WDS and Windows 7 system partition

flames1000

Hi All,

I hoping that someone can give me a hand with this:

Im using W2K8 R2 for Windows Deployment Services. I have a base Windows 7 Professional image that i added to the server that is just a plane jane OEM. I can pull the default installation down to a laptop and it installs just fine. I have been using the WAIK to make my autounattend.xml file for my automated installations.

I have everything working, but i have not setup anything for my partitions and manually setting them up as a test to make sure the xml file is doing what i need, so far, so good.

my question is, windows 7 uses a 100 meg system partition for bitlocker and i want to leave it as is and have that included in my image. Basically i will have the 100 meg partition, and then the rest of the hard drive partitioned as the C Drive. Im preparing a desktop with what i need on it to upload to the WDS server, but will i have a issue pulling it back down if i manually create the partitions when i deploy the image?

The image that im going to upload will have the 100 meg partition made and the rest will be on the C drive.

Does anyone have a sample on what i can use to auto create the partitions, i have been searching around a bit and just trying to figure it out as to what is the best way to do this.

I hope this made sense and will answer any questions if more info is needed.

Many thanks!

Flames!

Hyper-Me

WDS is File-based imaging and not sector based, therefore you cant actually capture disk structure like partitioning, etc.

What you can do is one of two things, create an unattend file for the WDS preinstallation sequence that formats the drives and creates partitions as you need, or create a lite touch sequence using MDT 2010 thatll do the same thing. The easiest one to do would be the WDS unattend file, but it will affect any image you pull down using WDS. So you'll have to turn it off when you dont need it (unless you are only deploying windows 7/that partition structure)

Claymoore

With Windows 7 / 2008 R2 the system partition is automatically created when you install Bitlocker so you don't need to create the partition as a part of the imaging process.

Changes in BitLocker Drive Encryption

Hyper-Me

Claymoore wrote: »

With Windows 7 / 2008 R2 the system partition is automatically created when you install Bitlocker so you don't need to create the partition as a part of the imaging process.

Changes in BitLocker Drive Encryption

True, I forgot about that. I was thinking of the 100MB partition that the manual setup process creates for installing WinRE.

flames1000

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the response. Yes, that is what im talking about is the 100 meg system partition that is manually created during the install of windows 7. I will take a test machine that will have that (100 meg partition) and then the rest for the C drive. That image will be rolled out and thats what i was wondering if it will all come down, or do i have to setup partitions in the unattend file?

Kinda a bit confused, but on the right track. The drive partitioning is the only thing not in my unattend file right now, but im unclear how to set that up, so the 100 meg partition wont have a drive letter and function as normal as a manual installation.

Flames

Hyper-Me

WDS imaging is non-destructive, so if you have the partitioning already done you are good to go. Just make sure you select the right partition when installing

flames1000

Thanks Hyper-Me!

I will give it a try and see how things go. you wouldnt have a sample xml that would have this automated that i can try?

Im going to try it by manually and letting windows create the 100 meg partition and then create the c drive partition to have the rest of the hard drive. That is not in my autounattend file, so that is the only thing that i have to do, the rest looks good. I have not founs any relevent info on how to make the partitioning with the 100 meg hidden partition.

you have been a great help. thanks again.

Flames!

flames1000

Hi Again,

I have the laptop ready that im going to imagining. I sysprepped the laptop and dnow its showing the only volume to capture is D? how do i get this to capture everything including the hidden system partition?

thanks again

Flames!