WSIM Window 7 build-error simmilar to Windows Vista

[atolica]

Hi all

I used WSIM to create an answer file for my Windows 7 beta disk so I could run an unattended installation

I used several sources, msfn and firegeri's guide and everything looks fine until I start to install it. In vmware first, for testing purposes.

During installation or "offlineServicing" step I get a strange error that is not so well documented.

"Windows could not not apply unattend settings during pass [offlineServicing]"

Some pics.

Installation error

WSIM

A section of my answer file looks like this. Here is where everything crumbles

<settings pass="offlineServicing">
		<component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" 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">
			<DriverPaths>
				<PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="6a7b2ae4" wcm:action="add">
					<Path>H:\Distribution\Out-of-Box Drivers</Path>
				</PathAndCredentials>
			</DriverPaths>
		</component>
	</settings>
	<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:h:/distribution/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ULTIMATE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

As you can see I removed the "credential" string. The same thing happens if I don't remove it.

Does anyone have a clue?

I post this here because is the same for Vista, no difference what-so-ever when deploying it and the tools used.

I used WAIK 3 beta for this.

Thank you in advance.

[cluberti]

You might be having a problem with the drive letter - assuming this is local, it may not be H: during this pass. It's the only obvious thing I can think of. If it's an actual network location, I'd suggest using the UNC path instead.

[atolica]

Yes. You're right. How did I miss this? I'm running the installation from booting the DVD. Of course is not H:

So, what variable is it: %cdrom%?

Thanks for opening my eyes.

[fizban2]

well you have 2 option

option 1: add the drivers to the DVD source prior to building the DVD, you can look through the WAIK help file, it is list as Phase 5: service an offline image, These steps will allow you to create and anwser file with all the packes you would like to intergrate into your image. that way you don't have to install them each time you use the image, or have a network location for accessing them

option 2: like cluberti said, change the letter path to a network path and allow access for the image to update the installation duing install. this works great in a networked envirnoment but not so much if you only have one PC

[cluberti]

I'd say integrating them into the image itself is easier than trying to use a path (and no, there's no variable for cdrom in the answer file). However, if you do have access to a network location, that would work as well. I know MDT allows creation of installers for Vista like this, and MDT 2010 is available as a beta on connect. I'd suggest checking it out, as it's the best way short of using SCCM to do Windows+drivers+apps in an automated lite-touch fashion.

[atolica]

I tried to integrate them using DISM from latest WAIK for Windows 7. It won't work for nvidia prerelease Win 7 drivers, but I can live with that. They're not signed, so I don't know why it doesn't work. Probably because they're a "pre-release"?!?! The rest of the drivers do integrate ok, Realtek audio and so forth.

So it's no way to run offlineservicing and integrate drivers from the DVD while running installation from it? I have to check waik documentation for that.

Edited February 18, 2009 by atolica

[atolica]

Anyone? Is there a way for installing drivers from the dvd?

[fizban2]

installing drivers some the DVD would be tricky, like cluberti said there is no variable to that the unattend.xml file can use to discover your CD-Rom, you would need to hardcode a Drive letter (x: is the normal PE drive) then you could add an offline stage to use X:\<source of drivers>. Cons of doing this would be if the drive letter changes your drivers and possibly installation will fail. you can add driver files to any folder (besides boot) or create a folder for them in the DVD structure.

[cluberti]

Agreed. Again, consider using MDT, as it can do this (it uses scripts to handle this), and it gives you a GUI to make it happen.