Windows 10 - unable to build a sysprep image without OOBE

I am building a custom Windows 10 image version 1703.
I want to create an image where I do not want an OOBE experience for new users.
However, I am just not able to achieve that. I have run into multiple issues and have been digging around the issues for weeks now.
I have followed your videos and some others as well, but nothing seems to work. I also have some scripts, which some guy had created a few years ago, but they fail to do the job (System goes into an infinite 'Just a moment' loop after restart from a sysprep).


My sysprep xml file - planning to update all x86 to amd64

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <CopyProfile>false</CopyProfile>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <TimeZone>Central Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>QQBiAGMAZABlAGYAMQBAAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <Username>administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>QQBiAGMAZABlAGYAMQBAAEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                            <Value>QQBiAGMAZABlAGYAMQBAAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                            <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Name>Administrator</Name>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <DisplayName>Administrator</DisplayName>
                        <Description>Local Administrator</Description>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
            <RegisteredOrganization>Washington University</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>Olin Library</RegisteredOwner>
            <FirstLogonCommands>
                <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk **REMOVED**</CommandLine>
                    <RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
                </SynchronousCommand>
                <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>2</Order>
                    <CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato</CommandLine>
                    <RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
                </SynchronousCommand>
            </FirstLogonCommands>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:d:/sources/install_windows 7 professional.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Please help

devanshu said:

I am building a custom Windows 10 image version 1703.

I copied your answer file pasting it to Notepad to examine it. A fast scan reveals it is not kosher. Let me check it line by line, I will come back.

Kari

This is what I have updated to - using parts of previous file I have posted

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="0000" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="0000" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="0000" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <DesktopOptimization>
                <ShowWindowsStoreAppsOnTaskbar>false</ShowWindowsStoreAppsOnTaskbar>
            </DesktopOptimization>
            <StartTiles>
                <PromoteOEMTiles>false</PromoteOEMTiles>
            </StartTiles>
            <ComputerName>7050-Win10-Pub</ComputerName>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <RegisteredOrganization>xxxx</RegisteredOrganization>
            <TimeZone>Central Time Zone</TimeZone>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>false</BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="0000" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="0000" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>xxx</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Username>administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <FirstLogonCommands>
                <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk **REMOVED**</CommandLine>
                    <RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
                    <Order>1</Order>
                </SynchronousCommand>
                <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>2</Order>
                    <CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\slmgr.vbs /ipk /ato</CommandLine>
                    <RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
                </SynchronousCommand>
            </FirstLogonCommands>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>xxx</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                            <Value>xxx</Value>
                            <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Description>Local Administrator</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Administrator</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>Administrator</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/windows/system32/sysprep/install.wim#Windows 10 Enterprise" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

@devanshu, please take this in positive way it is intended: I must reprimand you! When posting something like now your answer files, please edit them to remove all personal / organisational information.

I've now asked moderators to remove your MAK product key from both answer files you have posted. That is information you should never share nor post.

That being said, I think I've found your error but let me test something first, I will post more in a few minutes.

Kari

OK, both your answer files contain one deprecated setting that does no harm, Sysprep just ignores it: <ShowWindowsLive> is no longer working. See this reference article: ShowWindowsLive

OK, then the error: In your answer file you are creating a local admin account named Adminsitrator. That won't work, of course; user profile Administrator is the built-in system account. Whether it is disabled / unactivated as by default, or enabled / activated as you do in your answer file, the profile name Administrator is reserved and can't be used for another profile.

What follows is that when OOBE runs, system tries to create the initial user profile failing every time because the name you have given cannot be used for a local non-system admin account. Windows reboots and tries again, with same result.

Kari

Here's a standard answer file I use for my deployments. It completely automates OOBE. Compare it to your answer file to see if it could help you:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>040b:0000040b</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-GB</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideOEMRegistrationScreen>true</HideOEMRegistrationScreen>
                <HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
                <UnattendEnableRetailDemo>false</UnattendEnableRetailDemo>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Description>Main local admin account</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Admin</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>Admin</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Description>My daily standard account </Description>
                        <DisplayName>Kari</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Users</Group>
                        <Name>Kari</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                            <Value>UwBvAG0AZQBQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQAMQAyADMAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
                            <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Description>A guest account</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Visitor in Casa Kari</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Guests</Group>
                        <Name>House Guest</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
            <TimeZone>W. Europe Standard Time</TimeZone>
            <RegisteredOwner>Kari</RegisteredOwner>
            <RegisteredOrganization>ACME Computers</RegisteredOrganization>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OEMInformation>
                <Logo>C:\Windows\System32\oemlogo.bmp</Logo>
                <Manufacturer>ACME Computers</Manufacturer>
                <SupportHours>24/7</SupportHours>
                <SupportPhone>+44 123 456 789</SupportPhone>
                <SupportURL>http://AcmeMonsterRigs.com</SupportURL>
            </OEMInformation>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <OEMName>ACME Computers</OEMName>
            <RegisteredOrganization>ACME</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>Kari</RegisteredOwner>
            <TimeZone>W. Europe Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

One thing I noticed is that you use synchronous commands. I try to avoid them, using batch files instead.

The answer file I posted works for 100% sure. Notice that my answer files contain reference to OEM logo. This line must be removed, if the mentioned location does not contain an OEM logo (120 pix BMP image):

Code:

            <OEMInformation>
               <Logo>C:\Windows\System32\oemlogo.bmp</Logo>
                <Manufacturer>ACME Computers</Manufacturer>
                <SupportHours>24/7</SupportHours>
                <SupportPhone>+44 123 456 789</SupportPhone>
                <SupportURL>http://AcmeMonsterRigs.com</SupportURL>
            </OEMInformation>

Can't understand what you mean with setting PowerShell script execution policy unrestricted? PowerShell has nothing to do with Sysprep.

About your steps, yes seems OK.