NT 4 image to install Server

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

As an MCP responsible for a number of customers migrating from NT4 server to
W2K3 we have a need to wack out NT4 Servers and it is occurring quite
regularly.

We prefer not to upgrade an NT4 installation to W2K3 so we build a quick NT4
BDC, upgrade that and transfer roles to a freshly installed W2K3 server.

In that way we can be sure that we have migrated completely from NT4 without
leaving any unhealthy NT4 residue (ok, so we are v cautious but we recall
the nighmare of installing W95 and W98 over WWG etc etc)

To this end, we have to go through a laborious diskette and CD swapping
nightmare that we had quite forgotten.

Also, we plan to continue providing services long into the future supporting
NT4 when everyone else has moved on, as we did with Novell from Novell
version 2 until this very day.

We need to be able to blast a NT server in a short space of time on new kit
without having to go through diskettes, CD's that are scratched and so on.

I had in mind to create a ghosted image that contains the old 4gb FAT16
partition with an I386 directory so that I could copy the image to a new
disk, boot from it and then when prompted from the CD change the directory
to C:\I386 to install the files from. In other words a generic self
contained install that I could copy to a hard drive, boot from and install
NT4 server without the need to diskettes or CD's.

I have come quite a way with this, capturing an image after the first text
mode section of install and copied the I386 directory from the CD to the C:\
directory. When I am prompted for the CD I simply change the source path to
C:\I386 and away it goes.

However, when the GUI portion of install gets to the file NOTEPAD.EXE and
NOTEPAD.EX_ the install fails as it wants to install NOTEPAD.EXE and all
that is on the I386 directory is NOTEPAD.EX_.

Is there a simple way to create a complete self contained image that will
install and allow me to configure quickly ... this should take minutes and
not hours.

Better still, can I put the image onto an NTFS partition and go beyond the
4gb limit ??!!!

Anyone got any ideas on this or can point me in the right direction?

Many thanks,

jON

p.s. Tried to upgrade the I386 directory with the SP6a files overlaid as we
normally to support service packed installs and this was no better.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

If I got correctly, you deploy new BDC, take it off-line, promote to PDC,
and upgrade.

Install plain BDC without additional drivers and use native "IDE CD-ROM
(ATAPI 1.2)/Dual channel PCI IDE controller" drivers in particular, apply
SP6a, and image the installation. Automate NewSID from SysInternals to move
newly deployed BDC to a new Domain.
You can get the same results using member server and Upromote.

Make initial install on pre-formatted NTFS partition. I have plain PDC image
of 40 MB in size only so I believe 4 GB is more than enough even if you add
\i386 and extracted SP6a to the image.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

Not exactly what I meant ...

I simply want to have all the files to install NT4 Server from a simgle hard
drive image.

I want to be able to :

a) restore image to a new hard drive on a new machine

b) boot this hard drive

c) without using diskettes or CD's at all, proceed to the point where we
identifty the network card and add the server to the domain as BDC or stand
alone etc.

Once I get to this stage I am happy to add as a BDC, create standalone etc
etc, I just don't want to have to painfully wait while 3 diskettes load, the
the system reboots after I enter DOS mode settings and then wait while files
are loaded from a CD that may well be scratched or whatever.

NT Workstation can install from a bootable CD, I am sure therefore that it
could be possible to install NT4 workstation from a bootable hard drive in
much the same way. If so, then it would be nice to be able to install NT
server from a bootable hard drive.

Applying the SP6a update along the way would be nice but I understand not
possible (is this slipstreaming???)

As if the system was preinstalled on a new Compaq, HP or Dell server where
these things are often preinstalled.

SYSDIFF and other utils are well overkill for what I want ....

I want a preinstalled hard drive ...

jON


"Jetro" <somewhere@internet.space> wrote in message
news:uWxoJ6k$EHA.2700@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> If I got correctly, you deploy new BDC, take it off-line, promote to PDC,
> and upgrade.
>
> Install plain BDC without additional drivers and use native "IDE CD-ROM
> (ATAPI 1.2)/Dual channel PCI IDE controller" drivers in particular, apply
> SP6a, and image the installation. Automate NewSID from SysInternals to
> move
> newly deployed BDC to a new Domain.
> You can get the same results using member server and Upromote.
>
> Make initial install on pre-formatted NTFS partition. I have plain PDC
> image
> of 40 MB in size only so I believe 4 GB is more than enough even if you
> add
> \i386 and extracted SP6a to the image.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

When was it the last time you've seen NT4 srv/wksta preinstalled?
Nevertheless, it's not a problem to clone zillion of similar hardware boxes.
What you want is quite different but my approach covers everything.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

Thanks Jetro, I can see how the NewSid software would help for cloning but I
want to create my image at an earlier point in the installation.

True, I cannot recall a preinstalled NT W/S and definately not preinstalled
NT Server but if I use the Compaq Server CD's with my Compaq Server and
answer a few basic questions the complete NT installable is copied and moved
off to hard drive in such a way that I am not prompted for the CD again.

Once the files are copied to the hard drive (probably c:\i386) the
installation takes place from the hard drive image rather than collecting
files from the CD.

I would like to capture the image at the point before the server starts to
carry out the actual install. Good as SysInternals utilities are, I have
only ever used them in an emergency. I would not be prepared to use these
utilities in a production environment. 3 months down the line I could find
that the new W2K3 install has inherited some strange settings that NewSid
has missed - perhaps undocumented MS stuff - and by then it would be too
late to fix.

I am quite happy to go through the GUI installer for NT - its takes
seconds - all I want is to be able to have an image that is :

a) formatted, preferably as large as possible and if possible NTFS

b) Boot strapped with NTDETECT etc

c) ready to run the GUI portion of install from the hard drive as it would
off a bootable CD.

d) prepared with SP6a if possible (probably asking a little too much there)

As I say I am already almost there by capturing an install after the first
DOS setup session.

jON


"Jetro" <somewhere@internet.space> wrote in message
news:uBd$qyq$EHA.2076@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> When was it the last time you've seen NT4 srv/wksta preinstalled?
> Nevertheless, it's not a problem to clone zillion of similar hardware
> boxes.
> What you want is quite different but my approach covers everything.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

You can resize destination partition during the cloning so probably you
don't need source partition as large as possible.

SP4 has a new Atapi.sys that allows the IDE drive to be formated during
install and to address the drive beyond 8 GB. SCSI drives are not affected
with this problem.
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-unsup-ed/fixes/nt40/atapi/ATAPI.EXE

It's possible to overcome 7.8 GB system/boot partition limit by replacing
NT4 bootstrap code and loader files with W2k-and-up versions.

Format HDD in another NT4 computer. Copy i386 directory onto C: drive and
point setup to this location. I don't quite get the problem with notepad.ex_
'cause all the files in i386 directory are compacted and setup just expands
them.

I haven't been quite getting the remarks about production environment since
nobody afraids anymore of installing any third-party application, say
Firefox, and or manually edit the registry in any environment. Thorough
testing won't hurt but then there shouldn't be any doubt. I personally trust
SysInternals while M.Russinovich runs this project as same as I trusted
P.Norton before Symantec purchased him.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

I have formatted a drive FAT to 4gb, placed the I386 files on the drive and
run WINNT /X.

This has prepared the 4gb FAT partition with bootstrap, ntdetect etc and
converted to NTFS on first reboot.

Then the GUI setup has kicked in nicely, prompted for the location of the
I386 directory, copied a few files over and prompted for the location of
NOTEPAD.EX_, NOTEPAD.EXE

I again point to I386 but this does not work.

The file that the dialogue behind is suggesting that it is trying to load is
"C:\NOTEPAD.EXE"

This is almost 99% doing what I want it to do ... there must be something in
the INF file that controls the install.

Someone must know what causes this surely ... I can't believe that I am the
first person to try this procedure ?????

jON


"Jetro" <somewhere@internet.space> wrote in message
news:%23WDG4jv$EHA.960@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> You can resize destination partition during the cloning so probably you
> don't need source partition as large as possible.
>
> SP4 has a new Atapi.sys that allows the IDE drive to be formated during
> install and to address the drive beyond 8 GB. SCSI drives are not affected
> with this problem.
> ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-unsup-ed/fixes/nt40/atapi/ATAPI.EXE
>
> It's possible to overcome 7.8 GB system/boot partition limit by replacing
> NT4 bootstrap code and loader files with W2k-and-up versions.
>
> Format HDD in another NT4 computer. Copy i386 directory onto C: drive and
> point setup to this location. I don't quite get the problem with
> notepad.ex_
> 'cause all the files in i386 directory are compacted and setup just
> expands
> them.
>
> I haven't been quite getting the remarks about production environment
> since
> nobody afraids anymore of installing any third-party application, say
> Firefox, and or manually edit the registry in any environment. Thorough
> testing won't hurt but then there shouldn't be any doubt. I personally
> trust
> SysInternals while M.Russinovich runs this project as same as I trusted
> P.Norton before Symantec purchased him.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.setup (More info?)

If *winnt.exe* is used from FAT16 partition then converting to NTFS should
be performed after completing setup as *convert /fs:ntfs*.