Create Windows 10 ISO image from Existing Installation  

Here's a sample unattended answer file to you @3llyot, to be used on technician mahine when you sysprep it as told in that customizing tutorial. It completely automatizes OOBE:

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>Ten Forums</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>Ten Forums</Manufacturer>
                <SupportHours>24/7</SupportHours>
                <SupportPhone>+44 123 456 789</SupportPhone>
                <SupportURL>https://www.tenforums.com</SupportURL>
            </OEMInformation>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <OEMName>Ten Forums</OEMName>
            <RegisteredOrganization>Ten Forums</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>Kari</RegisteredOwner>
            <TimeZone>W. Europe Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Read the customization tutorial (parts One through Six), then print this answer file and study it. It's pretty much self-explanatory, but do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions. The sample answer file is what I use deploying Windows on my own network but is a good reference answer file, easily modified to cater your needs.

Kari

Hi

How do I only download (without additional updates) and install a testing build so that I can capture a clean offline image?

Thanks

Bye

balubeto said:

Hi

How do I only download (without additional updates) and install a testing build so that I can capture a clean offline image?

Thanks

Bye

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 tutorial by @Brink shows you how to get a clean ISO image or bootable USB thumb drive.

After that, just install the thing in a VM or on a physical computer and start tinkering with settings and applications as described in this tutorial.

Hope this helps :)

Judoludo said:

hi Kari, thanks for your tutorial :) everything is very clear and easy.

some fast questions:

1) when I install the ISO I just created, go through installation and OOBE and then arrive to desktop, I notice there's still those "desktop.ini" in (almost) every single folder of the whole system. why? what should I do not to create them during the process of the tutorial?

2) There are a lot of hidden folders and files in the root of C: and there are several folders in "Users": considering that in a genuine ISO I'd not find them, is there - again - something I can do to erase them during the process of tutorial? Or should I keep them, because they are necessary to use Windows as a new User?

Thank you :)

Rob

1. desktop.ini files are hidden and protected operating system files you should not worry about. They are used to make sure that a folder has correct icon and icon-resolution, among other things.

2. Those hidden files and folders you are referring to are mostly Operating System files, and you should not tamper with them. Then there are also hidden folders which you should not touch. They are all needed by the system. The Users folder should ALWAYS have the Default and Public user folders. I suggest you follow the tutorial to the letter.

slicendice said:

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 tutorial by @Brink shows you how to get a clean ISO image or bootable USB thumb drive.

After that, just install the thing in a VM or on a physical computer and start tinkering with settings and applications as described in this tutorial.

Hope this helps :)

With the tools listed in the Brink tutorial, it is also possible to download the latest testing build?

Thanks

Bye

balubeto said:

With the tools listed in the Brink tutorial, it is also possible to download the latest testing build?

Thanks

Bye

I am not sure about that. You need to be an Windows Insider in order to being able to download those. MS has a dedicated page for that. The rest of the ISOs that MS does not release we create ourselves from upgrade files, when MS push us the latest insider build.

slicendice said:

I am not sure about that. You need to be an Windows Insider in order to being able to download those. MS has a dedicated page for that. The rest of the ISOs that MS does not release we create ourselves from upgrade files, when MS push us the latest insider build.

So how do I create a clean image the last testing build to create a clean iso?

Thanks

Bye

Go to https://insider.windows.com and join the insider program. Then go download the latest ISO they have released. Install it in a VM or any spare physical computer using either the ISO file or by creating a bootable thumbdrive explained in the tutorial Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 or simply burning the ISO to a DVD and then installing on a physical computer.

Then go to UUP to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 Build Upgrade Files tutorial and follow the instructions to the letter.