[wds] Moving from legacy to UEFI

[Zoom7000]

I've finally decided to try to take the plunge to move our WDS implementation from legacy to UEFI. I've done some searching the web and have managed to edit my WDSUnattend.xml to look like this:

 

   
       
           
               Never
               en-gb
           
           en-gb
           en-gb
           en-gb
           en-gb
       
       
           
               
                   
                       domain.com
                       Removed
                       Removed
                   
               
               
                   
                       0
                       4
                   
               
           

               
                   
                       
                           3
                           128
                           MSR
                       
                       
                           1
                           500
                           Primary
                       
                       
                           2
                           100
                           EFI
                       
                       
                           true
                           4
                           Primary
                       
                   
                   
                       
                           NTFS
                           WinRE
                           1
                           1
                           DE94BBA4-06D1-4D40-A16A-BFD50179D6AC
                       
                       
                           FAT32
                           System
                           2
                           2
                       
                       
                           3
                           3
                       
                       
                           NTFS
                           Local Disk
                           C
                           4
                           4
                       
                   
                   0
                   true
               
               OnError
           
       
   

 

For reference, here is my Image unattend.xml:

 

   
       
           
               true
           
       
       
		%MACHINENAME%
           Multi Academy Trust
           School
           true
           GMT Standard Time
           XXXX
       
       
           
               
                   Domain.com
                   Removed
                   Removed
               
               Domain.com
           
       
   
   
       
           en-gb
           en-gb
           en-gb
           en-gb
       
       
           
               true
               true
               true
               true
               true
               Work
               1
               true
               true
           
           
               
                   Removed
                   false
               
               
                   
                       
                           Removed
                           false
                       
                       Local Admin Account
                       Admin
                       Administrators
                       LLT
                   
               
           
       
   
   

 

The build works fine and results in a Windows 10 image, with a UEFI BIOS. I have 2 issues, 1 more pressing and the other for when I can get the first issue sorted.

 

Firstly, I cannot get the disk partitioning part of the Windows 10 setup to run unattended. Every time, on PXE boot, it will pop up with the prompt asking me how to partition the disk. Even with those where the disk is already partitioned correctly. Is there anyway I can automate it to install on partition 4 and format the partition before install, silently?

 

Secondly, is there a way I can automate this entire process for when I am moving from a legacy BIOS to UEFI. Currently, I have to manually go into the WinPE, run disk part, clean the disk and then run the PXE setup, once the BIOS has been changed to UEFI. Can I automate this entire process (Obviously, I will still need to change the BIOS manually from legacy to UEFI).

Edited October 18, 2021 by Zoom7000

[mavhc]

Not sure why you'd have to clean the disk to switch to UEFI. Are you also switching from MBR TO GPT?

[Zoom7000]

Not sure why you'd have to clean the disk to switch to UEFI. Are you also switching from MBR TO GPT?

 

In some cases, maybe... But that comes after. First I need to be able to automate just the partitioning process.

[mavhc]

In WDSUnattend.xml I also have an imageinstall section that says install to disk 0 partition 4

[Zoom7000]

In WDSUnattend.xml I also have an imageinstall section that says install to disk 0 partition 4

 

I tried adding that in, but it didn't help.

[hellgate24]

EDIT - Just re-read - you're using WDS not MDT... sorry. Edited October 19, 2021 by hellgate24

[DrBeaker]

#Jealous

 

Still have kit that doesn't have UEFI support or if it does, it's a shoddy earlier bug-ridden implementation that doesn't work.

[LeMarchand]

I think I used to use this - looking at it I have memories of someone on here giving me pointers. It is labelled as "WDS-WipeDisk-UEFI" and was for Win8.1 but should work for 10. Just fill in the appropriate bits that I've highlighted with your details.

 

 

   
       
           
               en-GB
           
           en-GB
           en-GB
           en-GB
           en-GB
           en-GB
       
   
       
           
               0
               true
               
               
                   1
                       Primary
                       300
                     
               
                       2
                       EFI
                       100
               
               
                       3
                       MSR
                       128
                     
                     
                       4
                       Primary
                       true
                     
           
           
               
                       1
                       1
                          WINRE
                       NTFS
                       de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
                     
                     
                       2
                       2
                       System
                       FAT32
                     
               
                       3
                       3
               
                     
                       4
                       4
                       Windows
                       C
                       NTFS
                     
           
       
       OnError
   
       
       
                   
                           [color=#ff0000][b]DOMAIN[/b][/color]
                           [color=#ff0000][b]PASSWORD[/b][/color]
                           [color=#ff0000][b]USERNAME[/b][/color]
                   
               
       
           
               0
               4
               
       
       
   

[Zoom7000]

I think I finally got this working. I checked the setuperr.log in C:\Windows\panther and it was reporting a PartitionID error. The original file had this:

 

 
    3
    [color="#FF0000"][b]3[/b][/color]

 

But it should have been:

 

 
    3
    [color="#FF0000"][b]3[/b][/color]

 

As soon as I made this change, WDS completed a full silent install without any issues at all.