Deploying Windows 7 in an enterprise requires more then just installing the systems from a dvd media. With Windows 7 you can use an answer file to configure Windows settings during installation process. The XML answer file will contain all of the settings that are required for an unattended installation. The ultimate goal during the installation is that we are not be prompted with user interface interaction.

What is a unattended answer file?

I am creating an answer file using Windows System Image Manager (SIM), a utility for creating and modifying unattended answer files. Below I am sharing a sample Autounattend.xml answer file that includes basic Windows Setup configuration and minimum Windows Welcome customizations.

The Autounattend.xml is generated using different component settings areas. Component setting are the configurable aspects of each component in a Windows 7 installation for unattended setup. The following components I am using for the sample file:

Windows PE: Component – Microsoft-Windows-Setup

Windows PE: Component – Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE

Specialize: Component – Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

Specialize: Component – Microsoft-Windows-Deployment

oobeSystem: Component – Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

Autounattend.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" 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">
            <DiskConfiguration>
                <Disk wcm:action="add">
                    <CreatePartitions>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>LocalWin7HDD</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
                <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>
            <UserData>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <Organization>Networknet</Organization>
                <FullName>Networknet</FullName>
            </UserData>
        </component>
        <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">
            <SetupUILanguage>
            <UILanguage>en-US </UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-US </InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-US </SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US </UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-US </UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-US </UserLocale>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" 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">
            <TimeZone>W. Europe Standard Time</TimeZone>
            <ComputerName></ComputerName>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" 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">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Description>Enable Administrator account</Description>
                    <Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
                    <Order>1</Order>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" 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">
            <OOBE>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                            <Value>cABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkADIAMAAxADEAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
                            <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Name>administrator</Name>
                        <Group>administrators</Group>
                        <DisplayName>administrator</DisplayName>
                        <Description>Default Administrator Account</Description>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:c:/vm-backup/win7-enterprise/sources/install_windows 7 enterprise.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Create the Autounattend.xml answer file

• Open Notepad
• Copy the Autounattend.xml example and paste that into Notepad
• Save the file as Autounattend.xml
• If you are using a virtualization solution like VMWare ESX, Microsoft Hyper-V or Oracle VirtualBOX then create a virtual floppy disk and copy the file. If you are installing on a physical system then copy the file to the root of a USB flash drive or burn a cd/dvd disk

You can use my sample file as a start but I recommend to open the file with Windows System Image Manager and edit the new created file. Changing password is one of those things to do and be aware of the DiskWipe is set to true. Windows System Image Manager is part of the Windows AIK deployment tools.

Autounattend.xml media with the sample file

The following links contain virtual floppy drives with the example sample file. You can download the file and directly mount it to our virtualization solution.

• Autounattend_HyperV_VirtualPC.vfd
• Autounattend.xml

I created new virtual machine in Hyper-V server, attached the Autounattend_HyperV_VirtualPC.vfd virtual floppy drive and mounted Windows 7 iso image. I then started the virtual machines and I waited for 10 minutes to install. The installation started, Windows 7 finished and I was able to logon with the default password2011 password.

References

• Technet – Unattended Windows Setup Reference
• Technet – Step-by-Step: Basic Windows Deployment for IT Professionals
• Technet – Methods for Running Windows Setup