Looking for Vista Beta 2 unattended install help

[wjs]

I'm trying to follow the instructions in the Microsoft publication titled "Getting Started with the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows WAIK)".

o I've downloaded the WAIK/created a DVD/installed it.

o Have tried to religiously follow their example on how to create a file to drive an unattended install. I specifically have made no attempt to customize anything. (The Autounattend that I produced running SIM is appended below.)

o I've booted from the Vista installation CD, with this answer file present on either floppy and USB drive.

What happens every time is that

o the system boots into the installation process - I assume something running in WinPE.

o pops up the first installation screen (Installation Language/Time/Keyboard layout) and waits for input.

Just for the fun of it I accept the defaults in this screen, press Next. The result is an error screen saying

"An error occurred while Setup was validating the system for installation."

Finally: If I attempt this same process without the answer file on a drive, then the Vista install proceeds as normal (with manual input). I conclude that the problem is in my answer file and/or the "unattended" implementation.

One other point: The only variations of the answer file that I have tried are the Windows key with/without the dashes. No effect.

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

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

<settings pass="windowsPE">

<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">

<DiskConfiguration>

<Disk>

<CreatePartitions>

<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">

<Order>1</Order>

<Size>20000</Size>

<Type>Primary</Type>

</CreatePartition>

</CreatePartitions>

<ModifyPartitions>

<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">

<Active>true</Active>

<Extend>false</Extend>

<Format>NTFS</Format>

<Label>OS_Install</Label>

<Letter>C</Letter>

<Order>1</Order>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

</ModifyPartition>

</ModifyPartitions>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>

</Disk>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

</DiskConfiguration>

<ImageInstall>

<OSImage>

<InstallTo>

<DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>

</InstallTo>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

</OSImage>

</ImageInstall>

<UserData>

<ProductKey>

<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>

<Key>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA</Key>

</ProductKey>

<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>

</UserData>

</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>

<ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>

<SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>

<SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>

</OOBE>

</component>

</settings>

<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/vista%20imaging/wim/install.wim#Windows Vista Business" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />

</unattend>

[wjs]

1. I answered this one for myself: The MS cookbook is incomplete. The manual for WAIK says that there are four additional answer file entries that are required - entries for languages.

2. So now I driven past that point and found that when being fed by an answer file, the installer doesn't like it that my disk is blank (no partitions). But it also doesn't like it if there IS a partition, unless I change the answer file to say "install on the partition you find".

Could be a problem with my disk specifications, but if so I haven't found it yet.

3. Now gettting a screen inviting me to choose which OS I want to install. Of course there is only one choice - the one I specified to early on in the cataloging process. No indication of how to bypass this screen - it's not listed in the manual for the WAIK.

4. Next screen asks me where I want to install (disk, partition) even though that is in the answer file. Selecting the obvious entry:

"An error occurred while Setup was validating the system for installation"

Any ideas out there?

[fizban2]

the WSIM in the WAIK that you have most likely is the older version, there was a new version released on May 25th, if you can download that one you will be set, also soon the BDD (business desktop deployment) app will be out that will allow for unattended vista installs, should see it within the next 2 weeks