Image Windows 10 laptops with DISM (or other free tool)

xy677 said:

By preactivate I mean, when I unbox the new laptop, it has Windows 10 already activated (OEM install). That's what I am asking, how can I keep this activation for all laptops once they get imaged using DISM?

@Kari will correct me if I am mistaken, but Windows 10 should read the product key that is stored in the computer's UEFI placed there by the manufacturer and use that product key to activate Windows 10 with assuming the same edition of Winodws 10 is placed on the computer that was there from the manufacturer (Home or Pro). In this situation, the user should not even be asked to enter a product key.

At least that is what happens on a clean install - from the sound of it, that is also what should happen with the installation by image method, as long as no product key is provided in the answer file.

Thanks Kari but keeping the Windows Activated is key for rolling out these machines. I can't even enter a product key as there is none (I assume its one of these new UEFI, keys in the BIOS machines). I'll have to test this to see how it behaves.

So far the steps I mentioned earlier have been working well in my test VM!

The one extra item I did add (since it annoys me so much and is such a time waster) is to disable that silly animation when you first sign into Windows after installation. You can disable it as follows in the local group policy:

Computer - Admin Templates - System - Logon - Show first sign-in animation (set to disable)

Another cool thing I did was replace the install.wim file on a bootable USB key I created using the official Microsoft Windows 10 media with my own wim file so now when I do an install using the "official" media I get my very own custom install with Office...awesome!!

So I've created my image and have started to try and do an unattended install but I am still getting prompted for user input at the following screens:

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How do I automate these screens using the unattend.xml answer file?

Kari said:

In answer file, add component Microsoft-Windows-International-Core to Pass 7 OobeSystem, set InputLocale, SystemLocale, UILanguage and UserLocale.

Add component Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup > OOBE to Pass 7 OobeSystem, set HideEULAPage and HideOEMRegistrationScreen to TRUE. Additionally, if your end users are not allowed to create a Microsoft Account in OOBE set HideOnlineAccountScreens to TRUE.

That about covers it.

Kari

The funny thing is I already have those items set:





but I'm still being prompted for these items when I begin the install?

My answer file is saved to: C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\unattend.xml

Am I doing something wrong?

The one thing that confused me is, when do you use unattend.xml and when do you use autounattend.xml?

Ok, thanks! I have removed the incorrect values from the answer file that are not compatible with Windows 10.

Since I am booting from an ISO (that has my new/customised install.wim file) does that mean I shouldn't have an unattend.xml file in c:\windows\system32\sysprep and should ONLY have the Autounattend.xml in the root of the ISO?