MicroXP and Micro2003 Dual Boot CD
Only install Windows from this CD as a fresh install onto a formatted partition. You can only install Windows from this CD by booting from the CD. There is no setup.exe on the CD, because the option to upgrade is removed.
This CD contains two different editions of Windows and in total, four different options for the installation of Windows as follows...
1 = MicroXP with Added Driverpacks.
2 = MicroXP on its own. (103Mb ISO, 217Mb Windows Folder)
3 = Micro2003 with Added Driverpacks.
4 = Micro2003 on its own. (104Mb ISO, 219Mb Windows Folder)
All 4 options include dozens of tweaks for performance and many other tweaks to make Windows more secure and easier to use.
You also have four additional main boot options:
5 = Acronis Backup + Restore (Safe For Vista)
6 = Windows XP - Live Bootable Environment
7 = SpinRite v6.1 (Hard Disk Testing and Repair)
8 = Windows Memory Diagnostics (RAM Memory Testing)
Acronis boot CD lets you backup your Windows partition onto another partition for restoration at a later time, or you can restore a previously created backup. In theory you could install MicroXP, then reboot into Acronis, then backup your partition and install Micro2003 then do the same, back it up.
Windows XP Live Bootable Environment is a very small live Windows XP that runs in RAM memory - so when you boot into this live XP, your C: drive is in fact really your "shut down" Windows C: drive, this allows you to scan for viruses with the available NOD32 scanner, or you can delete/move files that it is impossible to delete or move whilst Windows is still running. With this option you can simply boot into the live Windows XP and no files are in use, your real Windows installation is totally shut down, but you can still access it through the Windows Explorer in Live XP. Also this has Paragon Partition Manager included too for resizing and formatting your disks without worrying that the system might be running.
SpinRite is a hard disk repair and diagnostic tool. Runs whilst your real Windows is shut down, so all of the disk can be tested properly.
Windows Memory Diagnostics is a tool that will check every last byte of your RAM memory for errors, again whilst the usual Windows is completely shut down, so all the RAM can be tested properly.
What does Micro mean?
MicroXP and Micro2003 this time are both loosely based on each other, that is, there is now just one single Last Session.ini file for nLite and that one file can be used on both XP SP3 and Server 2003 SP2.
It doesn't matter that the Last Session lists things like "Tour" which is not in Server 2003, nLite can't remove something that isn't already there, so it is safe to combine both into one universally usable Last Session.ini file.
Now anyone can use that Last Session.ini in nLite to make any XP SP3 or Server 2003 SP2 into a Micro version! The Last Session lists all the files to be removed and kept, there is no manual file deletion or editing of TXTSEUP.SIF required, nLite does everything and the one Last Session,ini file can be used on both XP and 2003. YES BOTH.
Previous editions of MicroXP and Micro2003 were done the hard way, by manually commenting out files from TXTSETUP.SIF, it is only from all that work that this Last Session.ini file could come about. So there isn't any logic in asking why this wasn't the way it was done last time. Once a decent MicroXP or Micro2003 had been made, like MicroXP v0.82, it then makes it easier to create a template Last Session.ini file.
Updated to October 2008
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Both editions of Windows include Windows Updates to October 14th 2008.
This also includes the out of cycle hotfix KB958644.
This means Windows is updated to Monday November 10th 2008. The day after that, the next lot of updates come out if there are any.
Drivers for Thousands of Devices Installed Automatically With Windows
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Boot options #1 and #3 are with added driverpacks to support:
Chipset
CPU
Ethernet
Graphics Cards
Mass Storage devices
SATA Drives
Sound Cards
Wireless LAN
This is every 'Bashrat the Sneaky' official driverpack.
Choosing this option means all your devices will work straight away, including SATA drives that normally require a floppy disk, many drivers that people often do not even realize they need, like proper chipset drivers. Don't just rely on the old XP drivers... DO take advantage of the option with driverpacks added. This option is recommended in all cases except on very old systems, but now there is even a solution to that, built into this new Micro-X disc!
Windows XP is usually fine but with Server 2003 you might have a confusing time finding drivers, just use XP drivers, no one makes Server 2003 drivers, you always just use the XP drivers, but sometimes the installer refuses to install, this is why its vital on Micro2003 to choose the option that has added driverpacks, its recommended for a good reason!
NOTE: In this new edition you can now actually cancel the extraction of certain packs! When Windows is installing, after the first reboot, you will see a green Window pop up asking if you want to extract Chipset drivers. You have exactly 15 seconds to either press "1" to extract the driverpack to your hard disk, or press ESC to ignore the pack, of course if you press ESC then you will not have those drivers installed later on. Then a red window appears asking you to press "2" to extract CPU drivers, this carries on for all ten packs.
The magic of this option is simple:
1 - You can skip the extraction of the 3 big Graphics packs and the 2 big sound packs. On a really old system you'd possibly need to do this, because the packs will extract to be about 2GB on your hard disk.
2 - The installation does not stop, the green window only appears for 15 seconds and if you do not press any keys at all then the driverpacks will all extract by default.
So remember - you WILL need to be there sat at the PC after first reboot ONLY IF you want to cancel the extraction of certain packs. However you do not need to be sat there if you want an unattended install 100% - this IS a 100% unattended installation, that is the magic of it!
NOTE: These packs, if all are extracted, take up approx. 2GB of space on your hard disk, but they are only temporarily extracted there and always deleted by the time Windows does its final reboot. Only the devices that you have plugged in and switched on will have their drivers installed.
Added Programs - Optional Installs
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There is a folder on this CD called 'APPS'. This is a menu with several programs where you can tick each box next to each program and have them all install one after the other without any user intervention.
When you install any of the 4 options (1 to 4) from this ISO, you will have a desktop icon called "Install Programs". This brings up the main WPI menu with the tickboxes.
This pack of applications includes:
allSnap v1.33.2
Atlantis Wordprocessor v1.6.1.9
Comodo Firewall Pro v2.4.19.185
DirectX 9c DLL Files 24 to 39
Everything v1.1.4.301
FoxIt PDF Suite v2.2.2129
Internet Explorer 7
IMG Burn v2.4.2.0
Themes (Luna theme)
Vista Aero Glass Theme
WinRAR v3.80
Windows Media Player 11
Internet Explorer 7 is one installer for both MicroXP and Micro2003.
Windows Media Player 11 is one installer for both MicroXP and Micro2003.
There are not many other programs here and all are small in size, but some are so good you will wonder how you did without them, like the program 'Everything' that speeds up searching your hard disk to a speed millions of times faster than Windows search, or the program 'allSnap' where you can make your Windows click together like a magnet so you can line windows up together exactly.
Also added here is the Vista Aero Glass theme, that uses Windowblinds to run it, but it is an amazingly accurate replica of the transparent Windows Vista Aero Theme. This not only works on Windows Server 2003 but it even has the transparent glass effect on systems with barely any graphics card memory - for example, it works in VMware and that has 4Mb of emulated graphics memory! The Windows are transparent with this Windowblinds theme, even on that spec. The file size of that Aero Theme installer is under 4Mb - proving that you do not need the collosal 'Windows Vista' taking up your disk space and RAM to have this arguably beautiful theme on the go!
Create a Separate ISO File
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Lets say you are happy with MicroXP without drivers and want to make a small CD of just that option, option number two. This is easy, just look in the folder called 'ISO' and there you can make a standalone ISO file of any of the four options. No need to make this bootable, the process will take care of that itself, you only need to burn the ISO file to a CD as an image (NOT as a data disc!)
This could be handy for 210Mb (8cm) CD's. MicroXP is well under the limit of 210Mb, in fact you could even include drivers by making an ISO of option #1 then open that ISO and delete the big 7z files, the ones starting with DP_G are graphics drivers, the ones starting with DP_S are sound drivers, if you delete those big .7z driverpacks out of the OEM folder on your ISO, it will shrink the size right down so then you could have a 210Mb CD with a lot of drivers still included.
If you do this, you must not delete the file 'DPM805.7z' though! You can delete any other DP*.7z files. Note that if you delete the graphics files, you should also delete the file 'ATICCP.ins' which is also in the OEM folder.
These separate ISO files do not include any APPS folder, or Acronis. Because there is no APPS folder there is also no link on the desktop to "Install Programs" either like there is in the 4 installations from the main boot screen, when you boot from the main Micro-X CD.
What is included
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- 16-Bit support
- Basic Ethernet and Sound drivers are still included (all 4 options)
- Browzar web browser is included so you can download Firefox or Opera
- Cameras
- Dial up modems are supported (including ADSL broadband)
- DirectX DLL files for gaming can be included (APPS menu)
- Every keyboard layout is included
- Has 99% of languages (only Chinese, Japanese and Korean are removed)
- Installers for IE7 and WMP11 are included on the CD
- Printing is supported
- Scanners
- Support for nearly every game and program, just like normal Windows
- Themes (service is disabled, Luna is included on the APPS menu)
- XP Passes WGA checks (XP only, Server 2003 has no WGA to start with)
- You can Map Network Drives on MicroXP and Micro2003
What is missing (much more than this, see the Last Session.ini)
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- No Fast User Switching
- No Jet Database
- No Internet Explorer 6/7
- No MDAC
- No Outlook Express
- No Password storage or Auto Complete
- No Remote Desktop
- No Scheduled Tasks
- No support for devices with Smart Cards
- No Windows Media Player 9/10/11
- You cannot upgrade Windows from this CD
- You cannot create extra users on these installations
- You cannot visit Windows Update (no real need to)
eXPerience Desktop Folder
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Contains many useful tools and solutions, quick shortcuts to get to things on first installation like changing your keyboard layout and so on.
- Code:
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http://rapidshare.com/files/190638684/MXPM2003DBCD.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190640495/MXPM2003DBCD.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190642569/MXPM2003DBCD.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190644427/MXPM2003DBCD.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190646453/MXPM2003DBCD.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190648447/MXPM2003DBCD.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/190649836/MXPM2003DBCD.part7.rar
