Really need help with Windows 7 unattend.xml file for Windows 7 deploy

Hi,
I am in charge of creating the Windows 7 image to deploy to about 150 computers, and I am about to lose my job because I can't get this going. We are not using a server, and because of our slow network, I would like to have everything on a flashdrive so we don't use the network. I installed WAIK and have been working on the AutoUnattend.xml (using SIM) for days, and I can't get it to work correctly. I created a 'Configuration Set' on my flash drive after finishing the AutoUnattend file, and have 2 out-of-box drivers, and 3 applications that I would like to install as a test (many more to come). It seems to pick up the AutoUnattend file, (doesn't ask me any questions) but when it finishes installing windows, none of my applications are installed, and when I restart after exiting from the Sysprep box, it asks me what language I want to use. Could anyone look at my AutoUnattend file and tell me what I am doing wrong?

It looks like the Configuration Set only created one folder named AutoUnattend_Files with my 2 drivers and my AutoUnattend.xml, but no $OEM$ Folders at all (where I put the applications). Maybe I should not have created the Configuration Set. I saved a copy of the unattend.xml file before I created the Configuration Set. Here is the AutoUnattend.xml after I created the Configuration Set:

<?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="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>en-us</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-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">
<DiskConfiguration>
<Disk wcm:action="add">
<CreatePartitions>
<CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Extend>true</Extend>
<Type>Primary</Type>
</CreatePartition>
</CreatePartitions>
<ModifyPartitions>
<ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
<Active>true</Active>
<Format>NTFS</Format>
<Label>Windows 7</Label>
<Letter>C</Letter>
<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
<Order>1</Order>
</ModifyPartition>
</ModifyPartitions>
<DiskID>0</DiskID>
<WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
</Disk>
<WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>
</DiskConfiguration>
<ImageInstall>
<OSImage>
<InstallTo>
<DiskID>0</DiskID>
<PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
</InstallTo>
<InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition>
<WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
</OSImage>
</ImageInstall>
<UserData>
<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
</UserData>
<UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE" 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">
<DriverPaths>
<PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="c9dc93d" wcm:action="add">
<Path>%configsetroot%\AutoUnattend_Files\win7\Out-of-Box Drivers\LAN_Realtek_v.7.003.0522.2009_Win7x86</Path>
</PathAndCredentials>
<PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="6b0433dc" wcm:action="add">
<Path>%configsetroot%\AutoUnattend_Files\win7\Out-of-Box Drivers\Chipset_Intel_v.9.1.1.1015_Win7x86</Path>
</PathAndCredentials>
</DriverPaths>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" 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">
<Home_Page>REMOVED</Home_Page>
</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>bgBAAHcAcwBwAEAAcABAAHIAcwBQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQA</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Domain>REMOVED</Domain>
<Enabled>true</Enabled>
<LogonCount>4</LogonCount>
<Username>administrator</Username>
</AutoLogon>
<DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>true</DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>
<TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time</TimeZone>
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<RegisteredOrganization>REMOVED</RegisteredOrganization>
<ComputerName>TEST2</ComputerName>
<ProductKey>REMOVED</ProductKey>
<RegisteredOwner></RegisteredOwner>
<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
</component>
<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>
<Credentials>
<Domain></Domain>
<Password></Password>
<Username></Username>
</Credentials>
<UnsecureJoin>false</UnsecureJoin>
<JoinWorkgroup>Workgroup</JoinWorkgroup>
</Identification>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" 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">
<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
<Order>1</Order>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" 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">
<Reseal>
<Mode>Audit</Mode>
</Reseal>
</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">
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
</OOBE>
<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>bgBAAHcAcwBwAEAAcABAAHIAcwBBAGQAbQBpAG4AaQBzAHQAcgBhAHQAbwByAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
</UserAccounts>
<FirstLogonCommands>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<CommandLine>C:\win7\$OEM$ Folders\App1-FFX\Firefox Setup Stub 30.0.exe</CommandLine>
</SynchronousCommand>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>2</Order>
<CommandLine>C:\win7\$OEM$ Folders\App2-MSupdater\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe</CommandLine>
</SynchronousCommand>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>3</Order>
<CommandLine>C:\win7\$OEM$ Folders\Adobe-Reader\install_reader11_en_gtbd_chrd_dn_aaa_aih.exe</CommandLine>
</SynchronousCommand>
</FirstLogonCommands>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="generalize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep" 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">
<PersistAllDeviceInstalls>true</PersistAllDeviceInstalls>
<DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>true</DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" 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">
<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
</component>
</settings>
<cpiofflineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/users/REMOVED/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

It seems like it did install the 2 drivers and partition the way I wanted so I guess it is picking up the AutoUnattend file. Maybe I should add the $OEM$ Folders manually to get it to install the applications. But no applications have been installed.

Hi

I am no expert in "Sysprep" but i know the basic steps of adding applications and divers to the installation image. Basically what you need to do is ;

1. Install Windows to a master system.

2.Enter Audit mode.

3.Install applications.

4.un "Syspep" and "Generalize" the image.

5.Boot fom the "WinPE" disc and capture the installation using "Imagex" (Install.wim).

6.Use DISM to add custom drivers to the new captured image.

6.Delete the default "Install.wim" on you USB and copy new modified "Install.wim" to the "Sources" folder.


I would recommend watching this video guide - Windows 7 Application Preinstall and Image Capture - YouTube


Also refer Windows 7 Image - Customize in Audit Mode with Sysprep

Thanks for your response to my problem. I was not planning to use WinPE because we weren't going to boot from the network. I will check out the videos for sure.

I was not planning to use WinPE because we weren't going to boot from the network.

Whether to deploy images via USB or Network, you need WinPE to capture the installation and create new "Install.wim" file if you are using a real PC. Alternatively use a VM like in the video example. That is the easiest way - just attach the VHD and capture the image from within Windows.

For the record, WDS is the tool used for network based deployment.

Ok, I will give the WinPE a try. Thanks for your help.

We are getting ready to deploy Windows 7 in our company, and I have installed Windows 7 using an answer file, sysprepped, and captured the image using image x. I understand that I copy all the files from the install cd onto my usb (I want to deploy from a usb without using a network), and substitute my install.wim for the one from the cd. Do I need to include the answer file that I created the custom image with or is that now integrated into the image when I sysprepped?

I would really appreciate any suggestions and help with this,

Thanks

Hi,
For a Windows 7 company deployment - I know that before I sysprep an image, I want to boot into Audit mode to customize it. When I am ready to generalize the image, do I stay in Audit mode and check the 'Generalize' box or do I select OOBE instead of Audit mode? I don't want the end user to have to go through making all the choices such as Language, accept Eula, Time Zone, etc. I just want the end users to be able to boot to the desktop.

Any help is much appreciated!