WDS Unattended help

[Ste_Harve]

Hi All,

Not sure if this would be possible but here goes. I'm wanting to automate the initial stages of WDS. The screen where you've got to select regional settings and entering the username and password.

Does anyone know if it's possible and if so how?

Cheers,

Ste

[Geoff]

What mode is WDS in?

[Ste_Harve]

it's in mixed. I'm still using RIS. Hoping to phase it out in next few months once i've got other images created into WIM format.

[Geoff]

You can't do an unattended install of XP in WIM format. XP doesn't understand the format of the unattended.xml file. So you'll have to stick with using legacy images for XP.

[Ste_Harve]

Think you misunderstood which section i'm on about. I'm wanting to automate the bit beofre you select the image. The regional settings and the logon bit. I want to be able to select the image myself and partition the disk myself.

Is that possible?

I know XP doesn't understand the unattend bits. I've got my XP images ready and sysprepped and on server and they work fine. Just gettig fed up of having to select language and enter username and password.

Cheers

[Geoff]

I don't think you can avoid that.

[DrFrankenMouse]

I know XP doesn't understand the unattend bits. I've got my XP images ready and sysprepped and on server and they work fine. Just gettig fed up of having to select language and enter username and password.

Cheers

You should be able to using normal unattended install methods. I can't remeber whether it's via unnattended.txt or a sif file.

[DrFrankenMouse]

You can't do an unattended install of XP in WIM format. XP doesn't understand the format of the unattended.xml file. So you'll have to stick with using legacy images for XP.

Isn't there meant to be some sort of conversion process or is that only for RIPREP images?

[Geoff]

You can't do an unattended install of XP in WIM format. XP doesn't understand the format of the unattended.xml file. So you'll have to stick with using legacy images for XP.

Isn't there meant to be some sort of conversion process or is that only for RIPREP images?

Oh you can convert them just fine, you just wont be able to do unattended installs of XP.

[adamchapman]

It is possible by using the unattend.xml file which is on the WDS server.

I found this site which talks you through it....

[Gatt]

I'm having some problems with the unattend.xml file for Vista iin WDS

Without using the unattend.xml, Vista joins the domain, etc but I stil need to select my locales, accept the EULA, setup a local account and choose my Time Zone..

BUt when I add in the Unattend file - weird things happen..
It doesn't join the domain, the PC gets a random Machine Name and the desktop resolution is at abiout 800x600 instead of the 1280x1024!

Doe anyone have a working Unattend.xml file for Vista Deployment via WDS (minus any keys, passwords etc..

[Richie1972]

You can quite easily automate WDS/RIS. We do it here with no problems (in fact I've even got a simple script that will clear the MBR so that when the PC reboots it will then automatically re-install.
To automate the initial part of the RIS install you need to edit the OSC files in the OSChooser folder. Simply add :
<META ACTION=AUTOENTER>
to each page you want to automatically "enter" on and it will continue to next page. You can even preload the data should you wish (the OSC files are a very limited HTML)

[theforce]

Hi I know this quite an old thread, but I'm at the same stage as the poster of this original thread. I have a syspreped image that I want to automate.

I'm lead to believe that a combination of unattended.xml and sysprep.sif is whats required to fully automate the process. Im going through the two files from the following website to get this done.

Unattended XP Installs with Windows Deployment Services | Rob's Blog

Hope this helps. Regards.

[Cools]

here's my XML of what your asking..
change the bits in bold.
it will skip direct to the images page after pressing F12 at PXE

this is 64bit

<?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">
            <InputLocale>en-GB</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-GB</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>
        </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">
            <EnableFirewall>true</EnableFirewall>
            <EnableNetwork>true</EnableNetwork>
            <WindowsDeploymentServices>
                <Login>
                    <Credentials>
                        <Domain>DOMAIN.local</Domain>
                        <Password>PASSWORD</Password>
                        <Username>Administrator</Username>
                    </Credentials>
                </Login>
            </WindowsDeploymentServices>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" 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">
            <InputLocale>en-GB</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-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">
            <RegisteredOrganization>Your School Name</RegisteredOrganization>
            <TimeZone>GMT Standard Time</TimeZone>
            <RegisteredOwner>Owner</RegisteredOwner>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <ComputerName>*</ComputerName>
            <DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>false</DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-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">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim://epms-print-01/reminst/images/epms/hp4520s.wim#HP ProBook 4520s" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

[RobBaxter]

OK with WDS there are now 2 different "unattend" xml files. Once which controls the Windows PE environment its self and one that controls the OS install. For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume that you know how to make a unattend file for the OS of your choice and to apply it to your image.

The "Windows PE Environment" however can be also automated. To lets say "not require login" and "set the local information" as you rightly requested! But! The "Boot Image" I am talking about here is the one with "Windows 7", so the assumption is that, while you have XP clients, you must have at least 1 Windows 7 client.

So in the WDS admin panel thing "god my brain fails me... msc panel?", under "Servers" select your deployment server and go Properties "in my case DC01", click the client tab and you will see where to apply unattend files to the boot image. YOu will need an unattend for x86 and x64 OSes... since you spoke about XP you will need 32 obviously... since I have no XP Station however, i only have 64bit, but for your help. I will paste in my .xml file now.

<?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-GB</UILanguage>
                <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-GB</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>
        </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>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Extend>false</Extend>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>OS</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <WindowsDeploymentServices>
                <ImageSelection>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                </ImageSelection>
                <Login>
                    <Credentials>
                        <Domain>kingshott.local</Domain>
                        <Password>***</Password>
                        <Username>deployment</Username>
                    </Credentials>
                </Login>
            </WindowsDeploymentServices>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:g:/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Now, i have a password set in there which allows for "3 click install" of all my systems. As for your XP unattent xml, the one you had for RIS should work in the new system.

Anyways! Hope that helps!