multiple XPlode configs - the hard way

[killerbee]

hi,

as i have reached the capabilities of XPlode for now, i want to use it in another way

I am atm in the process of creating a Multiboot-CD like Gosh mentioned on his site. Now it would be useful to have multiple instances of BOOT-folders for one i386-dir to use different XPlode xml's for T-12 and T-9min if possible. (I think there will be more ways but i need a little bit of sleep to reorganize my thoughts )

So i will add more info later as i gain it but feel free to help

cya

Killer Bee

[Alanoll]

T-9 would be the easy thing. You just change it in the WINNT.SIF file.....

but T-12 would be harder. As it is run from CMDLINES.TXT. You'll need to determine a single file that copied during install the designate it......

what you could do as each boot folder requires a seperate txtsetup.sif, you could ADD a file like the WIN51 but each is unique to each boot folder, and in CMDLINES.TXT you have a batch file that then looks for that file and runs the appropriate XPLODE with corresponding XML file from there.

[killerbee]

hi,

as i have slept now and i can direct my thoughts where i want i think T-12min isn't so hard to change...

The $OEM$-Folders are copied during textmode setup afaik, then it wouldn't be a problem to replace cmdlines.txt via a sfx-archive run from [DetachedProgram] @ T-39min from winnt.sif.

That would allow to apply different registry-tweaks @T-12min, because HKCU-key's won't be applied @ T-9min.

On my CD i apply all the hotfixes @ T-13min via svcpack.inf, @T-12min i install all apps and registry Tweaks and @T-9min i do some cleanup-stuff. And everything that can't be installed before i use RunOnceEx. And of course @ every stage i call XPlode to Install what i need.

cya

Killer Bee

[big_gie]

The $OEM$-Folders are copied during textmode setup afaik, then it wouldn't be a problem to replace cmdlines.txt via a sfx-archive run from [DetachedProgram] @ T-39min from winnt.sif.

Thats it!!! Thats how it could be possible to have multiple .sif files for different computers/configuration!!!! Thanx m8!!!!!

I was installing apps+hotfixes @ t-12, but I had some errors in the event viewer so installing hotfixes @ RunOnceEx seamed to resolved those.

Has someone investigate what it is possible to run @ t-39? I think I've heard that its not possible to run batch files then... Maybe .js? Or else it will be the .sfx. Theyre could even be no original cmdline.txt to overwrite... Ha, something else, I'm unpacking my drivers @ t-39, how to incorporate the cmdline.txt with it? I'm not sure it is possible to have multiple command in the DetachedProgram section...

[big_gie]

It is now possible to run multiple programs @ t-39!

I've wrote a small tool to achieve this...

More info on this thread.

[prathapml]

that's cool!!!!

--has a look--

[big_gie]

Hey killerbee, I remember you wanted a way to have different multiple "installation profiles" which would depend on different winnt.sif... I was looking for the same thing.

Via winnt.sif, you have 3 choices: the DetachedProgram (t-39), GuiRunOnce (first logon), and SetupParams (t-9).

The easiest way to install things is with cmdlines.txt (t-12). So if you want to "influence" the t-12 stage, you have can do it only via t-39 as its the only one executed sooner...

But you can only execute one program with t-39, and I used it to extract a BIG driver archieve...

So I wrote the program posted here.

Now the interesting part. With the mt39, extract all the drivers you want (I now have one .7z archieve for each driver, way easier to maintain)

...
	<item>
  <!-- nVidia video card's driver -->
  <program>%CD%\Programmes\7zip\7z.exe</program>
  <arguments>x -y -o%systemdrive%\setup\drivers\nvidia %CD%\Programmes\drivers\nvidia.7z</arguments>
  <hide>1</hide>
  <wait>300</wait>
	</item>
...

You could also add this one so you could remove the "OEMDriverPath" of winnt.sif!!! (look here for more info)

<item>
  <!-- Add OEM drivers' location to registry -->
  <program>%CD%\Programmes\drivers\devpath.exe</program>
  <arguments>%systemdrive%\setup\drivers</arguments>
  <hide>1</hide>
  <wait>300</wait>
	</item>

Then I copy one of my many .xml for XPlode:

<item>
  <!-- XPlode -->
  <program>%windir%\system32\cmd.exe</program>
  <arguments>/C copy "%CD%\Programmes\XPlode\DD4550.xml" "%systemdrive%\setup\XPlode.xml"</arguments>
  <hide>1</hide>
  <wait>300</wait>
	</item>

This will copy my .xml for my Dell Dimension 4550 on the harddrive.

Then from cmdline.txt, I just call XPlode with %systemdrive%\setup\XPlode.xml

I have different winnt.sif for different computers, and each one of these call a different xml file for xplode. That way I can have as many winnt.sif as I like!

Hope it will help others

(mt39 was really inspired by XPlode... And I can say its quite similar now The biggest difference is that it doesn't show anything... no ugly batch files )

[killerbee]

hi,

thanks for sharing your info big_gie!!

this could help a lot of people using XPlode to make their CD even more perfect.

I haven't had any time for this way, since i started this topic for you, big_gie, but i will continue it when there is more time...

cya

Killer Bee