Octopuss

Failure to read is the plague of internets...

I hope this will work for me as well. I just installed a XP machine after several weeks only to get into dead end with this. It worked well like two months ago. **** you MS.

Well, the help says I need to use 32bit version of SIM for 32bit images, which is bullsh.... How am I supposed to install 32bit version when there is no such option in the setup? Furthermore, it won't let me install anything as WAIK is already installed anyway. Does MS really want me to use different machine for this? :-O

For some reason I am unable to make SIM generate the catalog. It just fails in the end. This is what it threw at me from its log: 22:25 : 22:25 : Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows OPK or Windows AIK User's Guide. 22:25 : 22:25 : System.InvalidOperationException: The operation failed to complete. ---> System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.ArgumentNullException: String reference not set to an instance of a String. Parameter name: source at System.Globalization.CompareInfo.IsPrefix(String source, String prefix, CompareOptions options) at ?A0xfe36268f.ConvertToNtPath(String path) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CbsSessionAdaptor..ctor(String bootDrive, String imageWinDir, String servicingPath) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl.InitializePackages() at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl..ctor(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType) at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture) at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.Cpi.PlatformImplementation.CreateOfflineImageInstance(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- Server stack trace: at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.Cpi.PlatformImplementation.CreateOfflineImageInstance(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.Cpi.CreateOfflineImageInstance(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageCatalog.Serialize(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageInfo.CreateCatalog() at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CatalogCreatorImpl.CreateCatalog(OfflineImageInfo offlineImageInfo) at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] args, Object server, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext, Object[]& outArgs) at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext) Exception rethrown at [0]: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg) at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.ICatalogCreator.CreateCatalog(OfflineImageInfo offlineImageInfo) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.CatalogGenerator.CreateCat(ProgressDialog pd, Object o) 22:25 : System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.ArgumentNullException: String reference not set to an instance of a String. Parameter name: source at System.Globalization.CompareInfo.IsPrefix(String source, String prefix, CompareOptions options) at ?A0xfe36268f.ConvertToNtPath(String path) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CbsSessionAdaptor..ctor(String bootDrive, String imageWinDir, String servicingPath) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl.InitializePackages() at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl..ctor(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType) at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture) at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.Cpi.PlatformImplementation.CreateOfflineImageInstance(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) 22:25 : System.ArgumentNullException: String reference not set to an instance of a String. Parameter name: source at System.Globalization.CompareInfo.IsPrefix(String source, String prefix, CompareOptions options) at ?A0xfe36268f.ConvertToNtPath(String path) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CbsSessionAdaptor..ctor(String bootDrive, String imageWinDir, String servicingPath) at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl.InitializePackages() at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl..ctor(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo) Any ideas what's wrong? It does this even when I feed it untouched image. It can't be because of the language, because 64bit czech image works well with SIM. The one I am attempting to work with is 32bit czech.

That seems to have done the job! I ended up with error message about not enough room on the partition, so I assume the window is hidden correctly, but setup fails to wipe the disk. Do I need to use different settings when working with brand new disk or such with existing partitions on it?

Wouldn't trying to create account called administrator result in error? I will try jsut for the hell of it anyway. Still puzzled about the disk configuration. I hate that part. Can't seem to find anything that would hide the bloody screen. I even set willshowui to never with no result.

Which settings do I need (in THEORY) if I want to bypass user creation without using skip<whatever>oobe? I found out that if I remove the skipmachineoobe with how my answer file currently looks, I do get prompted for account creation, but after that the local admin properly logs on, and looking in \users folder, there is nothing new (I gave the user "aaa" as the name). So it kind of works, but I need to tweak a few things somewhere. <settings pass="oobeSystem"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="[url="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"]http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State[/url]" xmlns:xsi="[url="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"]http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance[/url]"> <UserAccounts> <AdministratorPassword> <Value>senator</Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </AdministratorPassword> </UserAccounts> <AutoLogon> <Username>Administrator</Username> <LogonCount>2</LogonCount> <Enabled>true</Enabled> <Password> <Value>senator</Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </Password> </AutoLogon> <OOBE> <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE> <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE> <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC> <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation> <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage> <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE> </OOBE> <FirstLogonCommands> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i %systemdrive%\install\eavbe_nt64_csy.msi /quiet REBOOT="ReallySuppress" ADMINCFG="%systemdrive%\install\dlt_config.xml"</CommandLine> <Description>install NOD</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i %systemdrive%\install\FoxitReader502.0718_enu.msi /quiet INSTALLLOCATION="C:\Program Files" ADDLOCAL="FX_PDFVIEWER,FX_FIREFOXPLUGIN" MAKEDEFAULT=1 VIEW_IN_BROWSER=1 DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=0 STARTMENU_SHORTCUT=1 LAUNCHCHECKDEFAULT=1 SAFEMODE=1</CommandLine> <Description>install Foxit Reader</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>3</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait %systemdrive%\install\iview430_setup.exe /silent /desktop=0 /thumbs=0 /group=1 /allusers=1 /assoc=1 /ini="%APPDATA%\Irfanview"</CommandLine> <Description>install IrfanView</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>4</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait %systemdrive%\install\IconViewer3.02-Setup-x64.exe /quiet</CommandLine> <Description>install IconViewer</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>5</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i "%systemdrive%\install\vpnclient_setup.msi" /quiet</CommandLine> <Description>install Cisco VPN</Description> </SynchronousCommand> </FirstLogonCommands> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="[url="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"]http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State[/url]" xmlns:xsi="[url="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"]http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance[/url]"> <InputLocale>0405:00010405; 0409:00020409</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>cs-CZ</UserLocale> </component> </settings> I was thinking to maybe add timezone and daylight saving settings to Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup. Couldn't find any other settings that looked like in need of some values.

Hm, from what Lego said it is working as intended . I can't tell cause I don't understand how it works too well, but it does SOMETHING in my case - after removal and rebuilding the image the size IS smaller.

Oh yeah IIRC this is the same thing as using skipmachineoobe.... But in the "proper" way - at least in theory according to MS ****, weird error during installation: Windows could not set the offline locale information. Error 0x80000001 I gotta dig into the wim_tweak removal batch file I made, there is something stinking there... edit2: oh what an id*** I am: d:\programy\install_wim_tweak.exe /p "e:\mount" /c Microsoft-Windows-LocalPack /r when one of the packages in that is US.... *smacks head to a wall*

Yeah I faced that today at work. The **** setup ended up in BSOD saying something about a .dll file. I couldn't write it down, was in hurry :/ It worked flawlessly in VM!

Heh weird leftovers. And the bloody validate button didn't say anything!

The trouble is you have to use both to skip the oobe screen I tried.... The way I do it is unattended enough! I don't need to click once.

Just because MS claims it's deprecated (whatever that means, something like no longer used?) doesn't mean it doesn't work. It does, and it does the job well enough. I am sticking with it, unless there is another way around it (and NO, I do not want to create any temp account just because MS thinks it's THE way to install the system)

lol you specifically told me to use the installtoavailable.... setting afew days ago but I think it's still there from some experiment the other one is absolute must if you want to skip oobe user creation, which I do

Maybe there is... I don't know anymore, lol <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <servicing></servicing> <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>en-US</UILanguage> </SetupUILanguage> <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale> <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback> </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"> <UserData> <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula> <ProductKey> <Key>no way in hell</Key> <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> </ProductKey> </UserData> <DiskConfiguration> <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI> <Disk wcm:action="add"> <DiskID>0</DiskID> <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk> <CreatePartitions> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <Type>Primary</Type> <Size>100</Size> </CreatePartition> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <Type>Primary</Type> <Size>50000</Size> </CreatePartition> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>3</Order> <Extend>true</Extend> <Type>Primary</Type> </CreatePartition> </CreatePartitions> <ModifyPartitions> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <PartitionID>1</PartitionID> <Active>true</Active> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Label>Boot</Label> </ModifyPartition> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <PartitionID>2</PartitionID> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Letter>C</Letter> <Label>System</Label> </ModifyPartition> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <PartitionID>3</PartitionID> <Order>3</Order> <Label></Label> <Letter>D</Letter> <Format>NTFS</Format> </ModifyPartition> </ModifyPartitions> </Disk> </DiskConfiguration> <ImageInstall> <OSImage> <InstallFrom> <MetaData wcm:action="add"> <Key>/IMAGE/INDEX</Key> <Value>1</Value> </MetaData> </InstallFrom> <InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition> </OSImage> <DataImage wcm:action="add"> <InstallTo> <DiskID>0</DiskID> <PartitionID>2</PartitionID> </InstallTo> <Order>1</Order> </DataImage> </ImageInstall> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE" 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"> <DriverPaths> <PathAndCredentials wcm:action="add" wcm:keyValue="1"> <Path>$WinPEDriver$</Path> </PathAndCredentials> </DriverPaths> </component> </settings> <settings pass="offlineServicing"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-LUA-Settings" 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"> <EnableLUA>false</EnableLUA> </component> </settings> <settings pass="specialize"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-ErrorReportingCore" 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"> <DisableWER>1</DisableWER> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-ClientNetworkProtocolImplementation" 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"> <CacheLimit>51200</CacheLimit> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" 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"> <DisableAccelerators>true</DisableAccelerators> <DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard> <DisableOOBAccelerators>true</DisableOOBAccelerators> <EnableLinksBar>false</EnableLinksBar> <FavoritesDelete>true</FavoritesDelete> <Home_Page>about:blank</Home_Page> <Help_Page></Help_Page> <SuggestedSitesEnabled>false</SuggestedSitesEnabled> <TrustedSites></TrustedSites> <ShowInformationBar>true</ShowInformationBar> <SearchScopes> <Scope wcm:action="add"> <DisplayQuickPick>false</DisplayQuickPick> <ScopeKey>Search1</ScopeKey> <ScopeDisplayName>Google</ScopeDisplayName> <ScopeUrl>http://www.google.com/search?q=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1</ScopeUrl> <ScopeDefault>true</ScopeDefault> <FaviconURL>http://www.google.com/favicon.ico</FaviconURL> <ShowSearchSuggestions>false</ShowSearchSuggestions> </Scope> </SearchScopes> <DisableDevTools>true</DisableDevTools> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-RemoteAssistance-Exe" 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"> <fAllowToGetHelp>false</fAllowToGetHelp> </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"> <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile> <RegisteredOwner /> <ComputerName>hribal-pc</ComputerName> <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive> </component> <component name="Security-Malware-Windows-Defender" 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"> <DisableAntiSpyware>true</DisableAntiSpyware> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" processorArchitecture="wow64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"> <DisableAccelerators>true</DisableAccelerators> <DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard> <DisableOOBAccelerators>true</DisableOOBAccelerators> <EnableLinksBar>false</EnableLinksBar> <FavoritesDelete>true</FavoritesDelete> <Help_Page></Help_Page> <Home_Page>about:blank</Home_Page> <ShowInformationBar>true</ShowInformationBar> <SuggestedSitesEnabled>false</SuggestedSitesEnabled> <TrustedSites></TrustedSites> <SearchScopes> <Scope wcm:action="add"> <ScopeKey>Search1</ScopeKey> <ScopeDisplayName>Google</ScopeDisplayName> <ScopeDefault>true</ScopeDefault> <DisplayQuickPick>false</DisplayQuickPick> <ShowSearchSuggestions>false</ShowSearchSuggestions> <FaviconURL>http://www.google.com/favicon.ico</FaviconURL> <ScopeUrl>http://www.google.com/search?q=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1</ScopeUrl> </Scope> </SearchScopes> <DisableDevTools>true</DisableDevTools> </component> </settings> <settings pass="oobeSystem"> <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"> <UserAccounts> <AdministratorPassword> <Value>senator</Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </AdministratorPassword> </UserAccounts> <AutoLogon> <Username>Administrator</Username> <LogonCount>2</LogonCount> <Enabled>true</Enabled> <Password> <Value>senator</Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </Password> </AutoLogon> <RegisteredOwner /> <OOBE> <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE> <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE> <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC> <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE> <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation> </OOBE> <FirstLogonCommands> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i %systemdrive%\install\eavbe_nt64_csy.msi /quiet REBOOT="ReallySuppress" ADMINCFG="%systemdrive%\install\dlt_config.xml"</CommandLine> <Description>install NOD</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i %systemdrive%\install\FoxitReader502.0718_enu.msi /quiet INSTALLLOCATION="C:\Program Files" ADDLOCAL="FX_PDFVIEWER,FX_FIREFOXPLUGIN" MAKEDEFAULT=1 VIEW_IN_BROWSER=1 DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=0 STARTMENU_SHORTCUT=1 LAUNCHCHECKDEFAULT=1 SAFEMODE=1</CommandLine> <Description>install Foxit Reader</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>3</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait %systemdrive%\install\iview430_setup.exe /silent /desktop=0 /thumbs=0 /group=1 /allusers=1 /assoc=1 /ini="%APPDATA%\Irfanview"</CommandLine> <Description>install IrfanView</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>4</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait %systemdrive%\install\IconViewer3.02-Setup-x64.exe /quiet</CommandLine> <Description>install IconViewer</Description> </SynchronousCommand> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>5</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i "%systemdrive%\install\vpnclient_setup.msi" /quiet</CommandLine> <Description>install Cisco VPN</Description> </SynchronousCommand> </FirstLogonCommands> </component> <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>0405:00010405; 0409:00020409</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>cs-CZ</UserLocale> </component> </settings> <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:e:/win7_64.dlt/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 Professional" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" /> </unattend>

I got it! It shows the partitions screen, but the settings are actually applied AFTER you click next. I always just shut the VM off after I saw the screen thinking it was wrong. I let it pass this time and even though I saw some partitions that weren't supposed to be there, it was correct after the system installed. It's just about somehow making the screen not showing up now.

This issue was caused because PackagePending subkey could not be found, in v1.4.4 it will just skip this and continue if not found. I tried to remove packages from my syspreped image, so it must have something to do with that. But I didn't remove anything there so I see no reason why should it not work.

Yes I read that warning. It's all correct. I will have to try once more on real computer instead of VM, but since you said it works for you it must be something else. On the bright side everything else works, apps are being installed through firstlogoncommands (those that can be fully configured for silent installation) and settings are applied correctly.

There are a few differences, but those lines you have and I don't have same default values as what you set. Besides, the disk configuration itself is the same! So why the hell it doesn't even wipe the existing partitions?!

That doesn't work either It doesn't even partition the disk. I have no idea what am I doing wrong. I rewrote the **** file manually exactly like you posted it.

hah, let's experiment with win7 on my wife's prehistoric laptop Two more questions: 1) Does the order in the disk setup have to be exactly like this? 2) What's the use of "modify" and "addlistitem"? edit: still doesn't work <DiskConfiguration> <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> <Disk wcm:action="add"> <DiskID>0</DiskID> <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk> <CreatePartitions> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <Type>Primary</Type> <Size>100</Size> </CreatePartition> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <Type>Primary</Type> <Extend>true</Extend> </CreatePartition> </CreatePartitions> <ModifyPartitions> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <Active>true</Active> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Label>Boot</Label> <Order>1</Order> <PartitionID>1</PartitionID> </ModifyPartition> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Letter>C</Letter> <Order>2</Order> <PartitionID>2</PartitionID> </ModifyPartition> </ModifyPartitions> </Disk> </DiskConfiguration>

Okay. In that case I see absolutely no difference between the two methods

Oh? I am only using SIM. Apparently it's not checking this kind of stuff. Like people were supposed to manually edit things they have GUI for! Thank you, will check once I get to my pc.

Oh I need to set the small one as active instead?! Good to know. If there were three partitions: boot, system and data ones, how would I overwrite the first two and not touch the last? edit: still nothing. tried setting both partitions as active and nothing works. I always end up with the partition selection. It goes as far as renaming the small one Boot, but it's unformatted. The other one is just left untouched. <DiskConfiguration> <Disk wcm:action="add"> <CreatePartitions> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <Size>100</Size> <Type>Primary</Type> </CreatePartition> <CreatePartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <Type>Primary</Type> <Extend>true</Extend> </CreatePartition> </CreatePartitions> <ModifyPartitions> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <PartitionID>1</PartitionID> <Order>1</Order> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Label>Boot</Label> </ModifyPartition> <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add"> <Order>2</Order> <PartitionID>2</PartitionID> <Format>NTFS</Format> <Letter>C</Letter> <Label>System</Label> <Active>true</Active> </ModifyPartition> </ModifyPartitions> <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk> <DiskID>0</DiskID> </Disk> <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI> </DiskConfiguration>

Is it possible to customize the language bar in different way than just adding locales? I wanted to use czech - qwerty as default and english as the other one. I also wanted the "US" keyboard instead of the international one,but it doesn't seem to work. This is what I put in the answer file: <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>0405:00010405; 0409:00000409</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>cs-CZ</UserLocale> </component>