Vista SP1 and SP2 - Slipstreaming?

A couple questions about Vista SP1 and SP2.

It seems it is not possible to slipstream SP2, is this correct? If it is, then how do I do this?

Also, why does it take over an hour to install SP1 but only a few minutes for SP2?

Why doesn't Microsoft make a cumulative SP2 file? I see TechNet Plus subscribers can download a Vista ISO with SP2 installed, but why can't this be made available to anyone? I mean it's useless unless you have a valid key anyhow.

 

those subscribers do release those iso's to torrents.

 

it's completely possible to slipstream SP1 and SP2 but it's not as neat as it was for XP. I usually do an install of Vista in audit mode, install SP1/SP2, then reseal, and rebuild the install.wim file.

 

As Darth Bane said.

Make sure to get the SHA1 and CRC for the build you're downloading from Technet (no need to be a member to see those, you just have to sign in with your Live ID) and then download from torrents, check to make sure it matches the Technet build and use your key. Worked for me (Vista SP2).

And yes I agree, MSFT should make the downloads available to the public as they're useless without keys.

 

As a Technet subscriber, it doesn't worry me, but I think they should do this provided you can prove that you own a license. I wouldn't think they'd just let people download them willy nilly. Perhaps they should start looking into letting people buy licenses online, and then just download the ISO. Then once a new build of the OS comes out, go and grab the new image. It'd save alot of poking around with slipstreaming.

 

But the product doesn't work without a valid licence/key so why bother put in place yet another, redundant, validation system.

 

I've never done this before. Is there a "how-to"?

I am leary of torrent downloads, but I know I can check the CRC but that means downloading not knowing what it is, which means a lot more downloading. I'd like to just be able to do it myself.

Good point. But either way, the software is supposed to be freely distributable. You can make copies all day long, but unless you have a key, it's useless. But even if they did require you to register your key I'd be fine with that.

 

Since, SP2 is a minor update, I wouldn't mind slipstreaming it with Vista SP1.

 

I refuse to install any service pack as an update. Just get a copy of the new release with the thing built in, and use the legitimate key.

It's been in the newsgroups for almost a month.

(not that I would do any such thing) (like install vista )

 

No, Vista runs for 30 days even if you don't use a key. It is even possible to extend this period to up to 120 days legally, so not making it possible for the public to download any images may seem like a good idea to Microsoft. I doubt that it really helps a lot in preventing illegal copies, though.



Edit: I forgot the important part.
As it has already been said, slipstreaming SP2 is possible, but it is a bit complicated. Here's a technet entry on Vista SP2 deployment options: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd335037.aspx

 

That's true. By "doesn't work" I really meant that eventually you need to enter a valid licence/key for the OS to be operative.

 

Yep, there's a special Audit mode during install that you initiate. What this does is it puts Vista onto the machine without you needing an account. This is MS's new way of making an installation "image" vs using something like GHOST. You can include applications that you will use in the image.

I normally do this in a VM but if you have a second machine handy, that is great also.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/02/15/how-to-integrate-and-slipstream-sp1-into-windows-vista-rtm/

one thing you should do prior to sealing and creating your image is to run compcln.exe to reduce the size of Vista.

 

thanks for the link, goofball. that is the missing piece i've googled for since a while but never found. start the installation, and then ctrl-shift-f3. now that'll be fun

 

Yep, that's the key. I believe once it asks you for information after it has gone past the partitioning/file copying, that's when you do it. The screen will blank for a sec, it will then bypass everything else that it usually asks for (username, password, time settings, network, etc).
you can reboot as many times as you need to if you install software, just don't reseal until you're ready.

 

something to play around i'll have fun. i should get in the vista/win7 deployment team at my company, then i could do that all day long

i've done the complete deployment and software deployment for xp machines back in those days, was quite fun (but a chaotic mix from dos to win, all back-n-forth and such). happy to see it nowadays being quite "all in one".. i've heard vista deployment for companies being amazing. but seing it is another topic.

 

Thanks. What exactly do you mean by "reseal"?

 

i think he means at the end the "fixing". during that preparation step, you get the setup to report everytime after the reboot if you're finished with the preparation, and if so, if you'd like to fix it back into the image.

don't remember how it's called exactly. sysprep, yep, that's it sysprep pops up everytime.

 

Funny you say that, i'm on the Vista Deployment team at work. Got around 3000 machines to do.

Resealing is the last step. It's when you have done all you want to do, and want to capture the image. You reseal the OS up (which runs sysprep.exe), and then you capture the image. ImageX won't capture an image if the OS has not been sysprepped.

 

and, how is it, goofball? have you done xp deployment before, too?

while haven't deployed vista big time, i've set up quite some pc's now manually. i really think the setup of vista is one of the biggest evolutions for windows that happened. finally something modern, fitting todays needs. (insert floppy for driver on xp setup, anyone? ).

 

View attachment 34702

"floppy" - isn't that a medical condition you take Viagra for?

I think the last batch of 3.25 floppies I had got used up in skeet practice several years ago!

 

Goofball!

Holy Moly! It worked! Thank you so so so so much! It took a while, but used Virtual Box, and did it that way. New Virtual PC with SP2 installed off new ISO.

That is awesome! +1 Rep (I'd give you +10 if I could!)

 

It's too bad that this has to be done for each version of Vista. Oh well, hopefully they'll fix this with 7. Or maybe it'll be worse!

 

it doesn't have to be done for each version. is written a bit below in the article. (you mean versions like home premium, business, ultimate.. not like 32bit, 64bit.? because there, i don't know).

and i'd guess win7 will be identical, asi it is in all other cases, too

 

Yes, like home premium, business, etc. It sounds like you just have to compile an install.wim file for each version though. Wouldn't that result in like a 15GB file or something?