Creating a Sysdiff package
Sysdiff

Creating a Sysdiff package

1	Run sysdiff /snap to create a snapshot.

2	Install the applications you want to distribute to other computers.

3	Run sysdiff /diff to create the Sysdiff package.

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Applying a Sysdiff package during end-user setup
Sysdiff

Applying a Sysdiff package during end-user setup

1	Make sure you have completed all steps in To create a Sysdiff package.

2	Create a temporary directory for the Sysdiff package file.

3	Copy diff_file to the temporary directory.

4	Add a script to Cmdlines.txt that will include sysdiff /apply snap_file diff_file.

Note

Only use this method for small application packages since large packages might take a long time to apply.

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Applying a Sysdiff package to your distribution directory
Sysdiff

Applying a Sysdiff package to your distribution directory

1	Run sysdiff /inf.

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Viewing difference file information
Sysdiff

Viewing difference file information

1	Run sysdiff /dump.

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Using Sysdiff
Sysdiff

Using Sysdiff

1	Install Windows 2000 on the reference computer.

2	Run sysdiff /snap on the reference computer.

3	Install the applications you want onto the reference computer.

4	Run sysdiff /diff on the reference computer to create the difference file.

5	Apply the difference file using sysdiff /apply (during end-user setup) or sysdiff /inf (to the installation source).

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Before you use Sysdiff
Sysdiff

Before you use Sysdiff

You will need:

A reference computer that has the same platform as your target computers.

The %SystemRoot% directory must be the same on the reference and target computers.

Windows 2000 should be installed in the same directory on both systems.

A distribution directory where the files generated by the Sysdiff tool can be made available to target computers.

If you are using Sysdiff as part of an unattended installation, the distribution directory will also include all the files, and any other customization files that you want to include.

A network connection between the target computers and the distribution directory.

You must have a properly configured sysdiff.inf file available.

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Overview of Sysdiff
Sysdiff

Overview

Use Sysdiff to include applications with Windows 2000 installations on target computers. Sysdiff is a tool that creates and applies system difference packages, and generates installation .inf files and distribution directories.

The three main stages of using Sysdiff are:

Taking a snapshot of a system just before making changes, such as installing applications.

Creating a system difference package file of the system to record the changes since the snapshot was made.

Applying the Sysdiff package on another Windows 2000 installation to duplicate the changes made to the original system.

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Snap Mode

Run Sysdiff in Snap mode to create the basis for a later Sysdiff.

sysdiff /snap [/log:log_file] snapshot_file

where:

log_file is the name of an optional log file, to which Sysdiff saves information describing its actions.

snapshot_file is any valid Win32 file name. A snapshot of the system is recorded in this file.


Diff Mode

Run Sysdiff in Diff mode to generate a difference file. This file is a list of differences between an earlier snapshot of the system and the system as it exists at a given point in time, such as immediately after applications have been installed.

sysdiff /diff [/log:log_file] [/c:”comment”] snapshot_file diff_file

where

log_file  is the optional name of a log file, to which Sysdiff saves information describing its actions. The log file is not used in Apply or Dump modes.

snapshot_file  specifies a file generated by an earlier use of Sysdiff /snap on the same Windows 2000 installation. (Sysdiff will fail if snapshot_file is from a different Windows 2000 installation.)

diff_file  is any valid Win32 filename. The specified file will be the output of Sysdiff and will be suitable for application to a Windows 2000 installation at end-user setup time (using Sysdiff /apply).

“comment” is the name you give to the Sysdiff package as it will appear in a message on the user’s screen during end-user setup (used with Diff mode option only). This comment must only contain the name(s) of the application(s) being preinstalled.


Apply Mode

End-user setup uses Sysdiff in Apply mode to apply a Sysdiff to a Windows 2000 installation. Apply mode is generally used for preinstalling very small applications. To use it, you must specify /m when running Sysdiff in Apply mode. You can specify one or more Sysdiff command lines in Cmdlines.txt

sysdiff /apply [/m] [/q] diff_file

where:

/m  remaps file changes to the user profile (%userprofile%) during the creation of a Sysdiff package so that the changes appear as Default User files.

/q  runs Apply mode quietly. Any errors that may occur are not displayed.

diff_file  specifies a file generated by an earlier use of Sysdiff /diff.

The %SystemRoot% must be the same as it was on the system that was used to generate diff_file. In other words, if you generate a Sysdiff package with a Windows 2000 installation in C:\WINNT, then that Sysdiff can be applied on other computers only if they are running Windows 2000 installed in C:\WINNT.


Dump Mode

Dump mode outputs a human-readable form of the contents of a Sysdiff package to a text file.

sysdiff /dump diff_file dump_file

where:

Diff_file  is a Win32 path to a file that was created by the Sysdiff Diff Mode.

dump file  is a Win32 path to a text file that will be created and will contain the dump contents.


INF Mode

Inf mode is used to apply Sysdiff packages to a distribution/installation directory. It generates an .inf file to perform .ini file and registry changes contained in a Sysdiff package, and generates an $OEM$\ directory tree for file changes contained in a Sysdiff package. The directory tree is created using only filename.ext names; special files are placed throughout the tree, containing mappings from filename.ext names to long file names where necessary.

sysdiff /inf [/m] diff_file oem_root

where:

/m remaps file changes during the creation of a Sysdiff package so that they appear as Default User files.

Diff_file  is the Win32 path to a file that was created by Sysdiff’s Diff Mode. The name of this file must be no more than eight characters long.

oem_root  is the Win32 path of a directory. The $OEM$ structure will be created in this directory, and the .inf file will be placed there with the name Diff_file.inf.


Sysdiff

Overview

Before you use Sysdiff

Using Sysdiff

Creating a Sysdiff package

Applying a Sysdiff package during end-user setup

Applying a Sysdiff package to your distribution directory

Viewing difference file information

/snap

/diff

/apply

/dump

/inf