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MDT 2012 Update 1 with ADK : Windows 7 asks for product key after LTI

Answered MDT 2012 Update 1 with ADK : Windows 7 asks for product key after LTI

  • Tuesday, August 21, 2012 12:43 PM
     
     
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    Because of the release of the final version of the Windows ADK I installed a new (on Windows Server 2012) based Deployment machine yesterday. Installed MDT 2012 Update 1 and the Windows ADK to support deployments of Windows 8.

    I imported my old deployment share so i would be up and running quick. After a regenerated my boot images and tried to deploy Windows 7, something strange happened. When Windows 7 was all installd...it asked my for a productkey. Something I never had on my previos MDT installations. 

    To verify the deployment share isn't 'corrupted' I also created a new deployment share in which I only created a task sequence to deploy Windows, from which I also imported sources again. During this deployment i also was asked for a product key during the deployment.

    Finally I started my old deployment server (running Windows Server 2008 R2 with MDT 2012 and WAIK), the deployment worked just fine (not asking me for a product key at all).

    So the question is, is there still an issue deploying Windows 7 when you're using Windows ADK? The documentation doesn't tell.....

    What could be the problem?

    If one of these posts answered your question or issue, please click on "Mark as answer".

     

All Replies

  • Tuesday, August 21, 2012 5:19 PM
     
     
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    I am using MDT 2012 Update 1, and Windows ADK to deploy Windows 7 with no issues. When you say you imported your deployment share, how exactly did you do that?

    Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. ”

     
  • Tuesday, August 21, 2012 10:01 PM
     
     
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    I copied the deployment share from my old deployment server and right-clicked Deployment Shares and selected Open Deployment Share and browsed to my deployment share and followed the instructions.

    Btw. I'm glad that it's a configuration error and not an issue with ADK. Too bad I can't find it....

    If one of these posts answered your question or issue, please click on "Mark as answer".


     
  • Tuesday, August 21, 2012 11:05 PM
     
     
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    When you moved the deployment share did you change the bootstrap.ini file and recreate the boot disk? The reason why I am asking is because if you didn't you are technically still running the deployment from the old share.

    Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. ”

     
  • Wednesday, August 22, 2012 12:05 AM
     
     
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    The strange thing is that I even created an entirely new deployment share and started all over. I've been working intensively with MDT for about the last few years....and have never run into this strange behaviour. I'm running MDT 2012 on a Windows Server 2012 server, is that supported yet?

    And yeah..I updated the bootstrap.ini. The old deployment server is offline btw, so that shouldn't be a problem...

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  • Wednesday, August 22, 2012 12:12 AM
     
     
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    Ok, now I'm interested in what the issue is. I am deploying Windows 7 and Windows 8 with MDT 2012 Update 1 on Server 2012 and haven't had any issue like this one, but maybe it depends on your licensing option. What type of licensing do you use, does it prompt you during the deployment or after?

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  • Wednesday, August 22, 2012 6:14 AM
     
     
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    I'm deploying Windows 7 Professional (technet download) and it asks me after the deployment for the product key.

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  • Thursday, August 23, 2012 11:56 AM
     
     
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    Ok. Are you supplying the key in the unattend file or cs.ini, or other means?

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  • Thursday, August 23, 2012 9:14 PM
     
     
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    I'm also running into the same deal. I just downloaded MDT 2012 Update 1 to a Windows 7 Pro x64 system. I created a new deployment share to deploy Windows 7 Pro x64 the same way as every other time I've created one. Somewhere between Postinstall and State Restore, I'm getting prompted for a Windows 7 product key. If I just leave it blank and click next or even just skip, it continues on with the deployment without errors. Once the deployment is complete, it shows no errors and activates as OEM which it should. It doesn't break anything, but rather causes me to have to get out of my chair and click somewhere I shouldn't have to.
     
  • Thursday, August 23, 2012 10:08 PM
     
     
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    Rudy,

    If you haven't done so yet, add HideShell=YES to the customsettings.ini file.

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  • Friday, August 24, 2012 11:53 PM
     
     
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    Nope I'm not. I'm using KMS, so I don't supply the key in the unattend file or CS.ini.

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  • Saturday, August 25, 2012 9:01 PM
     
     
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    Helmer, try my suggestion and add HideShell=YES in the customsettings.ini file.

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  • Saturday, August 25, 2012 10:47 PM
     
     
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    I am running the customsettings.ini with HideShell=YES. Here's my entire customsettings.ini

    -------------------------------------

    [Settings]
    Priority=TaskSequenceID, Default
    Properties=MyCustomProperty

    [Default]
    EventShare=\\Deploy01\Events
    OSInstall=Y
    SkipBDDWelcome=YES
    SkipCapture=YES
    SkipProductKey=YES
    SkipComputerBackup=YES
    SkipBitLocker=YES
    SkipAdminPassword=YES
    SkipProductKey=YES
    SkipComputerName=YES
    SkipPackageDisplay=YES
    SkipUserData=YES
    SkipRoles=YES

    SkipSummary=YES
    SkipFinalSummary=YES

    SkipDomainMembership=YES

    SkipLocaleSelection=YES
    SkipTimeZone=YES
    UILanguage=en-US
    TimeZoneName=W. Europe Standard Time
    TimeZone=110
    AreaCode=0413
    UserLocale=nl-NL
    Language=00000413
    SystemLocale=00000413
    UserLocale=00000413
    InputLocale=0413:00020409
    InputLocale=nl-US
    KeyboardLocale=nl-US

    HIDESHELL=YES
    FinishAction=Shutdown

    _SMSTSOrgName=Window Server 2012 Test Lab Server
    EventService=http://192.168.120.10:9800

    [WIN8PROVL]
    _SMSTSOrgName=Windows 8 Deployment Server

    [WIN2K12CORE01]
    JoinDomain=corp.contoso.com
    DomainAdmin=administrator
    DomainAdminDomain=corp.contoso.com
    DomainAdminPassword=*******

    ------------------------------------

    You can see I have a FinishAction, but the Windows 7 Product Key screens comes before that. When I click skip (or enter a key) the machine shuts down.

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  • Friday, August 31, 2012 1:49 AM
     
     
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    Sorry it took so long to get back Frank... it was "short staff the IT group week" here for me.

    I have HideShell=YES in my customsettings.ini file and I'm still getting prompted for a product key.

    When MDT 2012 Update 1 was released, I took a fresh machine and installed it. I then re-created (by eyeball, not export/import) my deployment share to model my existing MDT 2010 deployment share.

    I use a Dell Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 OEM Reinstallation DVD for my OS source files. I'm running all Dell Windows 7 Pro licensed (MS stickers with license keys on physical device) equipment. If I just use the same DVD to install Win 7 by hand, I'm never prompted for a product key and the activation is successful with an OEM key that magically happens. In my previous deployment share, so long as I was deploying to a machine with the correct license sticker, some sort of magic happened and it behaved the same way, never asking for a product key and always getting a successful OEM activation.

    When I created my task sequences in MDT 2010, I never specified a product key, the magic just happened. Now in MDT 2012 Update 1, the magic doesn't happen. Granted I can manually enter the key from the sticker on the machine, but that is not in any way fun. I now feel incredibly stupid and irresponsible for not knowing and understanding how it worked and would be eternally grateful if you or anyone else could shed light on my stupidity.

     
  • Friday, August 31, 2012 2:16 AM
     
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    I guess I answered this one on a different thread :-)

    MDT 2012 Update 1 switched from using SETUP.EXE to instead use ImageX to apply the image.  As a result, if you use retail or OEM media, you'll get a prompt because the product.ini file isn't being read any more (SETUP.EXE did that, ImageX doesn't).

    Fortunately the fix is pretty simple:  Look up the correct setup (generic) key in the product.ini file on your media and specify it in the unattend.xml (second location).  After you do that, it won't prompt any more.

    This won't happen with volume license media.

    Thanks,
    -Michael Niehaus
    Senior Product Marketing Manager, Windows Deployment
    http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus
    mniehaus@microsoft.com

     
  • Friday, August 31, 2012 5:43 AM
     
     
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    Thanks for the answer ;-) This indeed fixed the issues....pfieeww...now I can continue testing my new MDT 2012 U1 deployment share ;)

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  • Monday, September 10, 2012 8:21 PM
     
     
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    Hi Michael,

    I have been trying to copy all the product keys that I found from product.ini and specified it in the unattend.xml (2nd Location) but it still asks for the product key.  Also, I used another program to capture the windows product key (but this key is a key that I don't see in the product.ini) from an existing DELL W7 OEM Box and specified it in unattend.xml and I still have no luck.

    Do you have any thoughts why it doesn't work?

    thanks,

    Desmond

    Desmond Kan

     
  • Monday, September 10, 2012 9:00 PM
     
     
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    I'm in the same boat as Desmond still. It doesn't ask me for a product key during the task sequence but the system does not auto activate. I went back to using MDT 2012 without Update 1 and it happens automatically. I take the key that activates automatically on MDT 2012 and try to use with with MDT 2012 Update 1 and it fails. 
     
  • Thursday, September 20, 2012 2:35 AM
     
     
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    I am also in the same boat.  The key is the same in Product.ini and unattend.xml (im assuming this is the one located in the //server/deployshare/control/image location?) as it was in the old deployment share pre-update1.  Not sure what else to try!
     
  • Friday, September 21, 2012 6:25 PM
     
     
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    I am having a similar issue that is more of an annoyance than anything. I am using MDT 2012 to deploy Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. When I run the deployment I get prompted for the Windows Key. I enter it and check the box to activate automaticly when computer is online. (Something like that.) The deployment continues.. We have noticed that a couple days later the user gets a pop up saying that the Windows Key is invalid and asks me to enter it again or call to activate etc.. I enter the same key that I entered before (We use the ones that come with the computer from dell, Sticker on side of PC.) and it works just fine. At first I thought I might have had a typo in the original one I entered but that is not the case as it will not continue with out entering a valid key, or simply skipping the key. Anyone know what might be causing this?
     
  • Sunday, September 23, 2012 9:51 PM
     
     
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    After a little bit of mucking around,  I actually just put the product key back into WSIM (Through 'Task Sequence Properties --> OS Info --> Edit Unattend.xml')and saving again. The issue was fixed.  

    Even though manually looking into the Unnattend.xml the key was still there.... strange, but issue is not fixed for me.

     
  • Saturday, September 29, 2012 7:38 AM
     
     
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    Hi mhouston100,

    May I know which product key did you put back thru the Task Sequence Properties?  Can you copy and paste the key here?

    thanks a lot.

    Desmond

    Desmond Kan

     
  • Monday, October 01, 2012 10:58 PM
     
     
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    The key was extracted from the MSDN Win7 Professional SP1 :

    HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487

     
  • Wednesday, October 10, 2012 10:53 PM
     
     
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    it still doesn't work for me ..... -_-'

    Desmond Kan

     
  • Wednesday, January 16, 2013 8:52 AM
     
     
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    Hi,

    I'd like to install Win8 Enterprise (with volume key) with MDT2012 Update 1 (running on Windows Server 2K8R2 SP1). I downloaded the ISO and did a clean install (deleted all partitions as this is a UEFI machine and I wanted to follow recommended disk layout) using this media on a test machine, so I could see what it does (regarding licensing & product key).

    Result: it installed fine, but I cannot activate it. I don't remember ever being asked a product key. (volume license MAK key in my case)

    I know that technically the Enterprise version is an "upgrade" version (obtained through SA), but how will this affect my deployment using MDT: if i put the MAK key in the task sequence, will this work? (I do plan to repartition & reformat all machines during deployment).

    Any info greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Bavo Bostoen

    PS: I work for a school, the machines to be imaged were delivered with Windows 7 Home Premium on them

     
  • Wednesday, January 16, 2013 9:12 AM
     
     
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    Oops, apparently the key it tries to activate with must be the old (Win7 Home premium) key that the DVD based setup did pick up. I can see the last 4 digits of the key displayed, and it's not a MAK key.

    Next problem - assuming that my volume key will work with MDT deployment - is: how do I mention the new product key in Win8, I don't see anything in the UI?

    Thanks,

    Bavo

     
  • Wednesday, January 16, 2013 8:36 PM
     
     
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    When your create a task sequence in MDT it should ask you for the MAK key as part of the wizard.  By inputting it here it adds it to the unattend.xml :

    • Specialize --> <arch>_Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral --> ProductKey

    Your MAK key should work fine,  that's exactly how we are using ours for Windows 8 testing.

     
  • Tuesday, March 12, 2013 3:55 PM
     
     
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    I am having a similar issue that is more of an annoyance than anything. I am using MDT 2012 to deploy Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. When I run the deployment I get prompted for the Windows Key. I enter it and check the box to activate automaticly when computer is online. (Something like that.) The deployment continues.. We have noticed that a couple days later the user gets a pop up saying that the Windows Key is invalid and asks me to enter it again or call to activate etc.. I enter the same key that I entered before (We use the ones that come with the computer from dell, Sticker on side of PC.) and it works just fine. At first I thought I might have had a typo in the original one I entered but that is not the case as it will not continue with out entering a valid key, or simply skipping the key. Anyone know what might be causing this?

    I'm having this exact issue as well. (Funny thing is, my Office 2010 package does it too and I've verified the key a dozen times already)  But I don't see a reply?  MikeFlannery did you ever find this answer?