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Sysprep unattend answer file problem

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I have created an image and run sysprep /audit /generalize /unattend:filename.xml /shutdown and am having a problem with the reboot.

I am getting an error that windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize]. Error detected in the [Microsoft-Windows-Shell-setup] section.

Can someone look at the answer file and see if they can tell what is wrong?

<?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">
            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                    <WillShowUI>Always</WillShowUI>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <Key>PRODUCT KEY REMOVED</Key>
                    <WillShowUI>Always</WillShowUI>
                </ProductKey>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <FullName>IT</FullName>
                <Organization>City of Ours</Organization>
            </UserData>
            <DiskConfiguration>
                <WillShowUI>Always</WillShowUI>
            </DiskConfiguration>
        </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>
                <WillShowUI>Always</WillShowUI>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
        </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">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
                <Username>Administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <SkipMachineOOBE>false</SkipMachineOOBE>
            </OOBE>
            <TimeZone>Mountain Standard Time GMT-07:00) Mountain Time (US and Canada)</TimeZone>
            <ClientApplications>
                <Internet>C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe</Internet>
                <Mail>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\Outlook.exe</Mail>
            </ClientApplications>
            <Display>
                <ColorDepth>32</ColorDepth>
                <DPI>120</DPI>
                <HorizontalResolution>1024</HorizontalResolution>
                <RefreshRate>60</RefreshRate>
                <VerticalResolution>768</VerticalResolution>
            </Display>
            <OEMInformation>
                <SupportHours>7:00AM to 6:00PM</SupportHours>
                <SupportURL>http://helpdesk/user</SupportURL>
                <Model>FY07</Model>
                <Manufacturer>City IT</Manufacturer>
                <HelpCustomized>true</HelpCustomized>
            </OEMInformation>
            <WindowsFeatures>
                <ShowMediaCenter>false</ShowMediaCenter>
                <ShowWindowsMail>false</ShowWindowsMail>
            </WindowsFeatures>
            <BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>false</BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>
            <DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>false</DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>
            <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
            <RegisteredOrganization>City of Ours</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>IT</RegisteredOwner>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <StartPanelOff>false</StartPanelOff>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Sidebar" 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">
            <Gadget3 />
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" 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">
            <Home_Page>http://ourwebpage.com</Home_Page>
            <Help_Page>http://helpdesk/user</Help_Page>
        </component>
        <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">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Username>Administrator</Username>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>1</LogonCount>
                <Domain>INSTALLIMAGE</Domain>
            </AutoLogon>
            <ClientApplications>
                <Mail></Mail>
                <Internet>C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe</Internet>
            </ClientApplications>
            <Display>
                <ColorDepth>32</ColorDepth>
                <DPI>120</DPI>
                <HorizontalResolution>1024</HorizontalResolution>
                <VerticalResolution>768</VerticalResolution>
                <RefreshRate>60</RefreshRate>
            </Display>
            <OEMInformation>
                <HelpCustomized>true</HelpCustomized>
                <Manufacturer>City IT</Manufacturer>
                <Model>FY07</Model>
                <SupportHours>7:00AM to 6:00PM</SupportHours>
                <SupportURL>http://helpdesk/user</SupportURL>
            </OEMInformation>
            <WindowsFeatures>
                <ShowWindowsMail>false</ShowWindowsMail>
                <ShowMediaCenter>false</ShowMediaCenter>
            </WindowsFeatures>
            <ProductKey>PRODUCT KEY REMOVED</ProductKey>
            <BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>false</BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>
            <TimeZone>Mountain Standard Time GMT-07:00) Mountain Time (US and Canada)</TimeZone>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>false</DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>
            <StartPanelOff>false</StartPanelOff>
            <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
            <RegisteredOrganization>City of Missoula</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>IT</RegisteredOwner>
            <CopyProfile>false</CopyProfile>
            <ComputerName>INSTALLIMAGE</ComputerName>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC" 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">
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim://appsrvnt2/administrative/pc's/configuration%20files%20-%20retain%20until%20hardware%20is%20surplussed/by%20year/07/images/basic.wim#Windows Vista Basic" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Thanks in advance.

farnzy

Saturday, January 13, 2007 12:50 AM

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I actually found what I think is the problem. It wasn't with this answer file. There is a directory under %windir% called panther. This is one of the locations that sysprep looks at for unattend files. There was an unattend.xml file in there that had problems with it. I fixed that and the pc will boot fine. It lost all of my drivers though. Have to search for that problem.

I'd like to create this image with the ability to have the drivers remain available. I'd also like to figure out how to make this image work for both a desktop and a laptop, using the image number somehow with imagex.

Friday, January 19, 2007 7:50 PM

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I have found this problem previously when an invalid product key has been specified in the the unattend.xml, particularly when you are trying to use a non matching product key. For example if you try to use and business edition key to install ultimate.

Thanks,

Ben Hunter
- Proposed as answer by Abdul Jalil Abou Alzahab Sunday, December 27, 2009 9:04 AM
Saturday, January 13, 2007 3:53 AM
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Thanks Ben,

That makes me wonder. I actually have a Windows Vista - MAK license, and I wonder if that itself could be a problem. It looks like I have the correct key in there, but I'm not sure that the unattend file can deal with the Mulitiple Activation Key. The key does work to activate, but I get the "Unable to find DNS ..." error that is corrected by reentering the license key.

If anyone knows about the viablitiy of using this MAK license, could you let me know? Also, what harm is there in removing the license key from the unattend file?

Thanks,

farnzy

Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:42 PM
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First of all, it doesn't matter what key you use, whether it's a home key, business or ultimate. This is the part that decides what version of the OS you are installing, so it’s not an issue to "use a business key to try to install ultimate" - it would just install business, because it is dependent on the key itself, not the image.

I'm not sure if the MAK key will be the one you want to use for your unattend file. You should look for either a preinstallation key (one that will not activate, but will allow you to install - useful if you’re selling retail copies) or an OA (formerly SLP) Key.

If you leave the Key out of the Unattend file, then it will simply prompt you to enter a key during setup.

-Matt

Thursday, January 18, 2007 2:25 PM
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I actually found what I think is the problem. It wasn't with this answer file. There is a directory under %windir% called panther. This is one of the locations that sysprep looks at for unattend files. There was an unattend.xml file in there that had problems with it. I fixed that and the pc will boot fine. It lost all of my drivers though. Have to search for that problem.

I'd like to create this image with the ability to have the drivers remain available. I'd also like to figure out how to make this image work for both a desktop and a laptop, using the image number somehow with imagex.

Friday, January 19, 2007 7:50 PM

Ben Hunter - MS wrote:

I have found this problem previously when an invalid product key has been specified in the the unattend.xml, particularly when you are trying to use a non matching product key. For example if you try to use and business edition key to install ultimate.

Thanks,

Ben Hunter

Thank you! This fixed my problem, well it at least got me past this one problem. I was getting this error and it turned out I had typed my key in wrong.

Friday, May 30, 2008 12:27 PM

Hi,

Can we put the firewall entries in the unattend.xml and is there any specific section in the xml file where we need to put it?

Thanks,

Neeraja

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 1:27 PM

This worked for me also. I removed the product key from the task sequence, then the build was successful.

Sunday, April 4, 2010 4:05 PM

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Sysprep unattend answer file problem

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