How to configures partitions inside autounattend.xml file

[Marietto]

Hello to everybody,

I'm trying to make an unattended installation of Windows 7 over a pre-existing installation of Windows 7. This is the autounattend.xml file I'm using :

<?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="x86" 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-US</SystemLocale>

<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>

<UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>

<UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>

</component>

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" 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">

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<WillWipeDisk>false</WillWipeDisk>

</Disk>

</DiskConfiguration>

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

<UserData>

<AcceptEula>false</AcceptEula>

<FullName>Windows</FullName>

<Organization>Windows</Organization>

</UserData>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="specialize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<ComputerName>Windows</ComputerName>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="oobeSystem">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<FirstLogonCommands>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<Order>1</Order>

<Description>Fase4</Description>

<CommandLine>c:\reinstallazione\fase4.bat</CommandLine>

</SynchronousCommand>

</FirstLogonCommands>

</component>

</settings>

</unattend>

Now this is the problem I need to fix : Usually Windows 7 creates a 100 MB hidden partition instead to install itself in one only single partition. For this reason,the autounattend.xml file I created can't be valid everytime. Plus,I need to make the unattended re-installation of Windows 7 64 bit,and this is another reason why I need to use al least 4 different kinds of autounattend.xml files :

version n. 1) can be used if the old installation of Windows 7 32 bit hadn't created a 100 MB hidden partition. In this case :

<?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="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

....

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

version n. 2) the old installation of Windows 7 64 bit hadn't created a 100 MB hidden partition. In this case :

<?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">

....

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

version 3) the old installation of Windows 7 32 bit had created a 100 MB hidden partition. In this case :

<?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="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

....

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

version n. 4) the old installation of Windows 7 64 bit had created a 100 MB hidden partition. In this case :

<?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">

....

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

Since I can start the autounattended re-installation of Windows 7 only copying the autounattend.xml file in one only place,the root of the CD/ROM,because it is the only place where it is detected and because whe whole system will be loaded from there,my question is : how can I configure the file autounattend.xml to avoid the problem that I have explained above ?

[Tripredacus]

You can create a WinPE 3.0 x64 that launches a script that detects the partition arrangement. Then automatically launch the correct file using the /unattend switch for setup.exe.

[Marietto]

This is a solution that I have already thought,but since I'm creating a system that I want to sell to my customers,it is against the Microsoft EULA to re-distribuite Windows files,so I can do what you suggest only if I can take the necessary files from the customer's Windows Seven 32 or 64 bit DVD. Can you confirm that I can do it ?

[Tripredacus]

You should be able to redist the WinPE, but no you can't burn your own install DVDs. Only Authorized Replicators can do that. You should check with your MS Partner rep to see what options you have in your Channel.

[Marietto]

you said : you can't burn your own install DVDs : can you explain better what it means ?

[Tripredacus]

you said : you can't burn your own install DVDs : can you explain better what it means ?

You cannot make your own DVD that installs Windows 7. This can only be done by a Microsoft Authorized Replicator. And I mean this by legal terms! Of course you could make your own, but if MS catches you then say goodbye to your business! However, if you make a DVD with these extra options, then a Replicator can make them for you. This is really expensive to do.

I can't find specific Replicator info because it is different depending if you are using Educational, Open, Direct, Volume License or Embedded versions of Windows. If you have a Microsoft Partner account, you should get a rep assigned to you. They would be the best person to ask about this type of thing. If you aren't already, you can check it out here (use IE):

https://partner.microsoft.com