WDS ignoring my unattend files...

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 09:25

Anyone clued up on creating unattend.xml files?

I've created two, one of these is called 'WDSClientUnattend' which is used for entering my domain info, creating partitions, and setting the language etc.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SetupUILanguage>
                <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-gb</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-gb</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-gb</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <DiskConfiguration>
                <Disk wcm:action="add">
                    <CreatePartitions>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Extend>false</Extend>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>System</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <WindowsDeploymentServices>
                <Login>
                    <Credentials>
                        <Domain>ayy.lmao</Domain>
                        <Password>ayy</Password>
                        <Username>Administrator</Username>
                    </Credentials>
                </Login>
            </WindowsDeploymentServices>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog://ayyy.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

The other is called OOBEUnattend, which handles the remaining phases of the automated setup.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Identification>
                <Credentials>
                    <Domain>ayy.lmao</Domain>
                    <Password>ayy</Password>
                    <Username>administrator</Username>
                </Credentials>
                <JoinDomain>ayy.lmao</JoinDomain>
            </Identification>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <ProductKey>****-****-****-****-****</ProductKey>
            <ComputerName>*</ComputerName>
            <TimeZone>gmt standard time</TimeZone>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <RegisteredOrganization>AyyLmao ltd</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>Ayy</RegisteredOwner>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-gb</InputLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <SystemLocale>en-gb</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-gb</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <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">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>MAA5AG0AdQBzAGgAeQBCAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Domain>ayy.lmao</Domain>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
                <Username>administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>UwBBADMAMABwAGIAbwB4AEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                            <Value>UwBBADMAMABwAGIAbwB4AFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                            <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Description>Local Admin Account</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Ayyyyy</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>Ayyyyy</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
                <DomainAccounts>
                    <DomainAccountList wcm:action="add">
                        <Domain>ayy.lmao</Domain>
                        <DomainAccount wcm:action="add">
                            <Group>Domain Users</Group>
                            <Name>shoptest</Name>
                        </DomainAccount>
                    </DomainAccountList>
                </DomainAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
            <TimeZone>gmt standard time</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog://ayyy.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Whenever I PXE boot my system, it appears to just ignore the files completely and just goes into the normal setup process.

I've done allot of research and just can't make sense of why mine doesn't work. I've changed all the regional and locale settings from en-gb to en-us as this is a known issue, but nothing.

I checked out the panther file after the failed attempt and it says:

Code:

[0x0b002e] WDS    InitializeUnattend: There is no unattend file available on the server.

This is obviously the problem, but I just don't understand why it can't see my unattend files on my server (which are located in C:\RemoteInstall\WdsClientUnattend)

I have multiple deployment images on my server in different groups, this is the reason I've omitted 'Image Selection' from 'WindowsDeploymentServices'

Caged · 3 Aug 2016 at 10:14

Use MDT instead of WDS would be my first suggestion

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 10:29

I'd rather stick with WDS.

Forgot to mention that I have attached the WDSClientUnattend to my server, and the OOBEUnattend to my image.

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 12:49

Ok I've got the OOBEUnattend working (dodgy product key) but the first one still isn't being recognized.

Mujja · 3 Aug 2016 at 13:04

Set InputLocale as as below

<InputLocale>0409:00000409</InputLocale>

Here's part of an autoattend.xml I created a few years ago for a W7 build

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SetupUILanguage>
                <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>0809:00000809</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-gb</SystemLocale>
            <UserLocale>en-gb</UserLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" 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 wcm:action="add">
                    <CreatePartitions>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Windows</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>
            <UserData>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <FullName></FullName>
                <Organization></Organization>
            </UserData>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">

Mujja · 3 Aug 2016 at 13:19

If this is for a Windows 8 or 10 build add this remove the welcome\setup screen for each new user.

Add to the Microsoft-Windows-Deployment component and change the order numbers as needed.

Code:

<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
    <Description>disable async RunOnce</Description>
    <Order>4</Order>
    <Path>reg add HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer /v AsyncRunOnce /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
    <Description>disable animation</Description>
    <Order>5</Order>
    <Path>reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableFirstLogonAnimation /d 0 /t REG_DWORD /f</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
    <Description>disable animation</Description>
    <Order>6</Order>
    <Path>reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DelayedDesktopSwitchTimeout /d 0 /t REG_DWORD /f</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
      </RunSynchronous>

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 13:40

Mujja said:
Set InputLocale as as below

Thanks I'll try this now!

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 13:40

Mujja said:
If this is for a Windows 8 or 10 build add this

Win 7 build

Mujja · 3 Aug 2016 at 13:47

If you haven't already, copy .xml the file to the root of your USB installation media and rename to autounattend.xml. If it fails then the problem is with your file and not WDS.

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 15:47

Mujja said:
If you haven't already, copy .xml the file to the root of your USB installation media and rename to autounattend.xml. If it fails then the problem is with your file and not WDS.

Locale settings didn't change anything unfortunately.

The installation files are on my server, PXE booting.

Mujja · 3 Aug 2016 at 15:59

/\ndy said:
Locale settings didn't change anything unfortunately.

The installation files are on my server, PXE booting.

Extract the W7 ISO to a USB and the xml in the root and give it a try. If it still fails there is something wrong with the file.

Does setup always stop at the first screen, EULA or choose setup language? Don't remember which order they are in.

If it still fails I'll post the full autounattend.xml I used once I've edited any personal info.

Mujja · 3 Aug 2016 at 16:02

Caged said:
Use MDT instead of WDS would be my first suggestion

This

A basic MDT deploymentshare shouldn't take more than an hour setup.

/\ndy · 3 Aug 2016 at 16:14

Mujja said:
Extract the W7 ISO to a USB and the xml in the root and give it a try. If it still fails there is something wrong with the file.

Does setup always stop at the first screen, EULA or choose setup language? Don't remember which order they are in.

If it still fails I'll post the full autounattend.xml I used once I've edited any personal info.

Choose language -> Location -> enter domain admin/password -> select image to install -> select disk partition

All of which should be answered..

Mujja · 4 Aug 2016 at 09:16

Andy

Did you get any further with the unattend file yesterday or do you want me to post up my copy?

/\ndy · 5 Aug 2016 at 09:47

Hi

I bit the bullet and are currently having a play with MDT....

Seems OK so far, just can't get it to join the domain..