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Best way to add unattend to Image for Deployment

I ran sysprep /oobe /generalize /shutdown and did an Image Capture to get it into KBOX.

So now I can deploy this image to other systems, and then when the system starts up it will run through windows setup, asking its questions.

I would like to add an unattend.xml to the System Image through KBOX. Is there anything I should watch out for when modifying or adding files to images stored in KBOX? Where is the best place to put the unattend.xml, so that the system will pick it up?

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Answers (5)

Posted by: RandomITPro 12 years ago
4th Degree Black Belt
0
Im almost positive that Windows 7 sysprep unattend (xml) files can not be modified/ added after sysprep has been triggered. Such is not the case with XP. I have tried several times to edit an unattend file on a 7 image via kbox only to have my changes not recognized. I believe that's due to the complexity of windows 7 syspreping.

Also, this is the biggy, the unattend file must be called in your command line. It doesn't pick it up automatically like XP's sysprep.inf.

Your command line will need to look like this:
sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml

You'll need to re-sysprep
sorry,
-Tm
Posted by: muebel 12 years ago
10th Degree Black Belt
0
This doc
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749415(WS.10).aspx
suggests the root of the C:\ drive would work. I.E.

C:\unattend.xml
Posted by: RandomITPro 12 years ago
4th Degree Black Belt
0
Unfortunatly, your KB article references where to put answer files for Windows Vista Setup (albeit 7 is the same) NOT sysprep. Setup and sysprep are not the same.

I do not see anywhere in this more relevant KB article:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744512%28WS.10%29.aspx
anything about sysprep looking for an answer file automatically

Due to the way sysprep works, the "answer file is cached" so it can run its many passes before and after the computer even shuts off. This makes it impossible to edit or add an answer file after the sysprep command has been run via KACE.

BTW, Id love to be wrong,
-TM
Posted by: mac456 12 years ago
Purple Belt
0
Surely this cannot be the case though because in the past when I have used SCCM you can add the answer file to the image after you have applied the capture within the task sequence.

Please correct me if I am wrong though.

Thanks
Posted by: RandomITPro 12 years ago
4th Degree Black Belt
0
Actually, I believe you are right. I know for the reasons I listed above you can't edit an unattend file after you sysprep, but, yes SCCM and WDS can add the unattend file after the image capture process.

Try placing unattend.xml into C:\windows\system32\sysprep and into C:\windows\system32\sysprep\panther

Remember to include a post-install task to delete the unattend file so that your username/password and windows key are not left lying around.
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