SledgY's WinXP CD Hacking Guide

[SledgY]

This is version 0.6 of my guide, there will be more to follow but I will post what I have got and expand it as time permits.

If you already know how to slipstream updates skip to part 6.

Anyways enough chit chat on with the guide...


1 - Introduction

This is my first attempt at writing a howto so please bear with my while I sort it out. In this howto I will explain my method of creating a Windows XP setup CD with Service Pack 1 (or any more recent service packs) pre-installed, also I will explain how to add additional Mass Storage device drivers in the initial part of the Setup (this is known as the txtsetup section).

Being able to add additional device drivers as very handy if you don't have a floppy disk drive in your PC and therefore cannot use F6 to load additional device drivers during the setup.


2 - Disclaimer

I take know responsibility for any damage to hardware or lose of profit you may incur from using this guide. Please follow the guide carefully I have gone through many of CDR's myself testing the contents of this guide.

I am in know way advocating the illegal copying or distribution of Microsoft Products. Although having said this I strongly recommend making backup's (for your own use) of any CD based product that you have purchased and keeping the original's in a safe place.


3 - What you will need

You will need the following to create your own custom Windows XP CD: A copy of the original Windows XP (Pro or Home) CD
Network Installation of the latest Windows XP Service Pack (SP1 at time of writing ~133MB)
The Windows XP Boot file (will add a link asap, in the mean time ask me!)
CD Recording software (that supports creating bootable CD's, Nero 5.5.x.x as used in this guide)
A copy of your Mass Storage device drivers (that support being used by windows setup using the F6 option)
A text editor with decent find (pretty much any will do, I recommend UltraEdit-32)
Note! SP1 and SP1a are virtually identical, the only difference is SP1a has had the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine removed.


4 - First steps

Create the following folders: C:\WinXP
C:\WinXP\XP_CD
C:\WinXP\XP_SP
Now copy the entire contents of your Windows XP CD into C:\WinXP\XP_CD, we are now ready to begin.

[SledgY]

5 - Integrating Service packs

Now comes the integration of the latest service pack into the CD.

Note! At the time I wrote this guide there was a patch released by microsoft that contains a number of critical updates all rolled into a single patch, you can also apply this patch in the same way as SP1. Although be sure to apply it after applying SP1.

Note! Service packs are cumulative so only latest one is needed.

Warning! Be sure to do this before attempting to add a device driver as your changes could be overwritten.

First the service pack needs to be extracted: Copy the service pack installer into C:\WinXP
Click Start > Run...
Type in the following command in the Open text box:
C:\WinXP\ /U /X:C:\WinXP\XP_SP
Click the OK button File's will extract. Dialog will close once complete.

Next the service pack needs to be applied to the setup: Click Start > Run...
Type in the following command in the Open text box:
C:\WinXP\XP_SP\UPDATE\UPDATE.EXE /S:C:\WinXP\XP_CD
Click the OK button Once the integrated install has completed successfully, click the OK button.

That's it the setup now has the latest service pack pre-applied.

[SledgY]

6 - Adding Mass Storage device drivers to setup

Please follow these instructions carefully as you will be required to directly edit some of the install script files.,

Extract the contents of the driver zip/cab into a directory, if the driver is compatable with this guide you will find a file called txtsetup.oem. The steps to add this driver to your installation follow (note in this example I used the Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Controller drivers (Si3112r)): [list=1] Open the txtsetup.oem file, this file tells the setup what devices that the driver supports as well as how to install it and what files are required.
The txtsetup.oem file with have the following basic structure:

[Disks]
disk1 = "Name of the device driver disk",\driver.sys,\

[Defaults]
SCSI = DeviceId

[SCSI]
DeviceId = "Name of device"

[Files.SCSI.DeviceId]
driver = disk1,driver.sys, DeviceId
inf = disk1,DeviceId.inf

[HardwareIds.SCSI.DeviceId]
id = "PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_61121095", "DeviceId"

[Config.DeviceId]

In my example the actuall file is:

[Disks]
disk1 = "Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Driver Installation Disk",\Si3112r.sys,\

[Defaults]
SCSI = Si3112r

[SCSI] ; HwComponent section
Si3112r = "Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Controller"


[Files.SCSI.Si3112r]
driver = disk1,si3112r.sys, Si3112r
inf = disk1,Si3112r.inf
;;catalog = disk1, Si3112r.cat


[HardwareIds.SCSI.Si3112r]
id = "PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_61121095", "Si3112r"

[Config.Si3112r]
value = ProblemDevices, "", REG_SZ, ""
value = ProblemDevices, "Maxtor 4D060H3 DAK05GK0", REG_SZ, "MaxMode = UDMA-5"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST320012AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST330013AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST340017AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST360015AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST380023AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"
value = ProblemDevices, "ST3120023AS", REG_SZ, "Mod15Write"

From this we can get the following information:
* The DeviceId is - Si3112r
* The DriverFile is is - Si3112r.sys
* The HardwareId is - PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_61121095
* The DeviceName is a - Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Controller
You can pretty much ignore the rest of the details.[/list=1]

And now to use those details and add your driver to the setup:[list=1] In the C:\WinXP\XP_CD\I386 directory find the file txtsetup.sif and open it in your text editor. I could give you the basic structure but this is quite a large file (mine is 21296 lines!).
Search through the file for the following items:

* [SourceDisksFiles] - Insert a line after this like the following:

[SourceDisksFiles]
DriverFile = 1,,,,,,_x,4,1
bootvid.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2

In my case:

[SourceDisksFiles]
Si3112r.sys = 1,,,,,,_x,4,1
bootvid.dll = 1,,,,,,3_,2,0,0,,1,2

Note! The two lines on either side should already exist (ie only add the si311... line). This tells setup where to find the file.

* [HardwareIdsDatabase] - Insert a line after this like the following:

[HardwareIdsDatabase]
HardwareId = "DeviceId"
1394\609E&10483 = "sbp2port"

In my case:

[HardwareIdsDatabase]
PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_61121095 = "Si3112r"
1394\609E&10483 = "sbp2port"

Note! Again the you should only need to add the second line.

* [SCSI.Load] - Insert a line after this like the following:

[SCSI.Load]
DeviceId = DriverFile,4
cpqarray = cpqarray.sys,4

In my case:

[SCSI.Load]
si3112r = si3112r.sys,4
cpqarray = cpqarray.sys,4

Note! Again the you should only need to add the second line.

* [SCSI] - Insert a line after this like the following:

[SCSI]
DeviceId = "DeviceName"
sparrow = "Adaptec AHA-151X/AHA-152X/AIC-6X60 SCSI Adapter"

In my case:

[SCSI]
si3112r = "Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Controller"
sparrow = "Adaptec AHA-151X/AHA-152X/AIC-6X60 SCSI Adapter"

Save the file. The driver is now merged into the setup.
Finally copy the DriverFile (ie si3112r.sys) into the C:\WinXP\XP_CD\I386 directory.[/list=1]

That's it. Easy aye ;)

[SledgY]

Sorry part 7 isn't done yet. I'm in the process of moving and all of my gear is packed away. Also my HDD crashed and I lost my initial draft. Will get the final section done in the next few weeks. :)

[cadmax]

Bump.

Re: part 6 (adding the SATA driver)

I cant find the “txtsetup.sif” file any where on my win XP cd or the SATA driver
And well I’m now stuck :p

and where do i put the files ?
Extract the contents of the driver zip/cab into a directory

where is the directory ?:confused: :confused:

[SledgY]

The txtsetup.sif is in the i386 directory (ie in CDROOT$\1386).

The "directory" is anyware you want to extract it so you can get some information. Somewhere like a temp directory. Latter on it says where to copy particular files.

[dales33]

I have done everything as per instructions (but im not adding any other drivers0 and now id like to make the Cd bootable, is it just a matter of burning it from this point or is there another step?

keep up the good work and ty for the BIG time saver on XP instalations

[Ragnor]

You can't just burn the cd, you have to burn a bootable cd, to do that you need a cd boot image.

You can use ISO Buster to extract this from an original Windows XP CD. This guide is for the SP2 beta but you get the idea, see STEP 4 and the NERO section of STEP 5 on the next page.:
http://www.iamnotageek.com/articles.php?aid=12&page=2

[Oblivian]

I spent the morning making my own mini SP2 since the RC releases are still in 'buggy' mode. Colating the patches released since SP1 and including the MS free update CD I have narrowed down the list to 15 files that overwrite older updates. Once installed windows update only has 2 optional critical updates left to DL.

Heres the batch that it runs, if you DL the patches individually (31MB) you can order them the same and add it to a Dir on the slipstreamed CD.

There is a crude way of installing them during install however it its a longer process to impliment.


@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=.\


%PATHTOFIXES%\Q832894.exe /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\Q819696_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe -u -z

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsMedia-Q828026-x86-ENU.exe /Quiet /norestart

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB826939-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB824105-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB825119-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB828741-x86-ENU.EXE /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB835732-x86-ENU.EXE /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB837001-x86-ENU.EXE /Z /Q

%PATHTOFIXES%\OE6.0sp1-KB837009-x86-ENU.exe /Q
%PATHTOFIXES%\js56nen.exe /Q
%PATHTOFIXES%\ENU_Q832483_MDAC_x86.EXE /Q

qchain
reboot


I hope its of service to some of you.

[Stove]

Wanna do this easy?
Get AutoStreamer (read about it HERE (http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=199337) )
Amazing setup: show it an XP installer, and a Service Pack and it'll slipstream them and output an ISO image. Simple.
:D
Not as rewarding maybe, but easier.

[Oblivian]

True, however most this thread was written before SP2 was thougth about (aprl 04) so was how to make a CD without the need to DL megabytes of pre-SP2 patches :)

Now SP2 is out the customer driver installs still apply.

[Stove]

Originally posted by Oblivian
True, however most this thread was written before SP2 was thougth about (aprl 04) so was how to make a CD without the need to DL megabytes of pre-SP2 patches :)


Agreed, but just thought that this would be a good place to mention Autostreamer without having to start a new thread. It is on-topic I reckon :)
In further news: I just had a bash at the thing this morning: used my XP-SP1 slipstreamed install CD and slipstreamed SP2 (off PCWorld cover CD) into it. Outputted an .iso file which I burnt to CD with Nero, and am using it to do an install as we speak. Nice.
Oh- and Hi everybody- long time no see.

[mr.j.kwon]

One could use something like nlite to create a slipstreamed/unattended windows xp cd...

But hey, that defeats the purpose of having a thread like this, doesn't it

[Geek4Life]

Yes, yes they could. If nlite had been around when the thread was first started.

[scarlet.spider]

any of you's ever use ryanvm packs soo much easier than manual updating

[Geek4Life]

any of you's ever use ryanvm packs soo much easier than manual updating

Thank you.

I haven't used his particular pack but I have played around with other similar packs. I have a CD setup with the latest patches and an answer file. So that all I need to do is boot off the CD and come back in half an hour to find a nice fresh patched install.

[scarlet.spider]

yea same here except using his packs since he started making them, and with a nice community on his forums not only do i have an updated cd but also fully customized 95% ready to use how i like it install, (ie with .net\java + some programs preinstalled)

only use nlite to remove all the junk from the cd

[cadmax]

got a link to his site?

[Geek4Life]

got a link to his site?

http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=ryanvm&meta=

[Anarkist]

Thanks for this. Really helpful :D