Custom restore XP disk guide...Ok I THINK its ready...

[ninjageek]

I REALLY need someone that wants to make there own "custom xp restore disk". The guide is done I think. I just want you to really try it. See how it works out. Please don't be afraid to be honest. Was the guide simple to follow? Did I miss anything? What do you suggest I change?

While th guide is a bit wordy, I believe it is done in such a way most average users can make there disk. Its a process that takes some time. So someone PLEASE speak up and give it a shot and see how it goes. Thank you.

[mudmanc4]

I REALLY need someone that wants to make there own "custom xp restore disk". The guide is done I think. I just want you to really try it. See how it works out. Please don't be afraid to be honest. Was the guide simple to follow? Did I miss anything? What do you suggest I change?

While th guide is a bit wordy, I believe it is done in such a way most average users can make there disk. Its a process that takes some time. So someone PLEASE speak up and give it a shot and see how it goes. Thank you.

Sounds good 

[nanobot]

I REALLY need someone that wants to make there own "custom xp restore disk". The guide is done I think. I just want you to really try it. See how it works out. Please don't be afraid to be honest. Was the guide simple to follow? Did I miss anything? What do you suggest I change?

While th guide is a bit wordy, I believe it is done in such a way most average users can make there disk. Its a process that takes some time. So someone PLEASE speak up and give it a shot and see how it goes. Thank you.

I'd been meaning to make one for quite some time, what the heck, I'll give it a shot. Where's the guide at?

[tdawnaz]

where is it??

[x_6985381]

What momma t said.

[ninjageek]

Oh to heck with it. I will post it in this thread. Even if you all decide not to make a disk, take a look, feel free to offer advice on changes, someting missed, All that good stuff. I warn ya. Lots of reading. Here it is.........

                                          A simple guide to use Nlite.

I decided to make this in hopes of helping others make there own "xp restore disk". After alot of work and questions I pretty much have it down. Hope this helps you.

Now to make your first disk it will take a bit of work and time. But once you make your first one The rest will be easy.

Please read this guide a couple of times before starting. Make sure its something you wanna tackle. It takes time and work. Now don't let all the information scare you. Its really simple to do, I just tend to be a bit wordy. Made this a step by step guide. Something I wish I had before makeing my first nlite program. Sure would of saved time energy and effort.

                          Getting Started with Downloading free programs.

Ok. First we need to download some free programs. Make a folder on your desktop and lets put all the programs in that folder. Simply right click on your desktop, create folder. Rename it and lets call it "NLite programs"

1. Download MIcrosft virtual PC. This free program is what we will test your first nlite build in to make sure it works the way you want before you burn it to disk.

  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=28C97D22-6EB8-4A09-A7F7-F6C7A1F000B5&displaylang=en

2. Now lets Download Nlite. http://www.nliteos.com/

3. Now lets download a "addon maker for nlite"  http://virtualltek.mgbr.net/inicial.php?page=down08

This is in english Lower I think right button click on that to select english.

4. This handy free program will download and silently install programs for you. Like itunes without quicktime. Or you can save to program to your desktop and use the progam and put it in nlite.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tgup/   

I am not sure how to do that, Still working on figuring it out this Link may help you.

  http://www.msfn.org/board/TGUP-addons-t104080.html&pid=744541

5. Now last but no least lets Download something for your drivers. This free little program is handy to have and will really help with you adding your drivers to Nlite and your "xp restore disk" The program is Double Driver, latest verson is 1.3 as of aug 2008.

                    http://boozet.org/dd.htm

Ok Now put shortcuts to all thoes programs in to the folder you made on your desktop for "Nlite Programs"

                         

                                  Now you have all the free programs Lets Get your disk Ready!!

 

OH NOOOOOOO I DONT HAVE A XP DISK, I GOT MY COMPUTER AT WALL MART WITH NO DISK/oH CRAP i LOST MY DISK!!

This is a problem. But not a problem with out a solution. I Pass no judgement. I offer only a hint on how to fix your delema with out a disk. Google. "Xp pro sp3 untouched". I have mixed emotions about that. On one hand it is stealing and stealing is wrong. On the other hand, You have a emachicne you paid good money for with no disk. Its forsure a greay area, I leave you to your own choices. I pass no judgement. Lets face it the hint I gave most people would do anyway. When in doubt google the question, So sooner or later you would of stumbled upon the solution yourself.

  Oh NOOOOOOO I ONLY HAVE XP WITH SERVICE PACK 2 AND i REALLY WANT XP WITH SERVICE PACK 3!!!

No problem. Nlite was built with this in mind. Just download service pack 3 from microsoft and set it aside, maybe in that folder I had you make for nlite programs. Here is a link for service pack 3 if you want it.

    http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/windows-xp-service-pack-3.html

No you dont have to have or use sp 3 for your custom "xp restore disk". That choice is yours. I promise you will have all the updates you need for Service pack 2. More on that to follow.

                            What Do you mean I need to make Two disks??

We will end up with 2 disks. ONe will be Xp with your drivers, tweeks and unattended install. That will make things TONS easier in your future. If you wanna make a new disk with more current updates, Pop in the first disk, fire up nlite download the updates, slipstream the updates, and your Xp disk is current. Make sense??

                          Are you ever gonna shut up and get this disk built. Yes here we go!!

  Just allow some time for the next steps to make your first disk. Say a hour or So. Make sure you have the time to get it done, and can concentrate on what your doing and the steps and choices.  While This may seem overwelming, Once you make your first disk, Its really simple. Im just long winded and can talk a bit to much.

1.Right click on your desktop and make 3 seperate folders, Call one "Raw Xp" or whatever you want.

  Call the second one "MY Drivers" or whatever you want.

  Call the Third one "Finished Xp" Or whatever you want.

2. Now in your Nlite progam folder, open up "Double Driver" Click on "Actions" then Hit "Scan"

  Go to "select"....."Provider"....."non microsoft"

 

  Go to actions Backup, Hit the "browse" button and go to the folder I had you make on your desktop called "my drivers" Hit "ok" then The "ok"button bellow the "browse Button" A window will open showing it backing up your drivers to that folder.

When its finsihed, close the windows, It will make a folder with a name Below it. My folder inside "my drivers" folder is called "tim". Yours will be called the name you used when you installed xp.

    Now your drivers are ready for nlite, Lets get this disk done shall we??

I will refer to the folders as the name I suggested you call them. The three I had you make on your desk top.

1.Now Put in your Xp Disk in your Cd drive.

2. Open up the prgram Nlite.

3.Hit the "next" button.

4. Hit the "browse" button and click on the little plus sign next to "my computer Icon"

5. Go down to your cd drive, May show a small Icon of Xp?? and Click on the little plus sign.

6. Single left click on "i386" folder. Should HIghlight it for ya.

7. While its still highlited, Click on the Ok button at the bottom, A pop up screen should show up and say "Select where to save the CD installation FIles for modification,Choose or create an empty folder"

8 Browse to the folder I had you made called "raw Xp" and put it there. Just use the Scroll button on the right and find your "raw xp" folder. You should now see the word "copying" and a progress bar moving while it copies the files from your disk to the "rawxp" folder.

9.Click Next. Ignore that screen for now, Click next again. Ok now see all thoes bars?? Click on "service pack" If you need to slipstreem sp 3., Then Leave "Hotfixes,add-ons and updates packHotfixes,add-ons and updates pack alone for now. DONT SELECT THAT ONE YET!!

10. Select "Drivers" "Componets,"Unattended","Options" "Tweeks" Bootable Iso. If you select Unattended and you get a "waring" pop up. Ignore it, Select it anyway. I promise it will be fine. The ones you selected Shold have green or yellow Lights on them now. Make sure "Hotfinxes and Addons and update packs" is still red before you select next.

11. First Screen may be your sp3 intergration. Just do what needs to be done. My disk allready has sp 3 on it

12. Next Screen is "Drivers. click on the "insert" tab.  Select "multipul driver folders"

13. A pop up screen will show up. Go to the "My Driver" Folder. Simply Highlight the filder that has your name on it. I Highlited the folder "tim" It will show a bunch of folders below it. After I highlight the folder with the name "tim" on it, I click ok.

14. Lower left button Select "all". Dont worry about "careful" message. Cli k ok. Now you will see all your drivers  in the window, DONT CHECK THE BOX DELTE AFTER INSTALL!!  You will wanna back up thoes drivers to disk later "Just in case you need them later!!

15. Ok now you have the "componet" window. Now select whatever componets you want to remove by checking the box. No worries, It will be in red if you shold not remove them. Since I was putting my own drivers in I removed all the drivers in this section. The rest is up to you and your own choices. I suggest leaving the security center installed and dont remove it. Removing it may screw up being able to update xp. I wont tell you What goof ball did that and learned to leave it alone. But his name was tim.

16. Next screen is "unattended" This one is a bit tricky, I wanted a no touch install, This is how I did it.

  General tab, Unatteded Mode, "Fully automated" was selected, Put in your Product key if needed, Leave "computer type" on automatic. I check the box "Skip OOBE". Left everything else on default. The choices are yours.

  RunOnce tab, can be ignored .

Users Tab, Just make sure in the autologon section on the right , You select "administrator" in the drop down box. That needs to be default but for whatever reason its not. Everything else is left at default,

Owners and Network ID tab, Just put your name in both boxes, and in workgroup put none or whatever you want.  Same with Full Name and Organization, Domain Name nothing gets put there. Probally greyed out after you put the word one in workgroup anyway.

In regonal, At the very bottom, use the drop down box and put in the regon or timezone your in. Just scrol to it. The box is blank, but once you hit the arrow all the choices will be below.

The Last tab you MAY want to mess with is "Automatic Updates". It will say default, Use the drop down menue to pick whatever you want. Nothing else needs to be done So lets hit the Next button at the bottom.

  Next screen, Leave the GENERAL tab alone and leave everything to default. You want the "Patches" tab,

IN the Patches section, I changed the First drop down box to 1,000. Usb Port, Left alone!!  Unsigned Themes, I selected "enable",  SFC, I hit disabled, Really does speed up the install times. Choice is yours. Just make sure "disable" is in the box next to SFC to turn it off and speed up xp install. Does work great.

Tweeks section, Leave the "service" tab alone, YOu can really mess xp up messing with that if you dont know what your doing. In the "General Tab" Well make your own choices, I will say i did select the box, "Do not parse auto exex bat." These tweeks are harmless, Just lets you select the way you want xp. Like for exapmle, When I open my destop folder I want to view it as "icons".  Just Read and seclect what you want and what you like, You wont screw anything up.

NExt screen, Do you want to start the process, Click yes. Let it go. May take some time,GO kiss the wife, Stretch you legs, We are getting close to getting your first disk done!!WHoooo Hoooooo. Will your friends be jelous you made your own Xp.

ONce the process is done, click next, It will say how much your xp size was reduced to. My final I think was around  350 or so. Just took out the big stuff. 

Click on the button "make ISO" Put it in the folder you made on your desktop called "finished xp".  Hit save, Now its makeing your first disk, putting it your "finished" folder, Its in iso format. Its bootable. DONT BURn IT YET. It needs to be tested.

Drag the "iso" file from the finished folder and leave on your destop. Now Fire up "microsoft Virtual Pc"

First screen hit Next, Hit next again, I left the next screen at default and hit next Operating system, selct xp from the drop down menue. I chose "adjustin the ram" and used 512 with the slider bar.

Next screen select "A new virtual hard disk" hit next.

Leave at default, hit next, Then finish

You now have "Virtual Pc Console" on your desktop

Hit Start Select Cd from the top, "select "capture iso image" You may have to go to "action" and reset and recaputure the iso image, You will have to browse to your desktop and point to the ISO we just made. May take a time or two. Microsoft Virtual Pc is kind of funny about it. Just keep trying and when you do it right, A black screen will show up, and Then Its booting from the iso image, THen you should get the Blue screen with "Loading Windows!! Just have to be kinda quick to find and load the iso image from your desktop. You will get it.

Now its gonna take oh 30 min to load xp.  Just watch it, make sure it acts the way you want. Installs the way you want.  If your not happy, Delete the iso, Start the nlite process again with the changes you want. Oh When your done with virtual pc. Go to your document and settings folder and just delete the "virtual machine" folder. So when you run virtual pc again, Its a bit easier.

If you are gonna try nlite again, Delete Everything in the "raw xp" folder, Leave your Drivers alone, and delete the iso you made. Just start all over again.

Once your happy with the way xp loads and acts in virtual pc then Burn the iso to disk. BURN THE DISK AT THE SLOWEST SETTINGS POSSIBLE, OR THE DISK MAY NOT WORK THE WAY IT SHOULD. I burn mine at x8 which is the slowest settings nero allows. I would burn it at x2 if nero would allow. The slower the burn the better!!

Now you have your first disk. Its all ready to go and just ready for some programs or Nlite addons. You may wanna test this disk on your pc first. I would suggest partition part of your disk, Say partition 20 megs and put your custom xp on that. Make sure it works ok before putting on your main drive. Choice is yours.

If you decide to put it on your main drive, back up you main drive first just in case things turn bad. There are several ways to do this. I have a slave drive and use norton ghost 2003. If your feeling gutsy do so at your own risk. Just make sure you have disk 2 done, burned and tested.

I wont tell you how to partion your disk. Your on your own. Ask in the forums, or a geek friend,or google "how to partion your harddrive" Its really simple. Or if you want. Just hang on to the disk, Wel will burn the second one with the programs, and Use the 2nd one tested in Virtual pc first,once the second one is tested, its ok, and you have it burned, Install it.

Lable this first disk something like, Xp tweeked,drivers installed, just need addons nothing more!! Or whatever so you will know the fist disk is ready to use to make your 2nd disk and the only thing needed to do is install addons service packs updates and all that good stuff.

Go to document and settings folder, DELTE the folder called virtual machine. Next time you use microsoft virtual machine it will be easier if you just delete tha folder in document and settings.

                                Now We Have disk one, Lets burn Disk 2!!!

So now your Disk one is ready lets get ready to burn the 2nd one shall we??

1.Make sure everything is deleted in your "raw xp" folder or create a new folder if you deleted the old one allready and call it "raw xp.

2. I hope the drivers you backed up you save to a disk or someplace safe. Never know when you may need thoes again.  That folder is no longer needed. Instead create a 2nd folder call it "NLITe Addons" Or whatever. Now the Third folder Will be called "Finished Xp" if you still have the iso from the first disk, Back that up to cd as well. Maybe with your drivers to. Just burn a "data  disk" put the iso and the drivers on it. Your choice. Do as you want. I backed up all my nlite stuff, iso's and drivers to ONe dvd.

3. Now lets go get some free programs to add to your nlite. I forusre would NOT ADD SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY as a add on to your disk. I made that mistake. Really slows down your install times. Just download it and add it later.

I would not go to crazy on your addons, You wanna try to keep your install on one cd. I Have no idea how big your first disk was at the end. So kinda keep that in mind.

The programs and stuff I put on my disk? All microsoft net framework 1.1 to 3.5, avast anti virus, Crapcleaner, Win roll, K-Lite Codec Pack, the latest verson, Windows update pack, Vlc Player, Tune Up utilities, hijack this, Explorer cp, Unlocker, Your Uninstaller, Winrar, Acrobat 9 reader the lite verson, Kals Sweet utilities pack, Power Iso,Nero 8.3, FireFox 3 and Flash Player for firefox, Opera (my main browser) and a Cool mouse cruser pack. Thats about it. The rest of my programs I have Backed up to disk and install thoes later.

Ok, Now Lets Go get you some addons, Add what you want, Search around and look for stuff you really want installed with xp.  Here are some cool links to find some addons, The addons are free programs or shareware, Nothing illegal or "cracked"  Get what you want and Put the addons in the "Nlite addons" folder I had you made. LEAVE THE ADDONS JUST AS THEY ARE DO NOT UNZIP OR OPEN WITH WINRAR!!! You will add them to Nlite just the way they were when downloaded them!!

http://www.wincert.net/forum/index.php?showforum=88

http://www.msfn.org/board/Index-of-ALL-my-addons-25-07-2008-t85566.html&p=579239#entry579239

http://www.msfn.org/board/TGUP-addons-t104080.html&pid=744541

http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=7

http://tracker.ryanvm.net/

http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/

http://integrator.siginetsoftware.com/index.php?addons

http://www.winaddons.com/

http://www.msfn.org/board/Application-Add-Ons-f132.html

Lots of links lots of looking around. Take your time, find what you want. Download them to that folder. In say 6 months or 1 year get more addons with updates, pop in disk one. Add your addons and your "custom xp install" is current once again. Pretty cool huh. Your welcome. Hope I helped.

Now you have Disk one ready just the way you like it. its labled and ready to rock. Now your nlite addons are in that folder you made on your desktop right? Cool, this is simple,

Put "DISK 1" in your cd drive.

Open nlite and just like the first disk you made.

1.Now Put in your Xp Disk in your Cd drive.

2. Open up the prgram Nlite.

3.Hit the "next" button.

4. Hit the "browse" button and click on the little plus sign next to "my computer Icon"

5. Go down to your cd drive, May show a small Icon of Xp?? and Click on the little plus sign.

6. Single left click on "i386" folder. Should HIghlight it for ya.

7. While its still highlited, Click on the Ok button at the bottom, A pop up screen should show up and say "Select where to save the CD installation FIles for modification,Choose or create an empty folder"

8 Browse to the folder I had you made called "raw Xp" and put it there. Just use the Scroll button on the right and find your "raw xp" folder. You should now see the word "copying" and a progress bar moving while it copies the files from your disk to the "rawxp" folder.

9.Click Next. Ignore that screen for now, Click next again. Ok now see all thoes bars??

This time all you need to click is "Hotfixes,add-ons and updates packHotfixes,add-ons and updates pack" make sure the little green light.

The other one you want is "make bootable iso".  So lets review. You only want 2 green lights showing. Make bootable iso and "Hotfixes,add-ons and updates packHotfixes,add-ons and updates pack"  Everything else stays red.

Now hit next. Take all thoes add-ons you downloaded, and left just the way you downloaded them, and drag and drop them into that window.

Next make your iso, save it to your "final xp" Folder. Test the iso in microsfot virtual pc. The same way you did with your first disk, Now everything ok and work fine and its just the way you want it? Good.

Burn the iso to disk SLOWEST POSSIBLE SPEED. Install on a seperate partion or if your feeling gutsy install that bad boy to your main drive.

There ya go. Now not only do you have your own custom xp, you have disk one and can in 6 months or a year update, change around your addons as you want and need and it can be done in under a hour ready to burn and install and enjoy. 

With the addons, the 2 iso files, one from disk one, one from disk 2, your drivers, maybe even the nlite programs, burn a "data disk" and back it all up to dvd. Now your coverd no worries.

IN closeing, feel free to share, swear up and down you wrote it, and just impress the snot out of your friends and family.  Your geek level has just jumped up a few notches!! I offer a few links now that may jump start your addon collection. Thank you for reading, sorry it was so "wordy" Just tried to make it simple.

  All microsoft net framework, just put it in your addon folder. I use this one. Works great

          http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5657

Only have and want sp 2  here are all the updates for that one

          http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6250

  Have sp 3 and want all the udates for that one?? No problem, I use this one. Works great.

          http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5687

The rest Just poke around and search. Enjoy.

                                    FAQ  (not really but sure sounds cool)

1. Can I do this for vista?

    Yes. Just google "nlite for vista"

2. Will you make a guide for vista?

    No way. I hate vista and refuse to put in on my machine.

3. I put my "custom xp disk" on my computer now its acting funny what did I do wrong??

 

    Well you should of backed it up like I suggested several times, I have NO CLUE what you did. There are  countless setting you can change with nlite. Best bet. Try makeing another disk and try to rember what changes you made and Dont make thoes changes anymore.

4. Your grammer and spelling is horrid did you go to school??

Well I did take some classes with Fred Flinstone and Barney Rubble, The candles I had to use were just not very good. I was to tired once I got to school. See in my day I had to walk to school, 10 miles one way, Up hill both ways to and from school. It was horrid.

5. Do you think your funny?? 

    First time My wife and previous females in my life saw me in my birthday suit with the lights on they did tend to giggle, Think that was a bad thing??

                                  THE END!!! GOOD LUCK!! ENJOY !! HELP OTHERS!!! 

   

         

 

                 

         

                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

                       

                             

 

 

[ninjageek]

Ok you now have double driver and know how to use it. How to back your drivers. Your main concern is are my drivers current? Well I can help with that one.

http://www.pcpitstop.com/

See the button that has free driver scan? Now scan your computer. DON"T BUY THIS SILLY PROGRAM!! It Wont download the drivers until you pay for it. I did however use "google" and found the drivers I needed. Someone else may know where to download them free. Now the latest drivers may not be the best for your computer. Back up your computer, make sure your computer is fine before you back up and use the new updated drivers for nlite. Just a little tip to help ya out.