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x86 aik work but x64 doesn't, partition creation fails

MrEs
in Unattended Windows 7/Server 2008R2

Featured Replies

Hey all,

I'm using the WAIk to make an automated install, I started with x86 and after a few hiccups regarding application installations it'll all now going great!

However I've tried to make an x64 version using the AIK again and obviously an x64 version of Windows 7 Enterprise with little success.

It first falls over because it brings up the partition screen, this should be automated (and it is in my x86 disk), then even if i do select a partition to install it comes up with an error:

"Windows could not prepare the partition selected for installation"

I've attached a screenshot of the error

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
	<servicing>
		<package action="configure" permanence="permanent">
			<assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft-Windows-LocalPack-AU-Package" version="6.1.7600.16385" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="" />
			<selection name="LocalPack-AU" state="true" />
		</package>
	</servicing>
	<settings pass="oobeSystem">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<OOBE>
				<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
				<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
				<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
			</OOBE>
			<UserAccounts>
				<AdministratorPassword>
					<Value>QgB1AGQAdwBpAHMAZQByAGkAcwByAHUAYgBiAGkAJQBoAEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8A
cgBkAA==</Value>
					<PlainText>false</PlainText>
				</AdministratorPassword>
			</UserAccounts>
			<TimeZone>AUS Eastern Standard Time</TimeZone>
			<RegisteredOrganization>Fred</RegisteredOrganization>
			<RegisteredOwner>Fred</RegisteredOwner>
			<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
			<FirstLogonCommands>
				<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
					<CommandLine>cmd /c REGEDIT /S %systemdrive%\Install\UserRegTweaks1.Reg</CommandLine>
					<Description>SetupUser</Description>
					<Order>1</Order>
					<RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
				</SynchronousCommand>
				<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
					<Order>2</Order>
					<RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
					<Description>Welcome</Description>
					<CommandLine>"%PROGRAMFILES%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" %systemdrive%\Install\IESetup.html</CommandLine>
				</SynchronousCommand>
			</FirstLogonCommands>
			<VisualEffects>
				<FontSmoothing>ClearType</FontSmoothing>
			</VisualEffects>
			<WindowsFeatures>
				<ShowInternetExplorer>true</ShowInternetExplorer>
				<ShowMediaCenter>true</ShowMediaCenter>
				<ShowWindowsMediaPlayer>true</ShowWindowsMediaPlayer>
			</WindowsFeatures>
			<TaskbarLinks>
				<Link1></Link1>
				<Link2></Link2>
				<Link0>%windir%\system32\msra.exe</Link0>
			</TaskbarLinks>
			<DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<InputLocale>0c09:00000409</InputLocale>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-AU</UILanguage>
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
			<UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<Reseal>
				<ForceShutdownNow>false</ForceShutdownNow>
				<Mode>OOBE</Mode>
			</Reseal>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<settings pass="windowsPE">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<SetupUILanguage>
				<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
			</SetupUILanguage>
			<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<DiskConfiguration>
				<Disk wcm:action="add">
					<CreatePartitions>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>2</Order>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>1</Order>
							<Size>300</Size>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
					</CreatePartitions>
					<ModifyPartitions>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>Windows</Label>
							<Order>2</Order>
							<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
							<Active>true</Active>
						</ModifyPartition>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Active>false</Active>
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>System Reserved</Label>
							<Order>1</Order>
							<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
							<TypeID>0x27</TypeID>
						</ModifyPartition>
					</ModifyPartitions>
					<DiskID>0</DiskID>
					<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
				</Disk>
				<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
			</DiskConfiguration>
			<ImageInstall>
				<OSImage>
					<InstallTo>
						<DiskID>0</DiskID>
						<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
					</InstallTo>
					<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>
					<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
					<InstallFrom>
						<MetaData wcm:action="add">
							<Key>/IMAGE/NAME</Key>
							<Value>Windows 7 ENTERPRISE</Value>
						</MetaData>
					</InstallFrom>
				</OSImage>
			</ImageInstall>
			<UserData>
				<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
				<Organization>Fred</Organization>
				<FullName>Fred</FullName>
			</UserData>
			<EnableNetwork>true</EnableNetwork>
			<Diagnostics>
				<OptIn>true</OptIn>
			</Diagnostics>
			<LogPath>C:\Log</LogPath>
			<UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<settings pass="specialize">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<CompanyName>Fred</CompanyName>
			<DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard>
			<BlockPopups>yes</BlockPopups>
			<DisableOOBAccelerators>true</DisableOOBAccelerators>
			<DisableWelcomePage>true</DisableWelcomePage>
			<FavoritesDelete>true</FavoritesDelete>
			<SuggestedSitesEnabled>false</SuggestedSitesEnabled>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<fDenyTSConnections>false</fDenyTSConnections>
		</component>
		<component name="Networking-MPSSVC-Svc" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<FirewallGroups>
				<FirewallGroup wcm:action="add" wcm:keyValue="Remote Desktop">
					<Active>true</Active>
					<Group>Remote Desktop</Group>
				</FirewallGroup>
				<FirewallGroup wcm:action="add" wcm:keyValue="Remote Assistance">
					<Active>true</Active>
					<Group>Remote Assistance</Group>
				</FirewallGroup>
			</FirewallGroups>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-AU</UILanguage>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<InputLocale>0c09:00000409</InputLocale>
			<UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-RemoteAssistance-Exe" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<fAllowFullControl>true</fAllowFullControl>
			<CreateEncryptedOnlyTickets>false</CreateEncryptedOnlyTickets>
			<fAllowToGetHelp>true</fAllowToGetHelp>
			<MaxTicketExpiry>3</MaxTicketExpiry>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
			<ProductKey>zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</ProductKey>
			<RegisteredOrganization>Fred</RegisteredOrganization>
			<RegisteredOwner>Fred</RegisteredOwner>
			<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
			<TimeZone>AUS Eastern Standard Time</TimeZone>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<settings pass="generalize">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>true</DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>
			<PersistAllDeviceInstalls>true</PersistAllDeviceInstalls>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/aik/windows_7_enterprise_x64/install.wim#Windows 7 ENTERPRISE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Any ideas.... ? Thanks!

post-257111-1253864289_thumb.jpg

Edited by MrEs

  • Author

OK I started again...

I built an image with no unattended.xml and it worked as expected.

I build an image with only the language selection in WindowsPE and that worked as expected

Next I added the partitioning back in and that failed as before... This was the configuration...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
	<settings pass="windowsPE">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<SetupUILanguage>
				<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
			</SetupUILanguage>
			<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
			<UILanguageFallback></UILanguageFallback>
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<Diagnostics>
				<OptIn>true</OptIn>
			</Diagnostics>
			DiskConfiguration>
				<Disk wcm:action="add">
					<CreatePartitions>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>2</Order>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>1</Order>
							<Size>300</Size>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
					</CreatePartitions>
					<ModifyPartitions>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>Windows</Label>
							<Order>2</Order>
							<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
							<Active>true</Active>
						</ModifyPartition>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Active>false</Active>
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>System Reserved</Label>
							<Order>1</Order>
							<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
							<TypeID>0x27</TypeID>
						</ModifyPartition>
					</ModifyPartitions>
					<DiskID>0</DiskID>
					<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
				</Disk>
				<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
			</DiskConfiguration>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/aik/windows_7_enterprise_x64_2/dvd/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ENTERPRISE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Next I tried WITHOUT the 'System Reserved' partition... and that ALSO FAILED!

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
	<settings pass="windowsPE">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<SetupUILanguage>
				<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
			</SetupUILanguage>
			<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
			<UILanguageFallback></UILanguageFallback>
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<Diagnostics>
				<OptIn>true</OptIn>
			</Diagnostics>
			<DiskConfiguration>
				<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
				<Disk wcm:action="add">
					<CreatePartitions>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>1</Order>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
					</CreatePartitions>
					<ModifyPartitions>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Active>true</Active>
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>Windows</Label>
							<Order>1</Order>
							<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
							<Letter>C</Letter>
						</ModifyPartition>
					</ModifyPartitions>
					<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
					<DiskID>0</DiskID>
				</Disk>
			</DiskConfiguration>
			<ImageInstall>
				<OSImage>
					<InstallFrom>
						<MetaData wcm:action="add">
							<Key>/IMAGE/NAME</Key>
							<Value>Windows 7 ENTERPRISE</Value>
						</MetaData>
					</InstallFrom>
					<InstallToAvailablePartition>true</InstallToAvailablePartition>
					<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
				</OSImage>
			</ImageInstall>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/aik/windows_7_enterprise_x64_2/dvd/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ENTERPRISE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Any chance anybody has any ideas? :(

  • Author

Well in the end I had this working:

	<settings pass="windowsPE">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<SetupUILanguage>
				<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
			</SetupUILanguage>
			<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
			<UILanguageFallback></UILanguageFallback>
			<UserLocale>en-AU</UserLocale>
			<SystemLocale>en-AU</SystemLocale>
			<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
		</component>
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
			<DiskConfiguration>
				<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
				<Disk wcm:action="add">
					<CreatePartitions>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>2</Order>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
							<Extend>true</Extend>
						</CreatePartition>
						<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>1</Order>
							<Size>300</Size>
							<Type>Primary</Type>
						</CreatePartition>
					</CreatePartitions>
					<ModifyPartitions>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Active>true</Active>
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>Windows7</Label>
							<Order>2</Order>
							<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
							<Extend>false</Extend>
							<Letter>C</Letter>
						</ModifyPartition>
						<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
							<Order>1</Order>
							<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
							<Active>false</Active>
							<Extend>false</Extend>
							<Format>NTFS</Format>
							<Label>System Reserved</Label>
							<TypeID>0x27</TypeID>
						</ModifyPartition>
					</ModifyPartitions>
					<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
					<DiskID>0</DiskID>
				</Disk>
			</DiskConfiguration>
			<ImageInstall>
				<OSImage>
					<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>
					<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
					<InstallFrom>
						<MetaData wcm:action="add">
							<Key>/IMAGE/INDEX</Key>
							<Value>1</Value>
						</MetaData>
					</InstallFrom>
					<InstallTo>
						<DiskID>0</DiskID>
						<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
					</InstallTo>
				</OSImage>
			</ImageInstall>
			<UserData>
				<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
				<FullName>Fred</FullName>
				<Organization>Fred Health Pty Ltd</Organization>
			</UserData>
			<Diagnostics>
				<OptIn>true</OptIn>
			</Diagnostics>
			<UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
			<EnableNetwork>true</EnableNetwork>
			<LogPath>C:\Log</LogPath>
		</component>
	</settings>

It seems my pain stemmed from NOT Having:

<Extend>true</Extend>

On my 'Windows' partition in CreatePartition

Also it worked better having:

<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>

In the ImageInstall -> OSImage section (Since I was being specific with the installation partition)

Hopefully that helps somebody one day :P

I have found that you really don't want to specify settings that are default like the <InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>

read your unattend.chm, that is your friend cause when you make 1 minor error, you crash and die :whistle:

  • 1 year later...

I had the exact same issue (used WAIK, x86 Autounattend.xml worked fine, converted amd64 file did not) and got the exact same error.

It worked after going back in an added the <extend> to the Windows partition creation step. I did not have this in my x86 file, and the first time I tried to add it, it complained that it couldn't extend the partition (I wasn't sure it wiped the drive first). This time I manually wiped the drive and used both the settings and it worked.

From his posting ---

It seems my pain stemmed from NOT Having:

<Extend>true</Extend>

On my 'Windows' partition in CreatePartition

Also it worked better having:

<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>

In the ImageInstall -> OSImage section (Since I was being specific with the installation partition)

Hopefully that helps somebody one day

I also have the <InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition> in both my working files, ported over from MS deployment guide on technet.

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