[1803, au] Windows 10 1803 unattended.xml

[dtstivo]

I'm having issues deploying Windows 10 1803 via WDS. Especially the frustrations creating this image in the early days of this. Apps putting themselves back to random apps being installed to a random single user causing sysprep issues I finally created a working image.

 

The image deployment itself runs fine, its the unattend.xml that isn't! Mainly after first boot up its asking for keyboard settings, Cortana, the pesky 3 secret questions and so on. I understand this issue has been reported by a number of people and I've been Googling like mad but to no avail. I wondered if any of your guys had a solution for this, what do I need to add to the unattended.xml as I have 100 computers to deploy over the holidays. I don't relish having to apply these to each individual computer. I do have the latest ADK for 1803.

 

Thanks in advance.

[DanCurtis1]

Hey! This is what we use in our unattend.xml and it skips past the whole keyboard settings etc that you mentioned.

 

                                                  true                    Work                    true                    true                              

[dtstivo]

Thanks for you reply Dan, when I add these to my answer file and validate it fails as saying the MachineOOBE and the SkipUserOOBE settings are deprecated?

[dtstivo]

Just to add the above settings do work with my 1607 image but not with the 1803 image.

[gaz350b]

Have you added an updated kms client key? Can’t remember if this was what we initially experienced when we hadn’t updated it during one of our deployments?!

[alfatec]

Hi,

 

I have put a rar file with a load of Windows 10 deployment information enclosed. There is an example unattend file that I use for 1709 and 1803.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/190996-cheeky-request-stealing-gpos-7.html

[dtstivo]

Hi, thanks for your reply, yes we updated the KMS key and all works except the .xml, mainly after install it boots fine and then asks for Language etc. and the pesky 3 secret questions and answers.

[dtstivo]

Does anyone know the specific components within the unattend.xml I need to use to stop language selection, 3 secret questions and answers etc when imaging computers via WDS?

 

I have tried a variety of the options but still cannot stop it from making me run through these after first boot. The components set before our now deprecated with 1803. What makes it even worse is the GUI of this first boot process is broken do only a white screen with a small window top right. So its guess work when you have to tab and hit return. This is causing much frustration.

[alfatec]

Have you tried the unattend I put in post above. We have 1803 on every workstation and use the unattend to image without any problems. On another note what boot are you use, pxe or uefi?

[dtstivo]

Hi, yes I did, but after it images and starts booting up the first time and installing devices etc, gives and error "Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer, restart the installation." I believe it is set to uefi as the interface is different.

[alfatec]

Did you import the unattend file into a 1803 WAIK?

[dtstivo]

No I added it via the properties tab in the WDS

[alfatec]

You need to build a 1803 workstation. Install the 1803 Windows Assessment Toolkit (WAK) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

Import the unattend file, and then save the file. You then attach that one to the unattend section on your WDS.

[dtstivo]

Yes I've done that. Built an 1802 reference computer. Sysprepped and then created the image etc. All the same process I have done in the past for Windows 7 and Windows 10 1607. Then added image to WDS and via the images properties tab, linked to the unattend.xml but get the error above.

[dtstivo]

Just to add, when I use my original 1607 unattend it makes me do the secret questions and answers etc. When I use the one you sent (I am very grateful for that), I get the error I posted before about not being able to install.

[alfatec]

Send me your unattend file that you are using via pm.

[dtstivo]

Very odd, I change to PXE and it appears to have worked?? I'm testing it on another computer unless is was a lucky coincidence.

[alfatec]

In your WSUS do you have a separate WDS unattend file not just one for the image?

[dtstivo]

I'll take a look and see, but to my knowledge no. I inherited this system just under 2 years ago.

[alfatec]

So is it still working under PXE. I have put a screenshot of our WDS Server properties, under the client section.

[dtstivo]

I'm just doing one more just now to check as both yesterday did. I take a look at the properties

[dtstivo]

Nope just check, none are set there but it does appear to be working now??? I'll test it in one of the IT Suites. I'm David by the way.

[alfatec]

As long as it is working. Looking at your unattend file, it looks like it was created online not using WAK. It might be worth researching how to make a new WDS Unattend file and separate image unattend file that you can update and use in the future.

[Guest Guest]

Have you not considered using MDT? I've never been a fan of using answer files and find the additional functionality of MDT very useful when adding new software etc

[DavR]

I'm using SCCM, and found I still had to add an unattend.xml with the skipOOBE bits in to avoid this behaviour, even though it does claim these are deprecated. It was literally just the following entries for me though:

 

true

true