Hidden Partition Like PC Angel

rmusick · 03-19-2009, 12:27 PM

Hello All, I'm looking for a way to put a partition on our workstations similar to PC angel(thats the Partition Recovery on Gateways). I know my manager will not approve the purchase of PC Angel since we already have a similar functionality with the Automation Partition. What I need to do is to create a partition big enough to hide our lab image 20+gb then hide it so no one sees it, but what I would really like is to press f10 when it boots up and restore the partition if needed. Anyone know how to do this with Altiris Automation? Also need to find a way to password protect it if possible
Thanks

Bill Sullivan · 03-25-2009, 04:00 PM

I just tested this process today. works good

http://www.symantec.com/connect/arti...dden-bootworks

Bill Sullivan · 03-25-2009, 11:26 PM

spoke too soon...Works with Linux but.... I cannot get a WinPE bootworks hidden partition to actually do anything after install. It just boots up and a command prompt window opens.

Has anyone had any success in having the following configuration?

Hidden WinPE2.1 Partition big enough to hold the image of the computer

Then be able to re-image the computer everytime the computer reboots

deemacgee · 03-26-2009, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmusick

Hello All, I'm looking for a way to put a partition on our workstations similar to PC angel(thats the Partition Recovery on Gateways). I know my manager will not approve the purchase of PC Angel since we already have a similar functionality with the Automation Partition. What I need to do is to create a partition big enough to hide our lab image 20+gb then hide it so no one sees it, but what I would really like is to press f10 when it boots up and restore the partition if needed. Anyone know how to do this with Altiris Automation? Also need to find a way to password protect it if possible
Thanks

I've built a similar option from scratch, but a) the recovery option is kept in the Windows boot.ini file, b) it doesn't use the Altiris Automation - just a generic FAT32 partition, and c) the rebuild happens in DOS mode. I've been meaning to finish blogging the procedure but never have the time/energy/enthusiasm...

...PM me if you think it might be handy and I'll send you what I have over the weekend.

Bill Sullivan · 03-26-2009, 09:12 PM

This is all resolved now. Working with Altiris Support, we were able to get the Hidden partition installed and talking to the Altiris Server. I could then capture an image to the hidden partition and re-deploy it.

here is how.
Create the Install CD using the Boot Disk creator just like the link I posted above but do it with WinPE.
Run that disk on your computer and you will get to the screenshot I posted.
At that point change the drive to D: (Should be the CDROM) and run the following command

Mine is 10GB so here is my script
BWINST.exe -old -s10240 -f=d:

THis will install the Hidden partition (-old)
10 GB (-s10240)
Using the files from the D Drive (-f=D

Now to capture and deploy images, we had to do it a little different than the Juice post above.
Instead of using auto:%ID%.img, we had to use c:%ID%.img

Works for me

Nick · 03-27-2009, 09:54 AM

Nicely done Bill! Sticking the thread as I'm sure there will be others that will find the information helpful!