ArsGeek

Ever frustrated with how long it takes you to reload Windows and all your apps after a system crash? Want to roll out new systems faster but don’t have homogenous enough hardware to image one machine onto all the rest? Just plain bored? Check out the Unattended Windows Guide from the jolly folks at MSFN.org.

The guide will tell you how to do everything it takes to install a windows and pretty much any application you could want with absolutely no user input required. You put in a DVD and it does all the rest, down to even switching you to a classic start menu if you’d like. It’s a whopping 170 pages scattered over dozens of websites. Or you can download and print the whole thing as a PDF from here.

The guide lists multiple ways to accomplish most subtasks necessary to build the full DVD. In my experience some of the options are much faster and easier than the others.

• Use RyanVM’s Integrator to slipstream SP2 into your Windows installation
• Use RyanVM’s Post-SP2 Update pack to slipstream all other Windows Updates
• Use Bashrat the Sneaky’s driver packs and installer to integrate every driver known to man into the install
• Use the RunOnceEx from CD method listed in the MSFN guide to install all of your applications
• Use nLite to make your Windows installation unattended and convert the directory to a bootable, burnable DVD ISO
• Use DeepBurner or some other freeware ISO burning tool to make the DVD

All of these tools (with the exception of DeepBurner) are talked about in the MSFN guide, though they’re often mentioned in passing after long descriptions of lengthier processes to do the same thing.

Enjoy

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