[ilko_t]

@Kaida- check if in your source you have unattended.txt. It's used as answer file if winnt.sif is not present.
As far as I know behavior when installing from a CD is the same- it looks for unattended.txt and uses it if winnt.sif is not present.

If you don't want to use these setting you can rename that file to anything else.

Make sure your source is on a hard disk, 0.1 A and B fail to change a few lines if source is on a CD. Fixed in the next version, which I am currently testing before publishing.

This post has been edited by ilko_t: 16 October 2008 - 07:31 PM

[Kaida]

ilko_t, on Oct 17 2008, 09:28 AM, said:

@Kaida- check if in your source you have unattended.txt. It's used as answer file if winnt.sif is not present.
As far as I know behavior when installing from a CD is the same- it looks for unattended.txt and uses it if winnt.sif is not present.

If you don't want to use these setting you can rename that file to anything else.

Make sure your source is on a hard disk, 0.1 A and B fail to change a few lines if source is on a CD. Fixed in the next version, which I am currently testing before publishing.

Hi Ilko, funny thing is that I tried installing from the CD and it was a normal attended session but when I use that CD to make the USB, I get the unattended. Is the file for the unattended.txt or winnt.sif you are mentioning about in the USB or on the CD source? which directory should i be looking for it at?

Noted that the source should be on the hard disk. will try to do the xcopy and make the usb again. i'm definately looking forward to your new release. great work out there.

This post has been edited by Kaida: 16 October 2008 - 10:50 PM

[ilko_t]

Just copy your XP source on the hard disk (drag&drop from Explorer would work too) and rename unattended.txt in I386 folder.
Next launch the program and continue.

Getting rid of this option, thanks for reporting

[Vially]

I am happy to report that copying modelram.exe into the usb flash root is working, everything loads fine in PE. Thank you soooo much . And since I am here I would also like to express my point of view regarding WinSetupFromUSB:

I have read some posts earlier, and I saw that you are a little bit reluctant into adding advanced options in this tool because you want it to be easy for new users to use it. While I definitely agree that it should be straightforward for them, i also feel a little bit left out as a more advanced user. I strongly believe that having an option not to copy win9x and lang folders and to make the distribution unattended should be mandatory for this tool. Even if these options are command-line activated or hidden for regular users, they should definitely exist. You have to be aware that a regular user (the ones that you thing you are targeting) is not playing with livexp, parted and so on. It is much more likely that advanced users use this tool at least in the beginning. Please add an option to make the sources unattended and to remove the w9xupgrade and lang folders (like that command line tool has).

[ilko_t]

Version 0.1 uploaded, please look at first post for download links and list of changes.
In the next version - 0.2, which is almost ready the major change is, that all changes are made during GUI mode, thus user can unlpug the USB disk or start from internal disk right after GUI mode. Jaclaz is adding some functionality to binifix.cmd, which will be executed from presetup.cmd.

@wimb- if we edit $winnt$.inf in system32 before start of GUI mode and make msdosinitiated=0, at T-1 setup will not wipe out the temp folders, allowing to get rid of 2 scripts and perform everything during GUI part. This is what binifix going to perform since now presetup.cmd is always executed, no matter if BTS DP is present or not. I have tested with x64 and it works too.
I am using presetup.cmd to launch spdrvscn.exe from Vernalex (has 32 and 64 bit version), as per this thread:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=123023

Basically unattended section is almost fully covered, besides, presetup.cmd gives many other opportunities.

@Vially- thanks for the report, I think that's the only issue and it's fixed now.
As for the unattended part- why not using SetupMgr.exe for example? I put in Docs\Useful_Links.txt link to it and guide for using it, if not already in \SUPPORT\TOOLS\Deploy.cab. It creates answer file in seconds.
Lang&win9x folders- if you never use them why just not delete them from the hard disk, just curious. I am considering completely different GUI, still working on it as much as time allows. It will have tabs for each multiboot option added, thus interface will not be overloaded and I can add more checkboxes/options, however, this will not be out in a week or month, just spare time does not allow.

edit: how about a button "advanced", which opens up another GUI with advanced settings?

This post has been edited by ilko_t: 17 October 2008 - 02:44 AM

[Vially]

Yes, you are right about deleting the folders, this can be done manually, but of course if you will add an advanced button, then you can also add an option there for that. I actually believe that having a separate small button and window for advanced options would be a good idea for the moment, or you can just add line in an XML settings file, like

Advanced options=1

and if it is 0 the user will be prompted about not removing the stick... etc and he will see no advanced options, but if it is set as 1 (or boolean YES - your call) all advanced options will available but all prompts like the one advising not to remove the usb stick will not be displayed (an advanced user is supposed to know that)

And last, from my experience at working with program GUI design, I know that the most important thing is to have a clear idea about what buttons and options you want, and then design the GUI. If you don't have a clear idea about these (like in our case, where the functionality is developed along with the GUI), the best option is to go with a tabbed design. This way, you can always rearrange the different options on different tabs without too much hassle, you can add or remove tabs, but the interface will be clean and easy to use. If you will stick to single windows, you will either have too many buttons to open them, or you will have too many or too few buttons on them, as you add/remove functionality.

Hope it helps,
Vially

This post has been edited by Vially: 17 October 2008 - 03:07 AM

[Kaida]

ilko_t, on Oct 17 2008, 01:57 PM, said:

Just copy your XP source on the hard disk (drag&drop from Explorer would work too) and rename unattended.txt in I386 folder.
Next launch the program and continue.

Getting rid of this option, thanks for reporting

Hi ilko, I had noticed that there is a unattended.txt in the E:\$WIN_NT$.~LS\I386 too. can i just rename or delete from there? previously when you said there is some problem using the source from the CD. could you elaborate on that?

[jaclaz]

@Vially
All suggestions are welcome, but the idea of this GUI was to have something SIMPLER than the already existing batches.

You may want to re-read the first posts of this thread:
http://www.msfn.org/board/install-USB-WinS...4.html&st=4
up to:
http://www.msfn.org/board/install-USB-WinS....html&st=10

For the "Advanced" user's the way to go is undoubtedly the wimb's batches as they offer more choices and are much more "customizable".

The GUI tool was an attempt to simplify life to the less "computer savy" people.

I don't think that making two "complex" tools basically with the same "engine under the hood" but with different "look" is useful.

Albert Einstein said:

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Leonardo da Vinci said:

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

jaclaz

[wimb]

ilko_t, on Oct 17 2008, 10:18 AM, said:

@wimb- if we edit $winnt$.inf in system32 before start of GUI mode and make msdosinitiated=0, at T-1 setup will not wipe out the temp folders, allowing to get rid of 2 scripts and perform everything during GUI part.

Hi ilko,

Very good idea

Thanks for providing the AutoIt3 Source code. It is quite an impressive peace of work.
I have just finished and Uploaded my first AutoIt3 GUI module for USB_XP_Setup.
It is a GUI for Display and Edit of the winnt.sif file for providing the XP Setup parameters
to be used in $WIN_NT$.~BT folder. It makes live again easier

I am sure your source code will help me a lot in programming USB_XP_Setup completely with AutoIt3.

wimb

This post has been edited by wimb: 17 October 2008 - 10:09 AM

[ilko_t]

Vially, on Oct 17 2008, 02:06 AM, said:

Yes, you are right about deleting the folders, this can be done manually, but of course if you will add an advanced button, then you can also add an option there for that. I actually believe that having a separate small button and window for advanced options would be a good idea for the moment, or you can just add line in an XML settings file, like

Advanced options=1

and if it is 0 the user will be prompted about not removing the stick... etc and he will see no advanced options, but if it is set as 1 (or boolean YES - your call) all advanced options will available but all prompts like the one advising not to remove the usb stick will not be displayed (an advanced user is supposed to know that)

And last, from my experience at working with program GUI design, I know that the most important thing is to have a clear idea about what buttons and options you want, and then design the GUI. If you don't have a clear idea about these (like in our case, where the functionality is developed along with the GUI), the best option is to go with a tabbed design. This way, you can always rearrange the different options on different tabs without too much hassle, you can add or remove tabs, but the interface will be clean and easy to use. If you will stick to single windows, you will either have too many buttons to open them, or you will have too many or too few buttons on them, as you add/remove functionality.

Hope it helps,
Vially

Thanks for the suggestions and sharing your experience, will have that in mind

Kaida, on Oct 17 2008, 04:13 AM, said:

ilko_t, on Oct 17 2008, 01:57 PM, said:

Just copy your XP source on the hard disk (drag&drop from Explorer would work too) and rename unattended.txt in I386 folder.
Next launch the program and continue.

Getting rid of this option, thanks for reporting

Hi ilko, I had noticed that there is a unattended.txt in the E:\$WIN_NT$.~LS\I386 too. can i just rename or delete from there? previously when you said there is some problem using the source from the CD. could you elaborate on that?

Deleting from ~LS folder won't help, you need to delete or rename it in the source folder, before running the program. However, this is no longer required for 0.1 version, it will not use unattend.txt as an answer file when winnt.sif is not present

If source is on a CD read-only attributes are preserved while copying files. In this case AutoIt fails to edit the files we amend- txtsetup.sif, winnt.sif, presetup.cmd... The latter 2 were fixed in beta, but not the first. In 0.1 this has been taken care of, and source should be fine to be used from a CD.

wimb, on Oct 17 2008, 07:45 AM, said:

ilko_t, on Oct 17 2008, 10:18 AM, said:

@wimb- if we edit $winnt$.inf in system32 before start of GUI mode and make msdosinitiated=0, at T-1 setup will not wipe out the temp folders, allowing to get rid of 2 scripts and perform everything during GUI part.

Hi ilko,

Very good idea

Thanks for providing the AutoIt3 Source code. It is quite an impressive peace of work.
I have just finished and Uploaded my first AutoIt3 GUI module for USB_XP_Setup.
It is a GUI for Display and Edit of the winnt.sif file for providing the XP Setup parameters
to be used in $WIN_NT$.~BT folder. It makes live again easier

I am sure your source code will help me a lot in programming USB_XP_Setup completely with AutoIt3.

wimb

Hope it helps you
Mind you, don;t rely completely on what I wrote, there is a lot to be improved in terms of error checking etc. It just happens to work, sometimes.. lol

[Kaida]

ilko you are the best! im redoing my source from cd on 0.1 now

in future if i need to do go deeper for unattended session, i will just need to have a winnt.sif & unattend.txt inside the i.386 right? or i could also use the beta and just have the txt file probably heh

[ilko_t]

Kaida, on Oct 17 2008, 06:12 PM, said:

in future if i need to do go deeper for unattended session, i will just need to have a winnt.sif & unattend.txt inside the i.386 right? or i could also use the beta and just have the txt file probably heh

You need to have WINNT.SIF inside XpSource\I386 folder, that would be only file used as answer file.

This post has been edited by ilko_t: 17 October 2008 - 07:30 PM

[Kaida]

0.1 tested working

1 thing i like to ask though, when windows boot up, it goes into a F8 bootmenu that ask if you want to boot to windows or the usb recovery tools. is there a way to disable that and boot right into windows?

[ilko_t]

Good, knowing who wrote it I am surprised that it worked

As for the repair entry:

\DOCS\HOW-TOs.txt:

Quote

12. Program adds additional entry in BOOT.INI on the internal disk for USB repair, which is displayed during boot. Without it you cannot perform Windows repair installation from USB disk.
If this entry bothers you, right click on My Computer, select Properties-->Advanced-->Startup and Recovery group Settings and
either decrease "Time to display list of operating system" to 5-10 seconds, or press Edit, remove the line for USB repair and save the file.

[Macster]

Well I tried it with XP SP 1 install files that were saved to the HD from the Install CD; they worked flawlessly. Great Work!!!

I seem to have stumbled upon something after I had slipstreamed SPs 2 and 3 to the install files.
So here is what I have in my notes:

Well things did not go so well. I got an error saying that:

"Booting 'First part of Windows XP Professional setup'

Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0x0E
chainloader (hd0,0)/$WIN_NT$.~BT/SETUPLDR.BIN

Error 15: File not found.

Press any key to continue..." (BTW: where is the <any> key anyway? )

Upon investigation, I found that indeed setupldr.bin was not in the $WIN_NT$.~BT directory and that it was in the $WIN_NT$.~LS/I386 directory. So hmm, I guess no cookie tonite. Awe, bummer! I have to report this and look for a response in the morning. (Edited for grammatical errors.)

So anyways not sure where to go from here, but I thought you should know. Great work though! REALLY!!!

---------------------------

Okay, I found out why this didn't work. Leave it to me to find this one (of all the things!). WinSetupFromUSB 0.1 doesn't like commas any where in the path name. Cause when I took the commas out of the path name and recreated the install on the USB with the WinSetupFromUSB 0.1 program, everything was there in the $WIN_NT$.~BT. So the moral of this story - no commas is a good commas... LOL! (At least when it comes to folder names AND WinSetupFromUSB 0.1.)

Boy ilko_t, aren't you glad I found this one? We would be going around at this for days... LOL!

This post has been edited by Macster: 19 October 2008 - 03:46 AM

[jaclaz]

Macster, on Oct 19 2008, 11:39 AM, said:

Okay, I found out why this didn't work. Leave it to me to find this one (of all the things!). WinSetupFromUSB 0.1 doesn't like commas any where in the path name. Cause when I took the commas out of the path name and recreated the install on the USB with the WinSetupFromUSB 0.1 program, everything was there in the $WIN_NT$.~BT. So the moral of this story - no commas is a good commas... LOL! (At least when it comes to folder names AND WinSetupFromUSB 0.1.)

Good to know.

However, the good ol' rule of thumb says to ALWAYS use 8.3 DOS compatible names (and Paths):
http://www.ss64.com/...-filenames.html
and comma is one of the NO-NO's.

Quote

8.3 format filenames
These can have between 1 and 8 characters in the file name. Short file names have the 8.3 format and are compatible with MS-DOS and other legacy operating systems.
The name must start with a letter or a number and can contain any characters except the following:

/ \ : * ? " [ ] | = , . ; (space)

jaclaz

[Macster]

@jaclaz

Sorry, I thought I was dealing with a Windows program that deals with MS Windows naming conventions especially when it is reading from the source side of things - not DOS.

Thanks,

Craig
mac4020@msn.com

[ilko_t]

Fixed, just tested it using "H:\NLite, $ # . new юя" as source directory. Will be in 0.2, for now please don't use source paths with comma in the name. Actually only the commas were the problem, spaces and other characters should be fine, it was failing in the parse DOSNET.INF procedure, where commas are used as delimiters.

[FloppyFiles.3]
d1,disk1,disk104
d1,ntdll.dll,system32\ntdll.dll

Macster, you get the cookie

What Jaclaz probably meant was if you want to stay on the safe side, you'd better stick with 8.3 DOS compatible names (especially with AutoIt scripts, written in someone's spare time as a hobby and for free ).

Thanks for reporting.

This post has been edited by ilko_t: 19 October 2008 - 03:00 PM

[Macster]

@ilko_t and Jaclaz

Oh, Okay... I meant no disrespect. I just thought that we was so over the 8.3 format that it never occured to me that it was still being inforced. Granted a lot of these scripts are linux baised, but I would have thought that what you was developing (which was an MS Windows Application) would take into account for the MS Windows naming convention that is all. Mainly an assumption on my part, so it became a learning thing for me. I am still fairly new with all this install stuff. If it weren't for the fact that MS is discontinuing support with XP, I wouldn't be doing this at all. And I choose to use my laptop as the environment to perform all of this on, because it would provide the best environment for me to learn the complexities of putting an unattended install together. I have 7 install stages setup for myself and each one creates a new install with more stuff than it had before. (And right now I just completed the stage 2 of the 7 stages that are to be completed.) Which is where the commas in question came into play. I kind of figured that it had to do with some kind of parse thing, considering commas are used generally as separators (from my software developement days). Which is why I made a note of it in my notes of what not to do. However, thanks for the cookie and I hope there is no hard feelings. I am looking forward to the 0.2 when it is ready to be realised. And again GREAT work with this current version!

Thanks again,

Craig
mac4020@msn.com

[ilko_t]

Macster, there can't be any hard feeling in the cookie trade

It was an issue, not showed up in my tests as I never use special characters in folder/file names since there are still number of programs which may give you headaches if you use them. Or just a habit from the old days.

Here is 0.1 with this issue fixed, just replace the exe file you have.
http://www.datafileh...d-4a80688c.html