LastOS7 v5.2 x86 & x64 Final
This is the latest LastOS7 available as of 5th Nov 2011.
It has the latest Driverpacks and Microsoft Updates (on top of Win 7 SP1 base).
It includes a large range of essential apps and runtimes (all optional via the
ssWPI Installer). Includes the Latest Online Free Mega Games Pack in the Games
Installer (can be used on non LastOS machines). Many other things are tweaked,
modded and added, but if your not familiar with LastOS then you will find it
different to what "others" are calling modded windows, the theme, wallpaper,
icons and resources are the least interesting thing in these releases, in
fact many of them a standard, you really want to check out the Context Menu
Extras for the real powerful stuff. This release is 7.3GB so will not fit on a
DVD5, USB will be the best experience, The AutoStart menu has a button for
creating a bootable USB disk (formats the WHOLE disk, not just a partition).
The included LivePE is used to Install the OS or fix an existing one,
but your also able to install the LivePE from the LastOS Settings screen
(available after OS install and from the AutoStart menu). I wasn't
planning on releasing any more LastOS7 releases, but as so many updates
and changes were done, I thought people may wish to keep this on hand
for future installs (until Windows 8 at least).
* This release is NOT supported by LastOS.org and is not to be
associated with the tools they offer there or that have been included,
it is a concept of what the LastOS Builder can create and is not to be
used in businesses or sold in any form *
Code:
LastOS7 takes advantage of LastOS tools developed by a small team of people who wanted and use the very
tools they are creating, they are developed open sourced and publicly to Improve the speed and choices you
have while installing your Windows 7 OS to your computer.
We use any and all tools available to us, regardless of copyright as a concept OS for us to learn from and
share with the world, everyone is free to share any tools we have made for any use, but we only provide
copyrighted works as examples, they are not to be used for profit or production unless you already own a
license for each of them. You can choose not to install any copyrighted material and just use the free and open
sourced alternatives we have provided.
Some of the Tools and Features available are:
* Install by booting from DVD5 (x86 only).
* Install by booting from CD/DVD With a USB installer inserted (remove the disk once the Starting Windows screen is visible).
* Install by booting from DVD9 (x86, x64 on 1 DVD9).
* Install by booting from USB 8GB+ (x86, x64).
* Boot into a LivePE to preform Pre install backups, recovery, Reset OS passwords, Clone, Partition, System Restore, Startup Repair and Start the Windows 7 Installation.
* Pre select the applications/options you wish to install Post OS installation before you begin the Windows 7 Installation.
* Note *
To boot from USB use your BIOS Boot menu (usually F8 or F9 on Desktop PC’s, F11 or F12 on most Laptops), pick the correct USB Drive to boot. If you set the BIOS Boot Order to boot from USB First it may write the boot files for the actual OS to the External USB drive, making the System un-bootable after you remove the USB drive.
This Guide is to show the usual Settings for the most basic steps involved in doing a fully featured LastOS7 installation
Code:
: Important Tools :.
> ssWPI - a Automated installer that allows you to select the application or tweaks you want on your OS, this is available to run from the LivePE to select the apps you want to have installed along side the NightOS installed OS, Just run it from the icon on the desktop, select your applications and press done, run the Installer for x86 or x64 to install the OS and it will install the applications at the end of the OS install.
OK, there's lots you can do in the apps menu screen but the main thing you need to know is the difference between "SetupS" apps and "ppApp" apps. The main difference is that SetupS apps are installed onto your machine in the standard way; i.e., the programs are usually installed into your Program Files folder (c:\program files) and you should be able to see the app in the list of apps that are possible to remove/uninstall. The installation of a SetupS App (or ssApp) happens without you having to do anything, of course, as they are Silent. ppApps are best thought of as portable apps ('pp' stands for Permanent Portable) that are designed in such a way as to make life much easier with regard to your favorite apps -- you can keep ppApps on a partition or drive that is not your system drive, and you can keep them there even when you reinstall your PC. The information stored in the ppApp.app files of these apps allow for these apps to be all 'installed' again, shortcuts and settings and all, by running a ppApp generator. To put it a different way, ppApps are more OS-independent than ssApps and can be kept on a PC even the OS is reinstalled on it.
SetupS apps are coloured lilac in the list of apps, and they appear first in alphabetical order. The ppApps are coloured yellow and are next. There is a special type of ppApp that is designed to be used on Live OS discs and they live in a folder called 'ppAppsLive'. These can also be used on a machine with a standard OS and so they are also listed in the Apps menu. The difference between the normal ppApps and the ones designed to be used on a LivePE are minimal, although some sorting locations will be different to the standard and some of these may use a SFX (Self Extracting Archive) to extract and then run from the temp folder of your PC.
Code:
> Settings - This runs at the end of the OS install to allow fast access to Computer Management tools as well as setting some options for your installed OS, such as being able to move all your Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos and Favorites on to another Drive (so the next time you have to re-install you pick the same drive again and they will all still be there ready to access from your freshly installed OS). It also allows you to enter your name and a PC name, and it lets you choose on which drive or partition you would like to install your ppApps.
> Make Bootable USB Install - This is a portable version of Microsofts USB/DVD Builder Tool that will allow you to make your NightOS ISO in to a USB installable media, or to burn off the ISO to a DVD.
> AutoStart menu - This is included in the root of the DVD/USB install media to allow quick access to the tools above as well as other tools you might need.
> SetupS - An important part of the NightOS experience is to be able to install applications in an easy, sorted, and automated way. "Send To SetupS" will install you applications without requiring you to run the ssWPI to do so. Many new and updated applications can be found on the LastOS website; once downloaded you need not even extract them from their (usually .rar) archives -- instead just right-click the archive and choose "Send To SetupS". SetupS has undergone major development by TheFreezerBox in the first half of 2010, and now it has integrated Start Menu sorting options and allows for automatic icon allocation to app folder, and many things more.
> Games Launcher - Not only is the ssWPI able to install your apps and games, it can also be used as a Game Launcher to show you screenshots and descriptions of your games, as well as sorting them into categories; you can just run it, pick a game, and press play/start, and the game will run -- and when you exit the game the Game Launcher will re appear. This make it simple for children to use your PC and keep some order if you have a rather large collection on of games
Code:
:: Features ::
> Start Menu sorting - Instead of having a huge list of company names with no meaning, or hundreds of shortcuts in one folder to wade through, NightOS allows you to choose a sorting method for your start menu, with a simular category listing to Linux, NightOS will soon feel more organized and easier to find things you need.
> Very Easy To Mod - NightOS is created in such a way that changing how it acts and looks is as simple as changing the content of the ISO/USB, with much of the artwork used simply being a .jpg picture file in with the executable or MyOEM7 folder, Tweaks and AutoExecuted First Logon programs are also in this folder and their appropriate sub folders, also the application you can download or make can be put into the SetupSApps or ppAppsInstalls folder without needing to edit files or run programs to make them availiable from the ssWPI.
> Builder - LastOS is also available as a semi-automated Builder, so if you have the time to learn to operate it you can update, mod, and build your own versions of NightOS without needing to hunt for hours upon hours to get your OS mod to have the same features/tools included.
> Quick Launch Toolbar - Avaialble as an option on the ssWPI menu is the ability to turn the Quick launch Toolbar (next to the Start Menu). This was left out by Microsoft to get people to adopt the Pin to Taskbar option, but it may not be preferable for some to group or gloom Tasks -- pinning them at full size fills up valueable space that can be used to determine which task is which.
> UXTheme Patcher - Not only have we pre-hacked the Themes Services from Microsoft, we've included an automated patcher in the ssWPI, so if something were to disable this you can re-enable it without needing to re-install or search the internet for tools to do so.
Code:
Enjoy your NightOS experience.
It's true that there is not much information 'out there' that describes ppApps or ssApps or ppGames, but you did come to the right place to find out
Anyway, as you may know, "SetupS" is central to the pp/ssApps and ppGames. SetupS is responsible for installing the apps and games, allows for start menu sorting methods (for neatly, categorized menus), works in conjunction with a highly modded WPI (Windows Post Installer) called "ssWPI" that will allow you to install many pp/ssApps and/or ppGames at once, and more.
So, for example, the Mega Game Packs you came across are basically collections of ppGames that are presented to you by means of an ssWPI. ssWPI lets you click on each app or game in a list which will produce descriptions and screenshot/previews of the same. Furthermore, ssWPI will let you install a large number of games (or apps, in case of pp/ssApps) at the same time. So you just select the apps/games you want to install, say, 134 of them, and they will all install in 1 go, without requiring any interaction from you.
Anyway, to give a quick description of what ssApps and ppApps are:
- ssApps: installer based apps, installed silently
- ppApps: portable apps (or semi-portable, as *true* portables don't use reg entries, etc.)
(- ppGames basically are just like ppApps, but they are games, not applications)
Each ss/ppApp contains a file with the .app extension, which contains all the install info, description and url of the app, start menu sorting options, shortcut names, etc. This .app file basically tells SetupS how to install the app.
So if you want to take a look at the apps provided here on LastOS.org, just download some from the "Apps and Games Packages Section". As you'll notice, they are in the .apz format, which is really an archive (.7z) renamed to .apz. So you can right-click the apps in .apz format by right-clicking and 'extract to folder' via 7-zip. The .apz format is recognized by SetupS, which is why you can just double-click the .apz files and this will install the respective app silently (provided, of course, that you have SetupS already installed).
In the folder thus extracted you will find several things: the above mentioned .app files that direct what SetupS will do with the app in question; an .exe or .msi (in case of ssApps), or archives (.7z) in case of ppApps; graphics files (usually: a .jpg, a .png, and a .ico file). The graphics files are not essential to the apps' installations, but are added to provide screenshots of the apps when used through ssWPI, and some other, fun things.
As you'll know, many installer type apps can install via switches. A common switch for many applications is /S, which will install an app silently. When dealing with .msi's the switches for silent installation are usually along the lines of /q (/qn, /qb, etc.). You can enter those switches in the .app files inside the ssApps, which, like I said, contain all the install info that SetupS uses to install and configure the app. So instead of having to work with cmd's and sfx installers all the time, you can make silent apps easily. The .app files are basically text files (open them in Notepad) and so are an easy and central way to install and configure your app. It also allows you to include registry entries for the app, which SetupS will then apply for you too. It can also register .dll's and .ocx files, etc.
As for ppApps, these are not in installer .exe or .msi form to begin with, but are archives of an app's actual program files. So for example, take an app like ImgBurn. The installer of that program will install that app to C:\Program Files\ImgBurn. But we may prefer to make a ppApp out of it instead (installs faster, plus we may not want all ImgBurn's context menu stuff installed, etc.). So we can archive the actual app files, and tell SetupS where to write/install the files to (ppApps folder on any drive/partition of your choice). ppApps are also a good option for many apps that don't come with silent switches for installation, and therefore can't be made into ssApps. The "pp" in "ppApps" stand for "permanent portable". The reason it is called "permanent" is that you can install them to a partition other than your system drive, then reinstall your PC, and have SetupS re-generate the ppApps on your other drive with a matter of seconds, and you'll have all those ppApps installed on your freshly installed system again, just as you had them before your OS re-install.
Just remember, SetupS is the central tool for all ppApps, ssApps, and ppGames. It is the central engine that installs and configures them, creates and/or manages their shortcuts and menu sorting methods, etc.
So far this has just been about SetupS and the pp/ss apps and games.
Code:
We also have a "LastOS7 Builder", which is a program that will allow you to build a customized Windows 7 image that includes a PE (we call it: LivePE), can integrate Windows updates, can overlay files to the WIM and the ISO, and more.
It also lets you add ssApps and ppApps to your image, so you can include your essential apps and also ssWPI to install them from, conveniently. So when you burn a disc (or save to your usb drive to install from), you will have an up-to-date Windows, integrated reg tweaks, themes, etc., and apps, all in one image. The Builder basically gives you the option of creating your own completely customized install disc/image.
How to install NightOS: Uploaded Fileserve Mediafire
NightOS v3(based on LastOS Project Builder)
May 2011
Code:
Welcome to NightOS.
This DVD contains modded versions of Windows 7 Ultimate (x86 and/or x64) that uses the Live Preinstallation Environment (in much the same way Ununtu Linux allows live booting from USB/DVD) to install, recover, or repair the PC’s Operating System.
