Using ISO image with Linux PXE BOOTP Possible?

[topdog]

"Windows XP: Download & Support" is the most visited/replied to topic on this forum a fortiori some one (eg 40% of US Businesses) still cares about XP.

Hopefully they will be off line by April

[scarface]

to topdog:
You are right, this is the most visited forums. But its like TV: the emissions with the best audience are not the best, they are usually the worst and the most daft. But xp was a very good os, however its outdated and most users still using it are not installing it as a brand-new os. I didnt criticize it, just the fact that other alternatives are possible.
on the contrary the specialist aa1234779 asked me in days of old if a section for open source (linux) would be of any use. I told him no-one would answer him, but it doesnt demean linux of course.

[WindozeXp]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all your comments and all your help; much appreciated. Let me explain further. Indeed XP is old and MS will discontinue their support in about a year. However, a few of my clients whom run small businesses (10 and up to 50 workstations). At this very moment all my clients are still running XP with their desktop. Some of the notebooks are now on Win7, etc. The problem is that a few of them are still using "DOS" programs written in the 90s. Why? Costs! I am not alone, Banks, Airlines, lots of big companies are still running XP.

Anyway, the install method I chose: http://unattended.sourceforge.net/index.php works for me for years with the original CD + SP3 on a network share\i386. I was hoping I can use the ISO image created by Maher so that I can take advantage of all the latest security fixes. My thinking is that if someone had already invented the wheel, why try to reinvent the same wheel? More later!

[scarface]

So its working with an original xp but not with maher's?
I dont know how maher creates his isos, he seems he want to keep the secret, but most probably he uses an integrator such as nlite. its known to give inconsistancies with winnt.sif dosnet.inf, txtsetup.sif or other things.
The only way to have a perfect updated iso is using...sysprep. For xp the procedure is different from 7 and 8 I think but if you really want something perfect perhaps you should do it yourself. I say that without consideration about what is uploaded here. Download the tutorial of harkaz to see what Im talking about.

[WindozeXp]

Maher is indeed using nLite, as in the last line of many of the *.INF files say so:

; Customized by nLite - www.nliteos.com

I have used nLite in the past as well and nLite works well. As you have suggested, I may just have to bite the bullet.... Again, why reinvent the wheel?  So, someone has a solution? Please post!

[scarface]

it seems your wheel is not adapted for your use. Then use sysprep, as I said before.

[scarface]

Ive looked how to run sysprep for xp. Its a little different from vista and 7. its located in support/tools on the cd. Now you have the elements to do what you want. I already gave a few elements about sysprep and winpe on the forum for a few users but they didnt give signs of life. Obviously they were too weak to do something. With your knowledge about setting a ftp you are even able to do it via vmware. In fact the only question now is: are you a wimp or not? and its a binary question. You can only answer yes or no.

[scarface]

If you decide to sysprep xp i can be available for questions.

[WindozeXp]

It has been so long ago since my colleagues and I test-drove System Preparation Tool (Sysprep); circa Windows 2000 P & Server and Sysprep v1.1 (I think?). It didn't really worked for us! From memory, I recalled that we had lots of issues with Security Identifier (SID). Sysprep is not the answer. The answers are the following two LAMP/PXE/TFPT/Samba server based "Open Source" tools:

1. http://unattended.sourceforge.net/index.php
2. http://www.opsi.org/en

[scarface]

I never tested with xp but never had problems with 7. sysprep is now v3.14. Contact the sysprep specialist harkaz for further information: http://www.nomaher.com/forum/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=60846