Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10  

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  1. Posts : 2
    Windows 10
       #130

    Kari said:
    I think that you might have misunderstood something. In the process told in this tutorial, CopyProfile is an essential setting.

    The purpose of this tutorial is not to show how to automate Windows installation. The purpose is to show how to customize Windows and capture it to a custom image, a WIM file, automating then the complete Windows setup. For this, the method with two answer files is the easiest one. First one helps to get all customizations to custom image, second one then takes care of partitioning and Windows setup.

    Kari
    That I have misunderstood something is also a good possibility! :) Anyway I still believe that the title is not accurated: "Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10" seems to me that remarks the "automated unattended" part, as it were the whole point of the matter. The fact that we do all this for get a customized installation image seems to be just an extra.

    Anyway it's not that important. Just wanted to share my thoughts with you. Keep the good work!

    Best regards,

    Christian
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 9
    Windows 10 Pro
       #131

    Craate install for multi edition


    Hi,tried once another guide posted windowscentral.com,before found this here,but something went not quite right,everything was auto,expect when login screen appeared it asked enter new password twice to login.Is it possible to auto login without password? Also 2.6) In case your ISO is a multi edition one, select correct edition:if i convert esd all indexes to wim,is it somehow possible to make it work to all edition at once? And final question,is it possible to bypass windows key,instead entering generic key to answer file?Thank you
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,169
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #132

    win10home said:
    Is it possible to auto login without password?
    When you say that it asked you to logon, is this at the point of installation just before Windows says things like "Hi", "We're setting everything up for you", "This may take a few minutes", "Almost done", etc.?

    If that is what you are referring to, you can automate the first-time logon to allow the installation to automatically complete by following theses steps:

    From the Windows Image pane in Windows System Image Manager, expand Shell-Setup. Add both AutoLogon and FirstLogonCommands to Pass 7 oobe System. Select AutoLogon and set the following values:

    Enabled: true
    LogonCount: 1
    Username: <Use the admin username you created>

    Expand AutoLogon and select Password

    Set "Value" to the password for the username you just specified.

    Right click on FirstLogonCommands in the Answer File pane and select Insert New SynchronousCommand.

    Select SynchronousCommand add set the following values (Note that the “reg add” entry is a long line and will wrap below):

    CommandLine: reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v AutoLogonCount /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
    Order: 1

    NOTE: The entry you just made adds a registry entry because of a bug with how AutoLogon is handled. AutoLogon erroneously adds 1 to LogonCount value. As a result, you have to subtract 1 from the number of times you want it to logon. To logon once, you have to make the LogonCount 0. Unfortunately, Windows properly understands a LogonCount of 0 as meaning Never AutoLogon. To correct this, we must make the LogonCount 1 and use the registry entry to correct for this problem.

    Note: This will also affect your Reference system. At the point where you have completed creating the image file on the Reference system and you reboot normally, the reference system will logon and complete the setup.

    win10home said:
    In case your ISO is a multi edition one, select correct edition[/U]:if i convert esd all indexes to wim,is it somehow possible to make it work to all edition at once?

    Unfortunately, the process needs to be repeated for each Edition that you wish to update. However, I would imagine that this could be automated with a batch file. I have already created a batch file that automatically updates one Edition in multiple ISO images, I'm guessing that it would be a rather simple task to modify this to update multiple Editions as well.

    It may be a while before I can tackle this, but if I do so, I'll be sure to share the batch file with you.

    win10home said:
    And final question,is it possible to bypass windows key,instead entering generic key to answer file?

    If you are automating installation for a system on which Windows 10 has already been previously installed and activated, you should never ever need your "real" license key again. Allow Windows to install with the generic key. When done with the installation, when access to the Internet is available, Windows will determine that Windows has been activated previously on this system and will automatically activate it. This is because Windows now uses a digital license and no longer requires a product key. See the following link for more information:

    Activation in Windows 10
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 9
    Windows 10 Pro
       #133

    hsehestedt said:
    Unfortunately, the process needs to be repeated for each Edition that you wish to update. However, I would imagine that this could be automated with a batch file. I have already created a batch file that automatically updates one Edition in multiple ISO images, I'm guessing that it would be a rather simple task to modify this to update multiple Editions as well.It may be a while before I can tackle this, but if I do so, I'll be sure to share the batch file with you.
    Ok,thank you for answer,i will try again with single edition before you trackle this batch file
    It would be better for me if i can install from one win10 iso to setup edition i choose on clients machine with modified settings,so hopefully i can soon make a single iso,not every edition separately.

    Let me know when you got you batch file working on multiple editions!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,169
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #134

    win10home said:
    Ok,thank you for answer,i will try again with single edition before you trackle this batch file
    It would be better for me if i can install from one win10 iso to setup edition i choose on clients machine with modified settings,so hopefully i can soon make a single iso,not every edition separately.

    Let me know when you got you batch file working on multiple editions!
    I thought about this a bit more, and I'm starting to think that this won't work for the following reason:

    The two goals are really at cross purposes to each other.

    On one hand, you have an unattended installation which simply by it's nature is supposed to automatically install one edition of Windows without prompting you or asking you which edition you want to install.

    On the other hand, you want to be able to select the edition to install.

    If anyone knows of a more elegant way to address this, I would love to hear it. In the meantime, here is one way that I could think to accomplish this:

    There is a free utility called "WinSetupFromUSB" that will allow you to make a bootable thumb drive with multiple different copies of Windows. It also let's you boot other things, but for our purpose, we are just talking about multiple Windows 10 editions here.

    You could first create multiple unattended Windows installation images, one for Windows 10 Professional, one for Home, one for Enterprise, etc.

    Then, use this utility to create a multiboot thumb drive. When it boots, a menu is presented, you select the edition you want to install and from there on the entire installation process is automated with no user intervention required.

    In my case I have created a bootable thumb drive with all the following:

    1) An unmodified Windows 10 image. This one is not modified for unattended install, it is simply a straight retail copy of Windows 10 with all the editions.
    2) An unattended installation for BIOS based systems.
    3) An unattended install for UEFI based systems.
    4) A sysprep installation for BIOS based systems.
    5) A sysprep installation for UEFI based systems.

    In your case, you could simply use it to create a menu with all the Editions of Windows as an option from a menu, then you select the edition you want to install, and from there on the installation is fully automated. I've tested this and it works like a charm!

    I've written up a procedure for doing this.

    Procedure:

    Software that you will need (all available for free):

    WinSetupFromUSB
    Rufus
    EasyBCD

    Please note that the steps using Rufus and EasyBCD are optional. These are only needed if you want to make a bootable thumb drive that can boot from both a BIOS based system and UEFI.

    Procedure:

    IMPORTANT: The thumb drive that you use needs to report itself as a removable disk, NOT a local drive (a HD). Some thumb drives report as a HD and they will not work for this procedure.

    1) Prepare Thumb Drive with diskpart

    Open Diskpart.
    Run the command "list disk" and note the disk number of the flash drive you want to use. replace "x" in the first command below with that number. Be careful! All data on the selected disk will be lost!

    Run the following commands:

    select disk x
    clean
    convert mbr
    create partition primary size=8
    active
    format fs=fat quick
    assign
    create partition primary
    format fs=ntfs quick
    assign
    exit

    Copy the EFI folder from a disk created by Rufus to the FAT partition.

    NOTE: To obtain this folder, you need to run the RUFUS utility once to make a bootable Windows thumb drive and then save a copy of the EFI folder that it creates on the first partition.

    Follow these steps to obtain that EFI folder:

    Run Rufus
    Select a thumb drive to format (you will lose data on this thumb drive!).

    Note: This is NOT the thumb drive you prepared above. If you use that thumb drive, you will need to prepare it again using the diskpart steps above.

    Boot selection: Choose “Disk or ISO image (Please select)”.
    Click on “SELECT” and point to a bootable Windows 10 ISO image.
    Partition scheme: Select “GPT”.
    Target system: Select “UEFI (non CSM)”.
    File system: Select NTFS.
    Click “START”.

    ** End of procedure to save Rufus EFI folder **

    After running diskpart, you will find two volumes on the thumb drive. Go to the first volume (the FAT volume) and copy the folder called “EFI”. I suggest keeping a copy of this folder for future use. It’s very small so it should be easy to tuck away somewhere.

    2) Copy Images to Thumb drive with WinSetupFromUSB

    Run WinSetupFromUSB
    Select the NTFS partition on the thumb drive
    Select advanced options > Custom menu names for Vista/7/8/Server Source
    Check the box for "Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 / Server 2008/2012 based ISO" and browse to the first ISO image to add to the menu and then click “GO”.

    Repeat step 2 for each additional image. Make sure to recheck Advanced Options and select Custom menu name for each image!


    3) Modify menu.lst (optional)

    If you wish, on the NTFS partition, open the file called menu.lst in notepad. Modify the lines that start with "title" to more clearly explain what the menu is for.

    Note: This boot menu will only show up when booting from a BIOS based system.

    4) Open EasyBCD (optional)

    This step allows you to change the text for any boot menu items, change the order of menu items, change the default entry, and set the timeout period for the menu.

    Select File > Select BCD Store > Point to the NTFS partition\boot\bcd
    The settings here are used when booting from a BIOS based system

    or

    Select File > Select BCD Store > Point to the NTFS partition\efi\microsoft\boot\bcd
    The settings here are used when booting from a UEFI based system

    Select Advanced Settings. If you want to change the text for any boot menu items, select the item near the top of the Window and then edit the Name on the Basic tab.

    Select Edit Boot Menu if you want to change the order of the menu items, the default entry, or the timeout period. For the UEFI boot, you can delete the entry to return to the GRUB menu since it does not work in the UEFI boot anyway.

    At this point, you should have a bootable thumb drive with multiple copies of Windows that can be successfully booted from both a BIOS or a UEFI based system.

    NOTE: If you are going boot an unattended or sysprep installation of Windows, make sure that it was created for the type of system you are installing on (either BIOS or UEFI).
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 9
    Windows 10 Pro
       #135

    hsehestedt said:
    On the other hand, you want to be able to select the edition to install.
    There is a free utility called "WinSetupFromUSB" that will allow you to make a bootable thumb drive with multiple different copies of Windows. It also let's you boot other things, but for our purpose, we are just talking about multiple Windows 10 editions here.
    This is even better solution.
    thank you for help
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,169
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #136

    win10home said:
    This is even better solution.
    thank you for help
    So glad to be of assistance. Kari's tutorial was so well written and enthused me so much that I ended up delving really deep into unattended installation and automating processes. In the past month or so I've written myself 38 pages of notes and written a really big batch file that automates processes such as injecting Windows updates into my images.

    If you encounter any difficulties please do feel free to let me know!
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 14
    Windows 10 Ent.
       #137

    Hi Kari,

    this is out scenery:
    1-UEFI/GPT configuration.
    2-we follow all your steps to create a image an then copy to a boot USB to install windows using autounattended, and unattended files.
    3.- Windows 10 v1803 64bit.
    BUT we get the follow error: please help me I don't know what to do. I spent a lot of hours looking the error or doing different test. We see the error on the VM (Hyper-v) and on a physical machine as well.
    "windows could not create a partition on disk ). The error occurred while applying the auntted answer file's <diskconfiguration> setting. Error code: 0x80042565"

    Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10-error.jpg


    Kari said:
    Thanks!

    That error message when you get it after running Sysprep means installation has gone beyond salvation, you must start from scratch. At the end I found out, as so often before, that the error was due a stupid newbie mistake I had done.

    In addition, it took a bottle and a half cheap supermarket whisky, two frozen microwave pizzas and about quarter of kilo dark roasted espresso.

    Kari
    Last edited by Brink; 05 Feb 2019 at 16:55. Reason: removed product key from showing
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #138

    ludwin79 said:
    We see the error on the VM (Hyper-v) and on a physical machine as well.
    "windows could not create a partition on disk ). The error occurred while applying the auntted answer file's <diskconfiguration> setting. Error code: 0x80042565"
    First, when posting long scripts like now you with your answer files, please use [CODE]Paste your script here[/CODE] tags to avoid such long posts. I've now asked mods to edit your post to make it more readable, but next time please use CODE tags.

    OK, having said that, your autounattend.xml answer file contains some errors, it's not done as instructed in this tutorial.

    For the first, the MSR partition is and should be only 16 MB, not 128 MB as in your answer file. Next, there can't be two recovery partitions with same Type ID. The Type ID de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac is only meant to be used for the 450 to 500 MB WinRE partition (recovery environment on partition 1 in your answer file, partition 3 in tutorial), do not use it for partition containing the full recovery image (partition 5 in your answer file).

    Kari
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 14
    Windows 10 Ent.
       #139

    so, the right must look like this?

    now show this error:
    Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10-error.jpg
    NOTE: sorry, I upload the wrong XML file. this this the right one. please check it.

    Kari said:
    First, when posting long scripts like now you with your answer files, please use [CODE]Paste your script here[/CODE] tags to avoid such long posts. I've now asked mods to edit your post to make it more readable, but next time please use CODE tags.

    OK, having said that, your autounattend.xml answer file contains some errors, it's not done as instructed in this tutorial.

    For the first, the MSR partition is and should be only 16 MB, not 128 MB as in your answer file. Next, there can't be two recovery partitions with same Type ID. The Type ID de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac is only meant to be used for the 450 to 500 MB WinRE partition (recovery environment on partition 1 in your answer file, partition 3 in tutorial), do not use it for partition containing the full recovery image (partition 5 in your answer file).

    Kari
    Last edited by Brink; 05 Feb 2019 at 16:55. Reason: removed product key from showing
      My Computer


 

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