Compaq System Partition

[Longhaul]

Hey everyone,

I have been browsing these forums for a while now, and have not seen any answer to my question. So here it goes.

Maybe someone can help.

I am building a version of PE for my workplace that uses all Compaq server hardware. We build automated versions of Windows. I am trying to install Server 2003, but in DOS I am getting the setup hangs error. I have tried all the fixes for running it from DOS but to no avail. So I am deciding to go with PE. No the problem is that we use older hardward along with our newer hardware so I need to be able to install the Compaq System Partition on the older machines that require it. But there is no way to create a partition type 12 in PE. At least I don't know how. Does anyone know how to do this or know of a program that would work in PE to create this.

The SSTK(smart start Tool kit) does not work in PE. I have added 16 bit support but the tools don't work and Compaq stated that they are not going to be releasing tools for PE for a while.

So any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[BeenThereB4]

I would be imaging the Compaq partition onto the drive, rather than creating it. This takes care of the type 12 automatically. Some versions (if not all) of ghost work under WinPE. Usually the partition is so small, you can have several images right on your CD. Ghost can be automated thru the command line.

[likuidkewl]

diskpart can utilize this by using the

ID = 12

example.txt

Select disk 0
Clean
Create partition primary size = 1435 ID = 12
assign letter = z
Create partition primary size = 20480
active
assign letter = C
create partition extended
create partition logical
assign letter = D
Exit

hth

[Longhaul]

****, I have been using Diskpart this whole time and didn't even think to add the ID type at the end. Are you sure this works? This could be the answer to my problem. Although there is not much documentation on adding that to the script. How did you find this out?

Thanks

[likuidkewl]

I remembered a post at the MS OEM newsgroup pages and went back and looked, the link to the newsgroups is pinned at the top of the PE forum.

[ChrisBaksa]

Image the partition.

The last version of Smart Start with the System Partiton option was version 5.5. If you make one image ( which is just over 3 megs in size using powerquest tools) you will not need to to do anything else. It can be used with any Legacy Server that needs the system partiton.

Create a look up table (ini file) so your build script can reference it to see if it needs the partition or not.

Like this...

[Partition]

DL360=Y

DL380=Y

DL380G3=N

DL580=Y

DL580G2=N

The imaged partition is deployed in seconds.

Chris