a little problem.. mmmm... maybe paranoja (-;

[Regielya]

i am really impressed by all those "unattended" stuff but im a little afraif from two parameters: AutoPartition and Repartition....

I have 4 drives, C,D,E,F. I use D for a downloads drive and i NEVER format it. i do format C,E and F every time i format (manually, not unatteded)... now, i want the setup to format C automatically and then install the WIN XP in it. i dont want it to format D ! what should i place on the parameters (to format and install in C, and to keep D with all the content) ? ? ?

10x

[MHz]

Autopartition looks for the first drive without windows to install on. So you do not want that.

Repartition formats the first drive. This is what you want for automatic format.

Note. Take care with repartition, if you boot with it by mistake and hit the key to start with cd, then kiss your data goodbye on the first drive.

So

[Data]

Autopartition=0

[unattended]

Repartition=Yes

[CoffeeFiend]

Or you do like I do. You automate everything BUT the hard drive/partition selection. It's right at the beginning and after that everything is silent. I chose that because sometimes I might want the whole disk, sometimes I might want a partition, and either ways it's nice to have direct control over that.

[buletov]

and in that case use this:

[Data]
    AutoPartition=0

[Unattended]
    Repartition=No
    FileSystem=*

[Anderz]

@crahak

Me too ... I like to be in control when it comes to partitioning!

[Regielya]

ok 10x everybody... and one more thing... (maybe two (-; )

i didnt understand this sentence:

"Note. Take care with repartition, if you boot with it by mistake and hit the key to start with cd, then kiss your data goodbye on the first drive."

I DO want to kiss my data goodbye on the first drive © or in other words: i do want to format drive C . . .

and does it install the windows automatically on the formatted drive ?

[Tsunami]

He means that if you boot from the cd by accident, it will automatically format your drive. And yes, it will install Windows automatically then.

[MHz]

Note. Take care with repartition, if you boot with it by mistake and hit the key to start with cd, then kiss your data goodbye on the first drive.

The big word in this line is mistake (like by accident)

[Regielya]

HOW CAN I DO SOMETHING THAT I WANNA DO BY MISTAKE ?!

[prathapml]

I DO want to kiss my data goodbye on the first drive © or in other words: i do want to format drive C . . .

Regielya, remember that using that "repartition=yes" thing will also kiss goodbye to your D:, E:, F:, etc.

The "first drive" mentioned there, means a "Drive" as such (your entire HDD). Whereas "C:" which you want to format, is just the first "partition" on that drive. So take care, and never enable repartition!

[Alanoll]

whoa boy...calm down

Basically, what they're saying is....

Say you DON'T want to install Windows just yet, maybe you haven't saved everything. But you put the disc in the CDROM anyways (or you just burned and restarted). If you press a key, it will format the computer. True this is what you want when you ACTUALLY want to install Windows again....but say you DIDN'T want to JUST yet. Or AFTER Setup has completed, you press the key again, and then you have to wait for it to finish yet again, because you accidentally pressed a key.

In this instance, it's better to use

[Data]
   AutoPartition=0

[Unattended]
   Repartition=No
   FileSystem=*

As then you will have one last chance before it all gets formatted. Bear in mind, you can use this, AND STILL format your drives through setup (or prior using Partition Magic or what have you) with just a few more key strokes (D , L , ENTER i believe). It's just a safeguard to accidentally pressing a key when you DIDN'T mean to.

[Regielya]

I DO want to kiss my data goodbye on the first drive © or in other words: i do want to format drive C . . .

Regielya, remember that using that "repartition=yes" thing will also kiss goodbye to your D:, E:, F:, etc.

The "first drive" mentioned there, means a "Drive" as such (your entire HDD). Whereas "C:" which you want to format, is just the first "partition" on that drive. So take care, and never enable repartition!

Isnt there a way to just format drive C:\ and install the OS on it without formatting the others ?

[buletov]

As then you will have one last chance before it all gets formatted. Bear in mind, you can use this, AND STILL format your drives through setup (or prior using Partition Magic or what have you) with just a few more key strokes (D , L , ENTER i believe). It's just a safeguard to accidentally pressing a key when you DIDN'T mean to.

with

[Data]
   AutoPartition=0
[Unattended]
   Repartition=No
   FileSystem=*

he will have a format option by simply pressing Enter on desired (preselected) partiton...

(D, L , ENTER sequence is not required)

@Regielya: with this option, you insert CD and boot from it, when partitiong (after one minute or less) comes press Enter on an already selected C partiton, choose formating as a NTFS or FAT, confirm, and that's it!

D, E & F drives will stay intact.

[Regielya]

what means the " FileSystem=* " ???????

why doesnt this order exists in MSFN winnt.sif Reference ???

[buletov]

what means the " FileSystem=* "  ???????

why doesnt this order exists in MSFN winnt.sif Reference ???

FileSystem=* will force the formating option screen to appear, otherwise setup would simply use the existing system without formating, thus leaving all the junk on C: drive...

it isn't in ref.chm because it is too cool for it

aaron?