Lets describe new POWIS from #2998: 1) Default WinPE resolution is changed to biggest possible one in list of 16:9 or 4:3 monitor styles. Can be easily added 5:3 or any other requested. So for example on my test machine is WinPE always resized to 1920x1080. Wallpaper is selected according to current resolution (We will need wallpapers / background images in various sizes) 2) Every element is designed to works in any language - translation mechanism is done, just need to create sew separated language files (probably XML) 3) Table react on mouse hover or click. Table headers can be used for sorting 4) Setup image, Unattended or Driverpack have new feature to select custom files (done in DriverPacks right now) 5) Unattended list WinPE related informations on the fly directly from XML - this is work in progress right now So now I need to finish Unattended handling because now it loads some data and it needs to be improved to support on the fly modifying. For example partition Size or Label should be editable on the fly. As we have dual-arch Unattended XMLs I would like to support cross-arch settings. For example I have x64 Unattended and I want deploy x86 one using same disk settings. Currently it will loads Unattended for selected image architecture on "Setup image" screen. Whole Unattended logic needs to be designed. I think I need to add some Unattended settings - "Change image selection on the fly" checkbox unchecked by default probably. There should be probably also another button "Format now" to be able to perform these disk related settings from Unattended screen and refresh Target selection, because InstallTo element can miss too in XML. Diskpart script will process partitioning from XML. This will be done when setup process begin. But what should be selected on "Target" screen? Fake row with "Unattended setup will be used" instead of partition selection? Even if I finish these Unattended points there is still a lot of work. But when I'm done with these points I can probably continue in reals tests in WinPE. I hope whole process will be quicked when we get rid of usage of original installer. "Powerful Windows Setup" option should not have any stupid limits. Standard Windows installer require EULA and FLAG and LANGUAGE limits (Product key aswell). This means you cant deploy cs-CZ image from en-US installer when EULA is not in correct place based on language and flag. So when user use "Powerful Windows Setup" then will be processed Unattended disk settings with diskpart and then will be seleced image applied to target location using wimlib, then will be applied rest of Unattended to offline image using DISM. I hope whole process should be smooth replacement for Windows image deploying from WIM / ESD / SWM.
Yes, its possible, all screenshots are currently from Windows 10 host. Running POWIS as "Autorun" in ISO will be possible, but host must support HTA, VBS, JS and WMIC and of course run it with Administrator rights. But It's not currently in my priority list, step by step. Most of boring work seems to be done, but still not finished to testing phase in WinPE..
Hey George, NIIICE WORk So Far on that 1.7 XP i am really grateful for doing something like that Can i ask a favor.Would you send me those testing enviremont so i can provide a feedback to see if it works for my configuration?
Nothing big. In rare free time (couple of minutes in day right now) I’m continuing in POWIS coding. I can confirm my XML loading mechanism for Unattended works fine. Everything is loaded and can be processed (not done yet). I mean disk in any scenarios using original installer or just POWIS way. Currently I have designed how I can interpret these Unattended settings in Target tab. Its insane amount of work to make it perfect. But Yes, I’m closer and closer, just lack of time (Thats why I published ListDisk, community can investigate it already in waiting) I think its needed like another 1500-2000 lines of code to make first deployment test. But mostly everything is in place, when its done, probably all stupid deyployment limits are gone
First picture - Powerful Windows Setup, Standard Windows Setup, XP2ESD Setup. How is possible to overlook that we have 3 options? 1) Custom method driven by POWIS GUI only 2) Standard Windows Setup + XP2ESD Setup is still same what we have, there is noreason to drop these things, when they works.
@George King I suppose that this upcoming release will be the biggest change that XP2ESD will achieve (compared to the previous versions of XP2ESD).
Yes, it's evolution. XP2ESD was born 3 years back and from begining it was supposed to became universal AIO deploying solution. During night I have noticed issues with Dynamic disk partition detection in Target tab which is powered by WMIC, now it's fixed and optimized. I think most of logic are correct and tested. Now I need to review my whole VBS script and optimize it. I think I will currently start working on new translation mechanism. I will probably turn language files to XML like ViStart have. Because when master English file will be out, adapting to all languages will be easy, I will include 38 languages AI translated as begin, so native speakers can update it. And another point is new POWIS will be on GitHub.
On Tuesday I am hope that i'm gonna have a Computer Fujitsu P420 E85+, Intel Core i3 4150 3.5GHz, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, DVD-RW to test Windows XP x64 with XP2ESD using my HDMI video capture card through my VGA to HDMI adapter with audio. If I have two computers, maybe debugging XP2ESD's XP installation will be possible for me.
Sorry I meant if I don't have an OS installed on the system before hand or is that really the only way?
Exactly, in upcoming release are included some useful tools from Explorer++ Start Menu. Explorer++ is accesible from toolbox. It should be really easy in near future. That depends on situation, Because I decided to rewrite whole POWIS which is just GUI for setup.cmd which controls whole Windows Setup. Both methods Standard and XP2ESD are done and safe. POWIS method needs to be adapted. But thats easy part. Btw, I have succesfully tested new XML translation mechanism for POWIS. Now its time to be sure every element works correctly with translation changing on the fly - from dropdown for example. I still have 2 open points connected with wizard buttons… I think I have solution in my mind already. But its VBS vs JS. Template is HTA + external CSS, JS and VBS, then with VBS are dynamically loaded everything into HTA, and JS is called various times from VBS to bind table rows functions with abilities to add new rows into table without additional binding. Everything compatible with IE8 engine. So big testing was really succesful on many things. I hope I will prepare complete en-US.xml in few days.