unattended setup: ConvertNTFS

Create a 500 MB partition and place the entry ExtendOEMPartition = 1 in the Unattend.txt file.

1. Extract the Setupdd.sys file from the latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack or download the Setupdd.sys file from the following location:
 
      ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/
      hotfixes-postsp2/setupdd-fix
 
   NOTE: To extract a file from the Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack without starting the Service Pack installation program, follow the instructions in the Readme.txt file that is available in the same location as the Service Pack.
 
2. Copy the Setupdd.sys file to the folder from which you run Windows NT unattended Setup.
 
3. Edit the Unattend.txt file to add the "nowait" option to the end of the "ExtendOemPartition" line. For example, edit the Unattend.txt file so it includes the following lines:
 
      [Unattended]
      NoWaitAfterTextMode=1
      Filesystem=ConvertNTFS
      ExtendOemPartition=1, nowait

sorry, my NT resides on a 630MB disk; no more partitions available :-(
I'm also installing NT from core and not just adding a bugfix (service pack).

NoWaitAfterTextMode = 1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode = 1
FileSystem = ConvertNTFS
ExtendOEMPartition = 1,nowait
ConfirmHardware = no
NtUpgrade = yes

is NtUpgrade = yes in your file if not set it to yes and try installing again

NtUpgrade = no
and it will not be changed ! (I want NT from core, you remember:)

BTW, reading the description for this key, I found 2 different ones. They are not violating but they are different:

1) Windows NT Worstatation Resource Kit, Appendix A
   Prefered Options in the Retail Product

       NtUpgrade = no
       .. existing Windows NT installation *is* to be completely overwritten. ..

2) Windows NT Workstation Deployment Guide, Chapter 2
   Desription of UNATTENDED.TXT File Parameters

       NtUpgrade = no
       Causes Windows NT setup to halt if a Windows NT installation is found.      


If description 2) is the truth, I still need a workaround.

I do not understand this. How comes your Filesystem is already NTFS when you never installed NT before?
Else:
IMHO, if you install NT from the distribution CD you are stuck, because the nowait option is introduced with a service pack. You do NEED the mentioned setupdd.sys file!
If you install from a network, you can copy the file to the distribution directory, if not you need to make a new CD with this file in. (I do not think it work if you put it in the $OEM§ directory since these files are copied after the filesystem is created.)

cer, I said that there is NT already installed.

I have any kind of installation, which I don't (want to) know, and I want them to be replaced with the specified one in my unattend.txt, no matter what it was before and which service pack it was.

Sounds that it is impossible to replace a ancient NT by a new one, whithout manual interaction :-((

Maybe only if you install in a different directory.
Or you discard the partition also. First destroy the partition (e.g. null out the 1st sector on the HD), then NT will format it.
But if you want to keep the data on it ... don't know.

Yes, I want to keep the data, just replace NT.

cer, probably a new directory is a workaround. I just need:
  move \WINNT \WINNT.bad /Y
could this be done with unattended setup before installing new NT (textmode setup)?

I don't think so. You need a programm that runs before the setup that changes the name of the directory (just "rename" not "move"). Checkout http://www.ntinternals.com/ntutil.htm to see if the NTFSDOS Utilities and tools can do so.

cer, I had had checked www.internals.com but didn't read carefully.
I got the read-only version of NTFSDOS and should by the real one, this hopefully is a workaround for my problem.
$89 to beat a *one* Microsoft dragon :-((

I should grade your comment ;)