A time ago I was searching for an easy way to make an image of my Vista files. You need Windows AIK to do this. A huge set of tools somewhere about 700mb. It seems making your image is quite simple if you know where to begin. So here is your start.

The files attached are batched which automatically creates an image for you, so you won't have to work with the real command.

We recommend you create an UDF Image. The original Vista DVD is UDF format.

UDF

Save it as 'younameit.cmd'. Replace 'YOURVISTADIR' by the location of you own Vista files.


ISO Making an ISO is also possible. However we recommend UDF.

Save it as 'younameit.cmd'. Replace 'YOURVISTADIR' by the location of you own Vista files.


There are many other options which can compile an ISO/UDF. If there are better complication I hope to see them! These little batches are just for starters. I am sure pro's can do it without hassle in command.



This post has been edited by cai_sebas: Dec 8 2006, 05:49 AM

Once you have all your Vista-DVD-Files in one directory of your HD, copy your AutoUnattend.xml to this directory - directly into this directory, not in any subfolders. Open a command prompt (Start\Run\cmd) and use oscdimg to create an ISO file:



Note:
If you're handeling a 64bit Vista-DVD than use efisys.bin instead of etfsboot.com!

You have to replace D:\MyVistaDVD\ with your Path to your Vista-DVD files.

The last part - D:\Vistax86.iso - just attaches a name to the ISO file.

Burn this ISO to a DVD using third party software.

Let it rock...

Martin

Thanks FireGeier,

Working on it now, I get an error



Still working on it!

Are you doing all this under Vista? If so, have you shared your Vista-DVD folder?

Martin

No just under XP. I am gonna try a few things atm. I let you guys know!

add -u -u1 -u2 option to make UDF filesystem

oscdimg -n –m -u -u1 -u2 -bD:\boot.img D:\MyVistaDVD\ D:\Vistax86.iso

extract boot.img using ISO buster

This post has been edited by neo_matrix.rs: Dec 7 2006, 10:57 AM

After some struggeling I finally got the right code. Down here there is a simpel command/batch code whick makes your Vista ISO.

Make sure you use the right paths. And have the file oscdimg.exe present in the same folder as the batch. Oscdimg.exe can be found in Windows AIK, PE Tools.

Save it as createiso.cmd (name doesn't matter just the extension .cmd)



Works like a charm

Edit: Added oscdimg.exe and fixed the code, which now works properly

This post has been edited by cai_sebas: Dec 8 2006, 05:05 AM

why are u not using -u -u1 -u2 options?

cdimage.exe -lLRMCXFRE_EN_DVD -t11/02/2006,20:00:00 -g -h -u2 -ur"C:\ISO\README.TXT" -b"C:\ISO\VISTA_BOOT.bin" -o -m "C:\ISO\VISTA" "C:\ISO\LRMCxFRE_EN_DVD.iso"

This post has been edited by sangwooksohn: Dec 8 2006, 04:20 AM

The -u -u1 -u2 options didn't worked for me. I am gonna retry those now. The original Vista image is also UDF so I guess that is the best option.

To create you UDF Image. Save it as createudf.cmd (name doesn't matter just the extension .cmd)



This post has been edited by cai_sebas: Dec 8 2006, 05:09 AM

Yes thats working great just popped the oscdimg.exe into sytsem32 in xp
Made image 100% Boots straight up from the dvd. Just having trouble Vista recognising the the ans file, retracing all steps now.

Now to be clear the Autounattend.xml file which normally resided in the Sources Dir. needs now to be placed in the root of the bootable dvd?
Just tried when in Sources Dir. not reading the file & not unattending.

Autounattend.xml needs to be present in the Root

Not necessarily

Works off root of floppy/usb stick. Can change it that way if error occurs
Works in Sources for me with the $oem$ present and the <UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
Don't know if it's because I also use some <OEMInformation> stuff

This post has been edited by maxXPsoft: Dec 30 2006, 09:38 AM

There is a special search order Vista Setup follows when looking for an Unattend.xml/AutoUnattend.xml file. Look into WAIK-Help use search and type Methods for Running Windows Setup. There you'll find some more information about. At least there are seven locatinons, you could store you're xml file.


Hope that'll clear it up!

Martin

This post has been edited by FireGeier: Dec 31 2006, 06:29 AM

An interesting thing here, while the file can be in the root of the DVD and several places for that matter, if it is in the root of the DVD and you have a floppy with another file on it the Vista install will choose the one on the floppy and apply it without applying the one in the root of the DVD. I think this is because the floppy is one of the first places the install looks at and it just grabs the first file it finds and uses that.

I have mine in the DVD root so its where ever the DVD goes, but i've discovered that if I want to make some changes that I can do another file and put it on a floppy and the file on the floppy will be used instead of the one in the root of the DVD. I didn't realize this until a few days ago when I left a floppy in the drive during an install, and since it was un-attended I didn't stick around to watch the install. I discovered after install completion the settings in the file at the DVD root were not applied but instead a completly different set up was applied - drove me nuts for two days trying to figure it out then I noticed the floppy in the drive, I looked at the file on the floppy and saw the settings that were actually applied during the install.