In a previous article I demonstrated how to implement Hardware Independent Imaging (HII) tools in your Deployment Solution. But there is always a better way to get your machines up and running. In this 7th article I'm going to build a very cool very empty Windows XP machine. Instead of the usual 2 GB of installation files this will only be 600 or 700 MB. The smallest working machine I have built was 128 MB.
To do this I use a third party tool named Nlite. There are several software products available that can do the job, but I'm used to Nlite, and it is free. So why not?
First we have to download Nlite. You can find the software on www.nliteos.com. Download a copy and install it on your machine.
Then you need an image of Windows XP or a disc, and the service pack you want to use. In my case I build it with Service Pack 3.
Main target will be to build a machine that is not bigger than 1 GB installed. That is together with Windows XP, Symantec Antivirus, Symantec SVS.
The client will be a member of the domain, so I am also going to explain that.
Let's get started.
Install Nlite, and start it.
I do it in English to make it easier for you to read. Click Next to continue.
First step is to define the location of the disc, image or in my case the directory where my Windows XP software is located.
Nlite searches through the directory and will fill in all the other stuff by itself.
Click Next to continue.
It's our first start with Nlite, so the screen is empty. Just click next to continue.
In this screen you may alter the things you wish to perform. I will do everything so I click on all. If everything shows up green, you can click Next.
My Windows XP is Service Pack 2. But I need Service Pack 3. So I click on Select. It will generate an error.
The error notifies me that it will take Service Pack 2 out and will slipstream Service Pack 3 in. That is what I want. So I click yes.
Then you get a message that asks you the location of the executable for Service Pack 3. When you select the downloaded executable Nlite extracts it. When you have extracted it, just point to update.exe.
As you see, the service pack version is now SP3. Click Next to continue.
In the next screen you can add hot fixes, add-ons and update packs. I do not have any for the moment, so I leave it blank.
Even if you have several, it will be just a moment. Tomorrow other hot fixes will come in and the list will fast become not enough. Click Next to continue.
In the drivers screen you are able to add additional drivers. This is specifically meant to install additional raid drivers or SCSI drivers. Click Next to continue.
As you see, the fun is now going to start.
Click what you think you need. In this and the next screens you can see what I select for my image. Take advantage of it to get all you need. But remember! Leaving the Internet Explorer out will actually take the Internet Explorer out. It will be quite difficult to get that added again.
Click OK if you are satisfied.
Remember! Everything you select will be removed. Everything that is necessary will show up at the end telling you that is necessary and why.
See? It tells me I removed something that I need. So I say yes and it is back in again.
In the screenshot you see my settings except for the Product key. I will fill it in as soon as you take your eyes off. Click on the Run once tab to go to the next step.
In this screen you may add a script that should run after first start up. Click on the tab users to go to the next screen.
If you have a local user account to perform tasks, you may add it here. In my environment the additional user will be added when the image becomes a member of the domain.
Click on Owner and network ID for the next step.
Because I'm going to use the slipstreamed install often I do not make it a member of the domain. That will give me a lot of junk in the Active directory. Click regional for the next step.
Set the keyboard and other settings as you like. Don't forget to set the time zone.
Click network settings for the next step.
Leave this as default. It will set the option automatically to DHCP. That is the most commonly used option. Click Desktop themes for the next step.
In this screen you can add Desktop themes. I deleted them all. No eye candy for us. Click automatic updates for the next screen.
As you see I set the options to automatically download and install every day at 20:00 hours.
Click display for the next screen.
Set the desired screen setting options and click Components for the next screen.
I disabled a lot of junk, so this screen will not let me do anything. I always wondered why every standard Windows XP install is able to be a web server? If anyone knows, please share it with us.
Click Next to continue.
Again a screen where you can set some options. Click on patches for the next step.
I always set the option the TCP/IP patch to 100. The other options are default.
Click next for the next step.
In the tweaks screen you may alter some behaviour. Be very careful, if you do not fully understand an option, then don't alter it.
I do not change the services. There is a list somewhere on the Internet telling what you need or don't, but I cannot find it anymore. Suggestions are very welcome.
Click next when you are finished and then select yes to start the process. This will take up to an hour.
So! I now have an XP installation directory with Service Pack 3 just 197 MB in size. Click Next to go to the next step.
I going to create a ISO image. That will work very well in our next task. I place the iso image on a share because I going to open it in daemon tools.
Click Next and then Finished.
Now you have created a cool ISO image.
In this article I not only wanted to build the image, but also want to show how it can be deployed. To deploy the image to various computers we can burn the ISO to a disk and insert it in every client, but we can also build ourselves an image of the disc and use the Deployment Solution to Deploy it. In that case and if you have followed the other articles, you can use the Hardware Independent Imaging to deploy it independent from the hardware.
Burn the image on a disc. The ISO image is auto start. Insert the disc in the drive of a new client and boot the client from the CD.
In my demo environment I build the computer in a virtual machine.
You will see that the installation will work unattended.
When the image is installed on the client, you have to give it a name. Do not make it a member of a domain. Just leave it where it is.
Now you have to install all the software you need in the image to make it yours.
In my case I install Symantec SVS, Symantec Antivirus and off course the Altiris A-client. I imagine that you want to install more software on the image, but that's up to your own environment.
Deployment Console, Part 6: Automating Tasks to Build the Coolest Deployment Solution
Deployment Console, Part 8: Building a Clean, Lean Windows XP Machine with DS