Repartition failure installing XP over old Linux install

[mci2ogg]

We use an unattended CD to install Windows XP. The machines would previously have had either XP or Red Hat Linux Enterprise installed. We're not having problems with the old XP but over Red Hat we're getting the following error," Setup cannot create a new partition in the space you selected because the maximum number of partitions already exists on the disk." Pressing <Enter> and then deleting all the partitions solves the problem. Because the technical expertise of the installer in unknown we assume it to be minimal and do not consider this an acceptable solution.

Here is a portion of our winnt.sif file:

[Data]

MSDosInitiated="0"

UnattendedInstall="Yes"

AutoPartition=1

[Components]

Fax=Off

[unattended]

UnattendMode=FullUnattended

Repartition=Yes

OemSkipEula=Yes

OemPreinstall=Yes

OemPnPDriversPath="Drivers\Pro100;\Drivers\Pro1000;\Drivers\Dell_Audio;\Drivers\Dell_Intel_Chipset;\Drivers\Dell_usb;\Drivers\Dell_Nvidia;\Drivers\Dell_Nvidia1;\Drivers\Dell_Audio1;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\1;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\2;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\3;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\4;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\5;\Drivers\Dell_IntelChipset1\6;\Drivers\Dell_Modem"

DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

TargetPath=*

There is no consideration of keeping any of the old data on the disk. It is of no value and completely unrelated to the new installation.

Any help appreciated.

Dave

[Mordac85]

You need to clear the existing partitions first, either by fdisk or something like Ghost's gdisk utility. To my knowledge an unattended install does not have the ability to wipe the drive but can only create partitions.

[sysadm88]

I have the exact same problem, trying to install Windows 2003 using RIS over an existing Linux partition - is there absolutely no way of doing this unattended?

I'm resigned to boot up each server using the Windows 2003 setup cd, then manually delete all the partitions, and recreate a new partition - this is the only way for RIS to be able to deploy an image or so it seems.

A quick question - do brand new servers already come with their hard drive partitioned or not? For me, RIS seems to require at least 1 partition already created....and I thought it could build servers from bare metal?

Is there any way to get round this problem?

My ristndrd.sif contains:

[data]

(AutoPartition is absent)

[unattended]

FileSystem = LeaveAlone

[RemoteInstall]

Repartition = Yes

UseWholeDisk = Yes

Edited August 16, 2006 by sysadm88