Updating WinXPproSP2 Install CD - nLite

Problem : my original WinXPproSP2 CD is getting OLD and according "Windows Update", more than 60 critical security/update patches are missing on this old CD.
I guess I'm not the only user with this problem and I'm quite sure many of us did this already a very long time ago. I'm just a late-flower.

Solution : nLite v1.0.1. (http://www.nliteos.com) seems to be able to create an updated version of this CD and
seems to do alot more than just that, like customizing the installation of Windows with NUMEROUS settings.

To update a Windows CD, nLite offers 9 options, which seems to work independently from one another, at least
that was my impression.

1. Integrate a Service Pack
2. Hotfixes and Update Packs
3. Integrate Drivers
4. Remove Components
5. Unattended Setup
6. Options
7. Patches
8. Tweaks
9. Create a Bootable ISO

1. Integrate a Service Pack
I don't think I need that function, because my original CD has already SP2.

2. Hotfixes and Update Packs
This option seems to be the one I need the most.
1. First I visited this website
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us
2. I clicked the button "Custom"
3. I clicked the option "Review your update history"
which gave me a list of all updatings, 69 in total.
Most of them have a KBxxxxxx-number, but not all of them.
4. Although, I didn't know if it was required, I downloaded most of them (60),
I couldn't find all of them, but that didn't bother so much, because I was still playing.
5. Then I inserted all 60 patches in nLite.
nLite accepted them, except 3 patches. I removed them and nLite started processing them (Creating Cabinets)
and that was it.
Did I good so far ?

The creation of a bootable ISO worked fine, I only need to burn it on a CD.
I wonder why some patches didn't work ?

On my original CD the software "Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1" is included.
Can I put "Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0" on this new CD ?

I was also interested in the other options of nLite. Well so far my first impressions.

 

I suggest hfslip

 

Creating bootable ISO with nLite is easier and you can use free soft like ImgBurn to burn it.
To be able to create ISO manually you need some shareware, it is hard not to do it illegaly.

Maybe you have deleted sthg from Windows, like MSN, so you do not need updates for that?

 

Thanks for the tip !!!. I will certainly try that one too, because nothing is decided yet. I'm totally new to this, but it fits in my plans and the problem is getting worse every day, 69 is still a sexy number, but 169 patches is a pain.

 

nLite works with objects of the original WinXPproSP2 CD where nothing is removed. So it must be something else.
Thanks anyway

 

My experience with nLite is uniformally positive.
I have 3 three systems running- 2 desktops and one laptop and I have a nLited CD of each XP for each of them (2 WinXP Pro, 1x XP Home).
I cannot see why the updates would not be incorporated if you are using the XP install disc as your source.
The most likely reason is that these patches have already been superseded by newer patches or are already covered under SP2.
nLite is clever enough to 'block' these redundant patches.
There is a good shortcut to save you searching for all the relevant MS patches-
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html
Ryan's autopatcher is regularly updated and collects everything together in one biggish download.
It works well with nLite.
I usually strip out quite a lot of the bloat from XP using the remove components section as I've never quite felt the need for an Estonian keyboard, Movie Maker etc. and can get a perfectly stable install down to about 250MB on the CD, equating to about 1.5 Gb on the C drive once installed.
You can also patch the uxtheme.dll (if you like something other than the default XP theme) and 'XPize' the installation using the patches section.
Tweaking lets you autoconfigure the seup e.g. stopping thumbnail caching and removing some of the 'eye candy' if you want.
I think its a great little prog.

 

Thanks for the link and the tips, that's what I needed the most. Searching for these patches was a pain and I didn't find them all.

 

Interesting thread -- Can nLite safely remove 'tightly-integrated' components from WinXP (SP2), such as Media Player?

 

That's a very good question.
It can remove tightly integrated components such as media player but you do lose some functionality.
nLite gives you a useful guide to the consequences of removing these components during set up and gives you the option to 'protect' certain parts of the overall install components based on the functionality you require.
I've never been brave enough to try it without Media player but I've seen one 'super slim' installation without it that was quite stable.

 

Windows Media Player is certainly listed as a removable component in nLite, but I'm not going to do this in the beginning and I have to test other things first.

 

I removed WMP 6.4 as well as IE6 (except IE core) and then I have installed IE7 and WMP11.
I am just using IE7 and listening to streaming radio with WMP11, I guess, no comment needed.
My nLited ISO has 99 MB a I also removed Event Log and WMI and my current software works.

 

Ok, so if I were to use nLite to remove WMP (since I much prefer WinAmp, I don't need the bloat of WMP), what functionality would I lose (other than WMP)?

 

I am not sure, if "wmp.dll" is removed as well, but this one is needed for streaming activex in IE.

 

2. Hotfixes and Update Packs
So I visited RyanVM's website :
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html
and downloaded "Post-SP2 Update Pack v2.1.1"
and got this file on my computer :
RVMUpdatePack2.1.1.7z (37125KB)

I inserted file "RVMUpdatePack2.1.1.7z" into nLite and I have to admit, that the processing was executed without any errors.
Alot better than my messing around of yesterday.
I hope all this was correct, otherwise I need more medical attention from member "L Bainbridge".
Although I will do some more detailed checkings later, I consider this chapter as working properly.
Thank you "L Bainbridge"

3. Integrate Drivers
I won't touch this chapter of nLite, because my actual knowledge regarding drivers = ZERO and I prefer to move on with the other chapters.

It's not my intention to get a nLited ISO of 99MB like member "TheTOM SK", because he is alot smarter than me.
I only want to change and remove, what I do understand, not what I don't understand.

So my next post is about "4. Remove Components". Until then.

 

4. Remove Components
4.01. Applications
4.02. Drivers
4.03. Hardware Support
4.04. Keyboards
4.05. Languages
4.06. Multimedia
4.07. Network
4.08. Operating System Options
4.09. Services
4.10. Directories

4.01. Applications
I will remove all of them :
- Accessibility Options
- Briefcase
- Calculator, I have an external calculator on solar energy.
- Charmap, my keyboard has already more than enough characters
- ClipBook Viewer, never used it.
- Defragmenter is replaced by "PerfectDisk"
- Games, I don't like games.
- Internet Games, I don't like internet games either.
- NT Backup is replaced by "Acronis True Image Home"
- Paint, I don't need it.
- Pinball, I don't like this game either
- Screensavers, I don't like them.
- Wordpad is a poor text-processor, compared with MS Word.

4.04. Keyboards
I keep the BELGIAN keyboards (3 in total) and remove all the rest.

4.05. Languages
I keep "Western Europe and United States" and remove all the rest.

4.06. Multimedia
I remove :
- Images and Backgrounds
- Mouse Cursors
- Movie Maker
- Music Samples
- Speech Support
- Tablet PC

4.07. Network
I remove :
- Client for Netware Networks
- Communication Tools
- Connection Manager
- FrontPage Extensions
- MSN Explorer
- Netmeeting
- Peer-to-Peer
- Web Folders
- Windows Messenger
- Search Assistant
- Tour

Any comments or suggestions are welcome

 

Does your new computer have Raid or SATA drives if so integrating drivers would be a good idea


I use nlite to integrate drivers for my reinstall disk
adding updates from here
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html
Driver packs
http://www.driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/
http://www.nliteos.com/guide/part2.html
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?...9&#entry356029

 

Yes, I have Raid and Sata drives and an extra floppy disk to install it, but I don't understand anything of this. I didn't use this floppy disk during the installation of winXPproSP2 (F6-key) and my computer is working fine.

 

yes. ive never tried it myself, but an (.net framework 2.0) addon can be found here.

 

Your xp disk must already have some within it. I guess MS update the install disk over time.

My original disk had no SATA drivers so I either need to use the floppy option or integrate drivers.


So if you completed a clean install and did not get prompted for drivers and everthing works - you can probably skip integrating drivers

 

Yes, that's why I skipped it. If I would do it, it would be an adventure with unpredictable results, because I can't handle it and I certainly can't solve it when it goes wrong.
I don't like adventures, that's why I prepare everything as much as possible.
I installed my computer already twice without RAID & SATA and never had any troubles.
According my readings at Acronis Forum, RAID=0 would be the safest one and RAID=0 seems to be as good as NO RAID at all.
But again, I don't understand anything about this.

 

Looks a pretty good setup to me.
I agree with WS Fuser about integrating .net framework 2.0 if you use any applications like Paint.Net or (obviously) nLite as it saves on downloads later.
Don't forget you can integrate progs. like Firefox and/ or Opera as well if you want...
I'm gradually getting braver with nLite with each time I 'nLite' Windows but it is fairly easy to cripple your system if you not sure what your doing, particularly with integrating drivers.
The only time I tried to integrate SATA drivers on a nLite disc (VIA Raid) it borked my system but after a quick restore with ATI I could have another bash at 'nLiteing' again.
I always test my discs now using an empty snapshot install with FD-ISR (another plus mark for FD-ISR ?)
Glad I could help you Erik Albert
Lee

 

Thanks for the link man !!! This question wasn't answered yet until I saw your post.
I wasn't planning to install ".NET Framework 2.0", but "nLite v1.0.1" itself needs it. It's not a problem, I have space enough (70gb) for winXPproSP2 and Programs only.

I separated my system files from my personal data in the beginning of 2006,
but without moving any folder, created by winXPproSP2.
However, I saw a very interesting item under "Options" of nLite under the title "Folders" :
"Profiles path" with the default value :
"%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings"

I wonder how stable winXPproSP2 will be, if I change that value in to :
"D:\Documents and Settings".

I also wonder how other softwares will react on this new path.
Alot of softwares store folders and files under the hidden folder :
"C:\Documents and Settings\Erik\Application Data"
Will these softwares KNOW and STORE their folders and files under :
"D:\Documents and Settings\Erik\Application Data"

Alot of registries contain also the folder "Documents and Settings".

I've a hard time to believe that this will work without any troubles sooner or later.
BUT if it works, it will be the very best solution you can get to separate your data files from system files.
Any second thoughts about this dear members

 

Erik, I'm also intrigued by nLite, but strictly for the purpose of removing quite a few Windows components I never use (which could not otherwise be removed by simply using Add/Remove Programs).

For your purpose, I wonder if EAZ's FolderMover might not be a better solution? I really don't know as I'm not sure of its limitations.

http://www.eazsolution.com/en/download_foldermover.php

 

My experience is that this works OK some of the time.
Like you - I keep some of my data on a separate partition ('Eata' - in my case) and using nLite I point the My Pictures, My Music and My Videos to that partition - mainly as these are the most space intensive files I have.
Programs that seem to be quite happy with this are WMP (as you might expect) ,MS Office, Paint.Net and WinAmp .
iTunes, Photoshop and Media Portal don't play ball at all and insist on creating their own folders (e.g. for iTunes My Music/iTunes) - on the C (System) drive.
However its a fairly simple job to move them across manually.
The only downside is you seem to need to do it each time you update these progs.

 

I know FolderMover already from HDS (RollbackRx) and it doesn't offer what I had in mind.
It's exactly the same product only the company data/logo is different.
Recently I checked HDS website and THEIR FolderMover wasn't listed anymore. Beats me.

As I said in my previous post, I already moved my data successfully to another partition, but moving
the whole folder "Documents and Settings" from [C:] to [D:] would be better.
Nevertheless, I think I'm going to try it one of these days. If it fails, I restore my previous system/data backup.
Separating my data files from my system files was one of the very best decisions, I ever made.