Unattend format

[vbussiro]

We can do this :

FileSystem=ConvertNTFS

There isn't a "QuickFormatNTFS" or something like ?

That'll be too easy I think

Already read some topics about it, but much more complicated.

[[BM]Crusher]

If you checked the ref.chm (SP1 Deployment Tools Setup Manager help file) you would notice that there are only 2 setting for FileSystem

LeaveAlone

ConvertNTFS

therefore you are correct in assuming there is not "format ntfs" command or "fast format ntfs" command...

[wwwmario]

Hi vbussiro,

if you want to automatically format your systems from an unattended cd

your first need to creat a bootdisk (linux/dos you choose) and then use its

image as the cd bootsector.

PC will boot in floppy emulation mode, mount the WinXP cd track, do all the stuff you require and finally call winnt.exe from the mounted CD.

That way you can script disk partitioning and formatting the way you like and

you're not bound to the unattended.txt filesystem sections.

If you're going this way use the oformat.com and cvtarea.exe to maximize the NTFS convertion (convert.exe); efficiency later.

/M

[vbussiro]

Already tried, but it's a sata disk with a controller with no dos support... (SIS964)

Disk is only accessible in xp install or with gdisk (no ntfs) or partition magic (no license....)

[vbussiro]

And convert asks me the volume name... I want a silent conversion...

[vbussiro]

This topic joins my other here

[wwwmario]

Hi,

I see the DOS/bootdisk problem.

Anyway putting it the reg key in BootExecute works fine for me.

Convert.exe asks volume name if you invoke it via a commandline,

but here you're putting in the reg keys it puts after you run it.

Ciao

/Mario

[vbussiro]

In my runonceex.cmd

This is not working

REG ADD %KEY%\023 /VE /D "Conversion du disque"REG ADD %KEY%\023 /VE /D "convert d: /fs:ntfs"

I don't understand very well your way with inf, should I try this ?

REG ADD HKLM,"System\CurCtrlSet\Ctrl\Session Manager","BootExecute",0x00010000,"autcheck autoconv \\??\D: /FS:NTFS /CVTAREA:xxx.xx"

as c: is converted by winnt.sif

i didn't forget this

...obviously "CurCtrlSet\Ctrl" is to be read "CurrentControlSet\Control"....

[wwwmario]

Hi vbussiro,

tha syntax I'm using is for adding reg keys from inf files.

So, you should use

REGEDIT /S %path_to_your_convert.reg%\convert.reg

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager] "BootExecute"=hex(7):xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,....

I'm not 100% sure this is the correct syntax to indicate a REG_MULTI_SZ.

The problem here is that u must "translate" "autcheck autoconv \\??\D: /FS:NTFS"

to a hex value...

not such stuff with INF files. 8-)

/Mario

[vbussiro]

ok

I will read how to make inf ....

**** that's the only thing that goes wrong...

[Sunil]

there is no simple way of quickly formatting the drive in the NTFS filesystem, you would have to manually do this from the windows setup. If you use the winnt.sif method it would just do a conversion.

I have searched many times for standalone NTFS formatting tools but cuold not find any. So i think that the only method is by using the cd.

[wwwmario]

mhmmm... maybe you can also use:

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager /v BootExecute /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d ..................

but... the problem this time is to have reg.exe accept such a string

(autcheck autoconv \\??\D: /FS:NTFS); right now I don't know escape chars

to force reg.exe not to acquire the "\\" as switches...

maybe someonelse does?!

Ciao

/Mario