Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10  

Kari, so very great to see a post from you again!

Please don't push yourself, make sure you take all the time you need to recover, but, WELCOME BACK!!

hsehestedt said:

VERSION NUMBER

BUILD NUMBER .

I mean both. You can provide me the script, but I think I should learn how to do it. I didn't find any tutorial on this.

Normally I create a deploy and 5 months later it's basically useless. Took too much time to update to current Windows available.

Lokateu,

Apologies for being so slow to respond. I've been attending to other things and now catching up on TenForums.

Attached is a PDF document - a small portion of my notes, but this has all the instructions that you need to completely update your Windows images.

Note that this is a lot of work to do manually, but at least you will know how to do it. Be aware that this entire process will update ONE Windows edition from your media. If you want to update multiple editions (for example Home, Professional, Education edition, etc.) then this process needs to be repeated for each edition.

You will also find a batch file below that automates the entire process. Just make sure to open the batch file in something like notepad first to read the usage instructions at the beginning. Note that this batch file will also update ONE edition of your choosing. To update multiple editions you need to run the batch file multiple times.

Last, here is a link to my program that completely automates the entire process. This process is only one small part of what the program can do, but it will handle everything including updating multiple editions. So, let's assume that you have an ISO image with 10 editions of Windows on it and you want to update them all. This program can do that for you and assemble them all back into a single ISO image again. You can even combine both x64 and x86 editions of Windows in the same ISO image. When you run the program, the option to add all your updates to the Windows image is item #1 from the menu.

Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.

NOTE: If you pull down my program, make sure to check back occasionally because I do tend to update the program fairly regularly. Also, at the same link above you will find my entire documentation set of which the attached PDF is simply a small part.

Updating Windows Images with Latest Updates.pdf

Below is the batch file to automate installation of Windows updates. Open in notepad and read instructions first!

Code:

:: PURPOSE OF THIS SCRIPT
::
:: This script will take one Windows edition in a Windows ISO image and inject Windows updates into it. The
:: updated edition of Windows will be saved to a new file containing just that one edition of Windows.


:: FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
::
:: 1) Read the instructions below the title header below to learn how to setup folders this project will need.
::
:: 2) Review the "User defined variables" section below and modify as needed.
::
:: 3) Make sure that you have the Windows ADK installed. Only the Deployment Tools from the ADK need to be installed.
::
:: 4) From the ADK, launch an elevated Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment and run this batch file from there.



@echo off
cls

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: Windows Image Updater            ::
::                                  ::
:: Version 1.02                     ::
::                                  ::
:: Jan 21, 2021 by Hannes Sehestedt ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


:: Create the following folders before you run this batch file.
::
:: NOTE: The paths below assume the default settings of user defined variables. If you change those variables,
:: Please alter the below paths accordingly.
::
:: Create a folder C:\Project\ISO_Files and copy the entire contents of a Windows ISO image to this folder.
::
:: Create the following folders:
::
:: C:\WinUpdates\LCU       <--- Place the Latest Cumulative Update in this folder
:: C:\WinUpdates\Other     <--- Place other updates (for example .NET Updates) in this folder
:: C:\WinUpdates\SafeOS_DU <--- Place the latest Safe OS Dynamic Update in this folder
:: C:\WinUpdates\Setup_DU  <--- Place the latest Setup Dynamic Update in this folder.
:: C:\WinUpdates\SSU       <--- Place the latest Servicing Stack Update in this folder
:: C:\WinUpdates\PE_Files  <--- Place any files such as scripts that you want copied to WinPE here. See note below.
::
:: NOTE: The PE_Files noted above can be used to place files that you want to copy to Windows setup. For example, I have a couple of scripts
::       that I want to be available to Windows setup. Any files that you place here will be availale on drive X: during windows setup. Note
::       that X: is the RAM Drive that Windows creates during setup. Since this is just about the first thing setup does, these files will
::       be available very early in setup.
:: 
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: User defined variables::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

:: Set to the index number corresponding to the Windows edition you want to update. By default, I specify Index 6 below which is usually Win 10 Pro.

set IndexNum=6

:: Set to the location where the project will be created. Place your extracted ISO image files in a subfolder of this location called \ISO_Files

set ProjectFolder=C:\Project

:: Set to location of Windows updates. Under this folder, create the subfolders LCU, Other, SafeOS_DU, Setup_DU, SSU, and PE_Files as described above.

set WinUpdates=C:\WinUpdates

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


echo ***************************************************************
echo ***************************************************************
echo ** PLEASE BE PATIENT! Applying updates is a lengthy process! **
echo ***************************************************************
echo ***************************************************************
echo.

:: Create the initial directory structure for this project

md %ProjectFolder%\Mount > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\WinRE > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\WinPE > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\Assets > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\Temp > NUL 2>&1
md %ProjectFolder%\Base > NUL 2>&1

:: Copy the ISO image files to base folder

echo ****************************************
echo * Copy Windows files to working folder *
echo ****************************************
echo.

robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\ISO_Files" "%ProjectFolder%\Base" /mir  > NUL

:: Mount the install.wim file

echo ****************************
echo * Mounting the install.wim *
echo ****************************
echo.

DISM /mount-image /imagefile:"%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources\install.wim" /index:%IndexNum% /mountdir:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" > NUL

:: Update Win RE

echo ******************
echo * Updating WinRE *
echo ******************
echo.

copy /B %ProjectFolder%\Mount\Windows\System32\Recovery %ProjectFolder%\WinRE > NUL
DISM /mount-image /imagefile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE\WinRE.wim" /index:1 /mountdir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\SSU" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\SafeOS_DU" > NUL
DISM /Cleanup-Image /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount" /StartComponentCleanup > NUL
DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE_Mount" /Commit > NUL
DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinRE\WinRE.wim" /SourceIndex:1 /DestinationImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\Assets\WinRE.wim" > NUL

:: Update WinPE

echo *****************************
echo * Updating boot.wim Index 1 *
echo *****************************
echo.

copy /B "%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources\boot.wim" "%ProjectFolder%\WinPE" > NUL
DISM /mount-image /imagefile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE\boot.wim" /index:1 /mountdir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\SSU" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\LCU" > NUL
DISM /Cleanup-Image /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /StartComponentCleanup > NUL
DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /Commit > NUL
DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE\boot.wim" /SourceIndex:1 /DestinationImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\Assets\boot.wim" > NUL

echo *****************************
echo * Updating boot.wim Index 2 *
echo *****************************
echo.

DISM /mount-image /imagefile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE\boot.wim" /index:2 /mountdir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\SSU" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\LCU" > NUL

:: Copy user files, such as scripts, to WinPE

robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\PE_Files" "%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" *.* > NUL

:: If you want to delete files from WinPE, such as scripts you may have added previously, uncommet the
:: line below and change the filename to the name of the file you want to delete. Add additional lines using
:: the same format if needed.

:: del "%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount\MyScript.bat" /Q > NUL

DISM /Cleanup-Image /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /StartComponentCleanup > NUL

:: We are going to delay exporting of the boot.wim index 2 until later so that we can copy files while
:: it is still mounted to the main media. We could this right now, but by delaying it until after the
:: Setup Dynamic Update is applied, we can demonstrate that there are files that are out of sync after
:: all updates, including the Setup Dynamic Update, have been applied.

:: Update install.wim

echo ************************
echo * Updating install.wim *
echo ************************
echo.

DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\SSU" > NUL
DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\LCU" > NUL

echo ********************************************************************************************
echo * Copy updated winre.wim back into mounted install.wim and perform cleanup on install.wim  *
echo ********************************************************************************************
echo.

copy /B "%ProjectFolder%\Assets\WinRE.wim" "%ProjectFolder%\Mount\Windows\System32\Recovery" /y > NUL
DISM /Cleanup-Image /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase /ScratchDir:"%ProjectFolder%\Temp" > NUL

:: Install "Other" Updates (for example, .NET updates)

echo ****************************************
echo * Install "Other" updates such as .NET *
echo ****************************************
echo.

DISM /Add-Package /Image:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" /PackagePath="%WinUpdates%\Other" > NUL

:: We could copy files from the mounted install.wim now as part of the fix to the issue that I reported, but just as
:: with the boot.wim we will delay doing so until after the Setup Dynamic Update has been applied.

:: Install the setup dynamic update

echo ******************************
echo * Apply Setup Dynamic Update *
echo ******************************
echo.

Expand "%WinUpdates%\Setup_DU\*" -F:* "%ProjectFolder%\Base\Sources" > NUL

echo **************************************************
echo * Copy mismatched files to appropriate locations *
echo **************************************************
echo.

:: The 4 robocopy commands below work around a problem with the Windows update process. Files in the boot.wim have exact duplicate
:: files in other locations on the media. The problem is that the files in the boot.wim get updated, but the other copy of these
:: files do not. This leads to media which may not function properly and from which it may not be possible to install Windows. The
:: robocopy commands below resolve this issue by taking files in the boot.wim that are newer than the duplicates and copying them
:: over the files that were not updated.

robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\winpe_mount" "%ProjectFolder%\Base" setup.exe /xo /xx /xl /r:0 /w:0 /njh /njs > NUL
robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\winpe_mount\sources" "%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources" setup.exe /xo /xx /xl /r:0 /w:0 /njh /njs > NUL
robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\winpe_mount\windows\system32" "%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources" *.* /e /ndl /xo /xx /xl /np /r:0 /w:0 /njh /njs > NUL
robocopy "%ProjectFolder%\mount\windows\system32" "%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources" *.* /e /ndl /xo /xx /xl /np /r:0 /w:0 /njh /njs > NUL

echo ************************************************
echo * Unmounting and exporting index 2 of boot.wim *
echo ************************************************
echo.

DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE_Mount" /Commit > NUL
DISM /Export-Image /Bootable /SourceImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\WinPE\boot.wim" /SourceIndex:2 /DestinationImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\Assets\boot.wim" > NUL

echo ****************************************
echo * Unmounting and exporting install.wim *
echo ****************************************
echo.

DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:"%ProjectFolder%\Mount" /Commit > NUL
DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\Base\sources\install.wim" /SourceIndex:%IndexNum% /DestinationImageFile:"%ProjectFolder%\Assets\install.wim" > NUL

echo *********************************************************************************
echo * Copy updated boot.wim and install.wim image folder and create final ISO image *
echo *********************************************************************************
echo.

copy /B "%ProjectFolder%\Assets\boot.wim" "%ProjectFolder%\Base\Sources" /Y > NUL
copy /B "%ProjectFolder%\Assets\install.wim" "%ProjectFolder%\Base\Sources" /Y > NUL
oscdimg.exe -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,b%ProjectFolder%\Base\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,b%ProjectFolder%\Base\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin %ProjectFolder%\Base %ProjectFolder%\Win10_Updated.iso > NUL 2>&1

:: Cleanup the temporary folders.

rd %ProjectFolder%\Mount /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\winre /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\winre_mount /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\winpe /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\winpe_mount /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\assets /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\temp /s /q > NUL
rd %ProjectFolder%\Base /s /q > NUL

echo Done! The ISO image has been saved as "%ProjectFolder%\Win10_Updated.iso"
echo.

I have had a weird issue with a wallpaper after sysprep deployment, couldn`t find anything similar so I thought sharing it would be a good idea. Maybe someone could explain although I got a solution already.

After testing sysprep on a few machines I did not notice any issues. All of the machines got Intel CPU, SATA SSD. Recently after deploying into brand new HP Probook 445 G7 (AMD version, not Intel. With NVMe) I got empty black desktop background instead of image I set as wallpaper during Audit Mode. There is no image, just black background. I am sure I changed the wallpaper before /generalize, and the wallpaper shows fine on other machines after deployment, but not this laptop. CopyProfile is true in answers file. Can`t explain why would it happen. Original image resolution too big for the screen? Being AMD CPU is an issue? No idea.

Fixed it by making new image with <DesktopBackground> in answers file. This way it takes the jpg I provide and set it as wallpaper during pass 7.

hsehestedt said:

Modified Kari's solution ever so slightly just to eliminate the text file for the diskpart commands. There is no need for a text file to hold the diskpart commands. Just put the diskpart commands in the .bat file directly. Here is an example of how to bypass a text file for diskpart commands:

Code:

(echo select disk 0
echo clean
echo convert gpt
echo create partition efi size=100
echo format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
echo assign letter="S"
echo create partition msr size=16
echo create partition primary
echo shrink minimum=650
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
echo assign letter="W"
echo create partition primary
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery tools"
echo assign letter="R"
echo set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"
echo gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
echo list volume
echo exit
) | diskpart > NUL

Hi dear friend @hsehestedt

I take your modified Kari's solution, also modified for me to use on my lab machine using an MBR partition table...

Code:

(echo select disk 0
echo clean
echo create partition primary size=450
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="MS System Reserved"
echo assign letter="S" 
echo active
echo create partition primary size=153600
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="SSDESKTOP SYSTEM"
echo assign letter="C"
echo create partition primary
echo shrink minimum=10240
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="SSDESKTOP USERPROFILES"
echo assign letter="U"
echo create partition primary
echo format quick fs=ntfs label="SSRecovery tools"
echo assign letter="R"
echo set id=27
echo list volume
echo exit
start cmd.exe
) | diskpart > NUL

And it works perfect... So, thanks for share...

Regards
@JeepWillys58

Excellent! Glad to hear that this was useful for you.

hsehestedt said:

Excellent! Glad to hear that this was useful for you.

Hi again dear friend,

I used your solution because every time I try to use step 3.17 of the tutorial where it specifies the creation of MBR partitions for installation, in WSIM it checks the file and does not report any errors...



But when using it to install it always returns with the following message error:

"Windows cannot analyze the <DiskConfiguration> configuration of the unattended answer file."



Below is my full autounattend.xml so you can see if there is anything wrong with it.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" 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">
            <SetupUILanguage>
                <UILanguage>pt-BR</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>0416:00000416</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>pt-BR</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>pt-BR</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>pt-BR</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>pt-BR</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-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">
            <DiskConfiguration>
                <Disk wcm:action="add">
                    <CreatePartitions>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Size>250</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>2</Order>
                            <Size>153600</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>3</Order>
                            <Size>312850</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Order>4</Order>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>System Reserved</Label>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>SSDESKTOP SYSTEM</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>2</Order>
                            <PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>SSDESKTOP USERPROFILES</Label>
                            <Letter>U</Letter>
                            <Order>3</Order>
                            <PartitionID>3</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <TypeID></TypeID>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Windows RE tools</Label>
                            <Letter>R</Letter>
                            <Order>4</Order>
                            <PartitionID>27</PartitionID>
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <Key>NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43</Key>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </ProductKey>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <FullName>Microsoft Corporation</FullName>
                <Organization>Microsoft Corporation</Organization>
            </UserData>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:w:/19043.844_amd64_pt-br_professional_75706673_convert_virtual/dvdfiles/sources/install.wim#Windows 10 Enterprise" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

PS: Seizing the moment, do you know how our friend @Kari is doing? Is everything okay with him? I haven't seen any more posts from him in the last few months ... I sincerely hope that everything is fine, when he told me about his problem I researched it and saw that the situation can be very complicated, and I am suspicious that maybe I have some of the symptoms he described ...

The partitions that you are specifying are nowhere close to what is in the tutorial. You need to review that section of the tutorial again.

If there is a reason you want to do it different than what is in the tutorial, that's okay, maybe you could provide some details so that I can follow what it is that you are trying to accomplish.