so i have my unattended.xml file and vista reads from it,

however i notice that even though the following is detailed in the answer file iam still prompted.

Keyboard layout, User account creation, disable windows update, set network location to 'work'

does anyone know why this behaviour is encountered ?

below is my answer file for reference

..........

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">

<servicing></servicing>

<settings pass="oobeSystem">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" 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>en-us</InputLocale>

<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>

<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>

<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>

</component>

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" 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>

<SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>

<SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>

<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>

</OOBE>

<RegisteredOrganization>Software</RegisteredOrganization>

<RegisteredOwner>Software</RegisteredOwner>

<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>

<UserAccounts>

<AdministratorPassword>

<Value>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<Value>

<PlainText>false</PlainText>

</AdministratorPassword>

<LocalAccounts>

<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">

<Password>

<Value>RgBUAFIAMwAkAGcAaQB0AG0AYgBQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQA</Value>

<PlainText>false</PlainText>

</Password>

<Description>Technical Support Administrative Account</Description>

<DisplayName>Software</DisplayName>

<Group>administrator</Group>

<Name>tec</Name>

</LocalAccount>

</LocalAccounts>

</UserAccounts>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="specialize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<ComputerName>*</ComputerName>

<ProductKey>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</ProductKey>

<RegisteredOrganization>Software</RegisteredOrganization>

<RegisteredOwner>Software</RegisteredOwner>

<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>

<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>

</component>

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC-UX" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="windowsPE">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" 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>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

</SetupUILanguage>

<InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>

<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>

<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>

<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>

</component>

</settings>

</unattend>

I program my xml to autologon with no password but sometimes WSIM adds a long and curious generated password like the one I see in your xml which interfers with the autologon so I remove it which solves it.

As for network location I always program a network location in the xml but it still asks me after setup.