Making MY Custom XP Install - Install Programs TOO?

SubDude199

SubDude199

Member
I reformat my computer about once every 2 months. I Do not like doing the SAME stuff to it every tiem so I am working on my first custom XP install.. I have already made it unattended and only installing the windows components that I want with no problem.. but now its getting a little harder..Two problems..

Gettin windows to install drivers and programs for me


I know that I can not get windows use .exe style drivers..So i extact them using winrar. then put the files in a folder I create on the XP DVD I am working on: $OEM$/$1/Drivers/XXX (XXX=Lan, Audio, Chipset) BUT should I be putting everything in there?.. Also dont i need to edit somehting to tell windows to grab those drivers?..


The more important question is can I get it to install programs for me.. I have not found much info on this.. How would I do this.. Thanks
 
what you want to do is set up everything from scratch on how you want your system set up. Applications, updates, patches, configurations, etc. Then download and run a program called sysprep. Now, some applications play nicely with sysprep (keeping cd-keys, and authenticated licenses, etc) and some don't. It will be trial and error on that part. What sysprep also does is store all the user information, administrator passwords, etc. Sysprep doesn't seem to keep wireless security though, at least not in my experience.

Once you have your sys-preped system ready you next want to make an image using third party software, like drive image, ghost, etc.

Now everytime you want to wipe and reload you just boot off a PE disk, or the boot utility that comes with imaging software and reimage your computer. If you store your images on like a FW or USB 2.0 external HD, you can reimage a 6 gig image in approx 10 minutes (give or take depending on compression) instead of taking hours to reload windows and install 6 gigs of software.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Norton Ghost is one of the better applications out there to do this, however it is also the most expensive. The good thing about the newest version of ghost is that you can mount an existing image via the built in tools of the program and edit it, then reseal it back up. Which makes it great for constantly updating your images. You can image to multiple DVDs, another HD (external HD), or over your network.
 
thanks for that info.. is that going to give me a computer as clean as a fresh reformat?.. That may be easier if it does
 
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