[Atari800XL]

Just did a test of version 2.3a (sorry, didn't use your Imdisk installers, I always use its "daughter", osfmount [silently, of course]).

Booted with WinPE_SE, used my Autohotkey scripts (ctrl-sh-7, ctrl-sh-8, ctrl-sh-x) to install W7, W8, XP to 3 seperate primary partitions:

WinNTSetup2_x86.exe -nt6 -source:k:\sources\install.wim -syspart:c: -unattend:"autounattend_w7.xml" -savedriveletters -sysletter:c -reboot -disableuac

WinNTSetup2_x86.exe -nt6 -source:k:\sources\install.wim -syspart:c: -unattend:"autounattend_w8.xml" -savedriveletters -sysletter:c -reboot -disableuac

WinNTSetup2_x86.exe -nt5 -source:k: -syspart:c: -unattend:winnt.sif -savedriveletters -drivers:"L:\" -reboot

Everything fully unattended, it all works so perfectly it's almost not funny anymore!!!

.... I'm kidding, of course: WinPE_SE and WinNTSetup are absolutely amazing in their power and possibilities!!!
Thank you soooo much for all your work!

This post has been edited by Atari800XL: 17 May 2012 - 06:19 AM

[click-click]

JFX, on 27 November 2011 - 01:53 PM, said:

click-click, on 25 November 2011 - 07:11 AM, said:

Is it necessary to format the target partition for a clean Win7 install with WinNTSetup?

No, it's not mandatory. install will overwrite files and abort if there would be a problem.
But yes there will be files remaining from old Windows installation.

With removing an old installation without formating, i see 2 problems:

1. NTFS security settings
- one would need to take ownership & grant access
or using a tool like xdel

2. Junctions and Symlink (and this is the thing that scares me ! )
- junctions and symlinks in Win7 are created with full path.

think you have an offline win7 that has C: as normal drive letter and is now under your current running windows mounted as D:
It's junctions and symlink will still point to C:, but that could be the current running windows

Even Mircosofts own tools like robocopy don't handle symlinks right.
It might happen that deleting an offline windows switch the drive and start deleting files/folder one the current system drive !

Fyi JFX

After asking the author to add an enhancement to XDEL, he has updated it with a new parameter: --one-volume-only You no longer need to be scared. With this parm, only files on the target drive are deleted. The updated version is not on his website because he is in the process of moving files to another site, Here's the Link.

[JFX]

Atari800XL, on 17 May 2012 - 06:14 AM, said:

Everything fully unattended, it all works so perfectly it's almost not funny anymore!!!

.... I'm kidding, of course: WinPE_SE and WinNTSetup are absolutely amazing in their power and possibilities!!!

Ha, ha I know what you mean. Yeah sometimes a project make a lot of fun while doing it, but someday one noticed there nothing more to improve.
Thanks for the feedback

click-click, on 23 May 2012 - 06:41 AM, said:

Fyi JFX

After asking the author to add an enhancement to XDEL, he has updated it with a new parameter: --one-volume-only You no longer need to be scared. With this parm, only files on the target drive are deleted. The updated version is not on his website because he is in the process of moving files to another site, Here's the Link.

That's great news.

Finally a good way to remove a windows installation without formating and XDEL is also pretty fast
Thanks

[Atari800XL]

Yes, XDEL is fast, and also very dangerous, as I found out...

So I want to give an extra WARNING for anyone who might want to try it out:

DON'T even think about trying to get some help or explanation by carelessly trying out these commands:

XDEL (if you might expect some helpmessage)

or

XDEL /? (if you might expect a list of command-line options)

The first commands wipes out your current drive, the second deletes all 1-character filenames (like I use for my most important files: My TrueCrypt volumes, which have single-letter names that correspond with the driveletters they're mounted under).

Luckily, I always have enough backups, but I must say this is the most dangerous tool I have ever come across!!!
I fully realise powertools like this one should not be used by noobs, but even then, I was surprised by this little wolf in sheep's clothing!!!!

This post has been edited by Atari800XL: Yesterday, 12:41 AM

[jaclaz]

Atari800XL, on Yesterday, 12:40 AM, said:

Luckily, I always have enough backups, but I must say this is the most dangerous tool I have ever come across!!!
I fully realise powertools like this one should not be used by noobs, but even then, I was surprised by this little wolf in sheep's clothing!!!!

JFYI :
http://www.marriedto...-what-i-get.gif

jaclaz

[Atari800XL]

If you mean I shouldn't have touched XDEL in the first place, you're probably right.

Still, I'm glad I tried it, because I'm sure I can use it in the future. I just never came across a tool that was so powerful (dangerous) when starting it without any parameters, or with the "/?" parameter.

Again, I'm only blaming myself for any data loss that could have occurred (*), but looking back, I still wonder why there isn't a list of command line options.

(*) On my test PC, I sometimes use "destuctive" tools on purpose, just to see what happens. That's why it's a test machine.

This post has been edited by Atari800XL: Yesterday, 08:32 AM

[jaclaz]

Atari800XL, on Yesterday, 08:24 AM, said:

If you mean I shouldn't have touched XDEL in the first place, you're probably right.

Naaah, not at all , just showing you another "classical" destructive tool.

Atari800XL, on Yesterday, 08:24 AM, said:

(*) On my test PC, I sometimes use "destuctive" tools on purpose, just to see what happens. That's why it's a test machine.

Yep :

Ray Bradbury said:

Life is "trying things to see if they work".

jaclaz