Tricky Situation XP Partitioning in Unattended.

[kingsc]

Hello

I'm tired and need your help. I've read over the deployment help files, searched google, with not much luck.

So here's my situation.

Following a microsoft KB article basically broke the OS. I created a customized profile, copied it to the default user profile. I know now that there is probably a 'better' way to do that, but I didn't know that when I originally created it. The "break" isn't a major one at all, but I just want to make the image perfect. I won't get into details about it as I've already asked for help with it and have been unable to resolve it.

So, I want to revamp my image.

Since I'm doing this, the first part of my question is this; how can I utilize sysprep or -something- to create a C: partition for the OS of around 20GB to account for updates, and a D: partition for everything else. Realize, there's a reason why this needs to happen BEFORE the OS even loads, which leads to the next part.

I need to somehow change the profiles path:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

I need to change the ProfilesDirectory value to D:\Documents and Settings instead of %SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings

Why do I need to do all of this BEFORE the OS loads you ask?

Because, I did this after the install, inside of a VM and ran into a problem. The registry change works perfectly, problem is that there is still a C:\Documents and Settings. Inside of this, hidden and system attributed, are the NetworkService and LocalService profiles. I want these on the D: partition like everything else. I can't seem to cleanly move these as they are in use by the OS. I'm afraid if I try to just move them, it will break the OS.

Summary:

I need:

1. C: partition of 20GB for the os, and D: partition utilizing the rest of the HDD.

2. Somehow change the ProfilesDirectory value to the D: partition.

3. All of this needs to happen during the initial unattended install, unless there's a better way to do this.

Any ideas?

[IcemanND]

The way to do this is to Boot from Windows PE, then partition and format the drive, and finally kick off the installation of windows using winnt32.exe. That is if you want it all to be unattended.

[iamtheky]

this batch will format you and kick off the unattended from a PE utility.

SETUP=x:\path\I386

diskpart.exe /s args.txt

format c: /fs:ntfs /v:CEE /q /y

format d: /fs:ntfs /v:DEE /q /y

start /wait %SETUP%\winnt32.exe /s:%SETUP% /unattend:%SETUP%\winnt.sif /syspart:c: /tempdrive:c: /makelocalsource /noreboot

ARGS.txt

select disk 0

clean

create partition primary size=20000 noerr
assign letter=c noerr

create partition primary noerr
assign letter=d noerr


exit

and throw the following in your winnt.sif

[GuiUNattended]

ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"

Edited March 30, 2009 by iamtheky

[kingsc]

Thank you for the excellent replies.

I think I've had a lack of knowledge and am mixing up Sysprep and installation.

This is all new to me, I'll give it a shot and let you know how it goes, thanks again!!!!!

[kingsc]

this batch will format you and kick off the unattended from a PE utility.

SETUP=x:\path\I386

diskpart.exe /s args.txt

format c: /fs:ntfs /v:CEE /q /y

format d: /fs:ntfs /v:DEE /q /y

start /wait %SETUP%\winnt32.exe /s:%SETUP% /unattend:%SETUP%\winnt.sif /syspart:c: /tempdrive:c: /makelocalsource /noreboot

ARGS.txt

select disk 0

clean

create partition primary size=20000 noerr
assign letter=c noerr

create partition primary noerr
assign letter=d noerr


exit

and throw the following in your winnt.sif

[GuiUNattended]

ProfilesDir="D:\Documents and Settings"

Where do I put the winnt.sif file? I've never used this, only sysprep.

EDIT - Is there a good article I can read on the full use of this and how it works that you would recommend?

Edited March 31, 2009 by kingsc

[iamtheky]

http://unattended.msfn.org/

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showforum=20 - Bart's PE/Nu2menu forums

[kingsc]

http://unattended.msfn.org/

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showforum=20 - Bart's PE/Nu2menu forums

Thank you very much. I know how annoying it can be for someone to ask simple questions repeatedly, so thank you for your patience. I've just been working on this for several days now and I'm very tired and frustrated.

Edited March 31, 2009 by kingsc

[kingsc]

Sorry one more question: Where do you put your setup files?

Do you keep them 'and' bartpe on a disk?

Do you keep them on a network location?

External hard drive/thumb drive?

[iamtheky]

i have my source and Bart output folders both locally.

Maintaining the two structures side-by-side makes it easier for me to update and maintain each (drivers and such in the bart, updates in the o/s source) without forgetting where I am or what I am doing. I am sure there are many good defenses for separating the pieces.

use @ 4gb for my source

and then another 7gb free for imagex to have room for an .iso and raw source copy, per build.

[kingsc]

i have my source and Bart output folders both locally.

Maintaining the two structures side-by-side makes it easier for me to update and maintain each (drivers and such in the bart, updates in the o/s source) without forgetting where I am or what I am doing. I am sure there are many good defenses for separating the pieces.

use @ 4gb for my source

and then another 7gb free for imagex to have room for an .iso and raw source copy, per build.

I must be completely misunderstanding you. How can you have those files locally if the hard drive if it gets wiped when running the batch file?

[iamtheky]

oh right, i misunderstood you. This would be my folder structure

NEW OS
+I386
+programs	}this stuff is all PE and sits in root of the disc, then nu2menu points at the batches in this i386
-NEWXP
	 -I386	 }the xp batch sitting in the PE i386, points at the winnt32 in this folder
		 -$oem$
-NEW2003
	 -I386	}the server batch sitting in the PE i386, points at the winnt32 in this folder					
		   -$oem$

I test the .iso on a virtual machine.

Edited March 31, 2009 by iamtheky

[kingsc]

oh right, i misunderstood you. This would be my folder structure

NEW OS
+I386
+programs	}this stuff is all PE and sits in root of the disc, then nu2menu points at the batches in this i386
-NEWXP
	 -I386	 }the xp batch sitting in the PE i386, points at the winnt32 in this folder
		 -$oem$
-NEW2003
	 -I386	}the server batch sitting in the PE i386, points at the winnt32 in this folder					
		   -$oem$

I test the .iso on a virtual machine.

Ok so if I'm understanding correctly, I will need to add the source XP installation files to the PE ISO?

[iamtheky]

Barts has a nice gui that you just path at your source and it builds the output PE i386 with your plugins to drop in the root. It is fairly intuitive once you are in it, then Nu2menus instructions are cake, just some moderate xml action.