install an OS on a system with everything you need in just a couple of clicks... SO MUCH FASTER!!!!

I still recommend doing it by hand for simple understanding of what is being done, but that is for corporate world.

mmonnin

4 Apr '05, 2:29 am

Wow thats awesome!!!

MM: Did you try the non-Free version? Or at least know if there are any better options?

Thrax

4 Apr '05, 2:29 am

I did my own disc, manually, but every step (And a thousand cross-referencing double-checks to make sure I got it right on the first burn) left me weeping like a sissy for a program that would effing do it for me.

csimon

4 Apr '05, 2:37 am

Quoting Thrax

I did my own disc, manually, but every step (And a thousand cross-referencing double-checks to make sure I got it right on the first burn) left me weeping like a sissy for a program that would effing do it for me.

MediaMan

4 Apr '05, 3:02 am

Quoting mmonnin

MM: Did you try the non-Free version? Or at least know if there are any better options?

For nLite there is no commercial version. WYSIWYG. As far as XP Lite? Me? Pay? Money? $39 vs. free. The choice was pretty easy. I make no comment on how XP Lite peforms as I have not compared it. I'm just after free stuff for you guys.

profdlp

4 Apr '05, 3:18 am

Beautiful! Perfect timing, too. I'm just starting a project which will involve a lot of format/reinstall action. I considered doing my own slipstreamed CD, but this looks to be so much simpler to use.

csimon

4 Apr '05, 3:20 am

Quoting MediaMan

I'm just after free stuff for you guys.

And I appreciate that MM .

primesuspect

4 Apr '05, 4:22 am

Nice! Thanks, mm!

Park_7677

4 Apr '05, 5:55 am

Word of caution to people with RAID and single HDs. I have 2x 160GB in RAID0 and a 300 GB IDE backup. When I use any unattended install, I have very bad results. This program is great, just be careful during unattended Windows install. What Windows does is erase my partition table on the IDE drive, even before I have any input. I've had this problem with any unattended install of Windows, not just this program. But this program does make it easier for people to create unattended installs and is particularly attractive being able to add RAID drivers onto the CD so I thought I'd mention it. This problem may only be in my case but it really isn't fun worrying rather or not you get your data back.

Shorty

4 Apr '05, 7:36 am

Quoting Thrax

I did my own disc, manually, but every step (And a thousand cross-referencing double-checks to make sure I got it right on the first burn) left me weeping like a sissy for a program that would effing do it for me.

Yep. Been there.. till late.. at night.. not achieving my original goal

Awesome app! Wow.. nice find MM

Unregistered

5 Apr '05, 6:32 am

Couple of errors on page 2:

For the dot net:

Microsoft .NET Framework Redistributable 1.0 dotnetredist.exe

For that, you actually want the 1.1 version, not 1.0 or the updates don't work. Get it here (23MB):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=262D25E3-F589-4842-8157-034D1E7CF3A3&displaylang=en

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe

Correct URL: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a8f5654f-088e-40b2-bbdb-a83353618b38&DisplayLang=en

Thrax

5 Apr '05, 7:11 am

Quoting Park_7677

Word of caution to people with RAID and single HDs. I have 2x 160GB in RAID0 and a 300 GB IDE backup. When I use any unattended install, I have very bad results. This program is great, just be careful during unattended Windows install. What Windows does is erase my partition table on the IDE drive, even before I have any input. I've had this problem with any unattended install of Windows, not just this program. But this program does make it easier for people to create unattended installs and is particularly attractive being able to add RAID drivers onto the CD so I thought I'd mention it. This problem may only be in my case but it really isn't fun worrying rather or not you get your data back.

You have to edit the produced winnt.sif file with the following parameters:

[Data]
AutoPartition=0
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=YES
UnattendSwitch=Yes
FileSystem=LeaveAlone

That will avoid autopartitioning and autoformatting; it removes the complete unattended functionality, but doesn't blitzkrieg your HDD.

Thrax

5 Apr '05, 10:15 am

The only matter that displeased me with this program was the fact that you couldn't include installer executables, and set silent switches.. Like DX9C redistributable, for example, can be executed silently. I would like to have seen such an option made available.

Tex

5 Apr '05, 11:53 am

The versions I have used also didnt allow the boot drivers for the sata drivers in unattended insatlls which I do manually on my unattended installs..

Each version keeps getting better though. And they patch stuff every few weeks with new versions so go back to their forums for the latest news and updates.

Its also EASY to strip out stuff you regret so use a RW cd/dvd at first until you get the perfect install down and then save a ISO of it.

And slipstreaming is just one command really and then burn the cd. The beauty of this program is that it allows you to strip down many of the XP install componets and make a much smaller install XP OS cd and also a smaller XP OS install after the fact. I have never seen another program that does that.

Tex

5 Apr '05, 11:59 am

Quoting Park_7677

Word of caution to people with RAID and single HDs. I have 2x 160GB in RAID0 and a 300 GB IDE backup. When I use any unattended install, I have very bad results. This program is great, just be careful during unattended Windows install. What Windows does is erase my partition table on the IDE drive, even before I have any input. I've had this problem with any unattended install of Windows, not just this program. ack.

Your just not setting up the answer file correctly. Mine work fine.

Park_7677

5 Apr '05, 9:12 pm

Quoting Thrax

You have to edit the produced winnt.sif file with the following parameters:

[Data]
AutoPartition=0
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=YES
UnattendSwitch=Yes
FileSystem=LeaveAlone

That will avoid autopartitioning and autoformatting; it removes the complete unattended functionality, but doesn't blitzkrieg your HDD.

Yeah I've done that before but it still messes up the drive, I swear to you. The only way to get Windows to install to the RAID is to disable the IDE or unplug it. Thanks for the suggestion though. You know me, I've tried messing with it. It's something to do with the fact it won't write to RAID if the IDE drive is present. Period. Even if it doesn't erase the IDE partitions, it will try to copy the temp files to IDE (when I choose to install to a RAID partition). I have a friend with NF7-S and exact same problem. I won't waste any more of this thread. Thanks anyway Thrax.

Quoting Tex

Your just not setting up the answer file correctly. Mine work fine.

Above

Tex

5 Apr '05, 9:30 pm

No matter what kind of install (unattended or not) you have to unplug teh ide to get ALL the files to the raid setup. The five boot files goes to ide0 no matter how you install.

You claimed it deleted and formated your partitions. Not if the answer file is done RIGHT.

If you do it RIGHT (and I have almost 100 unattended installs under my belt) it will never ever EVER friggin EVER do anything to delete the existing partitions. You are doing it wrong.

I install to scsi and ide and sata raid partitions.

My unattended installs are all automated EXCEPT it stops and asks me where to install to and allows you to add/delete partitions manually. Because both I and my customers PC's have wildly varying disk setups. And we can not afford the type of errors your unattended setup causes. YOUR unattended is meant only for new PC's with no partition and no existing data to save etc...

Because YOU didnt figure out how to do it correctly does in no way mean it can't be done.

Trust me... Mine do not in any way jack with existing partitions. It does not ever in any way modify or delete or anything else unless you specify it to do it.

Tex

Park_7677

5 Apr '05, 11:26 pm

Quoting Tex

No matter what kind of install (unattended or not) you have to unplug teh ide to get ALL the files to the raid setup. The five boot files goes to ide0 no matter how you install.

You claimed it deleted and formated your partitions. Not if the answer file is done RIGHT.

If you do it RIGHT (and I have almost 100 unattended installs under my belt) it will never ever EVER friggin EVER do anything to delete the existing partitions. You are doing it wrong.

I install to scsi and ide and sata raid partitions.

My unattended installs are all automated EXCEPT it stops and asks me where to install to and allows you to add/delete partitions manually. Because both I and my customers PC's have wildly varying disk setups. And we can not afford the type of errors your unattended setup causes. YOUR unattended is meant only for new PC's with no partition and no existing data to save etc...

Because YOU didnt figure out how to do it correctly does in no way mean it can't be done.

Trust me... Mine do not in any way jack with existing partitions. It does not ever in any way modify or delete or anything else unless you specify it to do it.

Tex

You're taking this wrong. My post was general heads-up to people. I've seen it happen on 2 computers. Is everyone going to take time to master unattended installs before using nLite? No. This is a great article by MM, and the tool is useful. I just said to be careful. Please don't insist I'm wrong when you only read the half story.

Tex

5 Apr '05, 11:34 pm

Quoting Park_7677

You're taking this wrong. My post was general heads-up to people. I've seen it happen on 2 computers. Is everyone going to take time to master unattended installs before using nLite? No. This is a great article by MM, and the tool is useful. I just said to be careful. Please don't insist I'm wrong when you only read the half story.

YOU said .. and I quote you here..

"I've had this problem with any unattended install of Windows, not just this program".

This has nothing to do with nlite. Nor were my comments about nlite. It was about your problems which... from YOUR OWN WORDS quoted above... are unrelated to nlite.

Tex

profdlp

5 Apr '05, 11:40 pm

Gentlemen, could we just agree that it makes sense to be sure that one understands how the program works before plunging ahead with it?

Zero1

6 Apr '05, 12:20 am

This is supremly excellent for someone like myself who can only acquire fixes or service packs, by either using my wonderful 56k or grabbing them from a freind who has high speed. The integration of the RAID drivers is also excellent. (I always missed F6 )

Very excellent, thanks MM.

TheGr81

6 Apr '05, 12:34 am

How do those "unattended installs" work anyway? You pop in the CD and it installs Windows? Surely I'm missing something? Do you pick all the time and network options and stuff before the install begins, and it goes from there?

MediaMan

6 Apr '05, 12:48 am

Let's first clarify what "unattended installation" means.

It can mean several stages of the installation happen automatically. ALL or just some are unattended and the program has a full unattended setting but I did not try that.

What I did try was the settings as indicated in the images I supplied.

I slipstreamed the disk. I then "popped" it into the other computer in the CD drive and rebooted. Remember that BIOS has to be set to try to boot from the optical device first.

I kept the option for pressing the "any" key to go into the windows install. The program does have a setting to bypass this if you wish.

The system had two SATA drives on the SIL3114 headers. Windows automatically installed the slipstreamed SATA driver and found the drives. The system STOPPED at that point and waited for me to choose the partition and format the drive as I saw fit. Those drives were previously partitioned but clean.

I made those two choices and everything happened "unattended" from there right to the desktop.

That was because I chose that particular setting for that form of "unattended setup."

If you choose the full unattended setup then the system assumes you are installing on c:\ and should proceed fully unattended from the time you "pop" in the disk and reboot..to the desktop.

In other words...as I said previously...just depends on what depth of "unattended" setup you configure.

profdlp

6 Apr '05, 12:48 am

Quoting TheGr81

How do those "unattended installs" work anyway? You pop in the CD and it installs Windows? Surely I'm missing something? Do you pick all the time and network options and stuff before the install begins, and it goes from there?

Check out page 3 of the article and you'll have some idea. Basically, you choose your options when you make the CD.

MediaMan

6 Apr '05, 12:50 am

Pof...you were just a bit more brief than I was.

profdlp

6 Apr '05, 1:03 am

Good thing I don't get paid by the word.

Tex

6 Apr '05, 3:08 am

Quoting TheGr81

How do those "unattended installs" work anyway? You pop in the CD and it installs Windows? Surely I'm missing something? Do you pick all the time and network options and stuff before the install begins, and it goes from there?

You can set everything from the workgroup/domain name to the computer name to the IP or cd-key or time-zone or keyboard used or... Whatever....

ANYTHING a normal xp install requires...

Mine asks only for the disk/partition to install to and also installs Office, Photoshop, Nero and a sheet load of other apps and only prompts for the partition to install to,

Tex

Unregistered

8 Apr '05, 12:40 pm

WindowsXP-KB885932-v2-x86-ENU is only avaliable on English :@

TheSmJ

8 Apr '05, 12:40 pm

Great guide MM!

I made a new XP Home CD using this earlier today and I'm very happy with it. The only times I ever was asked for anything was the partition/directory info and the user and computer names (just like I specified).

While I didn't feel like testing the install disk by taking down my RAID array just so I could see if the drivers worked, I noticed them loading at boot from the install disk (without the tens of other SCSI/RAID drivers which used to be on there that I'd never own in a bajillion years which normally take an extra 3-5 minutes to load) to I'll assume that given the hardware, they would have worked fine.

Having all my Windows Explorer settings, uxtheme.dll hack, and even the f'ing search assistant removed right from the get-go is incredible. I wasn't even aware you could change those settings before Windows was installed!

I wonder: Would it be possible to have the just the nForce2's Ethernet driver pre-loaded on the CD as well? I realize it's best to use the latest drivers from the get-go, but without these drivers you cannot download the latest version to begin with, and it’d be nice to have a working driver already installed rather than having to dig out another CD beforehand. Would it just take adding the “nvenetfd.inf” file from nVidia’s decompressed driver package to the “Add Drivers” window (the same place you add the SATA drivers) along with all of the other files found in the \Ethernet\PreNEM\WinXP\ directory of the same package?

mmonnin

8 Apr '05, 1:41 pm

I dont what Park did before. I used a disk with several versions of Windows on it, I choose which version and it went on without me asking where to install it. It prolly would have been fine if there was a partition where I wanted the OS to install. O well, live and learn right Park.

Unregistered

8 Apr '05, 2:28 pm

Are there any options for disabling features in SP2?

MediaMan

8 Apr '05, 3:28 pm

Quoting TheSmJ

I wonder: Would it be possible to have the just the nForce2's Ethernet driver pre-loaded on the CD as well? I realize it's best to use the latest drivers from the get-go, but without these drivers you cannot download the latest version to begin with, and it’d be nice to have a working driver already installed rather than having to dig out another CD beforehand. Would it just take adding the “nvenetfd.inf” file from nVidia’s decompressed driver package to the “Add Drivers” window (the same place you add the SATA drivers) along with all of the other files found in the \Ethernet\PreNEM\WinXP\ directory of the same package?

Use winrar to extract the nForce2 driver download and then point to the ethernet folder INF file during the process.

You could also probably install the nForce2 drivers this way (or nForce3 or 4)

MediaMan

8 Apr '05, 3:29 pm

Quoting Unregistered

Are there any options for disabling features in SP2?

Only that you see in the configuration settings.

Unregistered

9 Apr '05, 4:13 am

Hi,
Great guide!
Only 1 problem, when I choose to insert hotfixes, I always get an error with teh dotnet file, (I already tried both files, the original link provided by the guide, and the file someone mentioned earlier in the comments). They both give me an error when integrating the hotfixes. Something about a bad syntax. It tells me to run "command /?" for help. I Any idea why?
Thanks!

Unregistered

9 Apr '05, 4:18 am

One more thing,
About the integration of the WMP10. Every line in the .INF file in the HKCU section follows the same estructure with a "\" after "software".
Is it ok that the line to be added does not follow the same estructure?

HKCU,"SOFTWAREMicrosoftMediaPlayerPreferences","AcceptedPrivacyStatement",0x00010003,1

Thanks!

MediaMan

9 Apr '05, 5:56 am

Quoting Unregistered

Hi,
Great guide!
Only 1 problem, when I choose to insert hotfixes, I always get an error with teh dotnet file, (I already tried both files, the original link provided by the guide, and the file someone mentioned earlier in the comments). They both give me an error when integrating the hotfixes. Something about a bad syntax. It tells me to run "command /?" for help. I Any idea why?
Thanks!

There is a way to slipstream the .NET install file and .NET service packs into one main file but we were not able to find an easy method of slipstreaming .NET into an Windows installation CD.

Unregistered

9 Apr '05, 4:30 pm

Thanks, and I apologize for skipping page 8!

MediaMan

11 Apr '05, 6:44 pm

Note of caution:

You can strip too much out of the installation CD so be warned. nLite is very useful for creating slipstreamed discs and partially or fully unattended installation disc.

However,

There is a part of the program where you can remove parts of the OS. You can remove too much even though it appears ok. For example...I stripped out 1/3 of what I thought I didn't need and while the installation went well...and apparently everything was working fine...

Instability with some programs materialized after I spent a couple of hours setting up the entire computer. WMP crashed...the sound card would and wouldn't work. Optical drives lost their drivers. All of these components worked on many clean installs over the last couple of years.

So just be cautious of how much you plan to remove.

Straight_Man

11 Apr '05, 7:41 pm

-->Park:

WinXP likes to use the first drive in BOOT ORDER for temps and such. BOOT ORDER AS IN BIOS. I'm Emphasizing quick and not shouting.....

Check boot order in BIOS, see if you have the IDE Drive booting first, and see if you can get the IDE DRIVE to boot SECOND or LATER, and the RAID First in boot order or second and before the IDE (IDE THIRD, then) if you, like me, keep my systems set to always boot from CD first....

WARNING: (aka "Danger, Will Robinson!") Don't do this if you have a good working XP now and expect XP to boot after change, the boot preloader at least is in the IDE drive and changing boot order changes the Lun and Disk values in the boot values in boot.ini (given RAID now and current boot.ini, you should have a LUN 0 and a Lun 1(RAID), LUN 0 should be IDE). Fix is simple, see if it can be done, try it, if it works your XP should NOT boot. Change it back, write down what you have BEFORE and AFTER you change it if it does this(n/shouting, no time to format this thing). Changing it back leaves XP booting fine, then see if you can fix the install problem by changing it per your notes next time just before you try an install.

(Another story as to why, won't hijack this, but it has to do with my OS studies on more OSs than MS things (which I use too, am posting from Windows in Firebird).

Unregistered

22 Apr '05, 9:33 am

A very nice piece of software.
Re. the guide; It won't print correctly (on my HP officejet anyway)
It clips the right-hand side of all pages quite seriously i.e. I loose several words.

Apart from that, a very useful and easy to follow document.
Thanks.

Unregistered

18 May '05, 6:44 pm

Just one thing and I know I'm being picky sorry old age does that too you. When I tried to print the document off it cut off the right side of the page. I know I could have printed it landscape but I figure hey these guys seem to be fairly smart so I just printed it.

Unregistered

27 May '05, 4:03 pm

BURNING BOOT CD HELP!!!

I purchased a copy of Win XP Pro SP1 and have performed the proper slipstream on the data, including the SCSI drivers to avoid the F6(As my server does not have a floppy drive this is excellent!).

I am using an OEM version of Nero 6, but the options to do all the fancy boot cd things listed here are not present, thus I can't make this slipstreamed win xp cd bootable. What can I do? Should I buy the full version or can I download some other app that will make this bootable?

Thanks,
Andy

Lincoln

27 May '05, 5:34 pm

Andy, I recommend signing up for the forums and posting that in the Windows forum. This isn't a very good thread to try and get troubleshooting help in. It's more for article comment and response.

puusilmä (Guest)

30 May '05, 7:57 am

Where i can download this software?

test_tube_tony

26 Jun '05, 7:00 pm

does anyone know how to integrate firefox? lol
it would be neat if i could have it automatically install.

Black Hawk

27 Jun '05, 12:05 am

Try and use this somehow with a bat file. It's been awhile since I've tried an unattended installation so I probably forgot how to do it.

nickj

11 Nov '05, 5:26 am

When slip-streaming the nForce4_amd_6.70_winxp2k_english\IDE\Win2K\sataraid SATA RAID drivers into Win2000, I get this error message:

---------------------------
Warning!
---------------------------
If this is NVRAID driver then find NVATABUS.INF file
in this driver package and copy it in this folder
before proceeding with ISO creation.

P:\incoming downloads\new\DFI LanParty UT nF4 Ultra-D motherboard\new downloads from nvidia\slipstreamed RAID\sataraid
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

Should I be concerned about this? Is it normal?

All the best,
Nick.

nickj

11 Nov '05, 5:28 am

P.s. there are some backslashes missing from the above post; The forum software seems to eat them; so please wherever you think there should be a backslash, you're probably correct.

quranreading

31 Dec '08, 5:55 am

Window installation is not a problem.But after installation window will be corrupted with in few m.month.This is serious problem with window

zinda

10 Jun '09, 6:01 am

I've been trying to use "xp pro sp 0" adding in "sp 3" without any luck. I've been using Nlite for about 7 years now and every major service pack slipstreaming has workered out nicely. In fact I probably have made 6 or 7 versions of sp 2. All instal and work beautifully for years now. but after 10 tries with sp 3 I cannot get a full installation . It seems that every disk stops at [i'm guessing now, I stumbled upon this forum not prepared] mscrt.dll is missing and even if I try and pop in a previous disk to copy this file it fails. If I skip it the install will fail. Tried just acout every angle of simple program usage just sp 3 added/no extras, to unattended and even added drivers but for some reason I get the same outcome? Anyone else having this problem?

Thrax

10 Jun '09, 11:06 am

Zinda, try using the updated guide linked at the beginning of the article: http://icrontic.com/articles/slipstream_windows_xp

homequran

15 Jul '09, 11:25 am

I dont know why the windows corrupted after some days. Should I be concerned about this? Is it normal?

QCH

15 Jul '09, 3:17 pm

Not normal... there are a ton of reasons as to why Windows becomes corrupt. Hardware issues, drivers, infected with nasties, corrupt patch, accidental system file deletion, to just abrupt power loss/ hard reset. Please create a new thread if you need help troubleshooting your issues. Oh and Welcome to Icrontic.

jadhav333

15 Aug '09, 5:45 am

It would be handy to have this tutorial available as a pdf as well.. so it could be accessible ebven if one is not connected on the net.. The owner can consider this suggestion..

equranschool