This thread is supposed to be a little introduction for users who might be interesed in WIHU but don't know what it is.

Q1) What does "WIHU" stand for?
A1) "WIHU" is an abbreviation for "Windows Installation Helper Utility"

Q2) What does WIHU do, what is it intended for?
A2) WIHU is an easy to use tool for user account creation and software installation, i.e. it allows the user to select software which should or should not be installed. After selection is finished it runs the desired applications automatically. Automated software installation is by the way the main purpose of WIHU.
And moreover user accounts can be modified/created/deleted as well including their specific settings like placement of the windows system folders like "My pictures" etc. WIHU is generally intended to be used for unattended windows installations.

Q3) But aren't there already other ways to achieve that?
A3) Yes, but WIHU is meant to be a good-looking, easy-to-use replacement for batch files, RunOnceEX, etc. based unattended. Just give it a try and it's very likely that you're gonna like it. *hehe* By the way: nLite isn't comparable to WIHU, these are two programs with different objectives.

Q4) How does it work, how do I tell WIHU what to do?
A4) WIHU is mainly controlled by command line parameters and configuration files; the latter ones, of course, you have to create on your own according to your needs. But don't panic, it ain't no XML, it's just simple INI-syntax. With those configuration files you tell WIHU what to do, i.e. how to install which software and so on. Once you've configured WIHU acoording to your own needs, it can work in a totally unattended way but you can (no must) also give the user sitting in front of the PC an opportunity to change your pre-configured settings. This is up to you. You'll also notice that WIHU offers you some nice features, e.g. checking for already existing files on your computer and dependent on the result let WIHU install the software or not. This was just one example.

Q5) Is it a DOS-based program?
A5) No. It's a normal Windows program with an own graphical user interface. And it works no matter which Windows service pack is installed.

Q6) Where can I get more information?
A6) First of all look at the homepage (see link list below). There're you'll find some useful information and also some screenshots of the tool. If you download the file you'll also get some example files included with it. And last but not least there's this board here where you can search for already answered questions or ask new ones.

Q7) Is there a manual for WIHU?
A7) Yes, WIHU is in fact now one of the rare tools with a documentation. But unfortunately there's only a German version of it right now. Manuals in other languages might follow as soon as people create them. For more information there's a manual thread.

Q8) Who's the developer of WIHU?
A8) Benjamin Kalytta, a German student. He's a member of this board. By the way: WIHU, of course, adapts to the language of your own system.

Q9) Where can I get WIHU?
A9) http://www.kalytta.com/wihu.php There you can download the tool. Also see link list below.

Here's a list of WIHU-related links:

• download current main release of WIHU (ZIP file)
• download official German manual for WIHU
• developer's homepage
• MSFN WIHU forum thread

A closing note for this FAQ: Let's only have additional contributions to the FAQ in this thread, please post any questions you have as a new thread in the forum, or as posts in the appropriate thread (if a similar subject already exists).

I think you're becoming the FAQ-man!


Good work, now everything becomes clear to me

A good FAQ, for newcomers. Nice of you to take the time to do this.
Pinned.

Let's only have additional contributions to the FAQ in this thread, please post any questions you have as a new thread in the forum, or as posts in the appropriate thread (if a similar subject already exists).

(deleted)

so what exaclty can u edit during the installation?
anything nLite can't do?
i don't really understand, u can create a user during the installation but wut r the other options?

As showed in http://www.kalytta.com/images/wihu.0001.png user may edit following things (that might also be edited during normal windows installation):

1. Primary Account Name (Daily use account)
2. Owner and Organization Information
3. Computer name
4. Workgroup name

As showed in http://www.kalytta.com/images/wihu.0002.png and http://www.kalytta.com/images/wihu.0002.1.png user might create additional user accounts or edit existing ones including user account shellfolder paths and user specific environment variables.

Main purpose as seen in http://www.kalytta.com/images/wihu.0003.png is the software installation interface. This will install additional software which was specified in a config file before. User may select software components that should be installed on particular system.

Benjamin

the last part u mention software components
does this mean absolutely any program?
office 2003, nero etc.?

Yes of course, the same way as you can do it with batch files, or runonceex and so on.

Benjamin

that's great! i'll have to learn some programming and then i'll do this

hello everyone,

sooo...how does it all work
do you choose which programs to install at the start of the setup, or do you choose at the first boot up (like runonce)...or do you configure it before you burn the cd

Hi ! After I (unattended) install my xp-sp2(incl), can I still use this WIHU to install my other application programs from this (unattended)installation-cd (not continuous installation, say, three days later)??

Good FAQ, I wish all of the subforums had faq and one as good as this one. Keep up the great work; thank you!

I would als like to know. Sounds like a very usefull program!!

If you re smart, you may guess that you can simply add Wihu executable as the program to start thanks to the "autorun.inf"... Use some of the command line switches that Wihu supports so that it sips the parts you don't need...

In global terms, in your "runonce", you run it normally (ie so that it lets you create main user account and all), and in your autorun.inf, you add the command line switches to skip the user accounts part of the wizard.

I really think it is a pity there is no guide... I think there are a lot of people wanting to use WIHU, but they simply can't figure out how to get things working..

Hi, someone knows hot to run WIHU during the windows installation