Win7/8 USB boot questions

[Banzai_Joe]

Hi all,

using E2B to create a boot usb that has all sorts of different payloads on it. Amongst them W7 pro and W8 pro.
Now, currently the W8 install stops at the enter activation key stage and doesn't allow you to continue without inputting a key. I need to be able to skip past this and input the key later, once windows is fully installed as i'l be sysprepping (i hope) at a later date.
Is this where the answer file or unattend file comes into play?
if so, i'm clueless about these, so some kid glove advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ED209]

I used this the other day to create a windows 8.1 (can do windows 8 as well) and it creates a USB stick with whatever version you want of windows 8 or 8.1

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

taken from another post, give these keys a try and should allow you to install the software and then change the key later

Originally Posted by marc2003 View Post
i'd heard of problems with people using 8 keys with 8.1 media but if you have an 8.1 key, i'd have thought it would work??

anyway, the solution for people with a windows 8 key is to use one of these placeholder keys, depending on which version you have.

core: 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT
pro: XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

you should then be able to change key to your own one later

I haven't tried the above keys to be honest as I've not got round to installing windows 8 yet but this may help

if your installing windows 7 this allows you to skip the activation part instead of having to put in the key

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Thanks bud, any idea how i'd work the unattend/answer file to include a placeholder key?
I'll trawl google, but could take longer than i actually have time-wise.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

To add to this,
ideally i'd also like the W8.1 install that gives all versions but what is actually installed is determined by the activation key you insert.

Any takers on this too?