How to make a boot option for "Reinstallation"

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Guest

I wish to hide the installation files, and make an option that is visible
during boot, that gives me the oportunity to reinstall the operating system.
The installation files should be hidden of course, and it should be possible
to place device drivers that will be prompted too.

Is there a third party softwtware that is good for this purpose, or is it
some functionality in Xp for doing some of this?
 
In Kent, Norway <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
I wish to hide the installation files, and make an option that is
visible during boot, that gives me the oportunity to reinstall the
operating system. The installation files should be hidden of course,
and it should be possible to place device drivers that will be
prompted too.

Is there a third party softwtware that is good for this purpose, or
is it some functionality in Xp for doing some of this?
Click to expand...

Are you thinking something along the lines of a hidden partition that can be
run from a certain series of key strokes (say F10) during boot like what's
seen with some OEMs? This is NOT an answer - in fact if you said "yes" then
I'd respond with "I'm not sure but will look." It's actually to try to
figure out what it is you're after so that someone smarter than me can come
along and tell you the answer and so I can see how it's done. <g> (Basically
I'm just trying to clarify your question for the next person because they'll
likely know a LOT more than I on that subject as it's something I've never
approached but have thought about doing - the OEM bit that is.)

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of
existence." - Sherlock Holmes
 
Kent,

Like Galen I am not sure what is your objective.

However Acronis Os Selector which is packaged with their Disk Director Suite
will do literally what you ask. ".....................oportunity to
reinstall the,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,operating system"
 
Yes, that is pretty much what I am looking for:

An option to press some "F" button to start a complete reinstallation when
my system is getting bad. You should not be prompted for any Cd. Just like
some preinstalled pc's of different brands have.

This is for making a complete reistallation very easy for users with little
understanding of the subject. (Or for lazy people like me)


As I see it, there must be a hidden partition with the installation files,
including service packs. These must run automaticly during the process.

About the device drivers, it probably gets more complicated, since these
often are .exe files . Probably, these should be installed manually last.

Of course I am familiar with Norton Ghost, but using images is not what I
wish since they are more "static" than an ordinary installation due to
changes in hardware that might be done.

I believe that this subject is in interest of many users.
 
In Kent, Norway <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
Yes, that is pretty much what I am looking for:

An option to press some "F" button to start a complete reinstallation
when my system is getting bad. You should not be prompted for any Cd.
Just like some preinstalled pc's of different brands have.

This is for making a complete reistallation very easy for users with
little understanding of the subject. (Or for lazy people like me)


As I see it, there must be a hidden partition with the installation
files, including service packs. These must run automaticly during the
process.

About the device drivers, it probably gets more complicated, since
these often are .exe files . Probably, these should be installed
manually last.

Of course I am familiar with Norton Ghost, but using images is not
what I wish since they are more "static" than an ordinary
installation due to changes in hardware that might be done.

I believe that this subject is in interest of many users.
Click to expand...

The other poster pointed to Acronis - for this I'd use (believe it or not)
their True Image product. You make a boot CD with it, boot with it in place,
and it enables you to press an F10 (IIRC) during boot if you install their
protected partition. Basically, from there, you'd make your image on that
hidden partition and, if you want, forget it. Then when you need to
"re-install" you really just press the F10 key during boot and inside of a
few minutes (really) you have your whole OS re-installed at the same level
as when you made the clone. Beyond that you can make other system images to
be kept in a visible partition and use those first if things go wrong. If
they don't work you always have the original clean install on the system
that you can fall back on. That's the closest I can come to what I think
you're wanting. Some of the lurking OEMs might have some additional
information IF you can get 'em to tell you...

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of
existence." - Sherlock Holmes
 
This is pretty close to what I'm trying to get to, I'll take a look at the
software you mentioned!

(I don't expect I will get any tips from the OEM's...)

thanks!!
 
Galen

Acronis True Image in its latest version - 9 - allows one to create and
image and schedule image backups to a hidden partition or hidden disk.
Pressing F11 at boot offers the user the option to boot from one of the
backup images with a kind of instant restore. I have not found this reliable
but the option to restore a saved image to the system disk and then reboot
has never failed me.

Acronis Disk Director - 10 - which has just been released ( and is much like
a superior version of the old Powerquest partition manager) detects all the
operating systems installed on the PC. If the user has dual installed the
same OS e.g. XP on two disks the boot option automatically shows the
bootable options and, if True image backups are present in the hidden zone,
the opportunity to restore one of them. The F11 tool from True Image is
disabled.

Either product would do what Kent wants, IMOP a combination of True Image
and Disk Director is ideal
 
In Uncle John <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
Galen

Acronis True Image in its latest version - 9 - allows one to create
and image and schedule image backups to a hidden partition or hidden
disk. Pressing F11 at boot offers the user the option to boot from
one of the backup images with a kind of instant restore. I have not
found this reliable but the option to restore a saved image to the
system disk and then reboot has never failed me.

Acronis Disk Director - 10 - which has just been released ( and is
much like a superior version of the old Powerquest partition manager)
detects all the operating systems installed on the PC. If the user
has dual installed the same OS e.g. XP on two disks the boot option
automatically shows the bootable options and, if True image backups
are present in the hidden zone, the opportunity to restore one of
them. The F11 tool from True Image is disabled.

Either product would do what Kent wants, IMOP a combination of True
Image and Disk Director is ideal
Click to expand...


The pricing range for me to buy a large number of licenses from Acronis for
the True Image was pretty decent actually. Because I install and use it
(though not distribute the software itself) on a number of computers I go
ahead and buy corporate licensing of most such products. Acronis has some
options for OEMs that look inviting but I am not sure that I want to ever go
that route as I've no desire to support that many people. I will take a look
at Disk Director and likely buy a copy for personal use as I'm a bit annoyed
with the Partition Magic line as of late.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of
existence." - Sherlock Holmes
 
Galen

I think you are right Partition Magic is way out of date and produces
spurious errors since SP2 was released.

Disk Director is OK but the installation is too pushy. If you have True
Image installed it will automatically replace the F11 boot option with its
own since it is a version 10 product and TI is a version 9 product.
 
That is correct, I was in the first place thinking of how to place the
installation files including device drivers and sevice packs hidden, ready to
run an ordinary installation at my command during boot. However, it seems
easier using images by using some of the proposed software. I will check
where to purchase these and at what cost. This is for private use, but I also
have in mind that in my work we deliver (plus a lot of other equipment) pc's
to handicapped users all over the county (payed by the state), and if I find
any appropriate program for making it possible for users to reinstall
themselves we could easily guide them over the phone.

Thanks for tips so far on this issue Galen and Uncle John!
 
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