Much as I like Server 2012, I’m stuck in my ways when it comes to admin tasks, when I want to do some disk management, I right click computer and select manage, and disk management is never far away. Until now where it’s nowhere to be seen.
Solution
Option 1 (The Tech Ninja Way)
Press Windows Key+R and Run diskmgmt.msc
Option 2 (The Lazy GUI Way)
Open the advanced context menu (Windows Key+X), select Disk Management.
Option 3 (The ‘I’m only including this to stop the pedants sending it in’ way)
Press Windows Key+Q > In the search section type ‘disk manage’ > Select Settings > Select and format disk partitions.
Update 06/12/12
Email from Nick Keyzer
You can also move your mouse cursor to the bottom left corner of your screen. This will trigger the ‘start’ menu icon. Simply Right-Click the bottom left corner for additional management menus including ‘Disk Management’.
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Over the last couple of years I’ve done a lot of imaging of School PC’s I don’t know why but they come with a myriad of different drive and partition configurations. Even big vendors like HP and Dell ship their machines with recovery partitions these days.
If you are imaging with WDS this can cause a problem so what I usually want to do is remove all the partitions, create one big one that takes up all the drive, and format it as NTFS.
Solution
Before you begin make sure you are clued up on working with WDS unattended files, run through my instructions here.
The following procedure needs to be added to the WDS Unattended file NOT the unattended file for the image, (again run through KB0000180 if you are unsure.)
1. While editing your Unattended answerfile you need to locate, “Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral” and add “DiskConfiguration” to the “1 windowsPE” component.
2. Right click it and add a disk > Set Disk ID = 0 > Set WillWipeDisk = true.
3. Right Click > Create Partition > Set Extend = true > Set Order = 1 > Set Type = Primary.
4. Select Modify Partitions > Set Active = true > Set Extend = false > Set Format = NTFS > Set Label = SYSTEM > Set Letter = C > Set Order = 1 > Set Partition ID = 1.
5. This procedure will add the following to your unattended file.
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In the next couple of months Windows 8 will go RTM. For those of you with Technet, MSDNor Open Value subscriptions you can already get your hands on it. For anyone not wanting to take the ‘plunge’ and reinstall your OS, you can simply ‘Dual Boot’. Then you can get used to Windows 8 in your own good time. If you suddenly find you need Windows 7 simplify reboot and it will still be there.
Solution
Create a Partition for Windows 8
1. From within Windows 7 > Start > Right Click ‘Computer’ > Manage.
2. Launch Disk Management.
3. This machine has one large C: (System Drive). I’m going to ‘Shrink’ the volume that’s on it to free up room for a Windows 8 Partition, but first I’m going to rename it so we know what it is > Right click > Properties.
4. Call it ‘Windows 7’ > Apply > OK.
5. Now Right click > Shrink Volume.
6. Pick the amount to shrink the volume by, Note: Windows 8 needs 20 GB (Minimum) > Shrink.
7. Once complete, right click the newly created ‘free space’ > New Simple Volume.
8. Accept all the defaults and name the volume ‘Windows 8’.
9. Now we have a partition to install to.
Install Windows 8
10. Note: To install from DVD the computer MUST be set to boot from CD/DVD before it’s hard drive. This is set in the computers BIOS, how this is done varies from model to model.
11. Boot the machine and when prompted press any key to boot from DVD. Select your language options > Next.
15. Now you can see why I named the partitions, select Windows 8 > Next.
16. Ignore this for now and let Windows 8 install.
17. It will run setup then reboot.
18. At this point Windows 8 will be the OS that boots by default, you will probably want it to be Windows 7 so select “Change defaults or choose other options”
19. Choose the default operating system.
Note: The ‘Change the timer’ Setting changes the seconds countdown shown at boot, as illustrated in step 27 below.
20. Set it to Windows 7 > Back.
21. Now Select Windows 8 to boot into that OS.
22. Run through the ‘Personalise’ steps.
23. I don’t want to login with a Microsoft account so I’m selecting “Sign in without a Microsoft account” > Next.
24. Local account.
25. Create an account to login with > Finish.
26. There’s Windows 8!
27. When you reboot you can now choose which OS you want to use.
Note: The seconds counter below is set to the default of 30 seconds.
28. If you select nothing Windows 7 will boot by default.
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