Multi-OEM/Retail Project {MRP} - Mk3

MRP v138.0 and Query Tool v116.0 have been uploaded, 2nd post's download links, passwords and hashes have been updated.

Spoiler: MRP 138 Changelog

+ Fixed Vista/Server2008 SLIC Activation subroutine so that it will now correctly activate when the criteria is met.

+ Added Multi-Mode Taskbar Mode and Icon view options which will allow the user to set the view of the Taskbar when using multiple monitors. The OS will ignore this option when only one display detected.

+ Added Five Windows 11 options:

1} Taskbar size multiple option which allows Small, Default or Large size.
2} Move Start Menu to the left, instead of default middle.
3} Disable News/Interest Taskbar Widget.
4} Disable the new 'Snap Assist Flyout' found on the maximize button.
5} Use 'Classic' Start Menu mode which moves the menu to the left and uses a more 'Windows 10' like style.

Note: The Windows 11 options which do the various actions may be revoked later by Microsoft. Also these options will be ignored on any other OS unless a update allows them to be used, such as for Windows 10.

+ Added three new 'Server' related options:

1} Don't open the 'Server Manager' at user logon.
2} Disable the 'Shutdown Event Tracker', stops asking why you wish to shutdown etc.
3} Disable using 'CTRL-ALT-DEL' to log in. Uses the standard GUI login screen method.

If any of the above 'Server' options are selected for use and a non Server installation is detected the OS will just ignore them as they not used on non Server OS's. Note that some Server OS's the above options may not work as it depends on the internal policies etc.

+ When using either of the 'Remove All Apps' options the Phone and XBox removal options can now function as separate items when selected, before they would of been set to No.

+ The Admin Tools context menu 'MSConfig' and 'Security/Action Center' items will now be auto translated in the native OS Language where possible, unless the user adds their own wording for this item within the 'CT/Menus' section of the MRPConfigCreator. Default will otherwise be in English.

+ If Decompile detects 'SetupComplete' and/or 'FirstLogon' .cmd scripts then MRP will attempt to self protect the project files to prevent malfunction. A note will be made in the log when this protected mode is operative.

+ If Unicode Mode is in operation then a note in the main project's log will be made.

+ Added extra log entries during the early stage of MRP so that if for some reason there is a failure of the project and major crash, hopefully there will be a clue to where it had stopped. This is experimental and due to the various nature of the crashes it may not work as expected.

+Various other internal code changes have been made and some rewording for the log entries on some of the options have been done too.

+ MRPConfigCreator has been updated to v43.0 to cover the above new options and some changes to the text on some items has been adjusted. Plus added the new Win 11 tab.

Spoiler: Query Tool v116 Changelog

+ Added checks for Windows 11, some elements may still say Windows 10 because the Kernel has not been fully updated by Microsoft so the results are what is obtained from the Registry or via WMIC etc.

+ Added more error checking to prevent crashes, although cannot guarantee all events will be prevented.

+ Checks for TPM, SecureBoot etc bypass use for Windows 11.

+ Many internal code tweaks too boring to mention.

A lot has been done to the Query Tool but most notes was deleted and sadly i cannot remember what was done in detail. But a few fixes for the odd crash has been done that should allow the QT to function better...

 

After a few days break i have now started on MRP v139

As one or two of the w11 tweaks are no longer operative i will either grey them out or change them (if anything new appears) in the Creator. Using the current options will not cause any issues as the OS's new CU update will have been patched to ignore them anyway...

Hopefully something new can be put in place of the ones no longer operative.

 

Possible two w10/11 options - it depends if i can perfect them first

1. Add 'PC Settings' sub menu item to the Desktop's right-click CT/Menu. It will show majority of the most used 'pages', all should be OS translated apart from 'XBox' but as that a brand name i don't think that matters too much also if that App is removed via the MRP option then the item will not be shown in the menu. If any pages in the list are hidden then clicking the item should just open settings at the home page instead of causing a crash/issue - that part is still being sorted.

There are a few adjustments to be made as some names are not easy to find in the string look up tables and so have used slight differences, once they are working i will list the items of the sub menu {in English - but they should be translated in the OS language during install}.

2. Powershell sub menu for when you right click a .ps1 file, a new menu will appear that will show 'Run as PowerShell' ie non admin, run as admin and the ISE variants. Plus items to open the .ps1 script in Notepad, normal or as admin.

This one is causing a bit of hassle and it may not be added, it depends on how i can get it to work with OS translations as not all are available, work in progress...

 

It is all explained on the first post {here} also within the readme files inside the archive.

download, extract (using the password), place the $OEM$ folder inside the Sources folder of your ISO/USB/Image, you may need the ei.cfg file (found in the optional folder under the OS you are installing) to also be placed in the Sources folder to bypass any MSDM (internal key for win8.x/10/11) so that you can select your Edition to install. Then install the OS as usual.

Or if you wish to tweak your install before desktop, use the Creator program to select your options, once done press save button , copy the MRPConfig.ini file into the '$OEM$\$$\Setup\Scripts' folder of your ISO/USB/Image where you will find the Decompile.exe, oobe.cmd and OEM's.7z files -- MRP will do the rest.

The main purpose of MRP is to set the branding for the OS during installation so it looks like a OEM install, so if your laptop/PC is say a Acer then MRP will attempt to put all the logo's etc in for Acer.

MRP can do a lot more but that is all explained in the readme files.

 

I have been looking for a newer method that will be language independent, the only one i found was using powershell which i tried to avoid as it not compatible with any OS below 8

 

I have managed to edit the current 'take ownership' menu but will need a bit of help as i not able to auto-translate certain bits as there is no look up table entries.

No Powershell used so it may not be as fully efficient, but it does do some filtering ie will NOT touch 'C:' (or the system drive), the Windows folder and a few others to prevent some major issues.

Code:

FOR /F "tokens=2*" %P IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language" /V "Default" ^| find /i "REG_" 2^>nul') DO echo Language Code = [%Q]

So to help me make this more efficient if you could reply with the 'language code', the single letter used for your 'Yes' and the wording for 'Take Ownership' or your variant of it.

Example:

040C , O , Prendre possession
0C0A , S , Tomar posesión

I will try to do as many as i can but as there are so many variants it not easy with Google translate to get it always correct.

Many thanks

 

The powershell one does not auto translate either i thought it did but there is no look up tables to use.

That p/shell script is quite advanced but it too requires a lot more translations...

Either one i decide to use will be in the next release so it be a while yet.

Got a interview for a new job tomorrow.

Edit: Got the job!

 

Oops

I had adjusted that code to cover w11, will recheck as i think the variable used got set wrong too early. Should be a easy fix.

edit: As i had thought, sorted it for next release.

 

A couple of new options added so far and will be tested soon...

More details later once testing has completed and they are ok to use...

 

Well due to major problems with the auto translation of the 'Take Ownership' option, i have now adjusted it into two versions...

1 - For Vista/7 Kernel installs, it still uses the simple current 'Take Ownership' code but there is a added item on the c/text menus tab in the creator that allows the user to enter the single letter for 'Yes' in their Language so that the simple 'take own' part can work on directories etc.

For example in French the single letter is 'O'ui, Spanish is 'S'i - it is a awkward task to do via script as Google and other translator programs not use a single letter to convert the 'Y' to the equivalent in other Languages.

Leaving the box blank will use 'Y' as default which may not work on your Language!

2 - Extended 'Take Ownership' is for Win 8.x and above this uses Powershell to do all the actions for the option. The creator now has the input-boxes for the user to enter their native Language wording for the context menu display lines.

Leaving any of these boxes blank will tell MRP to use the default en-us wording for the CT line entry.

MRP will chose either the simple or extended version depending on the OS Kernel installed. As the extended version will not work on Win 7 or below as the PS version does not support the code, i have tried.

The auto translation part was starting to work but due to limitations of the cmd interpreter it not like arrays, ( i had to use a bodge to make that work ), but that was not the issue, it was because .cmd scripts not like Unicode or even UTF-8 to allow the special character sets of non Latin based languages to be used in variables etc, so for now that is on hold.

The compromise is the method mentioned above, about the user entering the details in their own Language/way instead.

The extended method works ok via a stand alone script, i have only just added it to MRP v139.TR3 - i am hoping it works under the early oobe stage, technically it should but until it has been tested i won't know for certain...

Have added a few other new options too:
a) Set explorer.exe to use a separate process, this can also help the expand explorer window ribbon on Win 11 too.

b) Add a WU bypass to allow upgrading Win 10 to Win 11 and ignore the checks for TPM or CPU etc. {Experimental and may get removed by m$ at some point}.

More may be added...

All being tested...

 

Tests so far are looking promising

There was a few little glitches but fixed them now.

All the new options appear to be working.

 

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