KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q153768: INFO: Changing the Default Installation Drive Using Unattended S

Article: Q153768
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbOPK kbSBKkbfaq
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUMMARY
=======

By default, unattended setup installs Windows NT to drive C (the first partition
on the first drive in the system). In some cases, you may want to separate the
Windows NT boot partition (the partition where the operating system files are
located) from the system partition (the partition where Boot.ini, Ntdetect.com,
and NTLDR reside).

MORE INFORMATION
================

You can use a Winnt.exe feature to separate the boot partition from system
partition. This feature is unrelated to unattended setup. The /T: option is used
to specify the location where the $Win_nt$.~ls directory will be placed during
setup when Winnt.exe is used. The /T: option defaults to drive C.

Example:

On a single drive divided into two partitions, both partitions are formatted FAT
to create a drive C and a drive D. The source for I386 is on a server and has a
mapped driver letter of X:

x:\winnt /b /t:d: /s:x:\ /u:x:\unattend.txt

After the first reboot, if you stop the installation and go to MS-DOS, you will
see that the $Win_nt$.~bt directory is on drive C and the $Win_nt$.~ls is on
drive D. During the GUI portion of setup, you will notice that files are copied
to their appropriate directories on drive D not drive C.

Additional query words: 4.00 Unattended Setup

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsetup kbOPK kbSBK kbfaq
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version           : winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.