UNATTENDED 2003 SERVER INSTALL - PARTITIONS

[anthonyy]

Hello, I know there have been many questions similiar to mine, but I've yet to find an answer that truly fits my issue.

I have built an Unattended install CD that installs a Windows 2003 Standard server with everything we need, all the way up to enabling Remote Desktop. We basically wanted to be able to have a brand new server shipped to a remote office and have a non-technical person use a CD that they basically don't have to worry about inputing specific settings, etc. The answer file I created works great.

Then I was asked to take things one step further, since the user still had to create the initial partition manually, then, the unattended install would take over. I did a lot of research and finally figured out that I needed a Windows PE CD. Luckily, the company I work for has an EA agreement and had the CD available. I read some more and figured out how to make the Windows PE ISO, and then use ISOBUSTER to extract certain folders to help create a unique Windows 2003 Server, unattended CD.

The problem is I can't seem to get the automatic partition creation part to work. I've seen all the example batch files, scripts, DISKPART command lines and WINBOM.ini files out on the net, but I'm not sure where all of these files and scripts are supposed to go and in which order things happen. I've tried many combinations, but of course it gets tricky erasing and reburning over and over again.

Can someone please lay out the procedures for automatically creating one C partition and leaving the balance unallocated, with an unattended Windows 2003 installation. We're trying to get the CD to the point that all one user has to do is place the CD in the CDROM drive, hit a key to boot from CD and then let it go to where my deaprtment can remote desktop in.

Thanks in advance,

Anthony Yenshaw

Edited December 21, 2006 by anthonyy

[clarkbox]

Anthonyy,

did you ever get this figured out ? Im attempting a similar task and could use some help...

[blinkdt]

The answer file I created works great

Can't help you with your partitioning woes, but any chance that you would share your answer file? I'd love to have a look at it and thanks in advance.