Autounattend help required! It's not working :(

[oakey]

Hi, I have a little problem trying to create and use an autounattend.xml file to deploy Windows 7 Pro unattended.

The setup is like this, I have a bootable USB key with the flat Windows 7 Pro (volume license edition) on it. This is literally just a copy of the installation disc.

I've then put an autoattend.xml file onto the root of the drive along with all the other standard files and folders.

I've tried using my own autounattend file and also the one that comes as a sameple with AIK.

Now when I boot a machine up from this USB drive it always prompts me for everything, languages, EULA, disc to install on etc.

Now my understanding was if I've got the autounattend file on the root of the drive with these settings it shouldn't do this right?

Does it matter that the files on the USB are just the ISO I downloaded from my MS volume license account, I don't have to built a machine, sysprep it, take a copy of the install.wim for this to work do I?

Any help is much appreciated as it's starting to drive me nuts not working!

Thanks

[maxXPsoft]

might try this then add the xml http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/

[oakey]

The USB drive boots into the windows install just fine, that bit there's no problem, I have no problem creating a bootable USB drive for a windows install.

It's just the fact that no matter what I try with the xml files the setup just doesn't seem to acknowledge them so I'm unable to then make my USB install into an unattended one.

Edited September 16, 2010 by oakey

[Tripredacus]

Can you attach your XML file (sans product key) to a reply?

[oakey]

Can you attach your XML file (sans product key) to a reply?

Sure, removed domain/account specific details and replaced with 'DOMAINNAME' etc.

<?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>0809:00000809</InputLocale>

<UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>

<UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>

<SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>

</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>OnError</WillShowUI>

</ProductKey>

<Organization>Wavehub</Organization>

<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>

</UserData>

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallFrom>

<MetaData wcm:action="add">

<Key>/IMAGE/NAME</Key>

<Value>Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL</Value>

</MetaData>

</InstallFrom>

<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

</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>

<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>

<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>

<SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>

<SkipUserOOBE>false</SkipUserOOBE>

</OOBE>

<UserAccounts>

<AdministratorPassword>

<Value>HASHEDVALUEXXXXX</Value>

<PlainText>false</PlainText>

</AdministratorPassword>

</UserAccounts>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="specialize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">

<Identification>

<Credentials>

<Domain>DOMAINNAME</Domain>

<Password>ACCPASSWORD</Password>

<Username>ACCOUNTNAME</Username>

</Credentials>

<JoinDomain>DOMAINNAME</JoinDomain>

</Identification>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="generalize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" 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">

<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>

</component>

</settings>

<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:C:/Windows7/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />

</unattend>

Installation is a 32bit Windows 7 install.

Edited September 17, 2010 by oakey

[Tripredacus]

There are only a few things that can cause the XML to not be detected:

1. wrong arch in XML

2. file in the wrong place

If you are installing a 32bit Windows 7, AND are using a 32bit install source, it should read this file. If you were using a 64bit install source, it would ignore this file since you have "x86" as your arch.

As far as where the file is. Windows 7 Setup will look in the root directory of any attached drives for the XML file. It must be named Autounattend.xml. You can put it on the root of your install key, or you can put it in another USB key and have that attached. Another method is to use a USB Floppy Drive.

I do not do USB installs for creating master images, I use a DVD without an unattend file on it. Then during an install, I insert a USB key with the appropriate XML file on it. One last thing, if your USB key has multiple unattend files in the root, this could be a problem also. Make sure you only have 1 XML in the root, and put the other ones you may have into a folder. And check for noob mistakes like having the wrong file on the drive.

[oakey]

It's all 32bit as far as I know, and file is in the root of the drive and labelled correctly

I ran out of time to get this method working as it was required for a project at short notice, used Ghost in the end to do what I needed.

I didn't try a DVD with the file on a USB drive though, might give that a bash, cheers!