The XP setup don't prompt me where (which Partition) to install

[iceangel89]

i have a problem with my XP install not prompting me where, which partition, to install on. how do i fix this?

i did it the manual way from Guide for MultiBoot USB-stick with boot.ini Menu except when creationg the localsource, i added

/unattended:G:\WINXP\I386\winnt.sif

for the unattended stuff created by nLite

---update---

oh maybe i found it

http://www.msfn.org/board/boot-install-USB...html&st=199

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Install XP and leave stick plugged in until after the first logon screen.

Notes:

1. If you use an answer file when launching WINNT32.EXE make sure you delete the whole [unattend] section in WINNT.SIF, otherwise you won't be able to use System Restore and SETUP will not prompt on which partition to install.

2. If you use BTS mass storage DP method 2 and repair install then include the following line in \$WIN_NT$.~LS\I386\PRESETUP.CMD

CODE

DEL /F %systemroot%\system32\setupold.exe

or GUI Setup stops at start, complaining about fake setup being executed.

3. If during TEXT MODE your usb stick is listed first when SETUP searches for disks , above SATA/SCSI disks, disable in BIOS IDE channels including the ones with CDROM/DVD attached or disconnect them, this should fix the order. Do not continue install if stick is listed first, this will corrupt files and MBR on it.

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but will it cause any difference? like it becomes not unattended? if so what does the [unattended] section actually do? how can it be so "unimportant" that i can just remove it like that?

my unattended section

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
UnattendSwitch="Yes"
OemPreinstall="Yes"
OemSkipEula="Yes"
FileSystem=*
WaitForReboot="No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode=1
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
NonDriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
unused=unused

Edited February 10, 2008 by iceangel89

[ilko_t]

Look this post and above/below, it's all explained:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Issues-Setup-t11...424#entry734424

Why are you touching winnt.sif? If you have it in source, it will be copied and corrected properly.

Edited February 10, 2008 by ilko_t

[iceangel89]

Look this post and above/below, it's all explained:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Issues-Setup-t11...424#entry734424

Why are you touching winnt.sif? If you have it in source, it will be copied and corrected properly.

err... what do u mean?

i have done

winnt32 /makelocalsource /noreboot /unattend:G:\WINXP\I386\winnt.sif

then copied the txtsetup.sif, $WIN_NT$.~LS and $WIN_NT$.~BT folder to my USB HDD. correct?

then because when i try booting and installing from this partition, the setup runs normally except it does not prompts me where (which partition) to install on. so it installs on my USB HDD.

so to fix this i am supposed to remove the [unattend] section in WINNT.SIF?

from my previous quote?

1. If you use an answer file when launching WINNT32.EXE make sure you delete the whole [unattend] section in WINNT.SIF, otherwise you won't be able to use System Restore and SETUP will not prompt on which partition to install.

Edited February 10, 2008 by iceangel89

[ilko_t]

Basically- yes. But- using only that will have the following issues:

1. Windows source files are deleted(actually moved) from USB disk during Text Setup and at the end of GUI mode both folders ~bt and ~ls are deleted, along with txtsetup.sif at root.

2. Boot.ini at destination will have incorrect value for rdisk, as USB disk is (0), and your internal hard disk gets (1). Remove USB disk- you cannot boot from hard drive unless you change boot.ini manually.

3. Using /unattend:winnt.sif creates [unattended] section in winnt.sif, Setup won't prompt for destination since it's started from ~bt folder.

4. When installing from USB hard disk (it's seen as basic/fixed disk), Setup likes it to place boot files on it. If it is seen as removable, Setup puts them on your hard drive. Here cames in game rdummy.sys.

In this post and the next few you can find the very first version of usb_prepare.cmd. It's very easy from it to understand what's exactly going on.

http://www.msfn.org/board/boot-install-USB...016#entry681016

Edited February 10, 2008 by ilko_t