Hi all,

Is it possible to fully automate the installation of windows on a new PC, including automation of creation and formating of partitions?

Thanks,

Moshe K.

you should be able to choose in your SIF file

the options below will format and recreate one partition on the master drive with the max capacity. if you want anything else, you should do it manually each install. it is not a pain, because it is the first thing in setup, so you choose it and then walk away.

[Data]
AutoPartition=1
[Unattended]
Repartition=Yes

automation of creation ~~~~ of partitions?

If you mean dividing a new hard disk into partitions for the first time, I doubt it. It's nearly impossible as I think. This requires user intervension.

automation of creation ~~~~ of partitions?

If you mean dividing a new hard disk into partitions for the first time, I doubt it. It's nearly impossible as I think. This requires user intervension.

I think it IS possible. Unless you mean _multiple_ partitions, then you're right. Windows Setup can automatically partition and format hard disks:

if set to autopartition:

-if it finds a new (unpartitioned/unformatted) it will make one big partition on it

-windows installs to the first hard disk, if it isn't empty it installs to first one that's empty

-if there's only one hard disk, with one or multiple partitions which aren't empty, it will reformat the first partition and install windows to it.

I'm quite sure of this, but perhaps it's better if someone could verify it?

I think your IFs are correct, Bâshrat the Sneaky.

But, for multiple partitions on a newly bought HD, I think it can't be done unattendedly.

I'm interested in doing this if it's possible. It should save much time if you're preparing new PCs.

Okay, let's settle the issue un-ambiguously.

Yes, it is possible to fully automate windows setup, the best way to do that being what ml20 (2nd post in this thread) has said. But keep in mind that it involves ripping out all your existing data on that HD.

Otherwise, you can just keep the "AutoPartition=1" value alone (without repartition). It will work in the way that "Bâshrat the Sneaky"s post above states (a small correction here, it will *NOT* re-format any existing partions, *NEVER*). If a windows-compatible FS primary partition exists on the first StorageDevice, setup will install to that partition, otherwise, setup creates a partition that occupies the entire available free partition-space on HDD (it will not interfere with any incompatible FS partitions, like those of linux/BeOS/etc.)

Which is again not a very good option, (as anyone who has experienced an over-burdened C: drive, or a Windows.000, or a UserName.ABC folder problem will tell you) for those of us who insist on clean installs.

The only true saviour is the WinPE-based method of install (which again has its own quirks and problems). In this, a Win32 pre-installation environment (similar to what you see at T-39 in normal setup) gets initialized/booted-up from CD, and thereafter what you do with it is left to your imagination. You can then do the below:

1. Set it to run a .cmd which will.....

2. run a diskpart script (diskpart is what you see in the text-mode partitioning as well)

3. Which is configured to silently format the first primary partition (in NTFS) on the first IDE HD.

4. mount that partition as C:

5. Create whatever other partitions you want as per the sizes you want!

5. start I386\winnt32.exe with switches (for choosing the unattend.txt of your choice, options of copying cource, etc.)

6. after that, everything else happens in the way we are accustomed to.

As would be obvious, it takes a **** lot of time before you can get a setup running off WinPE without major mess-ups. WinPE is geared towards a wholly different audience (not casual/home users), and its functioning makes that as obvious as can be. For more info on the WinPE/bartPE based method of installing windows, search the MSFN forums.

Count the small mercies, and blessings in life - and just use the simplest method, which is manually partitioning in text-mode.

yeah...and how many persons can have this WinPE? It's not really for persons!

So, the final decision is: Make It Manually. This is fast and safe.

So use BartPE! I just got that working.

So use BartPE! I just got that working.

Does it do the multi-partition thing on a newly bought HDD?

Yup!

Have a look at my detailed post related to this (right above).

Yup!

Have a look at my detailed post related to this (right above).

Thanks. I'll read about it and see.

that whole WinPE thing.....yeah....i still have yet to touch that. One option you may consider is to use fdisk or some form of scripting program, and then call setup.

I guess eventually I'll get around to WinPE. But I never got that "good" feeling from BartPE. Sure it's free and all, but....that whole plugin thing.....guess I'll look aruond eventually.

ouve...all these complaints about BartPE. works for some and doesn't work for other..

it can't be...when it comes to work ... sorry ... i want a straightforward thing.

yes, fdisk is the simplest. no problems at all with fdisk for all people in all situations. i've used it since i started to breathe computers.

but it can't be automated.

You can use gdisk (comes with norton ghost) if you want a scriptable fdisk-type tool. If you are anyway going to do partitioning manually from DOS-mode, you might as well use Partition Magic 8 (if you have a license for it).

You can use gdisk (comes with norton ghost) if you want a scriptable fdisk-type tool. If you are anyway going to do partitioning manually from DOS-mode, you might as well use Partition Magic 8 (if you have a license for it).

Yes, I have a license for Partition Magic 8. I've got gdisk, too. These are proved to be usable.