XP installation details

[randomname_uchi]

I am trying to build an attended installation of Windows XP SP2 RC1, and need to know a few things.

During the first phase, winnt.exe just copies a bunch of files to the hard disk and then boots off the hard disk. I was wondering if I can get more details about this, namely which files are copies into which directories and the like. Basically, I am hoping to implement the copy phase myself (from linux) and then boot off the hard disk directly.

Also, how do I setup the hard disk so that it is bootable. The hard disk I have is just partitioned with FAT32 on the first (and active) partition. If possible I would like to avoid installing some version of DOS on the hard disk.

Any help would be appreciated.

- Murali

[DirtDevil]

During phase one the installation just copies all files to hard disk. Open dosnet.inf to see which files the dos installation part will copy.

Open txtsetup.sif to see where the files get copied to. The first number behind the file declaration will point to the folder. Which number stands for which folder is declared at to top of txtsetup.sif.

[randomname_uchi]

I dont see $WIN_NT$.~BT or ~LS referred to in either of the files.

I am looking to figure out, what files go into those directories and how to set things up so that, when I boot off the hard disk, windows starts with the text phase of the installation.

- Murali

[XtremeMaC]

i386\winnt32.exe /noreboot

should get those folder's u're looking for

run it in windows

also copy ntldr boot.ini and other stuff.

then copy those files to whichever hdd u want to then it'll be bootable.

[randomname_uchi]

OK. After I find the contents of those two folders, I need to do the following

1. Copy NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM on C:\

2. Create a valid BOOT.INI

Since this will be a newly partitioned disk, the boot sector of C:\ (or hda1 in the Linux Terminology) will not have any thing useful. So what do I populate the boot sector with. From what I know, the information placed there by winnt32.exe or winnt.exe can depend on the size of the partition (namely the geometry of the partition is stored in the boot sector). So I guess I need to put a Windows Bootsector, there and modify parts of it to reflect the right geometry.

1. Where can I get the Windows Bootsector?

2. Which parts of the boot sector need to be modified (location of the BPB - Bios Parameter Block)

3. and most importantly what values need to be placed there?

From some googling around, I found that even the FIXBOOT command of the recovery console, does only step 1 and does not modify the value of the BPB, which is why is many of KB articles, they ask you to install a DOS bootsector first (SYS C: from a WinMe floppy) and then run FIXBOOT (from the Recovery Console).

- Murali