Windows 7 Scripted OS Install Unattended xml file

spazzzen's picture
spazzzen
September 17th, 2009

I have DS 6.9 SP3 which supports Windows 7, so I am trying to get a jump on things and get a working Scripted OS Install (SOI) working.  While the install seams to work correctly with WinPE I can't get the xml file to make it completely automated.  I tried using the xml file posted here but it still asks me questions like language, hard drive, and which version of Windows 7.  The xml files is a complete copy of the one on the page and it still asks me for more information.  Any ideas on how to make the SOI work without any user intervention?

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NKX's picture
NKX
9 weeks 2 days ago

Hi, I was tackling the same

Hi, I was tackling the same thing, so maybe this will help. Firstly I am using SP2 at the moment, so I am needing to script my own solution. I have a completely silent instalaltion of W7, and have acheived this by:

1) I execute a "Run Script" task on the DS (without waiting for agent), this executes a "ReplaceTokens" pass on a pre-configured "unattend.xml" file and pulls custom build data from some custom data sources etc. The output XML is named with "%ID%" and placed in the temp folder.

2) I then deploy my base Altiris IMG version of a W7 install. A couple of things here;

  • Microsoft indicates that using an unattend with the "install.wim" on the instalaltion disc/ISO will not work correctly. Some people have this working, but I don't know how. Create a "master" computer by doing a base install, then use IMAGEX to capture your own customised WIM and/or IMG file.
     
  • Don't bother enabling the built-in administrator and customising it's profile etc. If you use SYSPREP this will all get reset/deleted during the OOBE phase.
     
  • Yes, I am still using IMG formats. There are a number of things I would love to use WIMs for, but our deployment environemtn needs multi-casting and we don't have the bits to enable that. A SYSPREP generalized image works a treat though.

3) I then use another "Run Script" to fix the boot manager and copy the modified XML file over to the "Panther" folder.

4) I generated my XML in WSIM, but found that the following sections/passes were required to make it silent:

  • Specialize Pass: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup = ComptuerName, RegisteredOwned
  • Specialize Pass: Microsoft-Windows-Setup <ImageInstall \ OSImage> = InstallTo (Disk / Partition)
  • OOBE Pass: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup = RegisteredOwned, TimeZone, RegisteredOrganization
  • OOBE Pass: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup <OOBE> = HideEula, HideWirelessSetupInOOBE, NetworkLocation, ProtectYourPC
  • OOBE Pass: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup <UserAccounts \ LocalAccounts> = Name, Group (Administrators), DisplayName, Description, Password
  • OOBE Pass: Microsoft-WindowsInternational-Core = InputLocale, SystemLocale, UILanguage, UILanguageFallback, UserLocale

Sure, the above won't handle partition, but will hide everything else.

Good luck... and hit me back if you find a way to install DAgent without breaking the "setupcomplete.cmd" etc.

Murray

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