Partition is checked at every WinXP startup!

[Draaitafeltje]

Hello there,

I've created a cd-rw with an unattended installation of Windows XP.

This all works fine, but for one thing:

There are 2 partitions on this computer:

1) C:\ name "system", ntfs, 10GB

2) D:\ name "other", ntfs, 30GB

After completing the installation my "other" partition is checked everytime is start WinXP. Checking the partition with various tools doesn't show any error.

I think the problem has to do with the fact I put my ProfilesDir on the D:\ partition, because when I perform a regular attended install there's no problem whatsoever.

Here's my winnt.sif:

;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
    AutoPartition=0
    MsDosInitiated="0"
    UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended
    OemSkipEula=Yes
    OemPreinstall=No
    TargetPath=\WINDOWS
    UnattendSwitch="Yes"

[GuiUnattended]
    AdminPassword=*
    EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
    OEMSkipRegional=1
    TimeZone=110
    OemSkipWelcome=1
    ProfilesDir = "D:\Documents and settings"

[UserData]
    ProductID=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
    FullName="User"
    OrgName="Organization"
    ComputerName=PC1

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=Workgroup

[Networking]
    InstallDefaultComponents=No

[NetAdapters]
    Adapter1=params.Adapter1

[params.Adapter1]
    INFID=*

[NetClients]
    MS_MSClient=params.MS_MSClient

[NetServices]
    MS_SERVER=params.MS_SERVER
    MS_PSched=params.MS_PSched

[NetProtocols]
    MS_TCPIP=params.MS_TCPIP

[params.MS_TCPIP]
    DNS=Yes
    UseDomainNameDevolution=No
    EnableLMHosts=Yes
    AdapterSections=params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1

[params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1]
    SpecificTo=Adapter1
    DHCP=Yes
    WINS=No
    NetBIOSOptions=0

[Alanoll]

After completing the installation my "other" partition is checked everytime is start WinXP. Checking the partition with various tools doesn't show any error.

Are you refering to the CHKDSK taht runs if the system isn't properly shutdown or the like?

If so, the problem is that there isn't a bit being set upon shutting down taht signals the system that it was shutdown properly. Nothing to do with ProfileDir

[Draaitafeltje]

After completing the installation my "other" partition is checked everytime is start WinXP. Checking the partition with various tools doesn't show any error.

Are you refering to the CHKDSK taht runs if the system isn't properly shutdown or the like?

If so, the problem is that there isn't a bit being set upon shutting down taht signals the system that it was shutdown properly. Nothing to do with ProfileDir

Yes, I am referring to CHKDSK.

Which bit should I set then? Using google I found that BootExecute could be the troublemaker but checking my registry I found out that BootExecute = autocheck autochk * was set and that seems to be the (correct) and default setting.

[raskren]

Yeah, this has nothing to do with an unattended installation.

Step #1 Back up your data! You shouldn't be messing around with disk utilities if there's strange behaviour going on. Just back up critical stuff ASAP.

If chkdsk says "the volume is dirty" then the dirty bit is stuck.

Go to the command line and type "fsutil dirty query x:" where "x" is your drive letter

It should say the volume is dirty or NOT dirty.

If its dirty, then there might be something wrong with the drive. If its not dirty check your Scheduled Tasks.

[Incroyable HULK]

This has to do with Partition Magic.

Don't ever use this utility to partition and format your hard drive. Switch to Acronis Disk Director 9, this one is the best.

I beleive a Full Hard Drive Scan will correct the situation on your computer.

[prathapml]

This could have something to do with fast-shutdown feature. XP will wait for 20 secs to unmount partitions and kill running processes, after 20 secs forcibly reboot/shutdown.

During the days of win98 and newer ACPI hardware, this used to be a major head-ache... It would be fixed thru msconfig.

[totoymola]

This has to do with Partition Magic.

Don't ever use this utility to partition and format your hard drive. Switch to Acronis Disk Director 9, this one is the best.

I beleive a Full Hard Drive Scan will correct the situation on your computer.

I agree with you! I used Norton Partition Magic before, and everytime I restart, it checks my drive D for consistency. Since then, I never format using Partition Magic. I just use DOS instead.

[Draaitafeltje]

This has to do with Partition Magic.

Don't ever use this utility to partition and format your hard drive. Switch to Acronis Disk Director 9, this one is the best.

I beleive a Full Hard Drive Scan will correct the situation on your computer.

You may be right. I used PM for a long while but this problem never occured, so it seemed to me the unattended install caused it. Tomorrow I will try partitioning & formatting the HD with Acronid disk director...

btw: completing a full scan does not correct the situation (i've already tried it twice)

[Draaitafeltje]

Yeah, this has nothing to do with an unattended installation.

Step #1 Back up your data!  You shouldn't be messing around with disk utilities if there's strange behaviour going on.  Just back up critical stuff ASAP.

If chkdsk says "the volume is dirty" then the dirty bit is stuck.

Go to the command line and type "fsutil dirty query x:" where "x" is your drive letter

It should say the volume is dirty or NOT dirty.

If its dirty, then there might be something wrong with the drive.  If its not dirty check your Scheduled Tasks.

I checked the partition and fsutil said: D: is not clean so it is dirty... (here in Holland we seem to have reverse logic )

Now there may be something wrong with the drive... but tomorrow I'll first try to install winxp again but then on a partitioned & formatted disk with the Acronis tool.

Will post the outcomings... now I'm off to bed goodnight

[Draaitafeltje]

Just finished with a normal install and the result is what I expected: no more disk checks at the startup winxp. Checked the dirty bit and it is clean.

So I only can conclude that the unattended install is the cause checking my partition at every startup. Has it something to do with the fact that I put my ProfilesDir on that partition (it has to be... can't think of anything else)

[Draaitafeltje]

Quote from this topic:

Well the solution was more or less in that other thread i linked . For ProfilesDir you _must_ use %systemdrive% while for ProgramFilesDir you must not.

Bill is moving a mysterious way...(stuff like this rarely ever happens with linux, but lets not discuss this here ^^)

Thanks for your help, though I found the solution more or less myself I wouldn't have found it without this (redunant) thread.

Now if there would only be a way to get \SYSTEM to lowercase...

With my unattended install the ProfilesDir was succesfully placed on my D:\ partition, but another problem occured so I started this thread

[prathapml]

Just finished with a normal install and the result is what I expected: no more disk checks at the startup winxp.

So I only can conclude that the unattended install is the cause checking my partition at every startup.

Its possible that you have some regtweak being applied which does that. Check that you can explain what each of your regtweaks is for - if something is not understandable, then that regtweak is not for you.

[Incroyable HULK]

The point to the thread you mentionned is that you can use system variable for the location of the ProfileDir instead of a fixed drive letter

If you want to move:

Program Files

Common Program Files

Documents and Setting

you have to partition and format the drive BEFORE running the Unattended Setup because only the Windows destination drive gets formated.

[Unattended]
    ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
    CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"

[GuiUnattended]
    ProfilesDir="E:\Documents and Settings\"

And if you are using partition Magic to format the drive you'll get the exact same problem you where describing.

[Draaitafeltje]

Just finished with a normal install and the result is what I expected: no more disk checks at the startup winxp.

So I only can conclude that the unattended install is the cause checking my partition at every startup.

Its possible that you have some regtweak being applied which does that. Check that you can explain what each of your regtweaks is for - if something is not understandable, then that regtweak is not for you.

No regtweaks applied by me, only the ProfilesDir setting.

The point to the thread you mentionned is that you can use system variable for the location of the ProfileDir instead of a fixed drive letter

If you want to move:

Program Files

Common Program Files

Documents and Setting

you have to partition and format the drive BEFORE running the Unattended Setup because only the Windows destination drive gets formated.

[Unattended]
    ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
    CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"

[GuiUnattended]
    ProfilesDir="E:\Documents and Settings\"

And if you are using partition Magic to format the drive you'll get the exact same problem you where describing.

I deleted all my partitions and created 2 new ones, ntfs formatted.

But still after my unattended install the dirty bit is set... will try soon with acronis disk keeper if I could get my hands on a full version

Will post the results here! For now thank you all for your help

[Draaitafeltje]

Well I'll be damned

I re-created my 2 partitions using Acronics disk doctor and guess what... no disk checking at startup. Checked the dirty bit and it is shiny clean B)

A big thanks to y'all !

* puts partition magic in the dumpster *