Question

Splitstream/Autoinstall programs on XP Image install

Asked by: ambush276

ok i tried the VMware route with no alas, i guess my next step is kind of simple. I have 5 dell machines i need to have a ghost image for. I have the Dell OEM SP3 Disc but i want to do more with it. I want to take out those Dell preinstalled like helper and bs junk they preinstall with their OS and i want to splitstream/ auto install programs into the image (firefox, open office, avg free edition etc...) so basically when the image goes and install it installs those programs in the C:/Program Files and is ready to go out of the box. What software can i use to do this? Thanks!

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Asked On
2009-08-18 at 13:21:47ID24662826
Tags

image

,

ghost

,

windows

,

windows xp

,

boot

Topics

Windows XP Operating System

,

OS / 2 Software

,

Norton Ghost Backup Software

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Answers

 

by: xxdcmastPosted on 2009-08-18 at 13:36:13ID: 25127399

You actually said the program in your question. You need to use ghost, build an image exactly the way you want and then use ghost to make an image file. From there you can push it down to the remaining 4 machines.

The main difference is the image doesnt really install it just copied the existing machine exactly as it stands to the new one. The one thing you need to take into account is sysprepping the machine before you take the image so that all 5 machines will have different SIDS and be unique.

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-18 at 13:40:57ID: 25127441

You could try with a combination of these to programs:

nLite http://www.nliteos.com/index.html

WAiK for Windows XP http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.04.desktopfiles.aspx?pr=blog

These are what I use for customizing my installations. This is slipstreaming but you might find it complicated (although it is very easy once you figure it out).

Now ....I noticed you mention the Norton Ghost. This is the  easier way to do this and will work straight out of the box: in other words, you install your New DELL OEM SP3, remove what you don't want, install what you DO WANT and once you have it like you like it you create a Ghost image and burn it to a DVD. From there on you can use this DVD to restore your computers to the way you like them.

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-18 at 13:42:46ID: 25127463

xxdcmast: I'm sorry....you posted before I hit enter....I was not trying to say the same thing.....it just took me a few minutes to find the links and when I hit enter your post showed up.

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-18 at 17:11:35ID: 25128735

gotchya...

well i was looking into like making sfx files and then using the runonce tool?

im not sure but ghosting seems kind of "outdated" i mean the whole sys prep thing kind of confuses me. Ive used nlite before but besides service packs and tweaking i cant install.. (these are the apps i want preinstalled)...

OpenOffice
Firefox
Adobe Flash/Reader
VLC media player
ImgBurn
Avg 8.5 Free

now the sfx auto silent switch doesnt work everytrime (as in it doesnt work with AVG)

I know i wanted to kind of do this w/ Vmware because at the end of the day this needs to work on not just these Dells, but we got a bunch of new Compaq and Dells comming in to the company and about 4 different model lines in each. Worst case seniaor make a ghost for each, but is there a way to just have the splitstream all the programs to preinstall (and then manually put in all the drivers for all the computers/mobos)(right now i just have the dells so teh drivers can wait, but these program installs i guess are urgent).

Thanks!

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-18 at 19:54:42ID: 25129329

Ok.... It seems that you have read about other uses of Norton Ghost that have made it sound complicated (specially when used in sysprep, heck, it's confusing for anyone that doesn't use it on a daily basis).

To keep it simple, with Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image, all you need is a CD with the program (startup CD or even a startup floppy) and with 3 or 4 clicks it will copy the entire hard drive (or just a partition if you want) to another drive, network location or even create a DVD for you. It's as simple as it can get.

We used to setup whole classrooms where the students (IT Students) would come in and completely mess up the machines. As soon as the students left, we would pop in a floppy, boot the computer and it would connect to a network location, image the computer and in less than 8 minutes you had 12 pristine Windows Server 2003 computers installed and ready for the next class to mess them up.

What I am trying to say is, both Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image, they have a lots of sofisticated features, as sofisticated as you want them or some very simple ...basic as you can imagine to image and restore your computers.

In simple terms, as I explained above......just prepare the computer the way you like it, once it is ready you pop in a Ghost or Acronis boot CD and it will give you immediate options to create and exact clone to either another drive, network location or to a file (or multiple files if they get to big).

Once this image has been made, your users can mess the computer on all they want. As soon as you pop back in the boot cd and tell it where your image is.....in a few minutes the machine is back to where it started.

If you keep the data on a server, external drive, or even internal but a different drive, then you don't have to worry about anything else.....

I hope this makes it simple for you. If I am not mistaken, you are probably thinking about those ghost images that DELL used to make where you would press CTRL-F11 when booting and it would restore the system to the original manufacturer's installation...... Those are also just a bit more complicated and it is a totally different procedure, not what I was trying to explain.....

Hope it helps you...

 

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-18 at 23:40:06ID: 25130072

yes that definatly helps but if im not mistaken to do this dont you need to have ... all the same comptuers. You can't clone a harddrive of a different computer? or can you? anyway let me know cause if i can just use Acronis setup the system the way i want, then bam.. then great! (i have acronis tru image just never used it). In any event let me know. Thanks!

 

by: nappy_dPosted on 2009-08-19 at 03:42:11ID: 25131190

Slip streaming is great but what happens when you have to update?

I know this is only 5 computers but are they stand alone or networked to a server?

If they are networked to a server, consider just slipstreaming the service pack and drivers and using Active Directory to deploy your apps. This way, as the apps change, your quickly and rather easily update them.

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-19 at 04:59:43ID: 25131598

No ... you can't. Sometimes it will work if the Motherboards are alike (ie. same manufacturer and more or less same features) but in general it doesn't.

I am a fan of Norton Ghost and was reluctant to change but since Vista and now Windows 7 came out I've had to use Acronis (the trial home version is great - they created the word easy) so I changed sides now.

What I am doing, I've noticed lately we have so many spare 20 and 40GB drives just hanging around so I've place them inside the computers as a secondary and store the images right there. Anything goes wrong and I have the machine back (in our case) in 7 minutes. It's all about time when dealing with users.

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-19 at 09:04:37ID: 25134244

ok so Acronis will only work if its the Exact Same Computers.. (or very similar) aka most new dells i would assume could use the same Acronis Image... but still it doesnt solve the problem of just installing apps on startup. I wanted to use like and .sfx file because then basically (if i have a large enough DVD maybe DL) i can have all the apps i want and use the runonce command to install all these apps at the begining. The problem is many apps do not like silent install? (why i have no idea)?

so is acronis imaging the best solution and just do one for Each machine? or is there a way to get silent installs for all apps or an app to help take EXE's and make them silent installs (ive used the Pied thing a with that and its been kind of ehh... only worked for Open office and VLC rest of the apps didnt work for? any help ??? thanks!

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-19 at 10:22:36ID: 25135091

Every application is different. Some have switches that you can place after the application and the install  will be silent. Microsoft Office is an example of this. Others either don't or are undocumented. You would have to review the documentation of each application you want to install and how to configure it to run as sfx.

As for your question "... but still it doesnt solve the problem of just installing apps on startup...":  Acronis will make an image of the whole OS + whatever else you have already installed onto the OS. So whenever you need to restore the image, you no longer will need to install either the OS nor the applications.

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-19 at 13:57:49ID: 25137265

ok i decided to use a program called Multiset.. we will see how it goes but it seems to work for me.. all of your ideas seem to work well but i think this is what i was looking for. (im now going to try to find out how to deploy this over a network) but that will just take time.

Thanks !

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-19 at 13:59:08ID: 31617307

not my solution, but good for anyone who has imaging questions

 

by: BitsBytesandMorePosted on 2009-08-19 at 15:05:13ID: 25137837

Let me know how it goes.....I looked it up and sounds too good to be true....

 

by: ambush276Posted on 2009-08-19 at 15:12:42ID: 25137899

So basically i guess i found out a way to somewhat solve this for corporate enviornment (where acronis will not work).
 

So first Buy this program (multiset) and install it on the wiped machine

then use the "installer recorder function" so it sees how it installls and creates its own way of installing the program. So its like kind of like an auto clicker style thing, but its not like timer based or whatnot, its prompted and command based, so it doesnt rely on screen rez or computer speed, it will install any app on the computer of ur choice without any hinderance automatically. Then u just config it to install w/e u want (any programs.)

then use the option to add to Windows w/ boot or something like that...
create the ISo burn w/ imgburn, and now u have a full working bakcup on all programs that can work on anycomputer. WHen the computer installs all is fine, then once it fully installs it will autoreboot, and once it comes back online, it will start to autoinstall your programs. Its kind of like a VMware style thing but come true. It works great and literallly once i format my drives this thing will install and boom ready to go.Full everything

its a great program i would try it out, the have a trial as well..


at least i am impressed

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