WDS: installation and configuration


Windows Server 2012R2 Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2019

Unattend.xml response file

Contents

In order to create an XML response file, you must:

  • Windows System Image Manager (SIM) available during ADK installation
  • Copy the install.wim file from the Windows ISO to the computer.

The answer file that we will do will be given to the WinPE environment to avoid choosing the language and to enter the login and installation of Windows to avoid having to follow the post installation wizard. .

Open SIM also called Installation Management Wizard.

SIM

The first step is to generate a catalog of parameters, right-click on Select a WIndows image or catalog file 1 and click on Select Windows image 2 .

generate catalogue

Select the file install.wim 1 (this must be a writable folder) then click on Open 2 .

install.wim

Choose a version of Windows 1 and click OK 2 .

select version

Click Yes 1 to generate the catalog …

Confirm creat catalogue

Wait during the generation …

wait

Once the catalog is generated, the elements are available in the Windows Image section.

catalogie generated

Now that the environment is ready, we can start the creation of the answer file, in the part Answer file 1 right click on Create or open a response file 2 and click on New answer file 3 .

Create file

Remember to save your file regularly.

The file is now ready to receive settings.

Add a parameter

For each element that we will add to our answer file we must recover the component in the Windows image, right click on 1 and click on Add parameter in step X 2
add param

The parameter is added to the response file 1 and it remains only to customize it in the 2 Properties part.
Add param

WinPE

Locales

Add amd64_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE settings and configure the following properties:

  • InputLocale : us-US
  • SystemLocale : us-US
  • UILanguage : us-US
  • UserLocale : us-US
  • SeteupUILanguage / UILanguage : us-US

Identification on the WDS server

Here we will indicate the credentials requested when loading the WinPE environment for connection to the WDS server.

Passing credentials can be dangerous because this will allow users to reinstall an image on their post if they do not arrive error on it. The identifiers are also stored in clear in the response file.

Add the WindowsDeploymentServices parameter in amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Setup and configure the following properties:

  • Login / Credentials / Domain
  • Login / Credentials / Password
  • Login / Credentials / username
Credentials

Windows Configuration

License and time zone

Add the WindowsDeploymentServices parameter in amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup and configure the following properties:

  • TimeZone : (GMT+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris
  • OOBE / HideEULAPage : true
  • OOBE / NetworkLocation : Work
  • OOBE / SkipMachineOOBE : true
  • OOBE / SkipUserOOBE : true

Password of the local administrator

Add the UserAccounts settings that is located in amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup and configure the following properties:

  • AdministratorPassword / Value : mot de passe

Save the response file.

Below the answer file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" 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>fr-FR</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>fr-FR</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>fr-FR</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>fr-FR</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>fr-FR</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>
                </ProductKey>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <FullName>LAB</FullName>
                <Organization>LAB</Organization>
            </UserData>
            <WindowsDeploymentServices>
                <Login>
                    <Credentials>
                        <Domain>LAB</Domain>
                        <Password>[email protected]$w0rd</Password>
                        <Username>Administrateur</Username>
                    </Credentials>
                </Login>
            </WindowsDeploymentServices>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>YQB6AGUAcgB0AHkALgAxADIAMwBBAGQAbQBpAG4AaQBzAHQAcgBhAHQAbwByAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
            </UserAccounts>
            <TimeZone>(GMT+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:e:/_sources/install.wim#Windows Server 2016 SERVERDATACENTER" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>
 
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