[help] Open The Xp Format Dialog From A Batchfile

here's what i'm doing, maybe someone can get me over this one hurdle...

we all know we reformat and re-install a million times on windows...

to make it easier, i've done the whole xpsp2 slipstream thing, but now a step further, i'm making a complete disk of my common apps that i install plus other tasks. the batch file does the following steps:

-deletes all wallpapers and screensavers

-deletes some links (windows catalog, set program access, etc.)

-adds a slew of registry tweaks

-copies themes to the resources directory

-then starts installing apps

what i need help with is right before it starts installing apps, i would like it to ask what partition to format and then open that appropriate format dialog. when that's done, create three folders (that part i can do)

looking around the net, it seems like it got harder over the years, there's no longer the dos command "choice" anymore since NT. anyone with batch file experience know how to do this in XP?

thanks much

#210151

Couldn't you just use the "format" command line tool, with a few parameters passed via the batch file?

Format.com syntax and usage

I'd love to see this once you get done - could be very handy

#210322

i could do it that way, but i want to make it universal to any computer... meaning right now, my D: partition is my applications partition... if i set it up using the format command, it would basically just be format d:(and any additional parameters)...

i would like it so that i can bring this disc to your computer and it work just as well. you may not have a d drive, or it may be used in a different way, say for your music that you definitely wouldn't want formatted . that's why i was looking for it to ask what letter partition do you want to format.

thanks

actually, i think (well right now just in my head) i got it figured out... i'll just create a standard v-basic app that will ask for the partition letter and and switches wanted, then store them as variables

format (variable letter) /any switches

or even easier, someone did it for me!!

http://www.freevbcode.com/ShowCode.asp?ID=1371

#210471