Can you skip the product key input on install?

[hinkdad]

I want to make a "generic" install disc that I can use for a number of different PCs. This means that the product key for each one is obviously going to be different. If I do not put a key in the answer file, will it only prompt me for the key on install? Or will it break the whole un-attended setup?

PS--- You guys are the best... I am a new member here and the amout of useful stuff on this website is mind blowing

I am trying an unattended right now without a product key entered.... I will post how it goes. But I do appreciate input until then. God bless VM-Ware.

Edited September 11, 2006 by hinkdad

[Ctrl-X]

Should be possible by setting "UnattendMode" to "DefaultHide". From the Preinstallation Reference:

DefaultHide

Specifies that answers in the answer file are defaults. Unlike UnattendMode = ProvideDefault, Setup does not display the user interface to end users if you specify in the answer file all the answers relating to a particular Setup page. If you specify only subsets of the answers on a page, the page appears with the provided answers. The end user can modify any of the answers on the displayed page.

Edit: hmm, just spotted the following in the reference:

Important

You must always specify a value for the ProductKey entry.

You may be out of luck after all

Edited September 11, 2006 by Ctrl-X

[hinkdad]

Below is my answer file..... when I installed this is what happened. Everything worked fine until it got to the product key portion. The setup gave me an error message stating that the information provided was not correct or somthing to that effect. I simply clicked "OK" and typed in a valid key, then clicked "Next" and the unattended install continued and completed. This is as close to I want as I think Im going to get. Unless you think the other way will not ask for a key until windows boots up... which is what i really want. This way I could start the install go stand on my head for 36min and come back and the desktop is up asking me to activate windows.

;SetupMgrTag

[Data]AutoPartition=1

MsDosInitiated="0"

UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[unattended]

UnattendMode=FullUnattended

OemSkipEula=Yes

OemPreinstall=Yes

TargetPath=\WINDOWS

UnattendSwitch="yes"

WaitForReboot="No"

DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

[GuiUnattended]

AdminPassword="*********"

EncryptedAdminPassword=NO

OEMSkipRegional=1

TimeZone=20

OemSkipWelcome=1

[userData]

ProductKey=""

FullName="Owner"

OrgName=""

ComputerName=OwnersPC

[TapiLocation]

AreaCode=217

[branding]

BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes

Home_Page=www.goetc.net

Search_Page=www.google.com

[Proxy]

Proxy_Enable=0

Use_Same_Proxy=1

[identification]

JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[Components]

msmsgs=off

[Networking]

InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[GuiRunOnce]

%systemdrive%\install\start.cmd

Edited September 11, 2006 by hinkdad

[Ctrl-X]

Not bad... I don't think you'll get any closer than this.

[hinkdad]

Thanks for your post's CTRL-X or should I say Cut? :-/

[dosworld]

You Could Use a Know pirated serial and then just change it on first install...

[Bezalel]

You Could Use a Know pirated serial and then just change it on first install...

Actually you should use one of the public generic keys listed at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...depl.mspx#EWFAC.

[Incroyable HULK]

Actually you should use one of the public generic keys listed at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...depl.mspx#EWFAC.

I was just about to post the same link!

I remember seeing a page on the microsoft webpage were they showed a vbscript to gracefully change the product key... anyone seen it or use it? I can't find it anymore

*** EDIT *** Nevermind, I found it and it doesn't work with OEM keys, only VLK

Edited September 22, 2006 by Incroyable HULK

[Nukeman]

Here's another thought. How about being able to input several product keys and selecting which one to use at the start of the install?

Basically, I have 5 different product keys for XP Pro, and 5 different computers that I would like to make an unattended install disc for. Obviously, I would like to only have 1 install disc. My prefered method would be to be able to select which key to use when I start the installation, but from what I have read so far, it seems like my best bet would be to use one of the generic public keys for the install disc, then change it after XP boots.

Does anyone else have the need to input multiple product keys? and know how to do it?

Thanks