Windows 10: CPI:offlineImage cpi:source question

I have read quite a few of Kari's posts/articles regarding Windows 10 Unattend files and I am curious why exactly the answer file has to have an offline image 'source' in it. Does this tell setup where the WIM will be at some point, or strictly to link it to a WIM/Catalog to an answer file in Windows SIM?

If that line is removed, will setup disregard the answer file? I'm curious mostly because the unattend is going to be IN an Sysprep'd image and not 'deployed' or inserted by another tool/service.

:)

 

C-7 problem with exploring the photos

After updating to Anna icant see the pics that i have cpied from my pc . I only can explore the pics that ive taken from the cam pls help

 

updated to win10 now cpu doesn't work

I recently updated my hp envy 23 from windows 8 to windows 10. It worked fine for a few hours. Then it asked to restart and update. Once it finished it would stop at the sign in screen and not let me user the most or keyboards. It finally let me sign
in and the program ran very sluggish. It again prompted to restart and update. After it shut off I've been getting a black screen with no cursor. No bios.

I'm no expert but i cpi is fried.

What to do?

 

The CPI source is basically only needed when the answer file is edited in Windows System Image Manager. It should be either the install.wim file of the same Windows version, edition and bit architecture than the image we are working with, or a so called catalog file created from such install.wim file.

It is safe to remove the <cpi> tags (cpi source location and Windows SKU) from an answer file. I have left it intentionally to all answer file samples in my sysprep related tutorials; for the first, it does no harm being there, and for the second in rare occasions it has helped to assist an OP to edit the answer file later on in SIM.

An example. Here's a simple answer file to relocate the main profile folder Users to drive E:, containing the <cpi> tags:

Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <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"> <FolderLocations> <ProfilesDirectory>E:\Users</ProfilesDirectory> </FolderLocations> </component> </settings> <cpifflineImage cpi:source="wim:X:\sources\install.wim#Windows 10 PRO" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" /> </unattend>[/quote] The same answer file with the <cpi> tags removed does exactly the same thing:
Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <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"> <FolderLocations> <ProfilesDirectory>E:\Users</ProfilesDirectory> </FolderLocations> </component> </settings> </unattend>[/quote]

 

Now if only WSIM would stop validating, but then producing an error when I hit save.

Trying to add a local account. When I add it to oobeSystem, put in the name and the password and hit validate -- no issues. When I hit SAVE -- I get a lovely "Unknown setting attribute xmlns:wcm" error.

 

Could you post the answer file code (removing all product keys, passwords and such), I'll have a look. Not promising anything but it might be I could find the culprit.

 

Yes, thank you very much, in advance!

Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <settings pass="auditSystem"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" 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"> <DriverPaths> <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="1" wcm:action="add"> <Path>c:\windows\LDDriverStore</Path> </PathAndCredentials> </DriverPaths> </component> </settings> <settings pass="auditUser"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" 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"> <RunSynchronous> <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <Order>1</Order> <Path>c:\windows\System32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /reboot </Path> </RunSynchronousCommand> </RunSynchronous> </component> </settings> <settings pass="generalize"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep" 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"> <PersistAllDeviceInstalls>true</PersistAllDeviceInstalls> </component> </settings> <settings pass="oobeSystem"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="AMD64"> <OOBE> <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage> <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC> </OOBE> <RegisteredOwner>Blah</RegisteredOwner> <RegisteredOrganization>Blah</RegisteredOrganization> <TimeZone>Central Standard Time</TimeZone> <FirstLogonCommands> <SynchronousCommand> <Order>1</Order> <CommandLine>cmd /q /c del /q /f c:\windows\panther\Unattend\unattend.xml</CommandLine> </SynchronousCommand> </FirstLogonCommands> <UserAccounts> <LocalAccounts> <LocalAccount wcm:action="add" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"> <Password> <Value>blahblah</Value> <PlainText>false</PlainText> </Password> <Name>Blah</Name> </LocalAccount> </LocalAccounts> </UserAccounts> </component> </settings> <settings pass="specialize"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="AMD64"> <RegisteredOwner>blah</RegisteredOwner> <RegisteredOrganization>blah</RegisteredOrganization> <ComputerName>*</ComputerName> <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile> <TimeZone>Central Standard Time</TimeZone> </component> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="AMD64"> <Identification> <Credentials> <Domain>blahblah</Domain> <Username>blahblah</Username> <Password>blahblah</Password> </Credentials> <JoinDomain>blahblah</JoinDomain> <MachineObjectOU>blahblah/blah/blah/blah</MachineObjectOU> </Identification> </component> </settings> <cpifflineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/imaging/windows_10_base/install.wim#Windows 10 Enterprise" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" /> </unattend>[/quote] The line is indicated in the error message is this one:
Code: <LocalAccount wcm:action="add" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State">[/quote]
Also, I noticed when combing through that I have the time zone twice. Hmm. Oobesystem should be the only place I really need that, right?


Thanks again!

 

One thing I just stumbled upon by trial and error -- if I do the 'local account' addition in auditSystem (pass 5) instead of oobeSystem (pass 7), the error message goes away.

It baffles me why even though settings apply to multiple passes, they only seem to work in very specific situations.


At any rate, going to test this unattend right quick and see if it does what it SHOULD do! *Wink

 

First, add the local and domain accounts rather in Pass 5 AuditSystem than Pass 7 OobeSystem, like this:

Code: <settings pass="auditSystem"> <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"> <UserAccounts> <LocalAccounts> <LocalAccount wcm:action="add"> <Description>Main User</Description> <DisplayName></DisplayName> <Group>Administrators</Group> <Name></Name> </LocalAccount> </LocalAccounts> </UserAccounts> </component> </settings>[/quote] The same done in SIM. Add component to Pass 5:



(Click to enlarge.)

Add the user:




About the timezone, add it to Pass 4 Specialize:

Code: <settings pass="specialize"> <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"> <TimeZone>W. Europe Standard Time</TimeZone> </component> </settings>[/quote] The same in SIM:



Should work!

 

It is not making the account. I looked in the setup actions/errors files and there are none, but I'm still prompted to make one and the account name in the answer file is not present anywhere.

Could having an "sysprep /oobe /generalize /reboot" in AuditUser have anything to do with that?
(I've never understood why another sysprep is thrown into the process.)

 

Honestly, I have never had such an issue. The examples in my previous post is how you do it.

I'm totally lost, having not a clue what you mean?

How you do this:

• Install Windows on your reference PC
• When installation is done and OOBE shows the settings dialog, reboot to Audit Mode with CTRL + SHIFT + F3
• Create your answer file
• Sysprep with this command:
  Code: %windir%\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /reboot /unattend:X:\AnswerFile.xml[/quote]
  • The /unattend:AnswerFile_Path switch is not needed if the answer file is saved as unattend.xml in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder
  • If the answer file is saved in any other location or with any other name, the switch /unattend:X:\AnswerFile.xml is needed, telling the path and location of the answer file (in this example AnswerFile.xml on root of the drive X:)
  • The /generalize switch is only needed if the default user profile will be customized or if the image needs to be hardware independent
  • If /generalize switch is used, it should be the first switch after the sysprep command itself

That's it. User accounts will be created as told in the answer file.

 

I'm going to move the answer file from where it was in our older Windows 7 image into Sys32\Sysprep and see if it behaves.

I'm basing some of this from the work of a previous admin, sorry. We were using a deployment tool before and performing tons of actions automatically, including the sysprep actions (calling it, capturing the image, etc) but I'm trying to get more hands-on with it as I was not privy to much of the previous image development cycle.

I appreciate all your help very much! Thank you!

I'm running the process again.

 

It's still not working 100%. Copy profile does appear to propagate settings, but I get a strange "DefaultUser0' account.
When I use an unattend that has an 'add user' section, that account also does not get created, just "DefaultUser0".

Kari, In your installs and image sets, which editions of Windows 10 have you used? My version in this case is the 'release' version of Enterprise. That being said, I'm not sure why that would have any (or much) effect on how Setup would handle the answer file.

 

[/quote] I also have a sysprep.exe fatal error when using a different .xml file which I had no problems with years ago, during an audit mode Win7 install that had previously succeeded in relocating user files/folders to a distinctly separate physical hard drive. Perhaps both of errors are similar in that the weblink "http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" when opened in a browser results in the following single string: "The resource you are looking for has been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable."