An answer file contains seven different stages passes, and the passes that you need to. The xml file generated assumes that there is only one image in your install. These options include how to partition disks, where to find the windows image that will be installed, and which product key to apply. Windows answer file generator wafg is a simple website that provides similar functions to windows system image manager sim. Sep 10, 20 the premium tool for editing the unattend. Oct 22, 2010 i have created two windows 7 images basically just unattended installs of windows 7 that are fully patched and sysprepped.
Provisioning ms windows clones with sysprep and unattend. Microsoft has an excellent tool for creating answer files from scratch called windows system image manager windows sim. To automatically enable the local administrator account you will need to add the following component to your autounattend. Windows system image manager wsim uses windows image. The alternative is to write the file by hand and then optionally validate with wsim. Windows system image manager is the tool used to create an unattended windows setup answer file. Answer files that are created in windows system image manager windows sim are associated with a particular windows image.
However, if you use a manually authored answer file, you must validate the answer file in windows sim to verify that the answer file works. Before expanding those lets right click on the create or open an answer file and click new answer file. Before you can save an answer file, you must validate the settings. Nov 07, 2008 in this answer file, you can specify the paths to device drivers on a network share or a local path by adding the microsoft windows pnpcustomizationswinpe or microsoft windows pnpcustomizationnonwinpe components and specifying the configuration passes in which you intend to install them.
I have created two windows 7 images basically just unattended installs of windows 7 that are fully patched and sysprepped. The browser homepage could be done inside the anwser file using windows sim. Using unattended answer files with wds windows 7 tutorial. Jul 08, 2010 windows 7, like vista, uses an xml answer file to configure the os install. An answer file contains seven different stages passes, and the passes that you need to configure will depend on the type of automation you want to create. Sep 28, 2012 insert your windows 7 enterprise dvdimage and locate the following file. Solved unattended answer file and joining a ad domain. Windows system image manager is very powerful but a very incomplete solution. Windows system image manager is a tool for editing xml files used in the deployment of vista windows server 2008.
Learn how to create and verify an answer file using windows 7 aik automated installation kit. I make all my xmls in notepad based off a saved one for something else. As you can see all of these stages have a special name. Jun 07, 2018 how to create a windows 10 answer file. For more information about how to use an answer file with windows setup, see windows setup automation overview. Create unattend answer file for windows server 2019 automated. Jan 03, 2012 how to create an answer file in system image manager sim to automate windows installation itsystemsadmin. In the sample files for this article you will find a minimal, but fully automated answer file for this scenario.
Next, select an edition of windows, for example, windows 10 pro, and click ok. If the file has multiple images, youll be given a choice similar to figure 7. Its important that you select the correct component based on the architecture on the operating. Install the deployment tools feature included in the windows assessment and deployment kit for windows 8. Windows answer file generator wafg is a simple website that provides similar functions. An answer file contains seven different stages passes, and the passes that you need to configure will depend on the type of. The windows image file that generated the answer file also opens if it. Windows 7 unattended install and diskpartition wiping. Unattended install windows 10 using windows deployement.
Unattended deployment of windows 7 via wds 4sysops. Browse to the existing answer file, and then click open. Creating answer files for wds system administration. How to create an answer file, skip oobe in windows 10. In order to create an answer file we are going need windows system image manager wsim and windows 10 installation source files, such a discimage iso file or dvd. W10 answer file unattended windows 10 installation msfn.
Windows sim creates the file based on the image file, and saves. It is part of the windows automated installation kit aik for windows 7, and part of the windows assessment and deployment kit adk for windows 8. Place this file in the root of a usb drive and come back to a fresh install of windows 10. In this answer file, you can specify the paths to device drivers on a network share or a local path by adding the microsoft windows pnpcustomizationswinpe or microsoft windows pnpcustomizationnonwinpe components and specifying the configuration passes in. Add both autologon and firstlogoncommands to pass 7 oobe system. Jan 12, 2012 the answer file now selects the defined options, but still gives the opportunity for user customization. In the windows image pane, rightclick and choose select windows image.
Attempted to include as many commonlyused options as possible, with quite a few being setup as default, but the settings are still exposed here so that you can change it to your liking. I create an image with fog and when i deploy the image i dont think it reads my answer file because it ask me for the time zone, and the product key is not added. The complete guide to preparing a windows 7 deployment image. Best practices for authoring answer files microsoft docs. When you run your windows 7 installation it will automatically look for any usb drives containing an autounattend. Guest accounts are severely limited as it is not possible to install software or hardware, or modify system settings. Windows system image manager windows sim installed on a technician computer. Ensure you select all the text below and copy to a word processor. Select microsoftwindowsshellsetup useraccounts administratorpassword under 7 oobesystem and set a password for the builtin admin account.
Using an answerfile when running sysprep makes it possible to run sysprep automatically and set a number of configuration options that otherwise would have to be entered manually while operating sysprep from. From the windows image pane in windows system image manager, expand shellsetup. To learn how to mount an image, see mount and modify a windows image using dism. The easiest way to create an answer file for use with a windows 7 deployment is to use the windows system image manager wsim which is a part of the windows automated installation kit windows aik or waik. Windows 7, like vista, uses an xml answer file to configure the os install. Im using the lastest and greatest of waik to edit my xml file and i understand that the magic happens in the specialize pass of the file. I am having trouble with getting the answer file to work properly. My understanding is that because copyprofile runs in the specialize phase you have to allow a reboot in order for it to run. Wsim can be obtained by downloading the windows assessment and deployment kit windows adk for your version of windows 10. Hence we have made the answer file for automating the installations. Creating a fully automated windows 7 answer file todd cramers. You will be adding a few components from the windows image pane to the answer file pane and editing the settings in the righthand pane of wsim. Jun 20, 2012 an answer file for windows vista and windows 7 is an xmlbased file that contains settings definitions and values to use during windows setup.
May 06, 2019 create unattend answer file for windows server 2019 automated packer installation. To use the answer file with the image of windows 7 deployed in windows deployment service wds we created two answer files. May 10, 2018 this answer file was made in wsim and includes copyprofile and a handful of other settings to autoanswer in the oobe phase e. Once done we will see the different stages that the windows installation goes through. For this example i will copy it to a usb flash drive. Once i finished making it, i tried to avoid the wsim from waik as much as possible, since wsim needs. All major editions of windows 7 are supported, which include. Windows 7 now uses the window system image manger to create the appropriate answer files. In the answer file pane, rightclick on create or open an answer file, choose new answer file. If you have a windows 7 installation dvd, insert it now. One answer file will allow the system to join the domain and loads the image from server and other automates the further installation steps. Use the windows system image manager sim to start a new answer file file new answer file.
Start windows system image manager click file select windows image in select a windows image, browse to and select the image file d. My editing pc currently runs server 2008 r2 and has 2 different kits installed. Whats neat about this is that even though you use the waiks wsim tool to edit and validate it, you can customize it and add your own sections for software packages etc. Stepbystep guide for windows 7 sysprep eddie jackson. For more information, see open a windows image or catalog file.
The best practices for authoring answer files is to use windows system image manager wsim. Using windows system image manager windows 7 tutorial. How to create an answer file in system image manager sim to. In this step, you build a catalog and a new blank answer file. First we are going to walk through building the unattend. The next answer file that we use will be associated with the windows 7 installation image on the wds server if you have multiple images available, you will need an answer file for each. Even if you see 7 you dont need to configure all of them. For example, windows media player, games, and backup are all windows. Creating unattended installation answer files in the windows system image manager wsim, click file and then new answer file. This file has worked fine for months on the x86 systems. After you successfully validate an answer file, you can apply all the setting values in the answer file to the windows image. The install is an hp oem dvd of win 7 professional.
The sample file is for the x86 version of windows 7 enterprise when using kms for activation, joining a workgroup no product key specified in the answer file. I have many unique oem product keys on laptopsdesktops. The answer file for setup is typically called unattend. You can therefore validate the settings in the answer file to the settings in the windows image. Once you have installed the waik, you will go into the windows system image. Or if you have an iso of 7, go ahead and extract it to a folder on your desktop. I have created an answer file which works with the exception of not prompting to enter a product key. Note if you open an existing answer file, you might be prompted to associate the answer file with the image. Use wsim to create an answer file that will be associated with the boot images of your wds server.
To create an answer file, it is necessary to start from a windows image. Have you checked the log files listed in the windows preinstallation. However, you can call the file anything you would like. It will scan the wim to create a catalogue and will work with x86 or x64 you will need to create different unatteded. The recommended way to author answer files is to create them in windows system image manager windows sim. Deployment solution symantec enterprise broadcom community. We recommend the following best practices for creating answer files. When answer file is saved that password will be encrypted and extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recover unless youve recorded. Im trying to create a windows 10 image with sysprep but i have a problem.
How to clone windows 7 using norton ghost 15 and microsoft sysprep although there are quite anumber of scenarios for the use of sysprep, i have found it useful to add an answer file to the preparation process, answer files being generated using the windows system image manager wsim. An answer file is an xmlbased file that contains setting definitions and values to use during windows setup. Windows 10 creates two additional user accounts automatically which are both inactive by default. Install windows aik on any compatible system preferably not the system being imaged and open the windows system image manager on the start menu. Aug 16, 2012 the wsim with the windows automated installation kit waik, which can be downloaded here, and see this article to learn how to use wsim. How to create a windows 8 unattended answer file for wds. How to create an unattended installation of windows 10. If so take a look at wsim windows system image manager this will allow you to create the unattended. Windows images and catalog files contain configurable settings that you can modify once the component or package is added to an answer file. When running sysprep in windows 7 with the unattend. Aug 07, 2012 im trying to create a simple unattend. When the image gets deployed to a new system i copy down an unattend. May 29, 2019 if you want to automate this then you can add a onetime autologon by making the following additions to your answer file, otherwise just finalize the answer file at this time. The following steps show how to create an unattended answer file on a technicians computer that can be used to boot a system into the sysprep audit mode without user.
There are many ways in which you can use answer files. These xml files are sets of instructions telling windows setup how to proceed and install itself, in the past we would have edited such files f, unattend. In an answer file, you specify various setup options. The settings that you have to define also depends on if you are using setup. In the answer file pane, select the top node, and then rightclick to select new answer file. The i run sysprep with oobe selected and generalize selected. Well that is because the icons are not part of the users profile. Install and configure windows deployment services wds. On your technician computer, insert the windows 7 or windows server 2008 r2 product dvd into the. Answer files that are created in windows system image manager windows sim are. Launch windows sim system image manager from the start menu. Launch wsim with administrative permissions by clicking start all programs microsoft windows aik, rightclicking windows system image manager, and selecting run as administrator.
You can read the microsoft technet page to read more about xml answer files. Windows system image manager is the tool used to create an unattended windows. In windows 7 the built in local administrator account is disabled by default. Windows 7 forums is the largest help and support community, providing friendly help and advice for microsoft windows 7 computers such as dell, hp, acer, asus or a custom build. The purpose of this solution is to outline how to create an unattend. A message box will appear to tell you editing an answer file without opening a.
This sample answer file contains a blank administrator password. The panther folder is one of the folders where windows searches for an answer file. Choose file new answer file to create a new empty answer file, whose contents you can. Windows afg, however, does not need the windows automated installation kit or windows assessment and deployment kit to be. How to create an unattended installation of windows 10 windows. I can honestly say that i have rarely even used wsim since vista days. Copy the answer file into the image into the \ windows \panther folder, and name it unattend. I am creating an answer file using windows system image manager. Choose file new answer file to create a new empty answer file, whose contents you can edit in the answer file pane. For more information, see create or open an answer file. Create an answer file for language settings during osd.
This is the program, well use to create our unattended installation answer files, including the internet explorer 10 settings. The new answer file appears in the answer file pane. The first is a guest account which microsoft designed for users who access the device but dont have a permanent account on it. Rightclick the answer file pane, and then click open answer file. The best practices for authoring answer files is to use windows system image manager. The only problem i can see at this point is that you are trying to make 2 partitions active, when you can only have 1. Jan 11, 2012 windows 7 forums is the largest help and support community, providing friendly help and advice for microsoft windows 7 computers such as dell, hp, acer, asus or a custom build. The program is from microsoft and is a gui interface to the xml file.
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