Not booting Audit mode during Vista Setup

[Wabaunza]

Midiboy still no luck, I looked into the OOBE.xml this is really for branding and customization for if you want the windows visible. I created a new Unattend.xml which I am pointing to in the last audituser pass runsynchronous pass with %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /quiet /oobe /reboot /unattend:%AppsRoot%Install\Unattend.xml. Trying to tweak this to work and have it read at the end. See if you can do anything with this as well.

[Wabaunza]

Midiboy I got the OOBE prompts to go away so far using %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /quiet /oobe /reboot /unattend:C:\Temp\Unattend.xml and adding the unattend.xml to C:\Temp when mounting the install.wim For some reason from the CDROM it didn't like it but it works on my Fujitsu and some Panasonics.

[alucke]

I will have to try that.

[Wabaunza]

All I am getting inconsistent results now, it works on previously not working Fujistus but Dells and some Panasonics that were working now do not work lol. This is crazy.

[alucke]

I created unattend.xml and put it in the root of the DVD. I used this setting %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /quiet /oobe /reboot /unattend:%DVDRoot%\Unattend.xml in the last audit user pass runsyncronuous command of the Autounattend.xml. I ran Vm 2 times to test the above settings and they work perfectly for me. I uploaded a copy of my basic unattend file below. Thanks to Wabaunza for pointing the the settings in a previous post.

unattend.xml

Edited February 29, 2008 by alucke

[Wabaunza]

I created unattend.xml and put it in the root of the DVD. I used this setting %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /quiet /oobe /reboot /unattend:%DVDRoot%\Unattend.xml in the last audit user pass runsyncronuous command of the Autounattend.xml. I ran Vm 2 times to test the above settings and they work perfectly for me. I uploaded a copy of my basic unattend file below. Thanks to Wabaunza for pointing the the settings in a previous post.

Alucke,

Glad to help but the real test is on a physical machine. Can you give this a shot and see if it still works. Thanks

[alucke]

I will give it a shot tomorrow., and i will post the results.

[alucke]

I installed Vista SP1 unattended using the generalized setting as previously posted. For me, it ran without any problems. I am posting this reply while using Vista SP1.

[midiboy]

Hi guys,

ok, I have tested this now. Thanks, Wabaunza for the trick with the second unattend.xml. I have attached my two xmls. The first one contains every pass except OOBE. The only entry in there in that pass is the Deployment -> Reseal -> Go into Audit mode configuration.

From Audit mode I am going to oobe again using the

%WINDIR%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /quiet /oobe /reboot /unattend:%DVDRoot%\Autounattend2.xml

entry.

This works fine now. OOBE uses all the settings from the second xml and setup does not stop when going to audit mode. However, I have found out that you cannot simply remove all files from the sources dir of the Vista DVD (and keep only the two wim files). If you do, somehow that influences the Vista Setup process and it won´t work reliably anymore (not use settings from xml etc.).

Just one question: why do you use the /generalize setting now ? It also works without it. What do you gain by adding this ?? Don´t you have to add the key, computername etc. (which you added in previous passes) again ?

Bye,

Alex

[midiboy]

Hi again,

ok, the above works for Volume License Enterprise editions but not for Ultimate Versions. With Vista Ultimate (and I guess with other non Volume Licenses also) I always get a message asking for the product key even though I have specified it in WinPE and Specialise phases. I even added the specialise phase to the second xml but it simply won´t work

What did Microsoft do with SP1 that makes it so difficult to create a properly working unattended installation !!!

Alex

[Wabaunza]

Midiboy, I feel your pain. I have escalated this to Microsoft since we have some reps where I work and they hopefully have been looking at it this weekend and can have an answer as to why the SP1 slipstreamed build is so jacked up and a solution. As a backup plan, I am going to use my 100% functional Pre SP1 build with my XML that has been working on all vendors hardware for months now. I am going to install SP1 standalone silently after OOBE at login screen, adding a runonce reg key to install using setupcomplete.cmd to execute and using one more autologon launching a VB window up about the install and forcing a restart after the first part of the install. lol this sounds like the best way to go, it's only 444MB so not to bad. I'll let you guys know if these Micorosft guys come up with anything. Does anyone know if it is suggested to install after OOBE or is it better during audituser phase or another phase?

[midiboy]

Hi Wabaunza,

any news on this from MS ?

I did some more tests. It works in Windows Vista Ultimate if I use the /generalize switch after audit mode as you suggested. However, I cannot use that because I am running a script in Windows PE (before setup starts) that will ask for the Computer name and then adds that value to the unattend.xml in the C:\Windows\panther directory (thats where Setup copies the autounattend.xml) where I have a variable %COMPUTERNAME%.

I read about this trick in a Microsoft forum somewhere (cannot find it anymore).

Now, if I use the /generalize switch, that name will be reset again and Setup will stop again during OOBE pass to ask for the key. Unless there is a way to somehow transfer the computername from the first passes to OOBE pass during generalisation I cannot use /generalize.

Anyway, thanks for your help,

Alex

[SKiNNiEH]

Removed my entry, i have the same problems no matter what bios setting i make

Edited March 12, 2008 by SKiNNiEH

[Wabaunza]

I still have not heard anything from the Vista deployment team. I am guessing they have not come up with a solution yet?

UNATTEND2.xml

[exhaler]

thanks you very much for the sysprep solution, finally i can install software during audit. but i still have one more thing to fix.

Before logon the "enter key" message shows up, i tried putting in the second xml file but no luck. I don't want to skipuserOOBE since i want the user to put in his username, password, and computer name

here my xml files:

Autounattend.xml

Unattend.xml