Page 2 - Slipstreaming SP2 with Hotfixes

Most laptops that have USB support offer this already and many desktop boards are being developed with this as sort of an undocumented feature. Intel I know is trying to incorporate it into all of their new boards. When this becomes a standard booting from USB will be no different that booting from a floppy or a CD. Until then I'm trying to develop a way to boot from a floppy or CD that will enumerate the USB device and then load it's boot loader. Similar to OldBios that allows booting from CD's when the BIOS doesn't support it.

And thanks for noticing me

And it appears someone has beat me to it.

http://www.prime-expert.com/flashboot/

Supposing you do have BIOS support for this, making a bootable USB Flash device is very similar to making a bootable cd-rom. But just the same, here's specific instructions for creating a bootable USB Flash device.

http://www.weethet.nl/english/hardw...romusbstick.php

This HP utility has been reported to work with non-HP devices by setting the BIOS to boot from USB HD or USB Zip or similar.

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/f...load/20306.html

I'll let you know how it works out for me. Sorry for so many posts in a row.

Simply. Amazing.


It seems like every time you post, I add another entry or two to my bookmarks, Nilpo

Very interesting...

If I had a big enough memory stick I'd almost be tempted to get Knoppix running on it. I think I'd like that better than a CD, as it shuld be faster and can utilize extra space for swap.

Maybe I'm just dreaming...

Or maybe not? Knoppix is packaged with a bunch of "extras" to make it feel and look like a regular operating system. With a little tweaking we could probably get it to work. Exactly how much space do we have to work with?

1 512MB stick, one 512MB stick split into two 128MB sections.


The problem is, this is the memory I use in the digital camera, so the Linux distro would have to run on the filesystem already there so I could just copy Linux back and forth to the HDD.

Hello gang,

I recently completed two slipstreams for SP2 - one of them an unattended lean and trim version I made with nLite.

however - I once read a thread somewhere of an elusive tool or software that will also integrate patch files into their main file.
For example: I wish to integrate a SP3 into my Corel Office program. I've played with variations of the Run>update.exe command but can't get it right - if it can work at all.
Another example is that I want to try and integrate Nero Burning Rom 5.5.10.56 into my full Nero 5.5.1.

Any free-ware tools out there that would do the trick?

Or can someone point me to a tutorial in using the update\update.exe or integrate commands?

Thanks!
Theoschela

Wow, I lost this thread somewhere in the mix. Anyway, how are you loading these programs? Are you loading using OEM folder during the XP installation? If so, a lot of times you can use a currently updated installation to replace some the installation files directly. Otherwise, you'll actually have to create the patches and run them after the installation completes. I don't know of any freeware programs to do this off the top of my head, but I'll see what I can find.

You might want to check out AutoIt, a great freeware program that uses a macro-like automation technique. It's easy to use graphical interface is great for beginner's and it's custom scripting language is powerful enough for any power user. It was specifically designed for automating PC rollouts.

Hello,

I think I have failed to explain myself very well.
I'm wondering if there is patch integration software available (free, hopefully).
We know that the slipstreaming process integrates SP2 into XP - with the view in mind that it will save us an hours worth of time in the future because we will not have to install the SP2 separately after we install XP. We integrate the two and burn to CD. Ok.

But I'm wondering if software exists to do this same process with other software other than XP or O/S's??

An example is: integrating service packs (or patches or hotfixes) to Office Suites - and once integrated (akin to the slipstreaming process used for XP & SP2) - they are ready to burn to CD.

The natural benefit is a saving of time in the future if we have to reinstall software.


regarding your question below, I was not certain how to answer your questions, perhaps because my original question was not clear. I'm no programmer and although I downloaded the Autoit you suggested - it may as well be a foreign language because I have no idea how to sue it.
I hope you have a better understanding of my original intent. A final way of hopefully asking my question is:

Is there a way of slipstreaming software other than XP or Office, to integrate patches and then burn to CD?
Does a software tool exist to do this?
The freeware nLite does a GREAT Job slipstreaming XP & SP2, and removing components & drivers, making it unattended install - and even tweaking it!

I would be grateful if you asked around for a tool that does it for general software.

regards ~
Theoschela

Let me say it again. You would have to create the patches to do that.

Slipstreaming is a method developed by Microsoft for applying patches or upgrades to original installation files BEFORE installing them. The patch is designed to do this. It is built with this purpose in mind.

Your patch would also have to support this by design.

I would not have to create the patches - the software developers of their products would.
Just like how we took M.S.'s SP2 and integrated it into XP.

Are you asking if any other software vendors offer slipstream capabilities or are you asking if an application exists that would let you slipstream any random piece of software?

I think you are asking the latter. If that is the case, then, no there is no software to do that that I am aware of because it would be stricly incident dependant based on what the patch does.

Most upgrades simply unpack themselves and perform a basic file replacement. This can be done manually before burning an installation folder or CAB to a CD. However, if it is a single file installer this would require some degree of decompilation.

Now if the patch or upgrade consists of registry changes, changes to a configuration file, registering/unregistering dll components, and the like -- well, you can see how this becomes a little more difficult.

Basically, if you know what the patch does you can replace necessary file and create a batch script or AutoIt script to make all other necessary changes. But you need to have exact details of what changes are made by the patch or upgrade. That's why no programs exist for this. That's why I say this feature has to be developed into the patch or upgrade setup.

I was having deja vu for a moment there