Auto Partition HDD (3+ partitions) while installing Windows XP

[prabhat.atri]

Respected All,

please tell me if i can use [DiskConfig] section of winbom.ini file into the winnt.sif file.

Problem I have:

I want to create 3 partitions on Hard Disk 1st partition of 8 GB, Second of 10 GB and 3rd is of rest available space. Now I want to automate the disk partition part while doing the Windows XP Setup. Effectively I am lloking at that answer file (winnt.sif) answers the setup to

create all the pre-specified partition and user should not be asked for manual creation (Partitions should be formatted automatically).

I want the process of winxp setup on raw hard-disk as fully unattended. As soon as the user insert the bootable cd,he/she should end-up with freshly installed winxp on PC.

NOTE : I dont want these methods:

1) RIS installation

2) WINPE or BartPE

whole process may be done using one bootable CD.

Any clues in this regard are appreciated....

regards and thanks in advance

[KMFM$]

I don't know if you can do that from [DiskConfig] or not. I have never come across anything like that in my searches. I have managed to do it, but I used the WinPE method. I created a DVD and created so that it boots in to PE, runs a diskpart / format script, then proceeds to the install. It is all automated, but you said you don't want to use WinPE. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[oioldman]

You can do this, but you need to implement either BartPE or WinPE to do this and using a MS tool called diskpart.exe.

I'm not aware of any other method to do this, other than using a bootable floppy disk that does diskpart and then calls winnt.exe with appropriate switches.

[mmarable]

I ran across something about setting the size of the initial partion in WinNT.sif.

That (if it works) would get you your first partition. From there you'd have to script DiskPart to run and create the others and reassign drive letters.

Other than that, you will have to go with PE.

[prabhat.atri]

Thanks all for your precious time.

yesterday i have tried my all efforts and was able to skip setup prompt for

hard-disk partition.

Now the present scenario is that the setup is not asking for partition

creation and its formatting to the user,BUT it is taking whole of available

disk space for the primary partition and starts installing setup in that

partition only.

I was able to do 50%,but how to configure 3 partition is still remaining.

I have made winnt.sif using nLITE and burn the image for bootable cd.

Please take a look at attached winnt.sif file which i am using.

My Questions?

1)Is Autopartition=0 entry in the [Data] section causing the setup to make only single partition.

2)should it be removed completely?

3)Also I dont konw if [DataConfig] section is working/answering the setup or not?

waiting for some productive response from you all...........

friend forever

WINNT.SIF

Edited May 26, 2006 by prabhat.atri

[waves]

What would the script or batch file look like to auto partition 3 partitions with diskpart if that is the only way it can be done. Thanks.

[Omal]

AutoPartition=0 is not used to say, create only one partition. It is used to tell, choose the partition which has most free space, as the installation partition.

0 = Windows XP install won't select the partition, instead user has to choose the desired partition for the installation

1 = Windows XP will choose the best partition with maximum free space, and proceed with installation in to that partition

Edited May 10, 2008 by Omal

[jaclaz]

@Omal

You should check the date of last post in a thread before posting, this thread is almost two years old, I hope the problem has been in the meantime solved.

jaclaz