I've recently been intrigued by the ability for Windows to automate certain aspects of the installation process and the ability to automatically execute certain scripts after initial startup.
I successfully slipstreamed Windows XP Service Pack 2 and all up-to-date hotfixes into my install and created a script that executes all my favorite programs after the first reboot. I used a program called AutoIt to automate the installation process if an installer doesn't have a slient install switch. I essentially create a small script for each app I install that tells Windows which button to click during the install. It's really cool because you can set it up where you make flags in the script for changing install options that you can change later to change the install. Very cool stuff indeed.
I made programs that I don't think my family would use optional so it asks if you want to install it before doing so. This will make it infinitely easier reformating family PCs and not worrying about forgetting specific software. I don't have to worry about them messing up something during the install either since I have control over how it installs. Check out the screenshot
of what it looks like when it's installing all the stuff.
It will just go down the list and install everything and even if they reboot, it will install the rest of what didn't get processed earlier. I know a lot of IT people here probably have similar scripts that they run for their businesses and what not so I wanted to know if everybody else did something similar.
Do you install any different programs or force other upgrades? I'm interested in how everybody goes about unattended installs. Comment away!
-silver
I successfully slipstreamed Windows XP Service Pack 2 and all up-to-date hotfixes into my install and created a script that executes all my favorite programs after the first reboot. I used a program called AutoIt to automate the installation process if an installer doesn't have a slient install switch. I essentially create a small script for each app I install that tells Windows which button to click during the install. It's really cool because you can set it up where you make flags in the script for changing install options that you can change later to change the install. Very cool stuff indeed.
I made programs that I don't think my family would use optional so it asks if you want to install it before doing so. This will make it infinitely easier reformating family PCs and not worrying about forgetting specific software. I don't have to worry about them messing up something during the install either since I have control over how it installs. Check out the screenshot
of what it looks like when it's installing all the stuff.
It will just go down the list and install everything and even if they reboot, it will install the rest of what didn't get processed earlier. I know a lot of IT people here probably have similar scripts that they run for their businesses and what not so I wanted to know if everybody else did something similar.
Do you install any different programs or force other upgrades? I'm interested in how everybody goes about unattended installs. Comment away!
-silver
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