[Solved]_automated windows XP install

[goldenix]

Im sick of installing windows manually, so is this possible ? how?

Any ideas that can get me started would be appreciated.

virtualbox is like Vmware workstation or Virtual PC

Edited March 6, 2009 by goldenix

[archgriffin]

Well for physical machine installs you can use Nlite (www.nliteos.com) that can do most of the automated things for you just to get a plain XP install.

You could install XP the way you want manually, with software then use something like Acronis, Ghost, DriveImage XML, Clonezilla or other imaging software, to make an image of it then deploy it to future virtual machines.

I have not used VirtualBox since SUN took it over, my work got a copy of VMWare Workstation. I believe this is the tutorial I used to make my VMWare templates: http://www.virtual-strategy.com/Migration/...e-Template.html

I would imagine that VirtualBox would allow a similar procedure. Then again maybe it is as simple as copying all the files, and doing a File-> Open Virtual Machine.

There are many ways to go about it, anything more specific you are looking for?

[Varian]

With Imaging Software and Sysprep, you can install Xp & all the software that you want, and put that version onto antoer

machine with "almost" any hardware

http://blog.case.edu/djc6/2005/09/22/imagi...t_hals_wsysprep ~ Basics on HAL for Sysprep

http://vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/ ~ Nice Video tutorial on using Sysprep

http://jimtsay.googlepages.com/mysysprep ~ Valuable Sysprep Tool for adding drivers & customizing Sysprep

If you are ambitious, you can also try Windows Automated Install Kit (WAIK) with Windows Image files(WIM)

If you have ever witnessed a Vista or Windows 2008 Install, you have seen it in action. It extends the Windows

unattended install by combining it with Sysprep.

Search the forum for WAIK & ImageX

http://www.autoitscript.com/gimagex/ ~ GImageX Homepage

[E1M1]

Are you looking for program or autoit script?

if you are looking for program, Nlite is for you

http://www.nliteos.com/

[goldenix]

I did not know there were pre made tools for this. And the google was not as hepful as I hoped it to be.

What I wanted was just to boot my virtual machine from XP.iso & then not to do anything until the install is finished. Like no partition creation, no lang & time choosing or any other annoying stuff.

About the settings all i need is an internet connection, IE & to be able to run autoit scripts.

There is no need to install any drivers, because virtualbox, like any other virtual os emulator has its own drivers.

Thank you for your feedback. it was very helpful.

Ghost images, I dont think I can install them on any other computer. or when my Hdd breaks, & I must buy new one, I mean those images have compatible issues.

Windows Automated Install Kit - seemed complicated to use

Sysprep - had really really long how to use guide. I got tired reading it after couple lines.

Nlite - small, easy to use, does almost everything I wanted. tho it still popped up the language choosing window while I installed XP & I also had to create the partition manually. Good thing was that I managed to strip my windows size after installation by 1,5GB. Before it was 2,5GB & now its only 1GB in size & it is also noticeably faster than before. Almost forgot to mention, install took only 10 minutes.

I will stick with the Nlite for now.

Thanx again.

Edited March 6, 2009 by goldenix

[E1M1]

I made totally automated iso, only 80 mb download, install time 4 minutes, disk usage only about 300 - 400 mb.Can be used to host server