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Winbuilder script adding drivers and programs


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#1 technofab

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Posted 04 November 2015 - 08:50 AM

I know, is probably a faq, but searching I found many discussion a get a big confusion and headache.

So.. There is a tutorial o a step-by-step guide to:

 

How to adding drivers, for example from driverpack?

How to adding personal programs? For example I buy drivesnapshot from tom elhert, and I want to add that.

 

Thanks in advance for any hint and advice.

 



#2 sbaeder

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Posted 08 November 2015 - 09:19 PM

I know, is probably a faq, but searching I found many discussion a get a big confusion and headache.
So.. There is a tutorial o a step-by-step guide to:
 
How to adding drivers, for example from driverpack?
How to adding personal programs? For example I buy drivesnapshot from tom elhert, and I want to add that.
 
Thanks in advance for any hint and advice.

I don't think that are specific tutorials on how to do what your asking.  In general, it is a bit complex to add a program (I'll start there).  
 
I am also going to ASSUME you mean for the original WINBUILDER version 80 (or 82), and not the "next gen", java based process.
 
The API docs and looking at other examples is probably the best way to do this.  You have to figure out the files that you need to have installed into the file system, and the registry entries that are needed, and any shortcuts created.  Basically you deconstruct the installer of the program to "install" it into the PE being created. 
 
Yes, it can be complex to wrap your head around the programming language used for scripting the efforts, but start with something simple in an existing PE project, and walk through it until you can understand what is going on with that project environment and the application being installed, and see if you can replicate that.
 
So, let's look at http://www.drivesnap...de/en/intro.htm  (which is again, what I assume that you mean.  Pick a base project (Win7PE_SE as an example), and also look at the docs that are available for winbuilder and the whole of the API.
 
This program is pretty easy, since it has a single executable, and looks like it doesn't need any sort of registry stuff...(looking at their installation instructions).

 

Specifically in a corporate environment, where dozens or hundreds of computers must be backed up, the need to install software (and usually reboot it after installation), can be annoying. Drive Snapshot does not require an installation.
It's sufficient to download SNAPSHOT.EXE  (about 350KByte) and to start it.

 

This means that all you need to do is to 1) copy the file from a given place over to the installation directory, and then to also set up a shortcut icon on the desktop to invoke it.  Look for an existing program inside your project that is similar, and see if you can figure out how to modify it to work for this simple example.

 

If you have specific questions as your working through it, or get stuck, post SPECIFIC issues and examples, and we can try to help.  I'm not around here all the time, but feel free to PM me as well...

 

Good Luck

Scott
 



#3 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 09 November 2015 - 01:43 PM

Also, if you google for "drivesnapshot winbuilder" (without the quotes) you should be able to find a few scripts (possibly for not current projects, but that still should give you a good base).

Specifically (examples):

http://tinyurl.com/o3qfyrp

http://reboot.pro/to...-drivesnapshot/

http://uxp.winbuilder.net/

 

:duff:

Wonko



#4 technofab

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Posted 10 November 2015 - 04:15 PM

Thanks to both. I use the Winbuilder from this site, the java version.

But also from the project of Win7PE_SE I encountered some diffuculties to add driver and programs.

 

So, there is a "easy way" to do these 2 operations? 

 

Using the java, or the .80/82 version for me is the same, but I want to reach my goal. :)

 

Can someone explain a step-by-step guide to do reach this?


Edited by technofab, 10 November 2015 - 04:18 PM.


#5 RoyM

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Posted 10 November 2015 - 05:26 PM

Hi Technofab

 

See if this helps for Win7PE_SE.

http://reboot.pro/to...-to-windows-pe/

 

Regards

RoyM



#6 technofab

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Posted 11 November 2015 - 09:11 AM

That post, explain how to install an application, in my case, the application not needed to be installed fortunately, but simply added in the *PE* environment.

Also there is nothing about drivers. 

Perhaps I'm very dumb, but make me nonsense found driverpacks files, and not be possible add them for make an "universal" *pe*image.



#7 sbaeder

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Posted 19 November 2015 - 10:40 PM

You aren't dumb, but you don't have all the facts, and what seems SHOULD make sense, often doesn't.

 

Drivers are tricky, since they work below the user level of the OS, and oftne have strange installation proceedures that require that they be loaded before other things.

 

You certainly could add the driver pack files to the image, and then use the OS tools to scan for and load drivers, but some of them might require a reboot before working OK.   Now we have a catch 22, since a PE is read only, and not persistent.

 

Some of them can be managed OK (i.e. plug-n-play) and some you can pre-load the data into the PE, but for others you need to have the actual hardware present in order to get the values you need in order to actually add them to the image.

 

So, it's not that simple...BUT, as we pointed out, do a bit more digging around, and...

 

A fairly quick google of "winbuilder load driver" turned up the following links.

 

This one is more geared to vista, and quite old, but gives you an idea of what goes on in trying to load a driver.

            -http://www.themudcra...ide_drivers.php

 

On the other hand, this link leads to "al.jo" site (he did quite a lot with winbuilder 82 and made pre-packaged builds that are fairly complete and a good starting point).  Just search for drivers inside the posting - see reply #2)

            -https://diskcryptor....hp?topic=4843.0

 

This leads (as mentioned to al.jo's site) to a posting that talks more about drivers in context of win7PE, and from there you can link to the Win7PE or even Win8PE project he made which has a specific drivers section and some scripts to add specific drivers

            -http://al-jo.net46.net/drivers/    

 

and we even had some threads HERE on reboot.pro...http://reboot.pro/to...s-to-win7pe-se/

 

Again, often it is the case that you don't know if what you find on these results is worth reading - but the above, especially the ones from al.jo  should get you closer to what your are asking for.  At least for thigns like networks and disk drives, etc.

 

Good Luck!

Scott



#8 RoyM

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Posted 20 November 2015 - 04:41 AM

Fantastic explanation sbaeder.

 

And the trick to it all lies here:

I also usually start RegShot v1.8.1
at the same time that I start RegShot2 Unicode, So I am actually
running two regshots, the reason for this is that RegShot v1.8.1
will also catch any files that have been installed into other directories
such as \sys32, \inf or \driver folders. Very Important when you are trying to
write a script for a program that starts services or loads drivers. 

 

Basically what you are doing is monitoring all changes to your PE

as you enable and make your hardware or whatever operable and working.

Regshot, Regshot2, What Changed, and others will monitor what changed

in your PE, before and after hardware or driver or app is installed.

You then write your script to mimic these changes in your PE Build.

And Yes, sometimes it's not that easy, I had many advanced scripts

that I had to abandon because I could not get them to work completely in my PE builds.

But then again, that is all part of the learning process, "At least for me".

 

Good Luck techofab.

As you further your knowledge, please don't hesitate to ask and/or share.

Regards

RoyM



#9 pscEx

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Posted 20 November 2015 - 01:16 PM

 I use the Winbuilder from this site, the java version.

For "Java", have a look at http://reboot.pro/to...-documentation/

 

Drivers: There are two single links to add custom drivers and driverpacks.

Programs: There is a single link to add custom plugins.

 

Peter :cheers:



#10 technofab

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Posted 24 November 2015 - 11:44 AM

Thanks for all response.

 

Like you can suppose, I want to make an "universal PE_CD" for all computer in my lan; but I must agree with sbaeder's post: the way is a little tricky.

 

So with these informations, I can try to build something and share my experience.

Thanks also to pscEx for linking his post; that IMHO must be pinned and more visible :)

 

Thanks all, and I go to, the hard job :) and next post my result.


Edited by technofab, 24 November 2015 - 11:46 AM.





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