[glaurung]

computerwizkid, on Dec 8 2007, 12:50 PM, said:

How can I modify this for slipstreaming files into Windows ME since I need to because of my Win2k8 Project at WPC?

First, Considering that W98_slip has lain fallow on my hard drive for over a year now, I doubt I will ever have the time or inclination to adapt it for an OS I don't own. That said, since I don't own ME, I have no idea of what problems would arise from trying to apply this slipstreaming method to it. If ME's setup files are digitally signed, for instance, then you're probably SOL.

THe place to start in adapting w98_slip to work with ME would be to look at my first follow up to the original post in this thread, in which I described some of the ins and outs of SE's cab files. Read up on Cabinet files and makecab (the Cabinet SDK documentation isn't the best but it's still the place to start) so what I said in that post makes sense, and then experiment with ME's setup files and see if they behave the same way as SE's file do or not. The size of the cabs doesn't matter so much as whether they are linked in a chain or not. If ME's cabs are not linked in a chain the way SE's are, then you'll have to do significant extra modifications to make W98_slip work for WinME.

Assuming that the ME cab files are chained together, then making it work with ME shouldn't be too terribly hard; the main thing you'll have to do is modify the scripts that generate the makecab directive file so that they create cabs that break at the breakpoints you find in ME rather than the breakpoints found in SE.

The hard part, of course, is finding all the little quirks that need to be addressed. For instance, a short file name in SE contains a parenthesis, IIRC, which is a character that Minitrue treats as special; the entry for that file in the file list had to be specially handled to take out the parenthesis before I could use Minitrue to process the entire file list. ME may or may not have similarly named files, but you can be quite sure it has something quirky.

W98_slip is not nearly as hard to hack as, say, HFslip; as batch files go, it's pretty basic, and the hardest part for me was learning to use Minitrue to do the donkey work of manipulating file lists into makecab directive files and layout*.inf files. That will be the hard part for you, too -- fortunately, minitrue's documentation is fairly complete and well-written, and you'll have my original minitrue scripts to crib from.

[galahs]

I noticed with Gapes Unofficial Service pack, he claims tou can semi slipstream some updates by simply putting them in the Win98 setup folder.

Does that mean Windows 98 has a built in support for slipstreaming newer versions of existing files?

[galahs]

I also note that you can create a bootable cd of 98lite


Maybe it would give some hints as to how we could make a slipstreamed win98SE. IF 98lite unpacks all the files, then installs windows, it might be possible to replace the existing files with newer versions, this would basically be a slipstreamed version of Windows.

Quote

There is a trick to do that, but you can only choose one version (micro, sleek, chubby etc.), as all the win98 files will be changed to install only one of the 98lite enterprise license version

First boot from floppy disc (assuming you have the latest 98lite on floppy):

* at the A:> dos prompt type "98pro47" this will start the installer up..

* select "install"

* type in your key code to allow the installer to decompress

* use the default path for the files if you want, namely "c:98setup"

..at this point the installer should decompress and dump a few files onto the clean hard disk in the c:98setup folder.

* at the A:> dos prompt type "C:" to change to the C:> dos prompt.

* at the C:> dos prompt type "cd 98setup" to change to the 98setup folder. The dos prompt should now be C:98setup>

* at the C:98SETUP dos prompt type "98lite /cd" [You can pass a switch command to the installation, for older hardware ie: /NM switch - this is passed to the windows setup and means "no minimum", or /NG switch also (no VGA graphics in 98lite) just to lower the burden on the system. or any other switch ] to start 98lite - it should fire up and show you a couple of screens of disclaimers etc and then stop with a menu of options with the first option being "1. Clean Install"

* press the "1" key to choose the clean install

* 98lite will then ask you to insert your win98 CDROM and it will copy all of the windows setup files from the CDROM to the c:98setup folder

* 98lite will then ask if you want to copy the win95 explorer files to the hard disk in case you want to use the MICRO or SLEEK desktop option. This is an optional step - but if you insert your 95 CDROM or tell the installer where the files are (e.g. you may have them on a floppy or another hard disk) the files will also be copied to the C:98setup folder

... at this point you should now have a C:98setup folder that contains:

1. the 98lite program files

2. the win98 installation files, and optionally,

3. the win95 files (explorer.exe v4.00.950, Shell32.dll v4.00.1111 and Comdlg32.dll v4.00.951)

... 98lite is now ready to install windows for you and it will start the process itself - you can also stop here if you want, and make it a bootable CD.

* if you have the original bootable CD for windows 98, use Winiso or other program to make an ISO file, and edit the ISO image, then rename the folder in C: drive from "98setup" to "win98" and replace it into the ISO image (delete the original win98 folder in ISO image). burn the image to Disc.

That's all!
now you have a bootable CD with your 98lite installation.

I have also been looking around for EXE and INF tools (because I sure don't want to learn too much coding)

I found that Windows 2000 and XP have an EXE maker built into them called Iexpress.
There is an older version available here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/237803
A guide to using Iexpress can be found here: http://babek.info/libertybasicfiles/lbnews...34/iexpress.htm


For creating your own INF 's I found this handy freeware tool. INF-Tool --- http://www.inner-smile.com/dl_inf.htm
Some good information on INF files can be found here: http://www.ryston.co...NF_web/main.htm
More info here: http://msdn2.microso...y/ms790220.aspx


And here is a good guide to making Batch files (.bat)
http://home.att.net/.../dos_batch.html
The only decent Batch Creation utility I have found is Shareware (15 uses) called Easy Batch Creator --- http://www.octosoft.co.uk/ebb/



Hope this is helpful.

This post has been edited by galahs: 09 December 2007 - 08:04 AM

[glaurung]

galahs, on Dec 8 2007, 11:06 PM, said:

I noticed with Gapes Unofficial Service pack, he claims tou can semi slipstream some updates by simply putting them in the Win98 setup folder.

Does that mean Windows 98 has a built in support for slipstreaming newer versions of existing files?

Yes; there's no need to use w98_slip unless you want to have a neat and clean looking setup folder... which some people enjoy having. (also if your setup cd is jammed with extras, integrating updated files into the cabs takes less room).

If you just put the updated versions of the files into the setup folder, setup will preferentially grab files from the folder before rooting around in the cabs for the same file. This behaviour is the basis for how 98lite does its magic; it modifies existing *.inf files and drops them in the setup folder.

[glaurung]

galahs, on Dec 8 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

I also note that you can create a bootable cd of 98lite

Maybe it would give some hints as to how we could make a slipstreamed win98SE. IF 98lite unpacks all the files, then installs windows, it might be possible to replace the existing files with newer versions, this would basically be a slipstreamed version of Windows.

98lite only unpacks some of the inf files (about a dozen or so), which it then modifies to make certain components removable. You can do much the same thing yourself if you've learned how to hack inf files. Removing some unwanted components is childishly simple (comment the relevant files out of setuppp.inf), while removing others takes a lot of work (eg, de-integrating internet explorer).

Because 98lite is payware, it puts code in the updated infs that causes them to be automatically deleted once setup has completed. "98lite /cd" just tells it to not automatically launch setup once it creates the modified .inf files, which means the modified files remain on disk for hacking, integrating into the precopy*.cabs with w98_slip, burning to cd, or whatever.

[galahs]

Thanks for the info glaurung and replying to my PM's


My biggest concern has been that I wanted to ensure ESDI_506.PDR (LLXX's edited Version .2225) was slipstreamed into my Windows 98 SE cd allowing Win98 to support Hard Disks bigger than 137GB. So if I just copy that file into my Win98 folder and burn it to a disk it should slipstream into the installation replacing the original version?


If just updating the original files with newer versions was all that was required your slipstream method would be perfect. Unfortunately many updates need to include additional files.





The 2nd best option would be a 1 off post install update that installs IE6SP1 and cumulative updates, DirectX 9.0c (December 2006), Windows Media Player 9 and all of Windows 98 SE's hotfixes (Official and Unofficial)

Microsoft produced an update cd in 2004 that did this. If it could be updated with all the future releases it could be perfect. Read more on the CD here:
http://www.msfn.org/board/MS-Windows-Secur...04-t108981.html

[glaurung]

galahs, on Dec 11 2007, 10:13 PM, said:

Thanks for the info glaurung and replying to my PM's

My biggest concern has been that I wanted to ensure ESDI_506.PDR (LLXX's edited Version .2225) was slipstreamed into my Windows 98 SE cd allowing Win98 to support Hard Disks bigger than 137GB. So if I just copy that file into my Win98 folder and burn it to a disk it should slipstream into the installation replacing the original version?

Yes, it should.

As you say, adding additional files is the tricky part. For files that don't need registry entries, like tweakui or extra fonts, custom.inf is the way to go. For files that do need registry entries, the easiest route is to copy the files with custom.inf and insert the registry entries with msbatch.inf (for some reason, I have never been able to get MSbatch to both create registry entries and copy files; don't know why, but it would do one or the other but not both). Msbatch can also automatically invoke exes to run after setup ends, which lets you integrate IE and DX9 and the like. The "Unattended Boot CD for windows 98" project uses that method, although I don't know if they use custom.inf or not.

The reason I wrote w98_slip was not because no other options existed, but basically just an attempt to make the setup directory be more orderly and neat, and also because, having seen the hfslip project for win2k/xp, I wanted to see if it could be done.

[wrayal]

Hey everyone,
I'm playing with this slipstreamer a bit at the moment - congratulations glaurung - it's incredibly useful! I wanted to make an all-in boot disc for 98 - 98SE2ME, 98MP10, kernelEx, USP etc. But, if you don't slipstream them natively, then tend to take up a rather large amount of space, which is a pain as I'm trying to shoehorn it onto an already crammed multiboot dvd! So I was wondering if anyone had looked at any of this?

At first, I'm looking at 98SE2ME as it seems the majority of the files for that are simply replacements - so I take it they could be put in the updates folder, and then run the slipstreamer and install as normal?

Anyone else interested in something similar?

Wrayal

[glaurung]

wrayal, on Dec 14 2007, 06:39 PM, said:

Hey everyone,
I'm playing with this slipstreamer a bit at the moment - congratulations glaurung - it's incredibly useful! I wanted to make an all-in boot disc for 98 - 98SE2ME, 98MP10, kernelEx, USP etc. But, if you don't slipstream them natively, then tend to take up a rather large amount of space, which is a pain as I'm trying to shoehorn it onto an already crammed multiboot dvd! So I was wondering if anyone had looked at any of this?

At first, I'm looking at 98SE2ME as it seems the majority of the files for that are simply replacements - so I take it they could be put in the updates folder, and then run the slipstreamer and install as normal?

Anyone else interested in something similar?

Wrayal

Thanks, I'm glad you're finding it useful.

The 98se2ME thing: look carefully at the installation scripts for that; IIRC, it uses a batch file and some inf or reg files, so figuring out what's going on shouldn't be too hard.

Files that are simply copied over will probably work if you dump them in the updates folder. Files that need to be self-registered, and files that need separate registry entires, might pose a problem. You'll have to check to see if 98se self-registers the same files that ME self-registers, and then you'll need to make sure you add in any missing registry entires. 98lite's method of adding extra registry entires ought to work for you -- add a new entry in setuppp to invoke a new .inf file, and use the new file to do all the extra stuff that needs doing (leaving it in the install directory alongside msbatch.inf). Judicious editing of the 98se2ME installation scripts should make creating that file fairly easy.

[niknak]

Microsoft in their er "wisdom" did list the files that were in the CAB files on the Windows 98 SE CD, which might help those considering a large file replacement.

The relevant Knowledge base documents are:-
238664 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 1
238666 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 2
238668 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 3
238728 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 4
238729 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 5
238730 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 6
238749 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 7
238767 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 8
238771 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 9
238775 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 10
238809 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 11
238811 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 12
238813 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 13
239011 Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM Directory List 14

If there is a typo - one document did lead to another.
Hope this is of use to someone.

This post has been edited by niknak: 07 February 2008 - 02:23 PM

[jaclaz]

Huge bump, I know , but I just found some info about Diamond Compression.

There is also an introoductory page on MS KB:
http://support.micro...kb/124613/en-us

jaclaz

Attached File(s)

•  diamond.txt (116.76K)
  Number of downloads: 23
•  Diamond.htm (109.27K)
  Number of downloads: 17

[betaluva2010]

can you add a z
script that slipstreams Revolutions Pack 9.0 ?
thanks

[JayMan]

Should I apply 98Lite before or after?

[MDGx]

jaclaz, on 01 June 2010 - 05:58 AM, said:

... but I just found some info about Diamond Compression.

There is also an introoductory page on MS KB:
http://support.micro...kb/124613/en-us

jaclaz

I have added the diamond documents (txt + HTML) you found to the INF_web guide (online) and to the zip (offline).
Respectively (online):
- HTML.
- txt.

Thanks a lot.

HTH