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Windows Could Not parse or process unattend answer file for pass [specialize] after WDT Litetouch 'sysprep and capture'

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I setup an ACER VM6620G (Win7x86) how I wanted, including disabling the administrator account and creating an administrator user "PVA"
Navigated to \\wds\DeploymentShare$\Scripts and ran the litetouch script. Chose my "Sysprep and Capture" task.
Everything went off without a hitch until I restarted the technician pc.
I got the dreaded
"Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize]. A component or setting specified in the answer file does not exist"
I tried to deploy the captured image to the same computer and got the same error
I've scoured the internet for solutions (Shift+10 opens command prompt. Good to know!) with no luck.
I've saved the unattend.xml and looked for errors- going as far as to install an x86 Win7 virtual machine to validate the unattend.xml file in WISM
Other information that might be useful:
I never used WISM to create an unattend.xml nor did I attach one to the image.
I didn't try to copy user profiles/settings/migrate etc
I imported the captured image to WDT. Created a standard task and added 2 nodes
-Inject Drivers
-Install Application
As a side, I've got another image that I've already injected the drivers/installed the application as a test. Everything went smoothly.
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| Unattend.xml:
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <settings pass="windowsPE"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"> <ImageInstall> <OSImage> <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> <InstallTo> <DiskID>0</DiskID> <PartitionID>2</PartitionID> </InstallTo> <InstallFrom> <Path>\\10.0.0.1\deploymentshare$\Operating Systems\ACER Win7 x86 Capture\ACER Win7 x86 Capture.wim</Path> <MetaData> <Key>/IMAGE/INDEX</Key> <Value>1</Value> </MetaData> </InstallFrom> </OSImage> </ImageInstall> <Display> <ColorDepth>16</ColorDepth> <HorizontalResolution>1024</HorizontalResolution> <RefreshRate>60</RefreshRate> <VerticalResolution>768</VerticalResolution> </Display> <ComplianceCheck> <DisplayReport>OnError</DisplayReport> </ComplianceCheck> <UserData> <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula> </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>0409:00000409</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale> </component> </settings> <settings pass="generalize"> <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"> <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar> </component> </settings> <settings pass="specialize"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"> <Identification> <JoinWorkgroup>WORKGROUP</JoinWorkgroup> </Identification> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"> <ComputerName>PVA-PC</ComputerName> <RegisteredOrganization>PVA</RegisteredOrganization> <RegisteredOwner>PVA</RegisteredOwner> <TimeZone>"Eastern Standard Time"</TimeZone> <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar> </component> <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>about:blank</Home_Page> <IEWelcomeMsg>false</IEWelcomeMsg> </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>EnableAdmin</Description> <Order>1</Order> <Path>cmd /c net user Administrator /active:yes</Path> </RunSynchronousCommand> <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Description>UnfilterAdministratorToken</Description> <Order>2</Order> <Path>cmd /c reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v FilterAdministratorToken /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f</Path> </RunSynchronousCommand> <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Description>disable user account page</Description> <Order>3</Order> <Path>reg add HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE /v UnattendCreatedUser /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f</Path> </RunSynchronousCommand> </RunSynchronous> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" 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"> <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-TapiSetup" 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"> <TapiConfigured>0</TapiConfigured> <TapiUnattendLocation> <AreaCode>""</AreaCode> <CountryOrRegion>1</CountryOrRegion> <LongDistanceAccess>9</LongDistanceAccess> <OutsideAccess>9</OutsideAccess> <PulseOrToneDialing>1</PulseOrToneDialing> <DisableCallWaiting>""</DisableCallWaiting> <InternationalCarrierCode>""</InternationalCarrierCode> <LongDistanceCarrierCode>""</LongDistanceCarrierCode> <Name>Default</Name> </TapiUnattendLocation> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-SystemRestore-Main" 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"> <DisableSR>1</DisableSR> </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"> <UserAccounts> <AdministratorPassword> <Value></Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </AdministratorPassword> </UserAccounts> <AutoLogon> <Enabled>true</Enabled> <Username>Administrator</Username> <Domain>.</Domain> <Password> <Value></Value> <PlainText>true</PlainText> </Password> <LogonCount>999</LogonCount> </AutoLogon> <Display> <ColorDepth>32</ColorDepth> <HorizontalResolution>1024</HorizontalResolution> <RefreshRate>60</RefreshRate> <VerticalResolution>768</VerticalResolution> </Display> <FirstLogonCommands> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <CommandLine>wscript.exe %SystemDrive%\LTIBootstrap.vbs</CommandLine> <Description>Lite Touch new OS</Description> <Order>1</Order> </SynchronousCommand> </FirstLogonCommands> <OOBE> <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage> <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation> <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC> </OOBE> <RegisteredOrganization>PVA</RegisteredOrganization> <RegisteredOwner>PVA</RegisteredOwner> <TimeZone>"Eastern Standard Time"</TimeZone> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" 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"> <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale> </component> </settings> <settings pass="offlineServicing"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" 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"> <DriverPaths> <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="1" wcm:action="add"> <Path>\Drivers</Path> </PathAndCredentials> </DriverPaths> </component> </settings> </unattend>
- Edited by TofuxCrew Thursday, March 28, 2013 2:02 AM
General discussion
All replies
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https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=55C3109D61329D02!108&authkey=!AG793wDwQuFZa1s
Here's the end of the log file:
2013-03-27 17:39:05, Info CMI CBS_Core_Finalize:Calling cbs core finalize complete 2013-03-27 17:39:05, Info CMI Callback_CMI_ConfigInstall: CBS startup processing re-run complete. 2013-03-27 17:39:05, Info [0x030023] CMI Callback_CMI_ConfigInstall: Exit. 2013-03-27 17:39:05, Info [setup.exe] UnattendSearchExplicitPath: Found unattend file at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml]; examining for applicability. 2013-03-27 17:39:05, Info [setup.exe] UnattendSearchExplicitPath: Found usable unattend file for pass [specialize] at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml]. 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:Using unattend file found at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml]. 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: serialized settings stream; status 0x00000000 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: construct settings context; status 0x00000000 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Source = Name: Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer, Language: neutral, ProcessorArchitecture: x86, PublicKeyToken: 31bf3856ad364e35, VersionScope: nonSxS, /settings/IEWelcomeMsg 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Description = Setting is not defined in this component. 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: load SMI settings; status 0x00000001 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Error [0x060432] IBS The provided unattend file is not valid; hrResult = 0x80220001 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Error [0x060565] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:The provided unattend file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] is not a valid unattended Setup answer file; hr = 0x1, hrSearched = 0x1, hrDeserialized = 0x0, hrImplicitCtx = 0x0, hrValidated = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220001 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendErrorFromResults: Hit an unattend error; dumping any info we have about the failure... 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: ------Unattend setting error / warning------ 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: Error code = 0x80220001 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: Pass = specialize 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: -------------------------------------------- 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBS UnattendErrorFromResults: Error text = Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize]. A component or setting specified in the answer file does not exist. 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Error [0x0600c2] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:An error occurred while finding/loading the unattend file; hr = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220001[gle=0x00000490] 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info IBSLIB PublishCriticalError: Publishing blocked message [Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize]. A component or setting specified in the answer file does not exist.] 2013-03-27 17:39:06, Info This installation is blocked from completing due to compliance failures or invalid input; this is not an internal error.
Also, here's my customsettings.ini as I think it changes the unattend?
[Settings] Priority=Default Properties=MyCustomProperty [Default] SkipDomainMembership=YES DomainAdmin=Administrator DomainAdminDomain=go.local DomainAdminPassword=************ SkipTimeZone=YES TimeZone="035" TimeZoneName="Eastern Standard Time" SkipLocaleSelection=YES KeyboardLocale=en-US UserLocale=en-US UILanguage=en-US
Bootstrap.ini:
[Settings] Priority=Default [Default] DeployRoot=\\10.0.0.1\DeploymentShare$ UserID=Administrator UserDomain=go.local UserPassword=*********** KeyboardLocale=en-US SkipAdminPassword=YES SkipProductKey=YES SkipBitLocker=YES
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I ran the unattend.xml through Windows System Image Manager and got 1 validation error:
Setting IEWelcomeMsg is deprecated in the Windows image. Location: Components/specialize/x86_Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer_neutral/IEWelcomeMsg
Clicking on IEWelcomeMsg gives me a tool tip "Deprecated: This setting has been deprecated. Please use the settings: DisableWelcomePage and DisableFirstRunWizard instead."
The thing is, I can't delete that part of the properties- the only options are true/false.
- Edited by TofuxCrew Thursday, March 28, 2013 1:05 PM
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I've gotten past the endless installer failed screen by doing the following:
- Press SHIFT+F10 to open a command prompt
- type regedit
- in registry editor navigate to:
- HKLM/SYSTEM/Setup/Status/ChildCompletion
- if setup.exe is 1, change it to 3.
- restart
The installer now completes.
I don't know what this actually does or why it works. Also, it doesn't actually fix my deployment problem...
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Remove the double quotes from the answer file. You have them in the following objects:
- TimeZone
You can change it in your CUSTOMSETTINGS.INI, remove the quotes around the 035 value as well.
- Edited by Tripredacus Thursday, March 28, 2013 6:59 PM
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For anyone who stumbles upon this thread- This was my problem. The IEWelcomeMsg was at fault. MDT was putting that line in all my unattend.xml files. I manually went in and deleted the following line:
<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>about:blank</Home_Page> <IEWelcomeMsg>false</IEWelcomeMsg> </component>
I believe in Windows System Image Manager (WISM) you can also click on the "Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" node, right click on the "iewelcomemsg" and decheck "Write Image Value"
hope this helps anyone still struggling.
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Remove the <IEWelcomeMsg>false</IEWelcomeMsg>
In the component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer"
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Thanks for this guide. it resolved my issue.<o:p></o:p>
Originally I prepared a master image win7 32bit and ran sysprep, generalize, shutdown options before creating ghost image.<o:p></o:p>
After that windows went to error recovery state with error<o:p></o:p>
“Windows Could Not parse or process unattend answer file for pass [specialize,..”<o:p></o:p>
then not completed the first time windows setup and kept rebooting. I followed your steps to go command prompt and changed the registry and managed to load windows successfully. Appreciate your guidance.<o:p></o:p>
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In case this helps anyone else...
I had this problem only in a VM and I was able to track it down to the ComputerName in my customsettings.ini. My issue came down to the ComputerName variable referencing %SerialNumber%. On a physical machine that was fine, but in VMware Workstation it came with a huge "VMware 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00" format which was too long... causing it to fail.
I have also learned to compare my customsettings.ini and unattended.xml and remove any variables. Where you have the PC name in unattend.xml, I removed that in my case. Hope this helps someone.
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Someone might come across this and find that none of the fixes above work or apply.
Here was the problem in my case when I ran into this error:
The hostname defined in specialized section of the unattend file was too long. Make sure your hostname is under 15 chars. -
<ComputerName>hostname</ComputerName>
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Kevin, you're spot on.
Our workstation names are being pulled from BIOS by CM2012 as part of the deploy task sequence.
One type of workstation is not working. Mondopads. Failing with the above error. Turned out the BIOS Serial Number according to a WMIC query was "To Be Filled By O.E.M". Yeah CM2012 doesn't like that.
Once I hacked the bios it went through fine.
Thanks!
B Duncan
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I had the same issue and deleting the "amd64_Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer_nautral" (under: 4 specialize)solved my problem.
thanks TofuxCrewI , i know this is an old thread but this part also fixed my issue on MDT 2013, i had capture my image with MDT and had the same parse error, i removed that line from my unattend.xml and it fixed my issue.
This line does work though with a bare image imported from a Windows 7 cd, (my original image) i used that same image to patch with windows update and capture, not sure why it failed with the WIM afterwards.
But Thanls for the fix
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Please ignore all of the replies above except for ChristianBeauregard's answer, he's correct.
The setting IEWelcomeMessage should be set in WSIM, not manually, that defeats the purpose of the AutoUnattend setup.
You're getting this error upon validation because that setting is only used if the "DisableFirstRunWizard" or "DisableWelcomePage" settings are toggled to true. If either one of those items are enabled, it "depreciates" or invalidates the IEWelcomeMessage setting... those two settings take precedence and it doesn't want to double the work.
Just open WSIM, load your image, navigate to Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer Properties and find the "IEWelcomeMessage" option. Right click it and uncheck "Write Image Value".
What this does is tells WSIM not to write in that specific option or value when saving the image.
You'll notice that the validation passes and the imaging process doesn't stop anymore.
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I'm not using an answer file at all in SCCM yet still get this issue but only on a bare metal installation to a GEN2 Hyper-V VM. I also do not see it being a name issue either, since we have the OSDComputerName variable enabled and the name I gave this VM is only 11 characters long.
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