Hi,

I want to be able to source the XP operating system files from an iso file instead of the CD to slipstream DriverPacks Mass Storage drivers into it.

DriverPack Base program doesn't seem to have the capability to mount the iso file, nor does Nlite. Is it the only, or the safest, way to slipstream XP to first burn a CD?

Thanks

NO, you seem like not having it right.

You NEVER modify a .iso (just like you cannot modify a CD).

And before someone comes with UltraISo and similar .iso editing software, it is NEVER recommended to use them for bootable CD's.

The general idea is (ALWAYS):

1. copy contents of the CD (or of the .iso) to a local folder
2. run whatever you want to run on it
3. re-create the .iso from the result
4. optionally burn a CD from the .iso

Compare with driverpacks howto:
http://driverpacks.net/docs/beginners-guide-windows-xp


jaclaz

Jaclaz, the process you describe is the one I'm currently using.

I was looking for another utiliy or workaround to save the disk burning and copying steps. I don't start the process with a CD. I have a bunch of iso files, which are images of CD's at our overseas subsidiaries. I get iso files and return iso files with the "updated" image of the OS. Then they use these updated iso's to burn the disks at their site.

My question was geared to saving the process, on my end, of burning each iso and copying them to HD disk folder to update the drivers...

I thought of an 'UltraIso" that would:

1. Read orig iso
2. Expand it in memory or in a temp folder (transparent to the user)
3. Slipstream the drivers into the expanded structure (transparent to the user)
4. Save the updated folders to the HD disk
5. The creation of the new iso may or may not be included, since there are many utilities around that already do that

Do you know what are the issues with this approach?

Btw, somebody sugested Magic Disk...which I'm sure it doesn't work otherwise you would have said so by now...

Now it starts to make sense, let's see if the following definitely clears the issue.

A .iso is a CD and a CD is a .iso.

They are PERFECTLY the same thing, the difference being only that THE SAME EXACT data in one case is saved inside a file on your hard disk and in the other case it is saved on an optical media.

A "full" cycle is:
Source(CD or .iso)->access Source->copy (or if you prefer extract) contents to HD->modify copy of contents->create Target ( .iso) ->burn Target to CD

What you need as Source is NOT the CD, nor the .iso, but the contents of either of them.

In the case of .iso, you can open it with FREEWARE 7-zip:
http://www.7-zip.org/
allright (in order to copy it's contents to HD) or you can use ANY of the several "Virtual Disk Drivers" available to MOUNT the .iso wxactly as if it was a CD (in order to copy it's contents to HD).

The most prominent FREEWARE ones are (in no apparent order):
IMDISK:
http://www.ltr-data.se/opencode.html/
Virtual Clone Drive:
http://www.slysoft.com/en/virtual-clonedrive.html
WINCDEMU:
http://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/
but there are many more.

And most support command line, so that you can automate the procedure via Batch or whatever.

Once you have modified the copy of the Source and created the .iso, in your described scenario there is NOT one need in the world to "burn" it (if not to test the result on real hardware).

jaclaz

Sounds logical. Good info. Thank you !

Question, when I mount the iso will it then become visible to DriverPacks Base program ?

May be visible, but not writable.

No, do NOT mount the iso.
Copy the files to hard disk instead.