Automating A Windows Installations

[Mike C. Fletcher]

There is a process called "slipstreaming", which integrates service 
packs and hot fixes into a Windows 2000 installer image. (Do a google 
search).  With that, you can use the built-in "unattended install" 
features of the windows installer to get Windows 2000 installed.  Not 
sure if slipstreaming is available for NT4.  Basically, systems 
administrators do this stuff all the time, so if there's something that 
seems like it would obviously be useful, you can probably find it in a 
few hours of searching.

Of course, that has nothing to do with my Python ;) , save you might 
have more time for programming :) .

If you really do want to use Python, you could use ctypes to send 
messages manually, or auto-it (a proprietary COM product) to drive the 
process.  This isn't likely going to be a simple or fast process (since 
you'll need to learn the tool) but if the goal is just to learn, might 
be worthwhile.

HTH,
Mike

Pete Markowsky wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I've been charged with the task of updating both a window 2000 install
>and a windows NT 4 install. I have all of the patches and hotfixes but
>would really rather not have to click through the all the menus. This
>seems like it would be a really good thing to automate with a
>script. However I'm not sure if or how python can interact with the
>menus windows pops up(I'd use a more technical term but I don't know
>what to call them). If anyone could give me any pointers as to how to
>write a script to automate this it'd be greatly appreciated.
>
>-Pete
>  
>
_______________________________________
  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://members.rogers.com/mcfletch/