Disk numbering issue between Windows and Linux

#1 srihariram

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Posted 15 April 2010 - 03:28 AM

Hello,

I am trying to automate windows 2008 installation using unattended.xml. I am trying to collect information on the which disk to install (disk 0 or 1) from a linux boot environment and update the unattended.xml. But when it comes to windows environment, the disk numbering gets changed and the installation fails.

Is there any correlation between linux disk numbering and windows 2008 disk numbering?

How does the disk numbering happen in windows 2008 boot environment. (if i have multiple disks, plus USB connected)

Thanks in advance.

-Ram

#2 srihariram

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Posted 15 April 2010 - 04:07 AM

Hi,
Is there any way to run an executable to update autounattented.xml before inputs are taken from it.
I have a issue with disk number on which windows needs to be installed.
Is there any way to update autounattented.xml with proper disk number, before the windows installation uses the xml?

Thanks in advance.

-Ram

#3 Tripredacus

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Posted 15 April 2010 - 09:25 AM

How are you installing? From the DVD? You will probably need to make a custom install, I don't think you can make this change with just the XML itself.

#4 Tripredacus

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Posted 15 April 2010 - 09:27 AM

It has to do with the timing the motherboard enumerates the drives to the OS. You will need to find out what the disk numbers are from the Server 2008 install. You can find this info by running the install without your AUTOUNATTEND.XML file, so that it boots and wants input. Then you can get the command prompt open (CTRL+SHIFT+F10 I believe) and run DISKPART to see how it sees the drives. Then use those values in your file.

#5 cluberti

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Posted 15 April 2010 - 12:50 PM

I've merged these two topics, as they're quite similar in request. Also, I would strongly suggest using WinPE rather than Linux as your preboot environment for the reasons Tripredacus mentioned - it's far easier to get the "right" disk information from diskpart in WinPE than to trust that Linux will get the same info and disk order when it boots.

#6 srihariram

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Posted 16 April 2010 - 01:11 AM

Is there any way to set the target disk for OS installation based on the volume label that is assigned in linux environment?
Does autounattended.xml take volume label?

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