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MDT is not using custom unattend.xml

Proposed MDT is not using custom unattend.xml

  • Thursday, February 14, 2013 3:12 PM
     
     
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    Currently we are using Ghost and would like to switch to WDS.  I built a WDS server running Server 2012 and I can Capture a reference image, Install drivers, install applications, capture custom .wim images and deploy the reference image to devices. The one thing I am having trouble with however is using the Sysprep and Capture task to use my unattend.xml and customize the image.

    • I have tested the unattend.xml from the command line using sysprep /generalize /oobe /quit /unattend:c:\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml  and it does everything we need it to. Create a user account, skip initial setup windows, only prompt for the PC name, joins a local workgroup. The imaged pc boots and stops at the setup screen prompting just for a PC name.
    • Then I try to capture it as is with WDS using the sysprep and capture task and disabling the execute sysprep commands(this works perfectly to capture my reference custom images). Everything completes fine and creates a wim, but when I deploy it none of the customization's from the unattend.xml are applied. Instead it just goes through the initial generalize first use setup screens, logs in with the local administrator account automatically and appears to have just ignored the unattend.xml.
    • I have associated the unattend.xml with the image and the WDS server but it still has the same result.
    • I tried letting the sysprep and capture do the default task sequence process and making sure my unattend.xml is associated, but it appears as it just ran a default sysprep.
    • I tried running the task sequence from windows instead of winpe but because of the generalize switch it wouldn't let me run Litetouch.vbs

    Do the Apply windows PE tasks in the task sequence rerun sysprep somehow?  How can I tell if it is even trying to use my unattend.xml? Do I need to create another local user before sysprep for the unattend.xml to work? Is there a different location other then c:windows\system32\sysprep that WDS looks for a unattend.xml file?

    If anyone has any thoughts or ideas I would appreciate it because so far the online ideas have not fixed the issue.

    Thank you

    Kevin

     

All Replies

  • Thursday, April 04, 2013 12:39 AM
     
     Proposed
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    If you use MDT to deploy your images (not the same as using WDS) then you must customise the default Unattaend.xml that MDT allocates by default.

    Deployment Workbench -->Deployment shares --> Task sequences --> Right-click on applicable image --> Properties --> OS Info --> Edit Unattend.xml

    The Unattend.xml used in WDS only works if you use WDS to deploy your image but this has nothing to do with the MDT Unattend.xml

    What I do:

    Open simultaneously my custom unattend file (base-unattend.xml) and the MDT allocated unattend.xml

    Copy and paste any relevant parameters from my file to the MDT default

    Delete any unnecessary entries like duplicates of time zone in Specialize and Oobe.

    Save and close the MDT file.

    Adjust or disable any Task sequence entry not strictly needed like update Pre-install or Recover Domain.

    Cheers

    • Proposed As Answer by DCtheGeek Thursday, April 04, 2013 2:05 AM
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