offering a format option

[maxXPsoft]

prathapml

So you're saying you need all 3?

I've been using what I have all along and it stops, let me pick partition, you do know at that screen you can delete any partition http://www.maxxpsoft.com/media/4delete.JPG < that was before my new 120 gig, and then after a couple steps back to original and then choose setup on that brand new blank. It then asks what File system

[bilemke]

Sweet.. been looking for an option like this. I have been having to live with deleting the partition first then recreating it.. Worse yet, if you have two partitions on the drive like my setup:

1. Small windows partition to just wipe each time I reinstlal

2. Storage and Program Files

this setup really gets screwed up if you use windows setup to delete and recreate the first partiton. Normally windows will look at the first partition and default to install windows and boot loader (ntldr) there. If you delete the first partition and recreate it without restarting setup, it will see the 2nd partition as the first and still let you isntall to the first like C:\Windows. Problem is it will put the boot loader on the 2nd partition anyway. So then, both partions are tied into the windows install. You cant mess with either of them in windows without it saying like "You can not make changes to this partition as this is the drive windows is instlled on"... (or something like that)

Onward, if you have more then one physical drive, windows will also suddenly associate the 2nd drive with C: and the first drives partition with D: or E: (i know it doesnt matter, but I am used to to having boot partition always be C:, much like may older program isntallers)

Anyway, as I started, sweet!!!!!!!!!!

[prathapml]

So you're saying you need all 3?

Yes.

And its nice to not need to re-create my partition just to format it. You need all 3 (as you asked), in the winnt.sif:

[Data]
AutoPartition=0

[Unattended]
Repartition=No
FileSystem=*

You'll now get the partitioning work like before, you'll get the option to FORMAT!

YAYYY!!!!!!

[maxXPsoft]

Well actually you don't have to re-create with my method, just delete it, come back to that screen and choose it to install to. Then asks what File system.

But I will try all 3 next go around just to see the difference.

I have that 120Gb in 2 partitions so I choose the 2nd for my trial's. As I mentioned before, VMWare give's me trouble with my driver's so i just install to partition 2.

[buletov]

Excuse me maxXPsoft but "with my method, just delete it, come back to that screen and choose it to install to" is RECREATING A PARTITION.

My God... just use the FileSystem=* and you won't have to "just delete it", but simply select it and windows will offer a format option no matter what.

[maxXPsoft]

lol

no there are option's there to create partition on selected, guess you never looked long enough. take a look at http://www.maxxpsoft.com/media/4delete.JPG

once done you come back to seeing unpartitoned space http://www.maxxpsoft.com/media/7pressenter.JPG

Your not actually creating partition unless you choose to. System does it in seconds

Been there too many time's and have the pic's and T-shirt

[buletov]

excuse me maxXPsoft, but are you dumb or what?

if you press D on selected partiton in http://www.maxxpsoft.com/media/4delete.JPG then you DELETE it.

once you press enter on unpartioned space at http://www.maxxpsoft.com/media/7pressenter.JPG system automaticly creates a RAW partition and natrually asks what file system to use (because none exists yet - you recreated a partion...ring any bells?).

Recreation = Remove then Create Again

so, with your method you have to press D to delete it, confirm with L and Enter, then Enter to choose a filesystem

with our method, the process of pressing D, L and first Enter is eliminated as system asks you for filesystem and format option regardless of partiton (NTFS or FAT) existing or not (unpartitioned space).

actually, this entire topic is about moving from the method you use to the method involving FileSystem=*

prathapml, back me up here...

[maxXPsoft]

You got less than 40 posts and allready forgot forum rules.

I been here about a year and remember them, at first I didn't and like to got banned but I've learned over that time.

1. I done said I was going to try this new thing next time.

2. read carefully, I said i don't create partitions although you can do that if you so choose, the system does it Automatic - DUHHHHH

3. I've written an entire application to do this unattended since coming here and was doing it floppy disk method for several year's before finding MSFN

4. I don't think i'm dumb, but have serious doubts about people that call names

with our method

????????????????????????????????????????????

100% credit >> wyattXP cause he first mentioned that here.

I'm just careful with partitions cause one of those hard drives contains years of work although backed up about once a month means I lose 1 month of work.

[xper]

Calm down folks.

Read forum rules about signatures

@buletov

Ne nazivaj nikoga glupim

Thanks

[buletov]

It wasn't a mean insult maxXPsoft, it just the way of talk. I apologize.

As I said, I opened this topic with the hope to avoid pressing D, L Enter, each time I reinstall windows, but to simply press enter on desired existing partition (and get a format screen) and I got a solution for that. Without line FileSystem=* system would simply leave existing files without offering a format option, unlike an ordinary windows setup. With that line, problem is solved. And when I said "our" I ment on all of us who want the same. I don't take credits for the answer I got.

You were offering me an solution which I was forced to (and did) use ever since I first created unattended installation, and you tried to persuade me like it's the best way. And without FileSystem=* it trully is and I thank you for your best means. But with all that experinece you can't say that it isn't a recreation of a partition cause it is. It doesn't mean anything whether it takes a second or 10 min, it's about an extra steps which are resolvable.

I'm still behind all my posts except than unmean insult. I've been lurking on msfn almost an year before I signed up because almost all answers and doubts I had were already resolved (except this one). And I got more that six years of experince with various computer congifurations and all windows versions. So it's not like I'm some kind of newbie.

[maxXPsoft]

Well my apology to you

Most my remark's were at Prath cause me and him been around awhile. I never saw that * thing and was unbelieving. I still choose to delete though. That's just a matter of personal preference cause i want it clean, I also don't want to delete or format the wrong thing.

I say the system does the partitioniong because I don't actually choose the screen where you go in and type out the size. So in reality to me it does it on it's own, it impressed me the first time it ran in XP and I said what?, surely it didn't do that in that short time. They've come a long way.

Still my translation of Ne nazivaj nikoga glupim is rather strange.

[buletov]

To be honest, I also like the method you mentioned best. However, I'm tired of explaing it to the others for whom I create unattended setups, because most of them are used to expect the format option just like in ordinary windows setup. And you know the feeling when the setup just starts copying over without formating first...

The * option was a suprise for me also..

And that "ne nazivaj nikoga glupim" means something like a "don't call anyone 'stupid'..."

[ArqFaim]

Hi Buletov,

Since you have the same type of problem...

Do you know what "temporary setup files" won't let setup format or delete my C: partition?

Details in http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=27510

Thanks in advance

[maxXPsoft]

ahhh ok

Funny what we get used to and stick by

Formatting over just don't seem right for some reason on these large disk's. Guess we used to the old method's, Fdisk day's.

[buletov]

uhh...haven't used fdisk since 20th century...