Solved Need help figuring out best way to do fresh install with USB drive

[Sidecar Bob]

I posted this in the Integrate 7 thread but I have a feeling I may not get an answer there for a long time (if ever) so I'm starting a new thread in hopes that someone can help me.

From https://www.sevenforums.com/install...ad-slipstream-all-updates-12.html#post3459312

I've been messing with and working on computers long enough to be pretty good at some things but I am still a newbie at a lot of it, including this sort of thing. I am currently working on resurrecting a couple of P4 computers to be used mostly for playing music stored on our network drive.

I have no experience with ISO files but I have Windows 7 installation DVDs and have used them in the past and I have used a flash drive prepared with the Media Creation Tool for both upgrading to Win10 and doing a fresh install of Win10 on an empty HDD. When I mentioned that in another thread it was recommended that I should look for "2 threads in the installation and set up sub-forum where Up to date "iso's" are currently maintained. supported by these users SIW2 & Wkeller" and then use Rufus to produce a bootable flash drive that I can install from so that I don't have to let Windows Update perk away for several days each time I install Win7.

It sounds like this thread has what I'm looking for but I am unsure of which file I need and how to use it.

- I think I need v2.20 but should I use the version with drivers? (these are SFF computers so everything is on the motherboard)
- I am unsure of how to use Integrate. Does it run like an executable?
- Can I use an installation disc or do I need to download an ISO file?

- Can I run this on my Win10 computer to prepare the USB drive for installing Win7 on an empty HDD?


Would I be better off to use files available in the other thread https://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/415754-update-your-win-7-installation-media.html and if so, which one?

 

[Megahertz07]

To slipstream the updates and / or drivers to the Win 7 installation drive you can use SIW2 or Wkeller scripts.
Just follow the instructions on the tutorial.

If you don't have a Win 7 iso file you can use your Win 7 installation SP1 disk as source.
The scripts are CMD files. Just run them as you run a executable file (double click).
You can use Win 7 , 8 or 10 to run the scripts.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

That's the problem. I don't understand how to do what the tutorials are telling me to do. There are a lot of holes in my understanding of how to do things on computers so I need a really basic explanation.



For example, the SIW2 thread says to download the 2 files and then

"1. Extract the 7UPv47.zip directly to the root of the drive, so you have C:\7UPv47 folder"


Does that mean I should do that on the computer I want to prepare the USB drive on or the computer I want to install Windows on?

If the former, how will that affect the computer? (I don't want to take any chances on messing it up)

If the latter, how do I go about doing that?


BTW: I spend time on forums for old motorcycles most days, helping people that don't know things as basic that the size of a nut or bolt is determined by the diameter of the threaded part of the bolt, not the size of wrench needed to turn it (6mm bolts usually have 10mm heads - you wouldn't believe how often someone tries to tighten one using the torque spec for a 10mm bolt and then needs to be talked through the process of removing the broken bolt and repairing the threads in the part). Trying to figure this out is helping me to understand how those guys that have never held a wrench before feel

 

[Megahertz07]

Anything on the tutorial is to prepare / make a Win 7 installation disk (with or without updates & with or without drivers).
Then you use it to install.

 

[SIW2]

"1. Extract the 7UPv47.zip directly to the root of the drive, so you have C:\7UPv47 folder"


Does that mean I should do that on the computer I want to prepare the USB drive on

yes

If the former, how will that affect the computer?

It doesn't. You can delete the 7up folder after you have finished.

If the latter, how do I go about doing that?

It is a zip file. Windows can extract those. Right click the zip file and select extract all



Type in C:\ then click EXTRACT

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Thanks. That's what I needed.


I have unzipped it to the c:\\7up folder and dragged the Updatepack into the folder. So far so good. When I tried to run 7UPDATERv47.cmd as an admin a window opened telling me that "Windows has protected your computer" with a Don't Run button. That had me stumped for a moment but I clicked More Info, then Run anyway.



The blue screen asking for THE PATH OF THE WINDOWS INSTALLATION FILES and a Browse For Folder window opened. I looked at the tutorial again and noticed the Screenshots link at the bottom. The pics & instructions there looked like they might help.
It says "It will ask you to browse to installation media:" and the pic indicates to browse to a folder called EXTRACTED-ISO but doesn't say where to look for it or how to create it.



Once again I have no idea what I need to do next.

 

[SIW2]

Better to unblock a file that has come from another computer. Rt click>select properties >unblock apply>Ok


The 7updater is for updating installation media.
So you need to have installation media.

If you have a win7 dvd, put it in the dvd drive.
Rt click the dvd drive and select copy.
Rt click your C drive and select paste.

It will take a few minutes to copy the dvd - the folder that creates on your C drive will likely be called something along the lines

GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD

might be slightly different name depending on the version

That is the folder you browse to.

 

[SIW2]

Many people do not have a win7 dvd , so they download the installation media from the internet as a very large .iso file.

There is a litle iso-extract.cmd included in 7Up folder. They can run that to extract the files from the .iso into a folder called extracted-iso. Then that is the folder they browse to.

The contents of the dvd are the same as the contents of the .iso file. It doesn't matter which is used.

In either case, the dvd or iso file need to already be the SP1 version. The very old non SP1 media is no use because the updates will only integrate into media that already is SP1.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I'm not sure how to unblock a downloaded file. I've never seen the Windows has protected your PC window before. Anyway it didn't do it when I ran 7UPDATER again.



GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD it is. I assume I should also delete this after the bootable media is prepared.


That's got it working now. I chose All Versions and it spent about an hour adding updates for starter before it opened the CMD window to search for more updates so this could take a while. I'll let it run overnight and let you know how far it gets by morning...


And if I have any problems understanding the next part

 

[SIW2]

It will ask to press any key to unmount when it has updated that edition (starter).

Then it will change editions, which takes about 5 minutes per edition.

That is much faster than updating all the images individually.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

OK. I'm up a bit later than I expected and when I just came back it said "FINISHED press any key to exit. So I did.


The next thing you say in the tutorial thread is to use ISO-CREATE.cmd to create the new ISO. It asks for the installation files directory and, of course, I have no idea where to tell it to look.

 

[SIW2]

It asks for the installation files directory and, of course, I have no idea where to tell it to look.

GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD is the installation files directory

One of the files in there is called install.wim and will be quite large after the updates, so the iso will be big. It might not fit on single dvd. You can use usb stick or double layer dvd. Or even split across 2 dvds

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Thanks again. Windows says the ISO is only 3.31 GB. Did I do something wrong for it to be that small?

 

[SIW2]

it spent about an hour adding updates for starter

Starter edition only natively exists in x86 media

The original x86 iso 2.38gb so 3.31gb after integrating updates sounds ok.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I think it worked.

I've read a few recommendations to use Rufus to prepare the USB drive so that's what I used. The USB drive appears to have the same contents as the GRMCULFRER_EN_DVD folder, at least at a quick glance. Now I have to get another small project off of my workbench and the DC5000 back on and I can try to install fully updated Win7 on a blank HDD.


I'll let you know how it comes out.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

That worked very well. Under 2 hours from the time I turned the computer on to a fully updated installation of Win7 Ultimate, including formatting the partition (just in case) and in between cooking and eating supper.


I expected Windows update to install .net and I wasn't surprised that it found the Soundmax driver and IE 11 BUT it also wants to install:
2019-07 update (KB4493132)
KB3021917
KB3068708
KB3080149
KB3150513
KB3172605

I told it to install .net, IE11 and the driver but decided to hold off on the KBs until I checked with you. What do you think?

 

[SIW2]

I wouldn't use ie11. It is no longer being updated. Use firefox or derivatives or chrome or Yandex.

undesirable updates to be hidden

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Yeah, I've used Firefox for a long time. I only let it install the IE11 because I wasn't sure how much it was integrated with Windows Explorer in 7 and I figured it wouldn't hurt.


All of the KBs on my list are on your list. I'll make sure not to let it install anything on that list. I set it to notify me if there are any new updates but not download or install without permission.


I've marked this thread solved. Thanks again for all of the help you have given me in this.

 

[SIW2]

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I'm really getting into this now. A couple of weeks ago I installed 7 on one of these computers and let Windows update run for a couple of days. From what I've learned recently on this forum I decided it would be better with this install so It doesn't have the updates on your list. I also want to give a copy of the fully updated install disc to a friend.



I looked up how to burn a bootable disc from an ISO and learned that Windows can do that without installing anything else



As I type this I have just finished using the DVD I burned myself to re-install Win7 (with all needed updates) on the computer I did the hard way couple of weeks ago.


Thanks again.