silent install

Mar 29 2009

The Build Disc – Part 4 (Standard Utilities)

Next ButtonStandard Utilities:

A standard build needs to be able to be standardised.  This means installing the same programs every time.  With a standard install, you have to hit the “Next” button regularly and make other selections to get the software installed. This can become long and involved, it takes time.  When you get busy, things get missed.

The goal for getting this installation standardised was to have all of these tools work as a silent/unattended install.  The combination of this, and a scripted install, means that you can get through the complete install with minimum interaction.

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By David • Build Disc, Unattended Installs • • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Mar 29 2009

The Build Disc – Part 3b (Heise)

imageUsing Offline Update:

(This article is written in reference to Offline Update v5.1 – it should remain relevant for other versions.)

It’s a two step process.  First, you need to run the Offline Update tool, tell it what updates you’re interested in, and tell it to go and download them from Microsoft.

This process can take quite a bit of time, but you only need to do it once (or, at least, once for each new version of the Offline Update tool – about every 3-5 months or so).

At the end of this first step, Offline Update produces .iso image files (you’ll find them in the “ctupdateiso” directory) that you can burn to disc.  Because I’m extending this I usually extract the created .iso images to combine with the other things I use on my build disc.

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By David • Build Disc • • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Mar 24 2009

The Build Disc – Part 3a (Windows Updates)

Vista UpdatesIn previous articles, I looked at the overall concept behind the build disc, it’s aims and goals. Then, in part 2, it was Windows service packs. Now, in this installment it’s time to look at Windows Updates.

Why does it matter?  As previously discussed, a fresh install of Windows might need hundreds of megabytes of downloads before it’s fully updated.  Also, unless you take precautions, the time it takes you to download and install those updates might be all the time needed for your computer to be compromised.

For me, running a busy workshop, the final consideration is that downloading updates for every repair on every computer would mean a significant increase in our Internet needs.

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By David • Build Disc • • Tags: , , , , , ,

Mar 19 2009

The Build Disc – Part 2 (Service Packs)

Windows Service PackIn part 1 I offered an overview of my goals for creating the build disc we use here.  In part 2, I’m taking a more detailed look at service packs and how this got automated and streamlined.

My goals for handling service packs were:

  • Identify the operating system.
  • Identify the current service pack level.
  • Decide if a service pack is needed.
  • If needed, go ahead and install the service pack without any further user interaction.

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By David • Build Disc • • Tags: , , , , ,

Mar 19 2009

The Build Disc – Part 1

CD Drawer on ComputerRunning a computer business inevitably means dealing with Windows Update.  Be it when getting new computers fully updated before sale or to finalise a repair where we needed to re-install Windows (aka system rebuild).

On a fresh install of Windows there might be hundreds of megabytes of downloads needed to make it fully patched.  Multiply this by many computers each week and the sheer volume of repetitive downloads becomes excessive.

Add to this that we have a ‘standard’ build for the computers that we sell (and repair) that includes a range of additional utilities as well as some particular configuration changes.

I want all of this stuff to happen every time we work on a computer.  I want it to happen the same each time so when we are doing follow-up support later we have a known standard in the build.  I also don’t want to blow out the businesses Internet bill downloading everything each time we do this.

This is the first of what will be a series of articles about my solution and how you can, if you want, implement it yourself.

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By David • Build Disc • • Tags: , , , , ,

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