I have a Windows Server 2003 WDS server that deploys 7 fine with intervention; meaning, I F12 into my server, have the option of installing 7 flat, or entering into my legacy RIS server. Both work flawlessly.

However, I have since created a Windows 7 answer file using WAIK, and have verified it repeatedly. It's contents are as follows:

<?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="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>

</SetupUILanguage>

<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>

<SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>

<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>

<UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>

<UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>

</component>

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-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">

<UserData>

<ProductKey>

<Key>XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX</Key>

<WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>

</ProductKey>

<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>

<Organization>St school Church and Schools</Organization>

<FullName>Technology Department</FullName>

</UserData>

<DiskConfiguration>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

<Disk wcm:action="add">

<CreatePartitions>

<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">

<Order>1</Order>

<Size>100</Size>

<Type>Primary</Type>

</CreatePartition>

<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">

<Extend>true</Extend>

<Order>2</Order>

<Type>Primary</Type>

</CreatePartition>

</CreatePartitions>

<ModifyPartitions>

<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">

<Order>1</Order>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

<Format>NTFS</Format>

<Label>System</Label>

</ModifyPartition>

<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">

<Order>2</Order>

<PartitionID>2</PartitionID>

<Format>NTFS</Format>

<Label>Windows</Label>

</ModifyPartition>

</ModifyPartitions>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>

</Disk>

</DiskConfiguration>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="specialize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" 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">

<Identification>

<Credentials>

<Domain>stbens</Domain>

<Password>password</Password>

<Username>admin</Username>

</Credentials>

<DebugJoin>true</DebugJoin>

<JoinDomain>stbenedict.com</JoinDomain>

<MachineObjectOU>HP7700</MachineObjectOU>

</Identification>

</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">

<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>

<TimeZone>Central Standard Time</TimeZone>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="oobeSystem">

<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>

<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>

<HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>

</OOBE>

</component>

</settings>

<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim://tek/drop/win7/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ENTERPRISE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />

</unattend>

I named the file unattend.xml and I put it in 2 places on my WDS server. I initially put it in RemoteInstall\WdsClientUnattend and pointed to the answer file in the WDS server, along with a restart of the service. Having tested this on a client machine, I'm still prompted for language, partitioning, etc. It's as if it doesn't even see the file. I tried changing the location and pointer to RemoteInstall\Images\ImageGroup1\install\Unattend and pointing to that as well, with no luck. Same results, even after server restart. Follow this with me renaming the file to autounattend.xml and completing the same steps, and I get the same results yet again.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? I used to live and breathe RIS, and feel I'm fairly proficient in deployment and management admin, however, this really has gotten the best of me.

To unattend a Windows 7 install from WDS, you need an unattended file for the Windows 7 image, as well as the Windows PE image.