WDS - Windows 7 & Deployment Workbench

Django x2

Django x2

Django x2

Soldato
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I've finally managed to get an unattended setup working which installs all the applications I want / drivers / WUs, etc.

One thing I can't seem to find the answer to is how to get it to partition disk during install.

Currently, it just formats the disk and installs to disk 0: Partition 1 (which is the whole disk). I want to specify that it creates a partition of say 50Gb and installs to that.

Any ideas?
 
I can answer this for you tomorrow when im at work, but essentially it's just another answer file the same as your unattended file for the image except you put it in the wdsclientunattend settings of the wds server.

I can give you a copy of my answer file too if you like and you can just customise it to add in your split partition :)
 
Lucero said:
No, this is for a tiny tiny outfit, SCCM would probably be overkill
Click to expand...

mrbios said:
I can answer this for you tomorrow when im at work, but essentially it's just another answer file the same as your unattended file for the image except you put it in the wdsclientunattend settings of the wds server.

I can give you a copy of my answer file too if you like and you can just customise it to add in your split partition :)
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. How many workstations are you talking about here? Yeh, an answer file would be the way to go then.

This may help
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349348(WS.10).aspx
 
Ok answer:
Right click your server > properties > client tab > tick "enable unattended installation" and attach an apropriate WDSClientUnattent.xml file like the one below:
Code: 
<?xml version="1.0" ?> 
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="windowsPE">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="x86">
<WindowsDeploymentServices>
<Login>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> 
<Credentials>
<Username>USER</Username> 
<Domain>DOMAIN</Domain> 
<Password>PASSWORD</Password> 
</Credentials>
</Login>
<ImageSelection>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> 
<InstallTo>
<DiskID>0</DiskID> 
<PartitionID>1</PartitionID> 
</InstallTo>
</ImageSelection>
</WindowsDeploymentServices>
<DiskConfiguration>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> 
<Disk>
<DiskID>0</DiskID> 
<CreatePartitions>
<CreatePartition>
<Extend>true</Extend> 
<Order>1</Order> 
<Type>Primary</Type> 
</CreatePartition>
</CreatePartitions>
<WillWipeDisk>True</WillWipeDisk> 
<ModifyPartitions>
<ModifyPartition>
<Order>1</Order> 
<PartitionID>1</PartitionID> 
<Letter>C</Letter> 
<Label>NAMELABEL</Label> 
<Format>NTFS</Format> 
<Active>true</Active> 
<Extend>false</Extend> 
</ModifyPartition>
</ModifyPartitions>
</Disk>
</DiskConfiguration>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="x86">
<SetupUILanguage>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> 
<UILanguage>en-gb</UILanguage> 
</SetupUILanguage>
<UILanguage>en-gb</UILanguage> 
</component>
</settings>
</unattend>

As you can see i changed a few bits for the sake of posting it here :) That sets up a system and main partition and labels the partition with the name i've given it. You should be able to put that into windows system image manager to modify the partition setup.
 
Lucero said:
Wow, cool, thanks v.muchly

Does this detract from the WDS file?
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean?

To add to the last post, if you also will onyl ever be using one standard image you can use this:
<ImageSelection>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
<InstallImage>
<ImageName>imagename</ImageName>
<ImageGroup>imagegroup</ImageGroup>
<FileName>\\server\share\filename.wim</
FileName>
</InstallImage>
<InstallTo>
<DiskID>0</DiskID>
<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
</InstallTo>
</ImageSelection>

in place of the current "image selection" section to set a specific image you want to load, that way after you press F12 to network boot you need not touch a thing until windows is installed (depending on your other unattend.xml file attached to the image itself)
 
mrbios said:
Not sure what you mean?
Click to expand...

I mean, in Deployment Workbench, there is a "bootstap.ini" and a Rules Window which dictates all the behaviour of the pre install. Then there is a Task Sequence part which is like the unattended setup. How do these integrate with what you've provided?
 
Not sure, don't think i've used those, i used the "windows automated installtion kit" to create them using the program within called "windows system image manager" to create the xml files

If you install that and open the answer file (and attach a windows image file) you'll get all the settings you can add and remove with ease, unless of course that's what you're already talking about? That's the only program i used to create both the initial WDS drive configuration unattended file and the unattended file that i attach to individual images for unattended windows setup. Problem with things like this is there seems to be about 4-5 different ways of producing the same result :p
 
Ahh ok, so in my case, Deployment Workbench creates an unattend file for you. In WDS you then just point to the litetouch boot image. I reckon I can just edit the unattend.xml file from DW, however, when viewing through DW, it's a GUI interface. I'll find the file and adjust it manually and see how we go.

I'll let you know
 
That bit im not sure, but it's definitely possible!

I think the code i put above^ can actually be added to a per-image unattend.xml file if you want a different configuration per image, but personally i've only ever used it as a global disk setup file.

Anyway.....partitioning im unsure of, but hopefully google will have the answer, i'm looking through now but not having too much luck finding anything yet
 
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