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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This section assumes you have multiple partitions, and goes through the steps needed to remove them using FDISK
WARNING: Removing partitions DESTROYS all the data in those partitions, make sure you have a backup of your important information.
For this example the hard drive in question has a PRIMARY partition (approx 2Gb) and two LOGICAL DRIVES (each approx 1Gb) if I’ve just confused the hell out of you CLICK HERE
Solution
Deleting Partitions
1. First ensure you have a windows 98SE Bootdisk, you can download one, CLICK HERE
2. Boot the PC with your boot disk, ENSURE the boot order is set in the BIOS to boot from the floppy disk BEFORE the hard drive.
3.To launch FDISK simply type fdisk {enter} at the command prompt, when the program launches press the Y key and {enter} to enable large drive support.
4. This is the main FDISK menu, as we are Deleting partitions we need to change the selection from the default [1] to [3] “Delete partition or logical DOS Drive” Press 3 then {enter}
5. Now remember the LOGICAL drives must be deleted FIRST so we need to select “Delete logical DOS Drive(s) in the Extended partition” Press 3 then {enter}
6. Now the system will display the logical drives, work your way BACKWARDS, the last drive letter here is E so simply push E then {enter}.
7. FDISK will ask you for the volume label – ours does not have one so we can simply press {enter} if yours does it will be listed above in the volume label column.
8. At this point you must confirm by pressing Y then {enter}
9. The default view will change to show you that E: drive has been deleted, and you can continue to delete the D: drive, simply press D then {enter}.
10. Again it will prompt for volume label (See step 8 above).
11. You will be asked to confirm press Y then {enter}.
12. You will now see the Logical drives are BOTH deleted, press Esc to exit.
13. At the confirmation page just press Esc.
14. Back at the main menu! Now the LOGICAL drives are gone you can delete the EXTENDED partition. Press 3 then {enter}.
15. To remove the EXTENDED partition press 2 then {enter}.
16. There is only one EXTENDED partition so press Y then {enter}.
17. More confirmation! Just Press Esc.
18. Now the EXTENDED Partition is gone you can remove the PRIMARY partition press 3 then {enter}.
19. Well we know we want the PRIMARY gone so press 1 then {enter}.
20. Its the only one there :0) Press 1 then {enter}.
21. If you have a volume label enter it, if not press {enter}.
22. Press Y then {enter}.
23. Confirmation screen, just press Esc.
24. Nearly done! Press Esc.
25. Press Esc to exit FDISK, when you are back at command line press Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot the PC. All your partitions are now removed.
Now you’re done you can either repartition the drive OR if you’re installing Windows 2000 or XP let it do it for you as part of the install process.
To set up simple partitioning (One Partition, one Drive Letter) CLICK HERE
To set up complex partitioning (multiple partitions, multiple drive letters) CLICK HERE
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You want to remove the partitions form your carved up hard drive.
Solution
Deleting a Partition
1. First ensure you have a windows 98SE Bootdisk, you can download one, CLICK HERE
2. Boot the PC with your boot disk, ENSURE the boot order is set in the BIOS to boot from the floppy disk BEFORE the hard drive 3.To launch FDISK simply type fdisk {enter} at the command prompt, when the program launches press the Y key and {enter} to enable large drive support
4. This is the main FDISK menu, as we are Deleting a single partition we need to change the selection from the default [1] to [3] “Delete partition or logical DOS Drive”
5. Press 3 then {enter}
6. As there is only one partition leave the default setting of [1] and press {enter}
7. You will now see the partition displayed (In this case called partition 1) as this is the only partition it is selected by default, just press {enter}
8.You will now be asked to type in the “Volume Label” this drive is blank so you can just hit {enter} if yours has a label it will be shown in the volume label column (above)
9. You are asked to confirm (Last chance to change your mind :0)
10. Press Y then {enter} to confirm
11. This confirms the partition is deleted (You can now Exit FDISK if you do not want to create a partition, by pressing Esc) When you are back at command line press Ctrl+Alt+Esc to reboot the PC.
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