Windows Imaging
Creating an Answer File for Windows Unattended Setup
Computer Imaging is an important part of Life Cycle Management. Creating and deploying Windows images requires running the System Preparation (Sysprep) tool. Sysprep removes system-specific data from Windows ensuring a successful restoration of the image, and creates a "generalized" Windows installation that will then be ready for configuration at next bootup. This article is a step-by-step guide on creating an answer file for Sysprep to completely automate the Windows 7 setup.
- Installing the Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows
- Creating a Sysprep unattended answer
- Windows 7 Sysprep - Automated Install Settings
- Windows 7 Sysprep - Automated Install Settings
Installing the Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows Screen shots of win 7
First we'll need to install the Windows Automated Installation Kit on your technician machine (Or skip to the next step if you will be using the website to create you unattended file):
- Win 7 - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5753
- Win 8 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30652
- Win 8.1 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39982
- Win 10 - https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/windows-assessment-deployment-kit
Creating a Sysprep unattended answer file
Some have reported skipping creating a file manually and using no-ip.org tools:
- Win 7 - http://windowsafg.com/win7x86_x64.html
- Win 8 - http://windowsafg.com/win8x86_x64.html
- Win 8.1 - http://windowsafg.com/win8.1x86_x64.html
- Win 10 - http://windowsafg.com/win10x86_x64.html
Doing so will let you skip to Step 3: Check Disk
Now we will Launch Windows System Image Manager and begin creating our answer file.
Insert your Windows 7 DVD into your machine. In Windows System Image Manager, right click on “Select a Windows image or catalog file” under Windows Image and click “Select Windows image” . Navigate to the Source directory in the Windows 7 DVD, and highlight “install.wim” and click open.
Right click on “Create or open an answer file” under Answer File and click “New Answer File…”
First we will configure the language settings to disable this screen: 
In the Windows Image pane, select the component x86_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core_6.1.7601.17514_neutral, right-click and choose Add Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.
More info from Microsoft: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766400%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Using the Answer File Properties and Settings panes and configure the following settings:
InputLocale = en-US
SystemLocale = en-US
UILanguage = en-US
UserLocale = en-US
Next we will configure a local account and the computer name to disable these screens during setup:
In the Windows Image pane, select the component x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7601.17514_neutral, right-click on UserAccounts/LocalAccounts/LocalAccount and choose Add Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.
More info from Microsoft: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766279%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Using the Answer File Properties and Settings panes, configure the following settings:
Description
DisplayName
Group
Name
Password
In the Windows Image pane, select the component x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7601.17514_neutral, right-click and choose Add Setting to Pass 4 specialize.
More info from Microsoft: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766375%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Using the Answer File Properties and Settings panes, configure the following settings:
ComputerName
ProductKey (If necessary)
TimeZone (for Time Zone options go to: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749073%28WS.10%29.aspx
Now we will configure settings to bypass the EULA, Protect Computer dialog, and Computer location dialogs screens:
In the Windows Image pane, select the component x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7601.17514_neutral, right-click on OOBE and choose Add Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.
More info from Microsoft: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766165%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Using the Answer File Properties and Settings panes, configure the following settings:
HideEULAPage
HideWirelessSetupInOOBE (If applicable)
NetworkLocation
ProtectYourPC
(for Values see: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749278%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
All done! Save your answer file and you are ready to Sysprep your master image.
Check Disk
Please make sure that before you Sysprep your Image, that you have ran
chkdsk /R shutdown -r -t 0
from an administrator command prompt and reboot the machine.
Sysprep
Once chkdsk has completed and the machine is back in Windows, run a command prompt as administrator and type the following command to Sysprep your machine:
C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:PATH TO SYSPREP ANSWER FILE XML
Sysyprep will prepare the machine to be copied and shutdown.