Okay, you've got your application or driver componentized, including all the file and registry resources. Now you need to register a COM object that your application uses and ships, or set up service data for your device driver. One of the tricks to componentizing an application or driver is simulating dynamic setup process data. Moving files and registry keys around is easy enough to do using file and registry resources in the component, but doing things like registering DLLs and COM controls, installing service data, and setting dynamic data is a bit tougher. This is where First Boot Agent, or FBA comes in.

First Boot Agent is a set of processes that run on the Microsoft® Windows® XP Embedded runtime during its first boot. First Boot Agent (also know as FBA) reads and executes instructions placed in a special place in the registry. These instructions are populated by individual components, and can specify a number of different actions, including DLL registration, special data handing, service data installation, and other things. When FBA has finished processing everything, it cleans itself up and reboots the machine. Subsequent boots of the Windows XP Embedded runtime will not execute the FBA instructions again. FBA is a one-time operation, and usually happens on a golden master device before replication.