i'm running Winborg v5 which i found from a kind stranger in dark alley of....a torrent site. His name was bartofborg. Nice fellow.
This has got to be the best custom Windows build ever. It's running Service Pack 2 with patch updates through Jan of 2006. My download speed in uTorrent has increased from ~45Kbps max to 58Kbps max. I've ran it for several days with Kerio firewall (included in the AIO install pack), uTorrent, Photoshop CS2 & several other apps. Even used Opera, ran a few Java applets & played Doom 3. All without a single reboot. This AIO build of Windows is incredible. Have you tried it yet?
update: A good discussion on this slipstreamed version of XP can be found here (sharethefiles.com)
Someone puts together a list of apps, builds a custom list of drivers they want to include, enters an install script & then creates an ISO. You burn that ISO & install it just like your normal Win XP disc. The difference is you now have an installation that contains any number of tweaks or custom apps of your choosing. No more spending hours reinstalling your favorite programs after a hard drive crash. It's included on the install disc. Google on Winborg or ISO-TEK & you'll find what you're looking for. I'm new to this myself
The technique is called Slipstreaming, and I've recently figured out how to do it myself :D
Like xhardc0re said, you can add anything to the Windows CD before you install, but it'll be a lot bigger in the long run. I've added just about every driver you could think of to an XP SP2 CD which made it go up to 1.2GB, so I'll have to put it on a DVD.
Just search for terms like Slipstream, Unattended install, Driver Pack, and RyanVM. It's super fun to do, and it really works! :P
yeah slipstreaming is nice but one thing though... u can never underestimate the trouble caused by needing a reinstall of your system really fast. i've just about spent now 2 weeks tweaking the WinborgV5 install with all my fav apps. Got everything installed (almost!) that i want, so i'm about to Ghost it. I'm using a version of Norton Ghost off an XP 9-in-1 install that will let me restore the IMAGE should my windows every becomes corrupted.
because of the slipstreamed version of windows, i've learned some good habits like keeping higher security (firewall+protowall+ad aware FTW), putting all the d/l files on another HDD (external USB) & keeping track of which files i install. Everything I install goes into /program files/_XPspecial with a version # and date appended to the directory name. I also do a daily dir/a/oe/s > C:\filelist in DOS so that i know if any new files have appeared in any of the directories. The FB1 should exchange ideas on keeping a secure system ;) LOL
Slipstreaming your OS is just part of it. Make a Ghost image, save that to a DVD, and back up your computer on a regular basis. Its a P.I.T.A. to have to restore you system when something goes wrong. This is a lesson learned the hard way; i don't admit i'm wrong easily. but i've wasted many days of my life restoring computers for myself & other ppl because we were to stupid/aggressive in our computer use and very LAX in keeping backups.
I just reinstalled my laptop because I bought a better HDD and some RAM for it, and it took me about 8 hours to get it up to the way I wanted it to. I'm gonna make a Ghost of the system as it is now and continue to fiddle with the XP disc I have.
