LOG: Software installation and setup

d_sellers1 · 05-14-2006, 01:42 PM

One thing that I have not seem much about on MP3Car is all the software that ultimately gets installed on a CarPC. Well, I just started preparing the harddrive and been bench testing the unit so I began documenting what software I've installed and some of the more important settings that I've set.

Note: This is not intended to document the only or best way to set up a CarPC. This is simply a documentation of what I did in order to get the software configured the way that I like it.

New install:

Code:

Set Computer Name, Description, and Workgroup
Installed .Net Framework 1.1 & 2
Installed ATI Display driver
Installed Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro v1.0 chipset & audio drivers
Installed Buffalo WLI2-G54-USB driver and connected to wireless network
Installed Daemon Tools 4.03

Old install:

Code:

Completed
---------
Installed Mini XP (Stripped 125MB)
Installed ASUS V3800 driver
Set Computer Name, Description, and Workgroup
Set Language to English (United States)
Installed WinAmp 2.95 with Minimal installation
Installed Media Player Classic
Installed Firefox 1.0.3
Installed chipset drivers for Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro v1.0
Installed Audio driver
Installed driver for Buffalo WLI2-G54-USB wireless NIC and joined my network
Installed Earthmate USB to serial driver
Installed RoadRunner and zots.day skin (UPDATE: Removed zots.day in favor of Proximo’s CF skin)
Installed AutoIt v3.1.1 (updated to 3.1.1.123)
Installed DaemonTools 4.03 (for use with my iGuidance 2.1NA ISOs)
Installed iGuidance 2.21 with modified iGuidance.exe
Copied SkinBedder 2.5 that I already preconfigured during testing several months ago
Patched iGuidance using iGBigButtons-BLUE-21NA and ResHacked borders & buttons
Installed iGMon
Installed DivX 6.2, Xvid 1.03, & m2v codecs
Enabled hibernation
Installed Bluetooth adapter and driver. Paired Motorola SLVR.
Installed .Net Framework 1.1.something
Installed .Net Framework 2.something
Insalled PhoneControl.net (Unsuccessful; will research more)
Set password for username (for compatibility)
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to set AutoLogon
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to uncheck Unread Mail
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to disable Bitmap Image, Rich Text document,  Wordpad document, and AutoIt v3 script templates
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to not show Files Stored on This Computer in My Computer
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to hide My Bluetooth Places and Recycle Bin from Desktop
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to not show username on Start Menu, show toolbar notification icons, and warn when low on disk space
Used TweakUI on Memory Stick to Prevent applications from stealing focus 
Unchecked Prompt for password when computer resume from standy in Display > Screen Saver > Power Options > Advanced
Set power and sleep buttons to hibernate
Unchecked Use the Welcome Screen under Control Panel > Users > Change how user log on this machine
Set rr.exe as shell in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon
Added DisableStatusMessage DWORD Value of 1 to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ policies \ system \
Enabled Use Simple File Sharing
Created Music, Video, and TEMP folders. Also shared with Write access.
Installed Proximo’s CF skin per his instructions
Installed TightVNC as a service for remote access (makes it easier to edit configuration files and to transfer media to the CarPC)
Updated Flash Player (CPU Usage was too high)
Load flash.ocx from www.rrdownloads.net/Flash.zip (CPU Usage was too high)
Loaded Ford flash clock
Installed Process Explorer from Sysinternals as a replacement to Task Manager
Installed ffdshow to attempt to normalize the volume from videos (kinda works)

Code:

Hard drive stats: 
----------------
I'm currently using a 250GB HDD with two partitions (1 for OS; 1 for media).  

System 22.2GB of 24.4GB FREE
Storage 202GB of 208GB FREE 

MP3s: 220 songs
DVD Rips: 5 movies
Music Videos: 30 videos

This log will be updated as I go. If you see something that I still need to do then leave me a message.

Derek

Redian · 05-30-2006, 07:04 AM

one thing you might consider doing is changing firefox to a less memory hogging program like opera (6 windows for firefox is about 80MBs of ram, 6 windows for opera is onlky 22MBs of ram, see the difference) they have equal security and such so you wont lose anything, and the real kicker to using ipera is you can use mouse symbols (moving your mouse in a circle) and voice commands

mrheat · 05-30-2006, 09:37 AM

Sticky!

DarquePervert · 05-30-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by mrheat

Sticky!

No, not a sticky.
Every user's software requirements are different.

For example, I've made very few tweaks to WinXP.
I run MBM5 to monitor temps. I'm running StreetDeck and the support software necessary for it, which isn't something everyone has access to.
You may or may not need Powerstrip to force a certain resolution.

Although I highly applaud the idea of keeping notes on what you've installed and how it's configured. It's something I'm going to add to my worklog.

mrheat · 05-30-2006, 11:06 AM

err i mean stick it to RoadRunner forum

Enforcer · 05-30-2006, 11:17 AM

or move it maybe

d_sellers1 · 05-30-2006, 08:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Redian

one thing you might consider doing is changing firefox to a less memory hogging program like opera (6 windows for firefox is about 80MBs of ram, 6 windows for opera is onlky 22MBs of ram, see the difference) they have equal security and such so you wont lose anything, and the real kicker to using ipera is you can use mouse symbols (moving your mouse in a circle) and voice commands

Thanks for the tip. I have noticed on my home computer the Firefox does eat a lot of memory at times (seen as much as 125megs with one tab). I will definitely check out Opera. I know it's received good reviews in the past.

Quote: Originally Posted by mrheat

Sticky!

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

No, not a sticky.
Every user's software requirements are different.

For example, I've made very few tweaks to WinXP.
I run MBM5 to monitor temps. I'm running StreetDeck and the support software necessary for it, which isn't something everyone has access to.
You may or may not need Powerstrip to force a certain resolution.

Although I highly applaud the idea of keeping notes on what you've installed and how it's configured. It's something I'm going to add to my worklog.

Quote: Originally Posted by mrheat

err i mean stick it to RoadRunner forum

I do not intend for this thread to be a definitive how-to. What works for me may not work for someone else. You'll see me say that many times here on in the forum. I simply want to bring to everyone's attention the amount of software set up is involved. Everyone always thinks about the hardware but not much is talked about regarding the software aspect as a whole. Many people may not even realize that they have put in a fair amount of work until they actually sit down and make a record of it when starting from scratch. I will edit my first post to reflect this a bit better.

For me, I can use this as a guide in case my system ever crashes and I need to start over from scratch. (cross-fingers...)

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

or move it maybe

I figured just the general software forum would work but I think that not many people look in here. They just go in to the front-end or support software forums. If a mod or admin wants to move it to somewhere better suited, then I've got no problems with that.

Derek

d_sellers1 · 06-04-2006, 08:46 PM

I'm formatting the system. It's been running for almost three weeks now. I was running a version of Windows known as Mini-XP. The installation is only 125 megabytes. A lot of useless stuff has been taken out of it. This cuts down on the resources used and the amount of time it takes to start up.

Unfortunately, some of the stuff that has been taken out may be needed.

- I cannot access ATI's CATALYST to change display settings. It says it can only be done by an Admin even though I am the Admin and even created another account with Admin priviledges.
- I cannot access UltraMon's settings because it runs in the System Tray. The system tray has been removed. The only thing that runs down there is the time. No icons appear. The only way to access UltraMon is through its system tray icon. How ironic...
- I cannot seem to access the files on my Motorola SLVR via the Bluetooth connection. Everytime I tried, Explorer would crash and start over. (I tried to set Explorer back as my shell instead of RR to see if this would fix some of my problems. No luck.)

The downfall with doing this is now I'm going to have to go through and try to get rid of the unnecessary stuff. I started writing this post earlier this morning. Since then I've got Windows up and running along with most of the drivers. Windows is using about 215megs of RAM (230 with RR playing a music video). This won't do and will be changed.

Derek

f1vlad · 06-06-2006, 07:02 PM

That sucks that MiniXP didn't work for you. I was goign to try it for myself. I actually still will just out of curiosity. There's another thing called TinyXP. I wonder if these are the same things.

Personally, I've installed FEDORA CORE and Windows XP as a dual boot on my car PC, so far everything's great but Fedora Core takes a long time to boot up

XP is much faster.

d_sellers1 · 06-08-2006, 10:11 PM

The MiniXP was great in the aspect that most of the garbage was gone, it was real small, and used very little system resources. Unfortunately, I am trying to set up a dual-screen system that will have access to my cell phone. Even running the install of XP, I am still running in to problems with the dual screen. Who knows. I may just go back to MiniXP if the screens don't work out like I hope. Right now I think the ATI drivers are garbage because it tends to mess up anytime I use the theater overlay mode. I have to reload the driver after running RR with that setting enabled (kinda defeats the purpose).

Derek

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