Question about 64bit unattended installation

[Bommelding]

I'm busy working on a unattended 64bit installation of Windows 7.

Since I've never used the windows OPK before I have to do a fair bit of googling to find solutions to the various problems I encounter.

But now I've run into a problem for wich I can't find an answer.

When I tested my first attempt at a unattended windows 7 DVD it just wouldn't use my answer file.

After some more searching I found out that the problem was the fact that I only used answers for the 32bits installation.

But now I can't find anything about what things I should add to my answer file for a 64bit architecture.

So I was hoping one of you guys could tell me or have a link to another page where the answer is given.

All help would be really appreciated.

[arwidmark]

You need to select a 64-bit catalog file (or generate one) in Windows System Image Manager, and create a new answer file. The answer files are different between x86 and x64.

/ Johan

[Bommelding]

But there are no additional settings I have to configure when using x64

Because my first answerfile was created as wel by using an 64 bit catalog file

[arwidmark]

Well if the unattend.xml file is x64 already, you can use it directly. If it fails, check the setupact.log file to find out why. Press Shift-F10 to get a command prompt when running the Windows 7 setup.

Or post the unattend.xml file (as attachment, not in the content), and I will take a look...

/ Johan

[Bommelding]

Windows setup doesn't grant me acces to the setupact.log

So here is the answerfile

unattendanswerfile.xml

[arwidmark]

The answer file your uploaded is for a 32-bit install (x86), you need to create a new one, and before that select a catalog file for a 64-bit (x64/amd64) operating system in Image Manager.

Windows 7 Setup always provide access to setupact.log, did you really press Shift-F10 to get the command prompt window? Please note that depending on when the setup fails, the setupact.log will be in different locations (X: or C:)

[Bommelding]

but apart from the fact that I should use the AMD64 components I don't have to make any additional settings??

[arwidmark]

Correct, not any more settings than for x86, but you do need to create a new file since the architecture information is embedded in every configuration pass.

/ Johan

[Bommelding]

Thank you

[Bommelding]

other little thing

Do I also need to create an alternative install.wim file or can I use the one I created for the x86 install ??

[arwidmark]

You should use a separate wim... There is a reason Microsoft ships them this way

/ Johan