[catpsion]

Hello there,

Last year, following the Gosh method, and carefully reading a lot of excellents articles here, i managed to create a bootable XPSP1 CD with basically 3 options:
1 regular install
2 unattended + Pre SP2 hotfixes
3 OEM preinstall

Here is my CD layout:
\$OEM$\...
\I386\ -> Created with Gosh method from XPSP1 ROllup1
\VOL1\ -> Regular install
\VOL2\ -> Unattended install+hotfixes
\VOL3\ -> OEM preinstall (+hotfixes)

I used the CMDLINE only to create an user account. The unattended and OEM job were made by calling 2 differents batch files from winnt.sif under the [GUIRUNONCE] section. As you can see, nothing very complicated.

Now, with the SP2 coming out, i'd like to add 3 more options to my CD (and make it a DVD in the process). I would like to keep the 3 former install options (SP1 regular, SP1 unattended, SP1 OEM preinstall) and add SP2 regular/Unattended/OEM .

Here is the DVD layout i'm working on:

\VOL1\ -> SP1 Regular install
\VOL2\ -> SP1 Unattended install+Hotfixes
\VOL3\ -> SP1 OEM preinstall (+hotfixes)
\VOL4\ -> SP2 Regular install
\VOL5\ -> SP2 Unattended install
\VOL6\ -> SP2 OEM preinstall
\XPSP1\
....\$OEM$\...
.....\I386\ -> Created with Gosh method from XPSP1 Rollup1
\XPSP2\
.....\$OEM$\...
...... \I386\

Now that, i hope, you see the big figure, it's time to ask some question

1°) Into the XPSP2 folder i copied the full content of my WInXP SP2 CD because i didn't know if i could use Gosh method with SP2. is it the way to go, or do you think i could use Gosh method here also?

2°) If i have well understood what i've read so far the I386 and $OEM$ folders must be parallel. That's why i've got 2 $OEM$ folders (one for XPSP1, another for XPSP2). But it's obvious than the content of those 2 folders is almost the same (except that i'm not applying any pre SP3 hotfixes in XPSP2 when i'm applying all the critical hotfixes for XPSP1).
Is there a way to avoid having duplicate datas in those 2 folders? (ie, i'm doing an unattended install of Office2003 for both SP1 and SP2, does that mean i need to have twice the datas under those 2 $OEM$ directories?)
I'm almost sure i'm doing something really wrong with those 2 $OEM$ folders, but i can't see the workaround. In fact, i'm convinced there should be only one $OEM$ folder...but i can't see where to place it if i have to respect the paralelism with the I386 folder.

3°) Since i had kept all the data from my first SP1 multiboot CD, i just have edited the txtsetup.sif under VOL1/VOL2/VOL3 folders to modify the setup source path:

SetupSourcePath = "\XPSP1\"

Of course i did the same for VOL4/VOL/5/VOL6 :

SetupSourcePath = "\XPSP2\"

Should i made any other change, or should it work well ?

Well, any tip and advice would be very welcomed
TIA

[Alanoll]

Gosh's method is not service pack specific. It simply executes the Windows based install so that it parses DOSNET.INF. That's about it. SO yes, it can be used on SP2.

Assuming you've properly edited that files (setupldr.bin and such) to reflect you're new boot folders (VOL1 and such) then it should work fine that way you've said it.

As for not having duplicate data, are you installing from CD or HDD? If you don't want duplicate data (as much anyway) CD would do. YOu have a central folder in your Root that all your software is in. That may do ya. Otherwise that's you're only way out.

[prathapml]

Instead of avoiding duplicate files, don't mind them, and optimize your CD. Search the forums for details on that.

Or, as alanoll said, you could avoid having the two $OEM$ folders having the same content, and have all needed-by-both-installs files in a folder at the CD-root. Then use the %CDROM%\your_folder method. (atleast that's what I think he meant)

[Alanoll]

prathapml, on Aug 19 2004, 04:44 AM, said:

Instead of avoiding duplicate files, don't mind them, and optimize your CD. Search the forums for details on that.

Or, as alanoll said, you could avoid having the two $OEM$ folders having the same content, and have all needed-by-both-installs files in a folder at the CD-root. Then use the %CDROM%\your_folder  method. (atleast that's what I think he meant)

It is. I just think he doesn't want to do the "optomize" thing, simply because it'd be more trouble updating and he wants everything in one place.

[catpsion]

Thanks both of you those answer.

Frankly, i don't have a clue what of what you mean by optimize the CD

Indeed, i don't care much about disk space, since even with duplicates files, i still have plenty of space on my DVD. However the %CDROM% seems a good workaround to have a best looking layout
But from what i know, the CDROM drive letter change for each computer: i guess i will need to do some search about that to have this variable working fine.

Thanks Alan, i now applied the Gosh method to my SP2, that alone already reduce the wasted disk space by a great amount.
I'm about to build the first image of my DVD and test it with VirtualPC: i'm crossing fingers all willl go well

[Alanoll]

if you look here...
http://unattended.ms...unonceex_cd.htm

Just pay attention to the part with the IF EXISTs in it. If you're using a batch file, that will eliminate the problem of the letter changing per computer, as it searches for a file on your CD and then assigns the variable to the letter if found the file on. If you use any other way, shouldn't be too hard to get the right variable path.


As for the optomize....
pretty much, in your folder structure you have the exact same file twice. Using CDIMAGE or a modifed MKISOFS, you can have it so the file itself is written to the image only ONCE but appears to be in both places. If you know anything about programing, think of it as a reference pointer

[catpsion]

Oh god Alan...now i feel like i have to go from the "good old" Guirunonce to this "fancy" runonce...and convert all my batch in the process

Oh well, look like it's the best way to go anyway....

As for the optimize...well, as long as CDIMAGE optimize by itself, that will be good

Btw, on a completly different subject, wouldn't you have a clue on how disabling the hardware/Software DEP of XPSP2 while the unattended process? Or does disabling the security center will do the job (i doubt it)?

Thanks again for your kindness

[prathapml]

There is a tool developed here (on mSFN) to make runonceEX easier.

Yes, CDimage doesn't have a GUI boot-maker, and needs a command-line switch to operate to make optimised CDs. Its a tool leaked from MSDN.

[catpsion]

prathapml, on Aug 19 2004, 04:49 PM, said:

There is a tool developed here (on mSFN) to make runonceEX easier.

YEs, i've seen a link to that tool under Aaron Guide, thanks to mention it however .
I'm currently working on it

Quote

Yes, CDimage doesn't have a GUI boot-maker, and needs a command-line switch to operate to make optimised CDs. Its a tool leaked from MSDN.

I'm using this command line, thanks to Gosh, but i'm not sure it contains the optimisation switch, even if the "/o" switch look like it.

Quote

cdimage.exe -lXPSP1 -t08/23/2001,09:00:00 -bc:\install\loader.bin -h -n -m -o c:\install c:\xpsp1.iso

Btw, this is the command i used for my XPSP1 CD, do i need to modify something for my SP1/SP2 DVD?