MaximumPC 2004 10

 MAXIMUMPC OCTOBER 2004

Create a Customized Setup Routine

STEP 5

You’re almost there. In this step, we’ll make

a file called WINNT.SIF in the i386 folder

of our Windows setup files (C:\xpsetupcd\

i386). This file can be used to create an

unattended installation routine—a subject

beyond the scope of this how-to—but

we’ll simply use it to point Windows to the

drivers we’ve slipstreamed. Create WINNT.

SIF and enter the following:

[Data]

AutoPartition=0

MsDosInitiated=”0”

UnattendedInstall=”Yes”

[Unattended]

UnattendMode=ProvideDefault

OemPreinstall=Yes

OemSkipEula=Yes

NoWaitAfterTextMode=1

NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1

WaitForReboot=”No”

TargetPath=\WINDOWS

DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

OemPnPDriversPath=

[GuiUnattended]

OEMSkipWelcome = 1

[UserData]

ProductKey=

FullName=””

OrgName=””

You’ll need to customize the

OemPnPDriversPath line by entering the

path to the INF file for your RAID/SATA

driver (for instance if your drivers are in

C:\xpsetupcd\i386\$OEM$\$1\drivers\RAID

use: OemPnPDriversPath=drivers\

RAID\FastTrack\WinXP).

There are a few other fields you may

want to customize before you close WINNT.

SIF. Type your product key, name, and

company name in the ProductKey,

FullName, and OrgName fields, to avoid

having to enter them during setup. And if

you’d like to install Windows to a folder

other than C: WINDOWS, edit the

TargetPath field as needed.

Prepare Your Bootable CD

STEP 6

Our next task is to extract the boot image from our original

Windows XP disc so we can use it to make our slipstreamed CD

bootable as well. With your original XP CD inserted, launch ISO

Buster and select “Bootable CD” from the left pane. In the right

pane, right-click Microsoft Corporation.img and choose “Extract

Microsoft Corporation.img.” Extract this file to the folder where

you copied your XP setup files (C:\xpsetupcd).

Fire up Nero Burning ROM (or EZ CD Creator , or any other

CD burning app) and go to the New Compilation window (click

“Close Wizard” if Nero’s wizard comes up). Select “CD-ROM

(Boot)” from the left pane and open the Boot tab. For “Source

of boot image data” choose “Image file” and use the Microsoft

Corporation.img file you just extracted. Check “Enable expert

settings...”, and set “Kind of emulation” to “No emulation” and

“Number of loaded sectors” to 4. (These instructions will vary if

you use another application, of course.)

Next, head over to the ISO tab and set “File/Directory name

length” to “ISO Level 2.” Ensure that “Format” is set to “Mode

1” and “Character Set” to “ISO 9660,” and make certain all four

checkboxes on this tab are checked (“Joliet,” “Allow pathdepth

of more than 8 directories,” “Allow more than 255 characters

in path,” and “Do not add the ‘;1’ ISO file version extension”).

Finally, click the Label tab and set the “Volume Label” field to

the value used by your original Windows XP CD—this is the

name that appears next to your CD-ROM drive in My Computer

when your XP CD is inserted.

At this point, we’re almost ready to rock. Click the “New”

button to open the Nero File Browser, and then locate the folder

where you copied your Windows XP CD. Open the folder and

add its entire contents to your CD image. When you’re all set,

mash the “Burn” button and bask in the glory of your shiny new

slipstreamed Windows XP CD, complete with RAID/SATA drivers

and Service Pack 2! n

Make your slipstreamed Windows CD bootable by extracting

the boot image from your original Windows CD and feeding it

to Nero.

[SourceDisksFiles] section of TXTSETUP.

SIF and add the following text: driver_

filename.sys = 1,,,,,,_x,4,1

where driver_filename.sys is the name of

your RAID /SATA driver’s SYS file. Note

that you should include the .sys here.

Then, under the [SCSI.Load] section,

enter: driver_filename = driver_

filename.sys,4. Once again, driver_

filename is the name of your driver’s SYS

file. Note the lack of a .sys suffix on the

left side of the equal-sign.

Finally, in the [SCSI] section of the file,

add the following: driver_filename =

“RAID/SATA Device Name”

You can enter whatever you want

for “RAID/SATA Device Name,” but we

recommend using a meaningful descrip-

tion (such as the name of your RAID/

SATA controller). Finally, save and close

TXTSETUP.SIF.

WINNT.SIF is a powerful file that

allows you to customize and automate

many parts of the Windows installa-

tion process.

STEP 4 (Continued from page 61)