"Switchless" - Quick Start Guide

SuperFreak · Post by **SuperFreak** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 5:29 am

Why isn't the basic "Switchless Installer" technique Sticky?
It's Sticky how to make one, but not how to use them.

Sorry, I have totally no idea what to do with even those common switchless installer files on the cover page, I mean Adobe Reader, NET Framework and Java.
If there would be someone who could point me to a site or topic with help on this subject I 'd highly appreciate it. I'm familiar with basic nLite & RVM Integrator features.

Thank you.

MrNxDmX · Post by **MrNxDmX** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:05 am

There are 2 stickied topics that can help you, right upside this topic

Post by **5eraph** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 12:05 pm

I believe SuperFreak wants to know what to do with premade installers.

Look here: MSFN's Unattended Windows : Intermediate Method Introduction

SuperFreak · Post by **SuperFreak** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:17 pm

MrNxDmX wrote:There are 2 stickied topics that can help you, right upside this topic

Really? Which ones? Your post is absolutly useless, man. And you even didn't understand what the question was, egh.

5eraph wrote:I believe SuperFreak wants to know what to do with premade installers.

Look here: MSFN's Unattended Windows : Intermediate Method Introduction

No... thanx but that too much... I just want to know a very simple thing: how to use those premade switchless addons (like dotnet11sp1.exe, dotnet2.exe, jre509.exe, reader708.exe) via RyanVM Integrator or nLite. I can't believe that noone can reply a proper answer, more I can't believe there is no any readme or at least a topic about the usage of these files at all...

rado354 · Post by **rado354** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:50 am

SuperFreak, first of all you might want to calm down.

2nd: these are not switchless addons but switchless installers.
To integrate them you have to pack them in a certain way in .cab format.

The HowTo pack them was explained to you by ricktendo64 here:
http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3594

If you still have problems (and I can't believe it) why don't you just use the cab addons available in this forum?

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:35 pm

I'm with SuperFreak on this one, none of the instructions given so far are complete enough or clear enough to actually use. They may make sense if you have already integrated several disks, but something is getting left out.
After following the directions, the latest version of Nlite tells me that it has encountered an unexpected file format.
OK, back to square one.

So far I have wasted over three hours looking for an answer, and there is not one posted on this site yet.

If you still have problems (and I can't believe it) why don't you just use the cab addons available in this forum?

I would love to.
Where are they?
Maybe I'm not understanding the terminology used around here.

So once more I will politely ask the question:

How would someone actually use the switchless installers that Ryan has up?

Shark007 · Post by **Shark007** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:08 pm

I'm going to take a shot at this ...

How to use a Switch-less Installer.

1st of all, understand what a switch-less installer is: execute = installed

There are several methods available, I'll touch the 3 main ones;

SVCPACK METHOD

Place the EXE downloaded into a folder named SVCPACK within the I386 directory.
extract from the file \I386\svcpack.in_ to get to the svcpack.inf file inside
edit this file to have it execute the downloaded example.exe as follows:

[SetupHotfixesToRun]
example.exe

recompress the svcpack.inf file with this command in a DOS window: makecab svcpack.inf
that command creates svcpack,in_ Place that into I386 overwriting the original

DO NOT LEAVE THE UNCOMPRESSED FILE SVCPACK.INF IN I386 - DELETE IT.

______________________________________________________

RUNONCEEX METHOD

I suggest you read this page at MSFN: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/31/

______________________________________________________

ADDON METHOD

Copy and paste [between the lines] into Notepad
__________________

[general]
builddate=2006/11/25
description=
language=
title=
version=
website=

[EditFile]
I386\SVCPACK.INF,SetupHotfixesToRun,AddProgram

[AddProgram]
example.exe
____________________

Change example.exe with the actual switch-less installer name you are using
Save this file as Entries_exampleAddon.ini

Put the emample.exe into a folder named SVCPACK
use rar or 7zip to package the ini file and the svcpack folder together with the same name as the ini file

shark

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:23 pm

Thank you very much Shark007!
I'm going to give this a try right now and I'll post back and let you know how it went.

Thank you again for your help!

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:38 pm

Shark007 wrote:
SVCPACK METHOD

Place the EXE downloaded into a folder named SVCPACK within the I386 directory.
extract from the file \I386\svcpack.in_ to get to the svcpack.inf file inside
edit this file to have it execute the downloaded example.exe as follows:
______________________________________________________

OK, I ran into a problem.

I downloaded the dotnet11sp1.exe switchless installer file from this site and extracted it.
After searching inside the extracted file, I do not find the file svcpack.inf or one named svcpack.in_

Am I understanding your instructions correctly?

Shark007 · Post by **Shark007** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:01 pm

GasPipeJimmy wrote:
Shark007 wrote:
SVCPACK METHOD

Place the EXE downloaded into a folder named SVCPACK within the I386 directory.
extract from the file \I386\svcpack.in_ to get to the svcpack.inf file inside
edit this file to have it execute the downloaded example.exe as follows:
______________________________________________________
OK, I ran into a problem.

I downloaded the dotnet11sp1.exe switchless installer file from this site and extracted it.
After searching inside the extracted file, I do not find the file svcpack.inf or one named svcpack.in_

Am I understanding your instructions correctly?

welcome to hand holding 101 ..

svcpack.in_ is part of the windows installation files and already exists in the I386 directory.

A bit further down it says,

Code: Select all

that command creates svcpack.in_ Place that into I386 overwriting the original

which i would think also answers your inquiry.

shark

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:03 pm

Thank you again, that does clear up a lot of things.

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:01 pm

OK, I did what you said Shark007 and it worked great with only one exception.
All of my Switchless installers went in just fine except for the DotNet 2.0 one.

Windows Update tells me that the only two updates I "need" are IE 7.0 (I understand that's not included in the Ryan or Booogie updates - OK fine)
But the other critical update that it tells me I need is the 22MB or 23MB DotNet 2.0 update KB829019.
I double checked and I did include that file in SVCPACK and I also chcked that I had the file name in my compressed svcpack.in_ file.
Those are as they should be.

Has anyone else encountered this?

I searched this forum for the KB number and got three hits, but none of those posts were relevant to what I encountered.

Post by **5eraph** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:15 pm

Make sure that DotNet 2.0 is installed before that update, otherwise it may be overwritten by the older files.

It would also be helpful to know whose installer you're using. You may be trying to install an update that's already included in the modified DotNet installer.

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:22 pm

I'm using the RyanVM Integrator 1.4.3 with:
Boogie's Latest update pack

I then installed the latest Bashrat driverpack using his integrator.

The DotNet 2.0 Switchless Installer was installed as per Shark007's instructions for the SVCPACK Method from above.

The file Microsoft Update wants me to install is:
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 x86 (KB829019)
Date Last Published: 1/24/2006
Download Size: 22.4MB

This is listed as an OPTIONAL software update, contrary to what I stated earlier in this thread.

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:33 pm

In looking at the currently installed programs (under the add or remove programs section) I see:

Adobe Reader 8
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 6
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 With KB886903 Hotfix

Nothing for .NET 2.0

Post by **5eraph** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:13 pm

You didn't mention where you got the dotNET 2.0 installer so I'll assume you're using Ryan's. If you had read the release notes on the home page then you'd know that his cannot be installed from SVCPACK...

RyanVM wrote:This installer cannot be run from svcpack.inf...

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:38 pm

Correct, I'm using Ryan's Switchless Installers.

Yes, now I see that.
Thanks for pointing that out to me.
It also needs MS Installer 3.1 installed first too (but I see that is included in both Ryan and boooggy's update packs).

5eraph, what method do you use to install dotNET 2.0?

If I switch methods, can I install all four of Ryan's switchless installers using the same method (excepting the SVCPACK method)?

If I use another method for Ryan's dotNET 2.0 switchless installer only, will that interfere with any other switchless installer method mentioned in this thread?

Post by **5eraph** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:01 pm

I use RogueSpear's dotNET 2.0 installer. It is SVCPACK compatible and can be found on his forum.

RyanVM's installers can be used at any time, unless he states otherwise, and will not conflict with each other under any circumstances that I know regardless of when each is installed.

Using RunOnceEx requires a moderate to advanced skill level. I don't say this to intimidate you, I'm only saying it took me a long time to wrap my own head around the process.

When I need to use an installer at RunOnceEx I'll wrap it in a SVCPACK installable shell which adds the registry entries at T-13 and unpacks the actual installer for use at first logon (similar to how thuun does it with avast! AV). This allows me to add and remove installers at will without worrying about the hassle involved with CMDLINES.TXT.

If you're still relatively new to modifying an XP source then I'd suggest you try to stick with SVCPACK.

The Addon Method Shark007 describes only works with SVCPACK installers. Its main advantage is only seen when using multiple installers to guarantee the order in which they're executed. It cannot be used to install Ryan's dotNET 2.0.

GasPipeJimmy · Post by **GasPipeJimmy** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:47 am

Ok Thanks 5eraph!
I finally got them.

Note to self: RogueSpear's Runtime Collection is only viewable and accessible if you register and logon there.

Post by **5eraph** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:54 am

Sorry. I forgot to mention that.