Slipstreamed WinXP Pro

[Jerry]

I recently used Nlite .99.4b to slipstream my WinXP CD. I used the option
to create an iso file in Nlite. Everything went very well making the iso
file. I then burned the iso file to a DVD disk as it was too large to fit
on a CD. Again every thing looked fine. XP install will load when the dvd
is placed in the dvd reader. It will also boot up when placed in the dvd
reader and the pc is rebooted.

XP with sp2 installed with NO issues other than will be noted below. It
sure was much faster than installing XP and then sp2.

Here is the issue which has me worried. Using my MS CD for installing XP,
during install it always asked if I wanted to activate, which most time I
have and if I don't activate during install, it will bug me until I do.
With the slipstreamed version of XP, it NEVER asks to activate either during
install or later.

Everything seems to be working normal. It updates and does all the normal
things that XP does. I have tried two ways to check if it is activated.

I went to Start --> Run and typed in "C:\Windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe
/A" and nothing happens. Also, went Start --> Run and typed in
"oobe/msooobe /a" and still nothing happens.

Is XP activated or NOT. HELPPPPPPPPPPPP !!!!!!

 

[bumtracks]

curious, in windows\system32 folder
WPA.DBL & wpa.bak
do these exist ?
which are the activation data files, wouldn't tink you'd have both if it's
not activated, unless you let gates beat you at one of his pool tables.

 

[DosFreak]

IIRC, Nlite allows the option to remove OOBE, this will not disable
activation but will remove the annoying activation balloons, there
should be alot of files in the OOBE directory. There are about 36 in my
XP SP2 tottalling 1.6mb.

 

[Jerry]

wpa.dbl is there, but wpa.bak is NOT there. I have never seen wpa.bak on
any xp hard drive I have installed. There a file called wpabaln.exe <only
other wpa file>. AS I understand it, wpabaln.exe forms a part of the
Microsoft Windows operating system and is responsible for licensing issues
on the computer. This program is non-essential process to the running of the
system, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing
problems.

I was very surprised how large xp install is on my MS CD. I talked to
others and was told theirs was only in the 550 mb range while mine is
approximately 660mb <sp2 not included>.

So now I still don't know if xp is activated or not. Still looking for HELP
!!!!!!

 

[DosFreak]

There should be subfolders in your oobe directory:

actsetup
error
html
icserror
images
isperror
regerror
sample
setup

Without these msoobe.exe would not be able to show you anything since
the files it needs are in these folders. Check Nlite and see if there
is anything about oobe in there that you deselected. Most people who
use nlite probably already have pre-activated XP that do not require
activation, you just need to find the option in Nlite that gets rid of
oobe.

 

[Jerry]

It has all those folders as listed.
oobe folder has 45 objects including those folders

actsetup: 16 objects, 14 are .htm, plus aregsty2.css and aregstyl.css
error: 8 .htm files
html: 9 subfolders
icserror - 1 htm file
images - 54 image files
isperror - 8 htm files
regerror- 8 htm files
sample - empty
setup - 43 htm files, plus oobestyl.css

If it will help LOL, I can list them all, but I figured this was more info
than one wanted to wade through.


"Most people who use nlite probably already have pre-activated XP that do
not require activation, you just need to find the option in Nlite that gets
rid of oobe."
How can it be pre-activated if install files come directly from the xp
install CD when using Nlite?

When I made the iso file using Nlite it stated that NO files had been
deleted. I did NOT make the unattended version. I don't trust anything to
install without some user interface.

Did this info help any?

 

[DosFreak]

It sounds like you have all of the files.

Look in Nlite for "Out of Box Experience" if this is selected then it
will be removed.

The pre-activation is built into the XPCD (just a couple of different
files) this is for corporate customers who do not want to deal with
activation.

Nlite absolute positively does not activate or disable activation for
you so unless you disabled activation yourself then your copy is
unactivated. I'd just remake the CD and try again.

 

[Jerry]

Thank you for the help DosFreak. I will take another look at Nlite and
maybe go to a newer version <liked the older version because it did not
require installing>. I certainly will make another disk carefully watching
what it does and asks for.
My XP CD is NOT a corp version <normally does require activation> although
it was a special version of XP Pro. Again thanks for the input.

 

[John]

Thank you for the help DosFreak. I will take another look at Nlite and
maybe go to a newer version <liked the older version because it did not
require installing>. I certainly will make another disk carefully watching
what it does and asks for.
My XP CD is NOT a corp version <normally does require activation> although
it was a special version of XP Pro. Again thanks for the input.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In what way? OEM disk from a major maufacturer tied to your motherboard
perhaps?

John

 

[Jerry]

Not sure what you are asking John. When I installed XP Pro (with sp1) on
this MB using the factory XP install disk, it worked fine on this MB and
activated during install. The issue of activation only came up when I used
a slipstreamed disk created by Nlite.

As of right now I do not know if it is activated or not. I hate to waste
time and effort to install programs and set everything up only to have XP
shut down in 30 days. I would be better off reinstalling XP using the
original factory disk.

I am more interested in why this is occurring and how to make a slipstream
disk that installs xp and sp2 and works the way it should.

 

[DosFreak]

Hmmm, Was playing around with Nlite today (been quite awhile since I
last used it), when you create your disc again Only check the options
to integrate the service pack and then make the .ISO and burn it. Don't
click on anything else. Then see what happens. If you still have the
same problem then it's an SP2/Your Disc problem and not an nlite
problem.

 

[Jerry]

DO NOT ask me how or why, but today all of a sudden the system now decided
to tell me that it was activated. The only thing added since the last time
I had checked was the 7 updates MS came out with this week. I guess I have
to assume something in those updates <none as far as I could had anything to
do with the subject> fixed what ever the problem was. Anyway, I think the
problem is fixed.

Thanks for all the help
btw Dos Freak, I now have several versions of Nlite and they all seem to
work fine. I even made but have not used an unattended install disk. I was
expecting it to ask some basic questions like "Product Code", "Time Zone"
etc, but it never did. I assume that is still has to be entered.