MSFN Forums > a sample autounattend.xml

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MSFN Forums > Unattended Windows Discussion & Support > Unattended Vista

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sp00f

Mar 13 2007, 09:13 AM

QUOTE (MAVERICKS CHOICE @ Mar 5 2007, 10:57 PM)

Hey guys few q's

How to stop windows on first show to setup further users? Also the home ofice network setup screen thing?

I have the following in my xml

CODE

[/code]
<OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <NetworkLocation>Other</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
            </OOBE>
[code]

Do I need to set skip machine oobe as well as Admin set & autologon toggled on.

CODE

[/code]

</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>
                <JoinWorkgroup>Workgroup</JoinWorkgroup>
[code]

Do I need to nominate something else in the ans file to skip the setup network lot?

Thanks Fellas

Update:

Choosing skip machine setting sorted the user screen as expected, although waik setting depracated. Works fine though.

I also changed my network setting from Other to Work however pops the network screen up with Work highlighted? Not a real biggy though.

I have the same problem.

MAVERICKS CHOICE

Mar 13 2007, 12:57 PM

Yes still haven't found a way to kill the network page on first startup?

sp00f

Mar 13 2007, 06:33 PM

QUOTE (MAVERICKS CHOICE @ Mar 13 2007, 07:57 PM)

Yes still haven't found a way to kill the network page on first startup?

Only more people with same prob

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPo...6&SiteID=17

prathapml

Mar 13 2007, 06:47 PM

I use the sample autounattend.xml in first post & the regtweak posted above, & i never get prompted for the network-location

MAVERICKS CHOICE

Mar 14 2007, 02:58 AM

@prathapml

Yes I have the same Network setting as you & using the Ultimate 32 bit ver.

Well more work is obviously req'd here as it appears many other peers are xping the same issue now??

keul

Mar 17 2007, 08:40 AM

prathapml: is your oemlogo displayed when you use the autounattend file submitted in your 1st post ?
Mine doesn't as windows stores the path in a REG_SZ key instead of a REG_EXPAND_SZ

mc: I use a modded version of prathapml's autounattend file, set network as "home" and never get network page on 1st startup. And now that I use sysprep with a second xml file with network set a "home", I don't get it either... Tell me if you need more information.

sp00f

Mar 17 2007, 12:38 PM

<StartPanelOff>true</StartPanelOff> doesnt work , or need i more settings for this?

MAVERICKS CHOICE

Mar 17 2007, 01:56 PM

mc: I use a modded version of prathapml's autounattend file, set network as "home" and never get network page on 1st startup. And now that I use sysprep with a second xml file with network set a "home", I don't get it either... Tell me if you need more information.
[/quote]

Taken on board, will incorporate.

EDIT: I also found a sharp reboot after install at first use gets rid of that page & doesn't pop up again, quick & dirty I know...

sp00f

Apr 13 2007, 01:06 PM

I tried this on a x64 version, but then WAIK shows lots of errors

Any one else tried this on x64 ?

prathapml

Apr 13 2007, 11:40 PM

The xml in first post is for 32-bit only. The x64 will be similar but processorArchitecture & publicKeyToken might change.

sp00f

Apr 15 2007, 03:23 PM

QUOTE (prathapml @ Apr 14 2007, 07:40 AM)

The xml in first post is for 32-bit only. The x64 will be similar but processorArchitecture & publicKeyToken might change.

thx , any one has an example xml for x64 ?

EDIT:

Never mind, i made one myself.

jaybot

Jun 5 2007, 04:52 PM

I would love a look at your x64 xml.

sp00f

Jul 6 2007, 06:00 PM

QUOTE (jaybot @ Jun 6 2007, 12:52 AM)

I would love a look at your x64 xml.

I just opened the x86 one , and added the same things in a new x64 one

prathapml

Jul 27 2007, 07:09 AM

Came across this bit of info recently - I'm assuming it will be available in Vista SP1 as well, and if so, it finally solves the driver problem in a simple manner.

QUOTE

Windows Server Longhorn Automatic Driver Injection

During WinPE the system looks for the directory named $WinPEDriver$ at the root of all visible drives given a drive letter of C or greater. If this directory exists, the module then adds this path to the list of paths that it maintains to search for driver packages. When this operation is complete, the module continues to scan the answer file, if present, for additional driver paths.

Because of this operation, drives that contain a $WinPEDriver$ directory in the root cause Setup to recursively search this directory for driver packages to be imported into the image during the WinPE phase. This includes hard drive partitions and removable media like floppy disk drives and flash drives. Type-27 hidden partitions are assigned a driver letter during the WinPE phase of Setup and are also searched.

LINK to source - HTML from google cache | or MSword file

Stead

Sep 18 2007, 05:25 AM

Hi, i've been searching around and I can't find what i'm looking for, is there documentation explaining this xml file completly with all available components listed and options, or has anyone made a program to help automate it?

I'd be interested in writing a simple app to toggle things on and off if there isn't already one, I know we have vlite but i'd like to be able to keep the source clean and just use an answer file

many thanks!

MAVERICKS CHOICE

Sep 19 2007, 01:23 PM

I find the waik /wsim reference to be very helpful. There a few tools you mention on this board for automating an xml.

prathapml

Sep 20 2007, 03:06 PM

Yes indeed, resources for this with detailed help do exist, which is actually what I used.

WAIK - a set of packages around 900 MB in size, free download from oem.microsoft.com
WSIM - a graphical tool to help renerating an xml (unfortunately, an xml that passes validation by wsim will not always work as expected during setup, which is why I felt the need to post a known-to-be-working file on the forum).
documentation - yes there are some CHM files contained in the WAIK and are a very useful reference, might total up to hardly 5 MB.

Stead

Sep 22 2007, 06:19 PM

thanks!, i'll have to start downloading and reading.. one last thing, isthe WSIM a ms tool or a user made one? ... I'm half guessing its included in the waik?, very tired, about togoto bed but just thought i'd check this quickly whilst i can, shall be looking into it as soon as i get some free time, i like the download speed from microsoft servers, seem to forget i have a 8mb connection with most sites seemingly limited!

prathapml

Sep 28 2007, 11:13 PM

Oh yes, it is part of WAIK.

prathapml

Oct 13 2007, 01:58 AM

Still waiting upon the direct drop-in folder of "Updates" to automatically install updates post-SP1.
And the other drop-in folder mentioned earlier (quoted below):

QUOTE (prathapml @ Jul 27 2007, 06:39 PM)

Came across this bit of info recently - I'm assuming it will be available in Vista SP1 as well, and if so, it finally solves the driver problem in a simple manner.

QUOTE

LINK to source - HTML from google cache | or MSword file

max1234

Mar 4 2008, 07:57 AM

Hi there! First of all - fantastic samples!

Now my question - i couldnt solve the problem yet to run a simple batchfile after installation .. as i see some of thoose samples added a line with a batchfile, follow:

CODE

<FirstLogonCommands>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<CommandLine>%SystemDrive%\install\GUIrunOnce.cmd</CommandLine>
<Description>customises settings</Description>
<Order>20</Order>
</SynchronousCommand>
</FirstLogonCommands>

OK here comes the question:
How do i copy the install-dir into the system-drive and how could i add the variable systemdrive - or does it work after i copied the directory to the sysdir?
You know .. i dont have alot of time to spend on my own Vista-DVD, thats why i dont want to get ride of WAIK, id rather use some own batchfiles to add updates and registrytweaks after installation, i think its the best solution because the implementation of updates and software dont works at all (many users reported problems on waik).

i hope someone could tell me how to copy a directory from the dvd, including sub-dirs and all files and tell me if it works with the batchfile-run-line in the unattented.xml lines ive posted in the code-tag up of my post.

And yes .. err .. what does the order-line means? why it counts 20?

i would be very happy if someone which knows what im asking for would help me.

thanks alot allready, a very interesting community, im sorry for myself that i cant spend alot of time into this, im very busy.

greets,
max

Fire

Feb 5 2009, 09:52 AM

I've been searching but have not found the answer yet. In XP there were limitations within the different answer files as to the length the string could be, i.e. DriverPaths was limited to 2048 or 4096 depending upon the answer file.

Are there any such limitations on any of the Vista answerfiles path type strings? My boss wants to put as many of the drivers and other files apps that we can on the network to install unattendedly instead of putting them in the image but the UNC path to the folder containing everything is already 40 characters long and I don't think there is a way for me to remapped it to a drive letter that will be there whenever it is needed without creating even bigger headaches.

God i hate management sometimes.

atolica

Feb 15 2009, 11:10 AM

QUOTE (EmRoD @ Jan 18 2007, 08:52 AM)

Hi

to add drivers to the winPE pass you have to use :

<Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE> In the Windows PE Pass

CODE

The Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE component is used to add one
or more out-of-box drivers to a Windows installation. Drivers that are located in the
path specified by DriverPaths are copied to the driver store of the Windows installation
during the windowsPE configuration pass.

You can add boot-critical as well as non-boot-critical drivers with this component to a
Windows image before it is installed.

To add them during the Offline servicing pass Use :

<Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE>

Those 2 ways Allows you to add Critical drivers NEEDED by the system. (Mass Strorage or network if use use net shares during installation.)

To add them copied during the auditSystem Pass, use :

<Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE> Int the AuditSystem Pass

CODE

The Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE component is used to add one or more
out-of-box drivers to a Windows installation. Drivers that are located in the path specified by
DriverPaths are copied to the driver store of the Windows installation during the auditSystem
configuration pass. When the system runs Plug and Play, these out-of-box drivers are available
to install hardware on the system.

Tha means To install Vista on a RAID Array, you have to use WinPE to add drivers.
if you want to add video drivers, you can just use the audit pass.

If I try to add drivers during auditSystem I get an error, and everything hangs. I am modifying the answer file to see if I can't install the drvers during offlineServicing.

Anybody knows why is this happening?

Thank you

atolica

Feb 16 2009, 08:52 AM

@prathapml

Empty your inbox! It's full.

prathapml

Feb 17 2009, 12:49 AM

@atolica
Thanks.

I've just been putting off clearing my personal messages - shall take some time out to sort, archive and download them all.
In the meantime, if you have any queries for me, just post in any of the threads to which I am subscribed.

chessonly

Aug 15 2009, 05:19 PM

is there a sample unattend.xml for windows 7 ? if not can someone make one please ?

cluberti

Aug 24 2009, 12:40 AM

QUOTE (chessonly @ Aug 15 2009, 07:19 PM)

is there a sample unattend.xml for windows 7 ? if not can someone make one please ?

It would be nice if you'd post this in the correct section - there's already a Windows 7 unattended section, so please ask Win7 questions there.

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