Unattended Windows - problems with docs and settings

[krank23]

Greetings, fellow forumites. Newly registered member here, trying to get that final, crucial, piece of information...

I have been working on an unattended installation of Windows XP Professional for some time now. The original reason for me to begin this project, which has eaten quite a lot of my time over the last few days, is that I want the following:

1. The C: drive should contain Windows XP, and nothing else.

2. The D: drive should not be formatted at any time, and include the Documents and Settings folder.

This is simply because I am sick and tired of losing every single setting in every program every time I need to reinstall Windows. It would be really neat if I could just reinstall windows on C:, and the new install would just use the "documents and settings" of the last install.

The only problem is... Well, it doesn't work. Every other setting I've tried works like a charm, except this one. What's wrong, I probably won't hear you say?

Well... OK, the new installs use the correct directory, no problem. But, it refuses to use the same user folders, preferring to pupulate my directory with folders such as "krank.frustration.01" and such.

Is there any way around this? Is it possible to, automatically, copy the old users' "application data" and such into the new directories, or is it even possible to force XP to not create these extra folders, but to use the old ones instead? Am I making any sense?

Thank you for your time and for your answers.

[krank23]

Sorry, found the solution by searching. Typical newbie error. Sorry.