Silent installations

[catfish81]

The GKnot 0.28 rip pack installs silently by using the /S switch, but then it starts the VobSub installer so you have to do that anyway.

Is there a way to silently install both? If not, perhaps the next version could support this? Like passing the '/S' switch to the VobSub installer automatically.


Also the codec pack does the same, only a lot more things run with that one. Please make the codec pack run silently too!

[mothman]

how many times a day do you have to install?
you can always minimize.
i think i want to know where a program is installing itself on my
computer.***no offense guys***
why would you want it to install in silent?

[Erik_Osterholm]

Personally, I reinstall Windows almost monthly when I can. I have made a CD that installs Windows 2000 plus almost every application that I use on a daily basis (still working out how to make a Win2k install *DVD*, if it's even possible, so that I could install Office as well). Applications that have a silent install are very nice, and those with a customizable silent install (through a .ini or .txt file or something) are even better. If an application doesn't have a silent install option, I've found that the tool Auto It (http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/) really helps, but it does take a bit of work to get it robust enough to handle errors in the install package.

Erik

[OvERaCiD23]

Originally posted by Erik_Osterholm
Personally, I reinstall Windows almost monthly when I can. I have made a CD that installs Windows 2000....

I think you should check out Norton Ghost ($50) to save A LOT of time. Make a fresh install with all your apps, ghost it, and then when you want a fresh OS, re-image your drive with the ghost. I've taken this route and save 2-3 hours every couple of months on installing my OS.

[Erik_Osterholm]

I used Ghost for awhile, and I may do so again in the future, but one of the advantages of my method is that it's very easy to update applications. I just verify that the installer still works (either in silent mode or using the Auto It program I suggested) and then I can replace the executable on the CD image. Before I reinstall, I check software for updates and I will replace the files if I feel that the update is noteworthy (I won't bother if it's just a bugfix for a bug that doesn't impact me, for example). Then when I reinstall, I have updated versions of my software.

If I just Ghosted my drive, I would still need to upgrade my applications after the reinstall, and that adds to the cruft. Part of the reason I reinstall so frequently is that a software update often leave old files around, old registry entries, etc. and while some Windows Washers can clean out the cruft, there's truly nothing like just starting fresh.

Now maybe I could save a little time by ghosting a simple Windows install and then have scripts to automatically load the software separately. I should give that some thought....but the point of it all was that there are times when it's nice to have a complete unattended install of some software, and so Vobsub popping up with install dialog boxes is a little annoying :)

Erik

[catfish81]

Yeah I have the same idea going as Erik, I had thought of doing a Ghost image but then the apps will update versions etc, and with an auto-install CD you just change the install file of the new program. And the ghost images I end up with are about 5Gb compressed, which is about 8 CDs. With a single CD to install windows and base applications I dont have to swap CDs. Just put it in and walk away.

Silent mode install is good because it just installs and doesnt ask. The GKnot install itself does this, it is the installer files tht it calls that don't. They just need the /S switch passed to them if the GKnot installer is called with it. I'm sure it wouldnt be too hard to put in, for flexibility's sake.

[mothman]

i must admit its a good idea,
why dont you just add GKNOT to the backup cd already installed?
i know nothing about imaging with Ghost,
is there online steps for norton ghost?

[ktx2000]

Originally posted by catfish81
The GKnot 0.28 rip pack installs silently by using the /S switch, but then it starts the VobSub installer so you have to do that anyway.

Is there a way to silently install both? If not, perhaps the next version could support this? Like passing the '/S' switch to the VobSub installer automatically.


Also the codec pack does the same, only a lot more things run with that one. Please make the codec pack run silently too!

Ya thats it.. silent install.
I have a complaint about that. I installed gnot .28 and the codec pack. I don't like divx5 so I chose not to install it. It installed Gator anyway?? Why? I searched windows registry and there it was.. installed in silent mode. That was nice of them.

[catfish81]

Originally posted by mothman
i must admit its a good idea,
why dont you just add GKNOT to the backup cd already installed?
i know nothing about imaging with Ghost,
is there online steps for norton ghost?

THe CD i am making is actually an installation CD, so windows is still in its setup form... and so are all my applications I want to install. The AntiVirus software I use does not have a silent mode anyway, so for now I will just have to put all non-silent programs at the end of the installation.

[echooff]

how is it done? i like that idea. i have to do a reinstall every couple of months. this would certainly help. i us xp pro. is it possible with that os.

[catfish81]

there is a 2 part step-through guide at http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=202 that shows you how to do it. It has links to all the needed stuff. You will need the 'Deployment Tools' package from Microsoft which is free to download.

I haven't burnt and done this yet, so I can't say if it works yet. I assume it does but. I've decided to write all batch files to modify my start menu and everything (because I dont like the "Programs\Company Name\Program Name\Actual shortcut to your program" layout most programs do)

Another way to silently install stuff is to unpack it, pack it as a SFX RAR file and make it install direct to your program folder. But that only works if it doesnt need registry values.


Anyway, back on topic... yes... GKnot should do nice silent installations. Not half-arsed ones.

[echooff]

thank you.:)

[mothman]

with ghost you are making a exact copy(image) with all your
programs you want installed, burn the 2 or 3 gig image to dvd
then when you want a fresh copy or your cpu,
just redo the disk image, and you should have all your programs, windows folders,drivers and the registry intact,
am i missing something? am i wrong?

[catfish81]

Just one thing... my arse isn't big enough to fit a DVD burner in it for me to pull it out of there.

If you are asking whether that is what Ghost does, yes that is what Ghost will do for you. The media size is the killer for me (about 5Gb)