XPCREATE: The Next Release

[GreenMachine]

I have finally completed the first phase of the next version of XPCREATE! The next step is testing. My inital tests have been positive, so I have now invited some of the XPCREATE userbase to help me in this process.

The errors that have been corrected include:

• Boot Image extraction errors corrected.
  
• "File Not Found" display errors corrected.
  
• Hotfixes with same short file name (e.g. WINDOW~1.EXE) error corrected.
  
• Compressed and Uncompressed versions of files in I386 Subdirectories error corrected. (UNIPROC)
  
• Text files in IE6SP1 package creation error corrected.
  (Some non-English versions only had error.)
  
• Post XP SP2 hotfixes now correctly handled.
  
• No SVCPACK directory created if empty.
  

Additionally, certain new functionality has been added. This includes:

• ISOs can be burned to either DVD or CD.
  
• DirectX 9C support has been added, thus no longer requiring the OPK version.
  
• A User defined FILESCD folder may now be used in conjunction with the XPCREATE FILESCD directory.
  
• The User may now define the system language, for the cases where XPCREATE cannot. (e.g. Norwegien.)
  
• The User may add SATA/RAID OEM information for SATA/RAID driver integration.
  
• SATA/RAID drivers with more than one .SYS file now handled.
  

There have also been a few functional changes:

• iOpus downloader replaced with WGET, a non-GUI downloader.
  
• Hotfix files, other than Type I, are now numbered sequentially to avoid conflicts.
  

I have sent a mail to certain members of this forum, with links to the test version. If you are one of the unfortunate few, please post your findings here. If not, please refrain from adding your thoughts to this thread.

Thanks!

[Alanoll]

I'll edit this post later if there are any errors...

Any particular test set you would prefer?

XP CD, with SP1? Or going to the latest and greatest?

As just slipstreaming SP2 shouldn't cause any problems.

DO you want this done on 2003 and 2000?

Any idea what the hotfix lists are gonna be ready?

Just a quick test....and I attached the Error Log.

WIth no Hotfix list downloaded, it can't download the hotfix list, however it errors out saying it's unable to download the service pack file.

Perhaps a check and proper error outputted. Or if it can't download the hotfix file or something, it then reverts to using the files already there.

LOGFILES.CAB

[GreenMachine]

I have been basing my tests on Windows 2000 Server, as that seems to give me the most trouble. Only the latest and greatest are "supported": XP SP2, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 RTM.

As for test cases, I guess just trying different things, as in XPCREATE.INI settings and Hotfix sets.

The Hotfix Lists are done. Next step will be to document the many new values in XPCREATE.INI.

I have also made a few updates to the test version, so you may want to re-download. Also, please try each new "release" in a blank directory just to make sure that nothing is left over.

Thanks again for your help.

[Bilou_Gateux]

The errors that have been corrected include:

[*]Hotfixes with same short file name (e.g. WINDOW~1.EXE) error corrected.

[*]Compressed and Uncompressed versions of files in I386 Subdirectories error corrected. (UNIPROC)

[*]Text files in IE6SP1 package creation error corrected.

(Some non-English versions only had error.)

[*]DirectX 9C support has been added, thus no longer requiring the OPK version.

[*]iOpus downloader replaced with WGET, a non-GUI downloader.

[*]Hotfix files, other than Type I, are now numbered sequentially to avoid conflicts.

my first try was Windows 2000 Server SP4 OEM French.

I have build my french Hotfix list and make a first run to download all hotfixes in the right dirs. The download stops on the last one (WMP9) but it may be due to problems with my ISP connection...

I have set DLAUTO=NO to XPCREATE.INI, download WMP9 manually and put it in the right dir SVC-WMP.

I have run XPCREATE a second time and when i come back later, the computer was rebooted ?

Nethertheless, i have found a brand new ISO image in the WORKDIR.

DOCD=NO in XPCREATE.INI because i have no CD burner on the computer used.

Some remarks :

DOSNET.INF and SVCPACK.INF found in WORKDIR instead of NEWFILES in the previous version.

No more duplicate files (compressed and uncompressed versions) in UNIPROC subdir

IE6SP1 package creation without error with the translated TXT file name.

and this new behavior i dislike :

Hotfix files, other than Type I, are now numbered sequentially to avoid conflicts

next time, i will try the new switch to disable this !

RENAMEF=YES

Where can i found the logfile in a cab archive ? i have attached a zip file instead ?

Results of installation next time.

• removed, correction done

Unable to send an E-Mail with M$ HotMail service at the moment, i will send the list tomorrow.

Edited September 18, 2004 by Bilou_Gateux

[GreenMachine]

... DOSNET.INF and SVCPACK.INF found in WORKDIR instead of NEWFILES in the previous version. ...

That must be due to a premature reboot: thise files still should be in NEWFILES, as well as LOGFILES.CAB, and XPCREATE.LOG. The XPCREATE.LOG file will probably not show a completed run.

... Hotfix files, other than Type I, are now numbered sequentially to avoid conflicts ...

I knew you would not like that, but I stand by that being the most acceptable solution, especially with the Manual Rename option (RENAMEF=NO)

Hey: You edited your post before I could finish! (Put a

tag in there, would you!)

Anyway, I do believe that I included your suggestions. Let me know how your installation goes.

EDIT: Mail me your HFLIST file, and I will upload it.

[MindMaster]

Here's my report:

1. The initial attempt to erase and/or burn the CD failed. What was most disconcerting about this was the fact that I couldn't see the command that was executed in the log file. As a result I had to make up the CDBurn command which has too many parameters for my small brain. Previously the command appeared.

2. Adding new CAB file if needed.

Still (the previous version did this too) displays a "File not found" error. I believe it is innocuous ... any chance it can be eliminated?

3. Adding SATA/RAID support

Shows an error "File not found - *.OEM

3. All XPC* files created during an execution (XPCTKILL, XPCTXCOP, and XPCTPATH to name a few) remain in the XPCreate directory which is less than preferred. Any chance they can go in a working, log, or temp folder?

At this point I have not actually installed the image so my comments only pertain to creating the image.

Later,

Me

P.S. The cause of the CDBurn failure was my lack of specifying the destination drive and the fact that it attempted to burn to a Daemon Tools virtual drive. The error in the log was completely unhelpful:

Erasing media before burning

Number of blocks in ISO image is ffffffff

Erasing target media

Error 1117 erasing target media

Edited September 19, 2004 by MindMaster

[Bilou_Gateux]

Windows 2000 Server SP4 French OEM XPcreate next release build :

installation went smooth.

Microsoft Windows Update reports :

• Critical Updates and Service Packs
  Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374)
  
• Windows 2000
  Module de prise en charge linguistique Microsoft .NET Framework Version 1.1 (français)
  

to do list :

• 1/ add Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool to my Hotfix list and rebuild a new ISO image.
  This update applies to the following product: .NET Framework 1.1.
  
• 2/ Where foreigns users using a non ENU Windows source should put the Microsoft .NET Framework Version 1.1 Language Pack : SVC-X2M ?
  
• 3/ .NET Framework needs Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.6 (MDAC 2.7 SP1 recommended). Can we add this to the hotfix list and what the destination dir : SVC-DAH ?
  

[GreenMachine]

Thanks, MindMaster! Now you see why I have a limited test base!

1. I admit I rarely actually burn a CD/DVD ... I have reworked that part of the code a bit, and I think your problem may be solved. I will wait till I hear more, from the latest test version, before looking at it again.

2. Yes, "File not found" are harmless. Still, I thought I had caught them all. I need to know where exactly it is before I can eliminate it.

3. I am testing that now, and see that same message. I will correct it for the next test version, which I will post before this reply.

3. Those files are left because the XPCREATE run errored out. Log files and modified files that are added to the ISO (SVCPACK.INF, DOSNET.INF & TXTSETUP.SIF) are stored in NEWFILES for review. Temporary files (XPCT* are deleted) at the end. Apparently, you did not get that far. There was probably no LOGFILES.CAB, either.

I am less worried about the actual installation at this point, particularly in your case. I am surprised that it gets to the burn code with no drive specified. That really should not be.

Thanks for your help. I think I have fixed the issues you mention, so if you could download and test again ...

I know that there was no LOGFILES.CAB created this time, but when there is, that is really the file I am most interested in. It dows not contain any personal information, other than the path to the files. That means if you run it on your desktop, and your desktop is in, for example, C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Desktop, your username will be there. Additionally, every line that appears on the screen should be prefixed with a time stamp. If not, I made a boo-boo ... In this case, please cut and paste from the screen, and post that, so I can see where and what the boo-boo may be.

Thanks again for your testing.

Bilou!

Don't bother with the GDI Detection Tool. It cannot be installed silently, and does nothing other than direct you to a web page that will tell you either you have products that MAY need an update, or that you are OK. It, in itself, does not update anything except the registry. I will email you a toll that will fool Windows into thinking that this "update" has been run.

As for the language pack, I do belive it will work in SVC-X2M.

I have also updated the list for Windows 2000, but only the downloadable version for ENU. Still, it does include the later JPEG update.

Merci!

[Bilou_Gateux]

Bilou!

Don't bother with the GDI Detection Tool. It cannot be installed silently, and does nothing other than direct you to a web page that will tell you either you have products that MAY need an update, or that you are OK. It, in itself, doe not update anything except the registry. I will email you a toll that will fool WIndows into thinking that this "update" has been run.

As for the language pack, I do belive it will work in SVC-X2M.

I have also updated the list for Windows 2000, but only the downloadable version for ENU. Still, it does include the later JPEG update.

Merci!

The GDI+ Detection Tool checks your computer for imaging software and returns links to updates that you may need.

OK, i forget about it...

and i will add the language pack in the list to see what happens.

Updated hotfix list :

Windows 2000 Serveur SP4 HotFix List FRENCH

with the value set RENAMEF=NO in XPCREATE.INI

XPCreate stops at step "Merging Hotfixes."

I found an explanation of the problem :

in SVC-HF2, we have both HF

IE6.0sp1-KB833989-x86-ENU.EXE (IE Cumulative Update) (1)

IE6.0sp1-KB867801-x86-ENU.EXE (IE Cumulative Update) (2)

when copied from TEMP\SVC-HF2 to TEMP renamed to

(1)IE60SP~1.EXE and

(2)IE60SP~2.EXE

in SVC-POS, we have one HF called

IE6.0sp1-KB823353-x86-ENU.EXE (3)

when copied from TEMP\SVC-POS to TEMP renamed to his short file name

IE60SP~1.EXE (3)

but the file (1)IE60SP~1.EXE already exist and XPCreate wait input from the user to overwrite it.

Edited September 20, 2004 by Bilou_Gateux

[MindMaster]

1a. This relates to not showing the command executed in the log file so that it can be debugged. At least knowing what was attempted that errored out is important as I indicated before.

1b. I recreated the CDBurn issue this time with a valid CDRW drive specified. I think this needs to be fixed. The log was the same:

Erasing media before burning

Number of blocks in ISO image is ffffffff

Erasing target media

Error 1117 erasing target media

I tried manually using the CDBurn command from an old version log file and it executed perfectly.

2. I have attached a ScreenDump.txt showing that some lines don't have timestamps. The attached XPCreate.log file is what I used to create that particular screen dump but no logfiles.cab from this run because it errored out with the CDBurn error above.

3a. I will check in the next version.

3b. Can't you write the log files to the correct place regardless of an error. In fact, why not create Logfiles.cab regardless. (I guess you need exception handling.)

I have attached a zip that includes Logfiles.cab from a run I did that did not require the CD to be written just so you can take a look if you want to.

Later,

Me

Logs.zip

[GreenMachine]

Thanks, MindMaster. I do believe that I have fixed all those issues. Some were fixed in the update I uploaded yesterday, and it did not look like you used that version. I may be mistaken ...

1a. I now copy this command file to the log before erasing the CD (done in the begining), and when burning the actual ISO (done, obviously, at the end)

1b. I cannot get that error to happen for me ... It also looks like there is an empty ISO file attempting to be burned.

2. Those should be gone now ...

3a. Should also be OK ...

3b. Those files do not go in the "right place", as I want them in the root of the current directory, for ease or coding. I know ... a bit lazy. Chalk it up to "historic" reasons. If I do a total rewrite, I will consider changing this. For now, too much work for a "cosmetic" change. That is also my reasoning for not creating the LOGFILES.CAB. In any event, LOGFILES.CAB only contains XPCREATE.LOG (which is always created) in a compressed form, to allow it to be attached to forum posts. It contains no more information than the pre-maturely aborted XPCREATE.LOG.

Thanks for the report. I do believe that the current version (dated 19 SEP 2004 in the DOS Windows Title) fixes these issues, but I am testing at the same time as you.

EDIT:: My tests on a previously written to CD work fine. Yours?

[MindMaster]

More minor suggestions/features:

1. Instead of stating that the ISO has finished building, how about including the ISO name so if it was changed in the XPCREATE.INI file one can see the name that was used. Actually, I would recommend using the INI data for other messages too but this was the one that I specifically would have liked.

2. It would appear to me that XPCREATE is a great way of avoiding having a 2000 parameter command line. However, the one parameter that you might want to consider would be the name of the XPCREATE.INI file. That way one could easily save multiple INI files depending on what CD they were creating. I did this simply in an XPCREATE.CMD batch file wrapper that renamed the file specified as a parameter to be XPCREATE.INI.

(Sorry, no more meaningful comments because the machine with the software on is not installing successfully at the moment. As soon as it does, including a network connection, I will try with a more recent drop.)

[GreenMachine]

Thanks, MindMaster. Those are both good ideas, however ... I have passed the "adding features" deadline for the next version, and now am only interested in debugging what I have. I wll keep these comments in mind for a subsequent release.

[BaTLeZone]

@GM

Hey sorry have been busy and just got here tonight and saw the NEW one

I am making a 2000 cd right now and will install on my test machine. I'll let u know how it goes.

Just can't wait to try it.

EDIT:

Looks good so far made ISO with no errors. Off to install it now.

[GreenMachine]

If you got that far, you should be OK!