[computerguru]

Hello guyz,
I've done a lot of research about windows 7 unattended installation, and a month before, I was able to make an unattended windows 7 DVD including
useful apps, device drivers, a lot of registry tweaks, brandings, some really cool themes, and the most anticipated windows dreamscene.

I'm posting the proceedings here just in text format, without any screenshots or attachments, if someone becomes interested, I'll post them later.

What We Need:
a) an untouched windows 7 DVD
resource editing software like reshack, restuner etc.
c) WAIK for windows 7
d) winintegrator
e) .net framework 4 beta 2
f) vmware or virtualbox for testing
g) any burning software

Proceedings:

1. Copy all contents of the DVD to your local hard disk, for instance we assume it's D:\w7.
2. Download and install resource editor or pe explorer.
3. Download & install waik for windows 7.
4. Download gimagex for windows 7, extract it copy gimagex.exe in the same directory of imagex.exe.
5. Run gimagex, in the mount tab select a mount location(no prob what directory to be chosen), then browse to D:\w7\sources select install.wim as the wim source check the box "read and write", then go to your mount location, you will find a folder named windows, for branding you have to modify the following files-
a) explorer.exe for the start orb (you may download some stylish orbs from the net), open explorer.exe with pe explorer under section bitmap replace the 6801, 6805 & 6809 resource with your orb
%mountlocation%\windows\system32\bootstr.dll also %mountlocation%\windows\system32\en-US\bootstr.dll.mui
c) %mountlocation%\windows\system32\imageres.dll you have to modify this for login screen
d) %mountlocation%\windows\branding\basebrd\basebrd.dll also %mountlocation%\windows\branding\basebrd\en-US\basebrd.dll.mui
e) %mountlocation%\windows\branding\shellbrd\shellbrd.dll
f) %mountlocation%\windows\system32\shell32.dll
g) %mountlocation%\windows\system32\uxtheme.dll
h) %mountlocation%\windows\web\wallpaper\windows\img0.jpg
6. If you want to add themes copy them to %mountlocation%\windows\resources\themes also you have to copy patched uxtheme.dll to the directory previously stated.
7. Go to gimagex check the box "commit changes", select your wim file then click unmount.
8. Make an iso file by using the command-

"%systemroot%\program files\windows aik\tools\x86\oscdimg -lW7DVD -h -n -m -bD:\w7\boot\etfsboot.com d:\w7 d:\w7.iso"

your iso file should be saved as d:\w7.iso.
9. Install any virtual machine, I strongly recommend using vmware (I'll tell you why we don't use a secondary partition on the later part of this post).
a. For vmware, install it, run it, from the menu select create new virtual machine.
b. You have to choose these settings, number of processors: 2, RAM: 512 MB, virtual hard disk: 60 GB.
c. From the advanced menu for virtual hard disk, select Independent & Persistence.
d. From the cd-dvd choise, select "use iso image".
10. Select d:\w7.iso as the iso source.
11. Create a virtual hard disk with 60 gb of size.
12. Start your machine, windows installation will be started normally, accept license, and then create two partitions.
13. Windows setup will complete the process and will give you a page where you can enter your product key, do not type anything just press ctrl+shift+f3 which will reboot your pc to audit mode and a default sysprep window will appear, do not close this.
14. Install your necessary applications, reboot if necessary, apply registry tweaks, note that registry keys having value "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" won't work, you have to run them via setupcomplete.cmd.
15. On the sysprep window select Enter system out of box experience, select shutdown and then run sysprep.
16. I suggest using vmware as this gives v2p (virtual to physical) feature, mount your virtual hard disk with the drive letter z:
17. Click start-windows aik tools command prompt type

imagex /compress fast /check /flags "Ultimate" /capture z: d:\install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimate x86"

note that "Ultimate" is flag and it may vary according to your windows 7 version
18. Now you have a wim file as D:\install.wim replace D:\w7\sources\install.wim with this one.
19. Download and install winintegrator (it requires .net framework 4 beta 2 to be installed).
20. Run winintegrator, select your location of windows 7 media such as D:\w7.
21. You can integrate drivers (can be downloaded from driverpacks.net), remove unnecessary packages via winintegrator (but once you have finished removing packages these can never be added).
22. Create an autounattended.xml file following my attachments (I've done this to cover product key check).
23. Copy this autounattended.xml file to D:\w7.
24. Make an iso image of your windows 7 installation files using commands we used at step 8.
25. Burn this iso image to a DVD, then you will get your unattended DVD!!!
N.B. We can't use a secondary partition such as D:\ as we will have some problem with some software because of this. Specially if you install windows on partition D:\, and install programs that make directory D:\MSOCache then whenever you imaged your pc, make an unattended DVD, setup windows on partition C:\ by this DVD, you will face problems.

Useful links:

a) windows aik: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en
pe explorer: http://www.heaventools.com/download-pe-explorer.htm
c) win integrator: http://forum.driverp...c.php?pid=35940
d) .net framework 4 beta 2: http://www.microsoft...73-2171b61fe982
e) vmware: http://www.softpedia...nload-5341.html
f) gimagex: http://www.autoitscript.com/gimagex/
g) necessary driverpacks: http://driverpacks.net/
h) uxtheme patcher for 7 RTM (you have to use it at audit mode): http://rapidshare.co...r--x86.rar.html

Attachments:

 AUTOUNATTEND.XML (810bytes)
Number of downloads: 722
 TWEAKS.REG (13.92K)
Number of downloads: 575
And that's the end, if you have problems post it here, I'll try to resolve them.

This post has been edited by computerguru: 17 April 2010 - 08:56 AM
Reason for edit: removed poll

[steviewonder]

Thanks for the Guide I noticed you referencing the Vista Waik rather than Windows 7 Waik.
ANy benefit from using this rather than the Windows 7 Waik?

[computerguru]

steviewonder, on 14 March 2010 - 01:44 PM, said:

Thanks for the Guide I noticed you referencing the Vista Waik rather than Windows 7 Waik.
ANy benefit from using this rather than the Windows 7 Waik?

Thanks for your reply, actually I've given the wrong link, now I've corrected it. If you or anyone feels any need of explanation or correction, please post it here, I'll try my best to satisfy you.

[urie]

Thanks for the guide but you could just download Se7en_UA it can do Unattended installs with drivers apps e.c.t.

[atolica]

Nothing new.

[maxXPsoft]

[quote name='computerguru' date='15 March 2010 - 04:11 AM' timestamp='1268647888'
[/quote]
edit

This post has been edited by maxXPsoft: 29 March 2010 - 06:16 AM

[ar_seven_am]

Sorry computerguru, from what I've see its more like customizing 7 dvd rather than unattended installation. From what I've see u r using reverse integration methode just the same as integrating service pack into windows image without breakin' sysprep. Nothing personal, unattended installation more than just installing application during sysprep n then repack ur image.

[computerguru]

ar_seven_am, on 17 March 2010 - 03:00 PM, said:

Sorry computerguru, from what I've see its more like customizing 7 dvd rather than unattended installation. From what I've see u r using reverse integration methode just the same as integrating service pack into windows image without breakin' sysprep. Nothing personal, unattended installation more than just installing application during sysprep n then repack ur image.

Hello to everyone again, I was busy with my study and so I can't able to read your responses. @maxxpsoft and others I have given autounattend.xml & tweaks.reg only as framework or as a sample, you may use your own scripts instead of mine.
You ask me how I didn't use vista/se7en ua DVD creator or any other software. sorry ar_seven_am your tool may be helpful to someone but NOT TO ME!!! If I use the method of installing applications via your appswitch.dat method it will take at least 1 hour to install windows, AND THE TIME TO INSTALL WINDOWS IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN XP AND VISTA/7 INSTALLATION ROUTINE. I integrate office 2010 professionalplus, nero 9, mozilla firefox, adobe acrobat with my installation DVD image, if I use your tool I've to spend more than 1 hour to install windows everytime I want to install windows also I have to make silent installation packages which is so much bogus and time spoiling method to me. Why you spoil your time? If you follow my method INSTALLATION ONLY TAKES 12 MINUTES & YOU WILL SEE YOUR DESKTOP WITHIN 14 MINUTES!!! And guyz who adviced me, most possibly didn't read the start of my post carefully. I've written I've done a lot of research, and off course I was tried vista/se7en ua DVD creator and IT SEEMS NOT SO HELPFUL TO ME.

And for the unattended setup I am now going to attach my autounattend.xml which I used with windows vista(installation time takes longer if you try to install long sized apps through it), IF U NEED EXPLANATION PLZ POST IT HERE, OTHERWISE I'LL ASSUME THAT U DON'T NEED EXPLANATION.


Again thanks to everyone to read my post and posting responses.

Attached File(s)

•  AUTOUNATTEND.XML (13.44K)
  Number of downloads: 207

This post has been edited by computerguru: 23 March 2010 - 03:16 AM

[maxXPsoft]

your not integrating applications, your using auditUser and with pre-packaged apps usually done by others with their settings
Thats certainly 1 way to do it.

This post has been edited by maxXPsoft: 29 March 2010 - 06:17 AM

[computerguru]

Thanks 2 everybody. Today I am going to start posting complex part of this guide. In this I will try to cover various sections, such as custom setup.exe, reducing setup time & appearance etc.

You may know that we can use our custom setup environment instead of the MS provided default. Which will be much more efficient and useful. In the default windows 7 setup routine, we can't install windows on USB hard disks (or R-Driver linked SATA hard disks), IEEE 1394 connected devices, which I think a big disadvantage (cause if you are using netbooks on most cases your SSD must not be more than 16 GB). And also we can't even use USB drives during setup, further more I don't think it provides much more support for recovery. But if we can use such an setup environment which gives us oppurtunities to install windows on a USB hard disk or on a network share it will be great (I think so). Also it will gives us much more oppurtunities for branding and helps us understanding the setup routine clearly.

What we need:
1. Windows AIK for Windows 7
2. Any software or programming language to create executable and binary and library files.

I'll start posting later today.

[Yesnovato]

Thanks Computerguru a good guide.
Excuse my ignorance, but I am a newbie in programming, really I don't know anything about codes, but I want to make my own image.
a) I use 64-bit, my machine has only one hard drive (C: \) and the original image is in C: \ W7en
The VMware virtual machine version 7.01
c) Question in step 9b are 2 processors and 1 core or 1 processor and 2 cores.
d) In step 9c, in Advance I do not find anything that says independent & persistence
e) Step 9d OK
f) Step 10 C: \ W7.iso
g) Steps 11-15 OK, In step 15, the virtual machine shutdown. is it correct?
h) Could you explain a little more of V2P and how to mount the image in z: In VMware
Excuseme but from this point I do not understand anything, I run WAIK but I think in my case I can not put the same command
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture z: d: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimeate x86"
1st) who is z: and besides I have not d:> Could I write
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture c: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimate amd64"
It is my understanding the winintegrador is to integrate drivers and updates. I have a question can I use Dism.exe to integrate drivers and updates, for me this method is more simple or at least I get it and I practiced it.
How to install the Tweak.reg because there are HKCU records, could you to explain me, how to use startnet.cmd(Chinese language for me), is there any example or some guidance on how to use startnet.cmd to install Tweaks.
Let me ask a question, why and for two partitions
Thanks in advance

This post has been edited by Yesnovato: 16 April 2010 - 04:42 AM

[Yesnovato]

Hello Computerguru and all body here
Thank you for your guide, I was able to clarify all doubts least startnet, and I do all the steps without any kind of problem and the installation of w7 with all my Apps and tweaks were very fast. Now I am waiting for your 2nd post. The only thing left to do is install the HKCU tweaks using startnet.cmd. If you or somebody in this wonderful forum has an example or guide on how to use startnet.cmd and where put it in the image, please let me know. Thanks in advance

[computerguru]

Yesnovato, on 16 April 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

Hello Computerguru and all body here
Thank you for your guide, I was able to clarify all doubts least startnet, and I do all the steps without any kind of problem and the installation of w7 with all my Apps and tweaks were very fast. Now I am waiting for your 2nd post. The only thing left to do is install the HKCU tweaks using startnet.cmd. If you or somebody in this wonderful forum has an example or guide on how to use startnet.cmd and where put it in the image, please let me know. Thanks in advance

Thanks Yesnovato for practising. It's a universal truth that whenever you enter into an experiment you can notice it's instances, usefulness and weakness. But without experimenting you can't just declare a method as good or as bad, which some of users have declared.
HKCU(HKEY_CURRENT_USER) values must be applied under an administrator or a limited or a guest user and settings applied via HKCU keys are only applicable to the user account, under which they are applied.
setupcomplete.cmd is executed just after finishing the setup and before user desktop environment initializes, so I was wrong, a .reg files including HKCU values shouldn't be applied via setupcomplete.cmd, rather it should be applied via RunOnce. As RunOnce commands are executed after finishing user desktop environment initialization, all settings necessary for HKCU values have been applied. There are differrent methods to run a registry scripts via RunOnce, in my case I've created two registry files, one for setting RunOnce values, second is the tweaks.reg.
First registry file looks like:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
"Final"="regedit /s C:\\Windows\\setup\\scripts\\tweaks.reg"

And I named this file as 1.reg, then added it to my setupcomplete.cmd by typing:

regedit /s %systemroot%\setup\scripts\1.reg

Note that setupcomplete.cmd, 1.reg, tweaks.reg files should be on "C:\Windows\setup\scripts" folder when windows setup executes them and %systemroot% refers to C:\Windows. You may add these files via $OEM$ method. Just make directory UnattendedDVD\SOURCES\$OEM$\$$\SETUP\SCRIPTS and copy all three files to the directory( to SCRIPTS folder).
The other method is mount your install.wim with write access. Go to mount location, navigate to windows folder create two folders as the directory structure will be %mountlocation%\windows\setup\scripts, copy your setupcomplete.cmd, 1.reg and tweaks.reg to the scripts folder, now unmount the wim file after applying the changes.
Maybe it's just enough for you. If you need further information, post it here.
Oh! and about the 2nd part of my guide, I'm very very busy with my study (as my exam is just knocking at the door), but I'm trying my best to post, now I'm collecting necessary screenshots (as I think they are required to understand my post), and if everything will ok, I'll start posting within two days. Thanks for your interest.

This post has been edited by computerguru: 17 April 2010 - 08:54 AM

[ar_seven_am]

Yesnovato, on 15 April 2010 - 10:22 PM, said:

h) Could you explain a little more of V2P and how to mount the image in z: In VMware
Excuseme but from this point I do not understand anything, I run WAIK but I think in my case I can not put the same command
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture z: d: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimeate x86"
1st) who is z: and besides I have not d:> Could I write
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture c: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimate amd64"

I think u've mistakenly put some space in imagex command, the correct command is "imagex /compress fast /check /flags "ULTIMATE" /capture z: d:\install.wim "Your Name Image" "Your Description Image"
If u want to mount virtual drive in vmware, u could check via windows explorer n point to ur vmware project folder, right click *.vmdk file n choose map virtual drive or u can use mapping virtual drive via vmware itself after point to ur project, right click n choose setting, choose ur drive setting n right click n choose map virtual drive, just be sure u map the right volume disk (if u've make 2 disk partition in the first setting).
Hope it help u!


Regards

[Yesnovato]

ar_seven_am, on 17 April 2010 - 06:32 AM, said:

Yesnovato, on 15 April 2010 - 10:22 PM, said:

h) Could you explain a little more of V2P and how to mount the image in z: In VMware
Excuseme but from this point I do not understand anything, I run WAIK but I think in my case I can not put the same command
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture z: d: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimeate x86"
1st) who is z: and besides I have not d:> Could I write
"imagex / compress fast / check / flags "Ultimate" / capture c: \ install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate" "Windows 7 Ultimate amd64"

I think u've mistakenly put some space in imagex command, the correct command is "imagex /compress fast /check /flags "ULTIMATE" /capture z: d:\install.wim "Your Name Image" "Your Description Image"
If u want to mount virtual drive in vmware, u could check via windows explorer n point to ur vmware project folder, right click *.vmdk file n choose map virtual drive or u can use mapping virtual drive via vmware itself after point to ur project, right click n choose setting, choose ur drive setting n right click n choose map virtual drive, just be sure u map the right volume disk (if u've make 2 disk partition in the first setting).
Hope it help u!


Regards

Thank you ar_seven for reply, I can fix the problem and you are right. Thank you

[Yesnovato]

Thank you Computerguru for reply, I'll try ur first method and I'll let u know that happened, I'm sure everything will work correctly. Let me see if I understood well what u mean.
startnet.cmd = 1st reg where is RunOnce
Tweak file = 2nd reg you wrote
1.REG = My HKCU reg
All will be located Sources\$OEM$\SETUP\SCRIPTS\3 reg files
Question
Who is "Final" and once ran the scripts as can I delete it so it will not be in c: \ windows\setup\scripts. Thank you very much for ur time, I don't know absolutely nothing about programming and codes, but if can help at least in testing can u count on me. Thanks and hope your next POST

[computerguru]

Yesnovato, on 17 April 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

Thank you Computerguru for reply, I'll try ur first method and I'll let u know that happened, I'm sure everything will work correctly. Let me see if I understood well what u mean.
startnet.cmd = 1st reg where is RunOnce
Tweak file = 2nd reg you wrote
1.REG = My HKCU reg
All will be located Sources\$OEM$\SETUP\SCRIPTS\3 reg files
Question
Who is "Final" and once ran the scripts as can I delete it so it will not be in c: \ windows\setup\scripts. Thank you very much for ur time, I don't know absolutely nothing about programming and codes, but if can help at least in testing can u count on me. Thanks and hope your next POST

Thanks Yesnovato for your quick response. I think you shouldn't be frustrated, what you (and I) have done isn't programing, it's just a fun and trying to make our operating system according to our sweet wil, so don't judge yourself as a less quality person, just keep practising and it will make you perfect (not a programmer, but a person who knows what he wants to do).
You are a bit wrong. Also I was wrong the file STARTNET.CMD WON'T BE STARTNET.CMD it is SETUPCOMPLETE.CMD(CORRECT THIS, OTHERWISE YOUR SCRIPT WONT WORK, sorry for this silly mistake) I'm calling my 1.reg file from setupcomplete.cmd (setupcomplete.cmd is a command script, not registry script), 1.reg file saves RunOnce entries to be executed. tweaks.reg is your (or my) HKCU reg. RunOnce execute the following command to merge your HKCU REG (TWEAKS.REG) to registry.

"regedit /s C:\\windows\\setup\\scripts\\tweaks.reg"

1.reg file just saves the RunOnce entry to registry to merge tweaks.reg(HKCU REG).
To delete the folder, you have to add another RunOnce entry. For example I'm attaching your required 1.reg, tweaks.reg(HKCU REG), setupcomplete.cmd.
Note that you will have 2 reg files and a .cmd file on your C:\windows\setup\scripts directory (1.reg, tweaks.reg, setupcomplete.cmd). You need tweaks.reg(HKCU REG) file at c:\windows\setup\scripts directory when runonce is executed, so the command to remove the directory should be executed via runonce after merging tweaks.reg. Just right click my attached 1.reg file, select edit and you'll find the commands (including command to deleting c:\windows\setup\scripts). You shouldn't be worried about the final script to keep it out from c:\windows\setup\scripts.
If you still can't understand post it very soon.

Attached File(s)

•  1.REG (592bytes)
  Number of downloads: 103
•  SETUPCOMPLETE.CMD (54bytes)
  Number of downloads: 166
•  TWEAKS.REG (14.11K)
  Number of downloads: 96

This post has been edited by computerguru: 17 April 2010 - 09:16 AM

[CalBoy]

Hi Computerguru.
I was wondering if you could post steps on how to inject windows updates into the installation. Could you do it in sysprep? Its one thing that p***es me off having to always run windows update. Other then that awesome guide!

Thanks
CalBoy

[computerguru]

CalBoy, on 17 April 2010 - 09:55 PM, said:

Hi Computerguru.
I was wondering if you could post steps on how to inject windows updates into the installation. Could you do it in sysprep? Its one thing that p***es me off having to always run windows update. Other then that awesome guide!

Thanks
CalBoy

There is just a one question; do you have a genuine windows 7 product key? If your answer is yes then offcourse you can run windows update during sysprep. Windows update just requires your windows 7 product key to be genuine and also requires it to be activated, you can then run windows update.
Don't worry about your product key, it won't be stolen. When you run sysprep and also select the generalize checkbox, all traces of your activation will be removed at sysprep DTC cleanup stage. Also your SID (which uniquely identifies your machine) will be removed.
But if your answer is no, then you have to buy a genuine one or have to take non-genuine steps which may also violate your local law.
I'm waiting for your response.

[CalBoy]

computerguru, on 17 April 2010 - 11:53 PM, said:

There is just a one question; do you have a genuine windows 7 product key? If your answer is yes then offcourse you can run windows update during sysprep. Windows update just requires your windows 7 product key to be genuine and also requires it to be activated, you can then run windows update.
Don't worry about your product key, it won't be stolen. When you run sysprep and also select the generalize checkbox, all traces of your activation will be removed at sysprep DTC cleanup stage. Also your SID (which uniquely identifies your machine) will be removed.
But if your answer is no, then you have to buy a genuine one or have to take non-genuine steps which may also violate your local law.
I'm waiting for your response.

Hey thanks for the quick answer!
Yeah i have a genuine product key so thats fine. What else with the generalize setting do? Also when i run sysprep with the generalize will it wipe all of my application settings? As a few of my applications i setup before hand therefore not having to do it everytime i install windows. I have to install windows across quite a few computers as i take care of multiple computers on a site, so i dont want to have to put the applications settings in for every computer. I've looked into WinPE but I would like to see if this method would be any quicker. Thanks in advance