Need help eliminating the steps involved in reselling laptops.

[Fox Computers]

Hi all,

I am often buying laptops to resell.

I have sold hundreds at this point but am getting quite tired of the steps I have to do each time having done them so many times.

To note, I always clean install Windows 10 Home 64 or 32-Bit (Depends on laptop), as it activates automatically with a digital license if the laptop has had Windows installed previously (Which is 99% of the time the case, if it isn't I buy a key online).

First step I wish to eliminate:

First, I have to install Windows. I do this from a DVD Disc if the laptop has a built-in DVD Drive, if not I will use an external USB one. This is because I have found installing from a disc to be the most reliable (Least problematic) way of installing Windows 10.

I have had the thought recently of taking the hard drives out of the laptops, putting them in a high-performance desktop PC, installing Windows on them, then generalizing Windows and shutting down and putting the hard drive back into the laptop. This would prevent me having to wait a long time on older machines for Windows to install. Though I am worried there will be activation problems with this, and some laptops make it difficult to get the hard drives out easily (I.e., lack of access panel etc).

Of course, you can use USB sticks, which I have found to be quicker at installing Windows from, but a lot of the laptops especially older ones just give needless hassle with booting from USB, either lacking the capability to boot from USB altogether if they are older (Plop Boot Manager almost never works and freezes after selecting USB 9 times out of 10), or needing me to go into the BIOS and change the boot order if they do not have a basic boot manager to enter to override the boot order. And in general, other than the aforementioned issues I find installing from USB leads to a lot of problems, usually later on such as OOBE errors.

During the Windows install process you of course have to go through the initial setup and accept the license agreement, delete any partitions on the hard drive, etc. etc. Then once it is installed you have to run through the OOBE. I never connect to the internet during this stage because I find it to be much better to update Windows once it is at the desktop.

I am very sick of having to keyboard command or mouse click through and spamming enter through the OOBE to accept the default options and typing the same username, no password etc. etc.

Second Step:

After Windows is installed, I will disable a few things to help with performance. Namely, transparency effects and animation effects. I will also go into the power plan and make it so that the processor performance is at 100% all the time when the laptop is plugged in.

Next, I connect Windows to the internet, usually via Wi-Fi, and fully update it. All optional updates to. I do this for two reasons; first of all, I have found Windows Update sometimes installs problematic drivers to some hardware which ends up with blue screens etc. And second of all, I do not want customers to have to update the new laptop they have just brought because linking to A, Windows might install a problematic driver.

I wish the ISOs Microsoft provided to download were fully updated as much as possible. It would save so much time!

Third Step:

I check device manager for any missing drivers. If any are missing, I will get the HardwareID and find out what the device with the missing driver is. I will then see if I can find a driver from an official manufacturer source. Sony are to note here for providing drivers for the card readers in their laptops online, and Dell and Lenovo are also very good for keeping a lot of drivers online for old hardware. If I cannot find an official source use I use a site such as driverindentifier to find the drivers using the HardwareID, and trial and error install any they provide that have a relevant file name.

In some instances where a laptop has a number of missing drivers, I will use Snappy Driver Installer Origin. However, this tool takes a very long time to download the drivers from the internet. I know you can download all the drivers Snappy could provide as one massive file and that way does not need to connect to the internet to download drivers, I just would like to know if there are better options than needing to install that massive file.

Conclusion.

I think that covers all the steps involved. Of course I have to fully check the laptops over, all ports functional, hard drive health temperatures etc. etc. etc but that is something seperate.

I would be very grateful for any tips/tricks/advice etc. etc. you could all provide. If you need me to clarify anything just ask.

( I know this is "Sevenforums", if there is a major difference between 7 and 10 for installing I can open the thread there )

Many thanks
Fox Computers

 

[SIW2]

You could do one installation, press shift+ctrl+f3 at first oobe screen and it reboots to audit mode.

If you want to install a few other drivers ( in case they are needed for other machines ) you can do it with dism++

then d/l the updates ( rebooting when necesaary ) and make any other changes

then select generalise shutdown.

Sysprep (Generalize) a Windows installation | Microsoft Learn

boot into another os ( or winpe ) and capture the windows partition into install.wim ( you could use dism++ or similar for ease )

replace install.wim in the installation media\sources folder with the one you just captured.

Capture:

click the os partition you want to capture to highlight it in blue




click file >save Image as





if you must use a dvd:

extract the installation media contents , replace sources\install.wim with your updated install.wim, then create an iso and burn to dvd.

I use winiso WinISO - A fast and convenient ISO image file editor which allows replacing any files\folders in an existing iso

or you can create an iso from the distribution folder with oscdimg.exe or mkisofs.exe View attachment Windows-isomaker_x64_x86.zip

 

[Fox Computers]

Hi SIW2, thank you very much for the detailed and highly informative response. It is immediately clear DISM++ is a very capable tool. I am very grateful to have your help.

I have just installed Windows 10 Home 64-Bit to a laptop and have gone into Audit Mode at the first OOBE step. For now, I am going to update Windows fully then generalize shutdown it. I will not be installing any drivers (See concern below), and will not be able capture Windows Partition into an install.wim today as currently am waiting for parts to arrive for the aforementioned high-performance PC, which will make it perfect for capturing.

Your solution seems to mean I will no longer have to wait for Windows to update after installing it to a laptop which is absolutely excellent. (For a limited period at least, as Microsoft are always releasing new updates)

Unfortunately, I have one concern regarding drivers,

Updating Windows in Audit Mode will only mean Windows installs all updates such as feature updates, Windows defender updates etc.

However, it will not install drivers ready for other laptops (Only the drivers needed by the laptop Windows in Audit Mode is on).

Ultimately, after installing Windows using the modified install.wim onto a new laptop, it will still be necessary for me to go and update Windows so that it installs all the drivers it possibly can, then whatever ones it misses it is on me to then go and do Step 3 as mentioned in the OP.

You might then suggest again to use DISM++, however, this will not help either from how I see it. I do not know what laptops I will get, they are all different usually and hence have different hardware. I cannot predict what drivers they will need and so cannot possibly know to install them using DISM++.

Secondly, your suggestion does not mean I no longer have to run through OOBE still and do the normal of "spamming enter" to accept all the default options (selling Microsoft your soul).

I do think there is much that can be done about needing to find then install drivers but possibly if you could suggest how to use DISM++ to avoid needing to run through the OOBE on every new machine? Might an answer file the solution?

Thanks again and best regards
Fox Computers

 

[SIW2]

what do you normally do at oobe ?

Windows Answer File Generator

https://schneegans.de/windows/unattend-generator/

 

[Fox Computers]

what do you normally do at oobe ?
Windows Answer File Generator

https://schneegans.de/windows/unattend-generator/

How can one of the generated XMLs be inserted into the final ISO at the end of your instructions?

If possible seems like you will have eliminated two steps. First, needing to update Windows, secondly, running through OOBE!

Fox Computers

 

[SIW2]

Either use an iso handler that can edit an iso file, or create the iso from the distribution folder including the unattend file.

put the original dvdv in the dvd drive. rt click it and select copy.

rt click the hard disk somewhere there is space and click paste.

the entire contents will be copied to the hard disk inside a folder with the dvd label.

Then you can add your unnattend.xml to the dvd folder and replace the sources\install.wim.

Now create a bootable iso from the dvd folder using lancer program I already linked.

burn the iso to dvd.

 

[Fox Computers]

Either use an iso handler that can edit an iso file, or create the iso from the distribution folder including the unattend file.

Should have asked this too, when using an ISO handler which folder should the unattended file go in?

Many thanks

 

[SIW2]

Most people use usb stick on the root, so I expect you would do the same for dvd :

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Windows Setup Automation Overview | Microsoft Learn

Removable read-only media in order of drive letter, at the root of the drive.

Removable read-only media in order of drive letter, at the root of the drive.

The name of the answer file must be Autounattend.xml, and must be located at the root of the drive.

if you want to put it there on read only media (DVD) it seems it will look for a file called AUTOunattend.xml.

or in the \windows\panther folder inside the wim image.

 

[Fox Computers]

Thank you for taking the time to look into this.

I will be trying everything at some point and report back but cannot right now. Am still waiting for the laptop in Audit Mode to finish updating Windows, it is taking an unusually long time to install the 22H2 feature update.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to SIW2 again."

 

[SIW2]

you could test it by putting the autounattend.xml on a usb stick. When you boot the dvd and run setup, according to ms link in previous post it should find the autounattend.xml on the root of the usb stick you have plugged in.

Removable read/write media in order of drive letter, at the root of the drive.

The name of the answer file must be Autounattend.xml, and the answer file must be located at the root of the drive.

 

[Fox Computers]

For sake of science and curiosity I will test that when I can and let you know the result.

 

[file3456]

I would slipstream the updates using NTLite. To get passsed the slowness of optical installation and where there may not be USB boot support, your next best option would be PXE booting.


PXE Server for Windows (UEFI & BIOS) - Serva

NTLite

 

[Fox Computers]

I would slipstream the updates using NTLite. To get passsed the slowness of optical installation and where there may not be USB boot support, your next best option would be PXE booting.


PXE Server for Windows (UEFI & BIOS) - Serva

NTLite

Hi Simpilot, thanks for the suggestions.

I am much interested in learning about PXE Booting further, and had a look at Serva as linked but, despite Google existing, the jargon is a little prevalent there. Would you know of any similar program for a layman?

And as for your suggestions SIW2 don't worry have not forgotten am just not able to try them at the minute.

Many thanks
Fox Computers

 

[file3456]

This may be above your pay grade, but see if this video helps. There are others.

Serva Configuration for PXE Network Boot - Install any OS through LAN - YouTube

The PXE booting process uses Windows file sharing or Samba.

Once you get the Serva configuration set up, then installing to all those notebooks is just a matter of going into their boot options and selecting PXE boot from there on out.

I'm pretty sure this is how manufactures do this. They use the network to install a custom slipstreamed version of Windows to all the computers in the factory.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know why everyone has to use stupid music and WinRAR. 7Zip is a fine compression and will extract RAR archives. Not make them, but extract. 7Z has better compression last I saw.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's another method. Install Windows like a PRO! Windows Deployment Services Tutorial - YouTube

Remember, as always his name is Jeff.

You can really get down and nerdy with PXE in Android using Servers Ultimate. servers ultimate - Android Apps on Google Play




Note: WDS can also mean Wireless Distribution System.

 

[Fox Computers]

click file >save Image as

View attachment 422212

View attachment 422214

Hi SIW2, hope you are well, sorry for the late update on this case. The parts for the high-performance PC arrived in dribs and drabs. Finally it is all assembled now and ready.



For testing, I installed Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit to a hard drive. At the first OOBE screen I went into Audit Mode, connected to the internet and fully updated it, then sysprep generalize shutdown. I have put this hard drive into the high-performance PC, which has an SSD in it with Windows 7 on with DISM++ installed.

Following your guide, it shows to save the image to f:\install.wim. In my case would this be correct please?



(I have already started capturing, if I have done it wrong I will just reinstall Windows 10 again onto the hard drive and try again according to your future response).


Thanks and best regards
Fox Computers

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DISM++ finished capturing. I found the install.wim in the hard drive with Windows 10.



I am concerned I must appear dense. It would seem looking at it that you just save the install.wim wherever you wish, i.e. C:\Users\TestTower\Documents. But trying to save it there it would not accept it - hence why ask is it correct in my case to save it f:\ and still wonder if it matters that DISM++ has saved it to the very drive it was capturing?

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Going to try the install.wim, found there was no install.wim in the windows media, instead only an install.esd. Fortunately DISM++ can convert.

More info @ How to generate install.esd, or have setup use install.wim - Microsoft Q&A

 

[Fox Computers]

Still hoping for a response to this
Fox Computers

 

[SIW2]

response to what?

It never occurred to me to save the captured wim file to the same partition that has been captured. I dont think there is any harm in doing so, but I normally save it somewhere else.

what is the question?

Going to try the install.wim, found there was no install.wim in the windows media, instead only an install.esd. Fortunately DISM++ can convert.

an .esd is a kind of super compressed wim. It takes up less space which might be useful for some purposes, but is harder to work with, it can't be mounted for example.

windows setup.exe in win10 can recognise either .esd or .wim. But win7 windows setup.exe doesnt understand .esd files.

So if you want to use the regular win7 setup.exe, use .wim not .esd

If the .wim is too big it can be split into .swm files.