Windows 10: Set Product Key problem in unattend.xml - Windows Systems Image Manager Version 10.0.17134.1

Problem with attempting to set the Product Key for deployment of Windows 10 Education using WSIM.



On the following webpage Microsoft gives advice on where the product key setting can be found and on what pass it is to be set...


https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/customize/desktop/unattend/microsoft-windows-shell-setup-productkey

Comparison of Product Key Settings


microsoft-windows-setup-\UserData\ProductKey[Key](microsoft-windows-setup-userdata-productkey-key.md)


Specifies the Windows image to install during Windows Setup.


Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup<code>ProductKey


Specifies a Product Key to activate Windows. This setting can be used with microsoft-windows-setup-\UserData\ProductKey<code>Key. The two product keys can be different.

Values

Product_key


Specifies the key used to install and to activate Windows. Product_key is a 29-character string.


This string type does not support empty elements. Do not create an empty value for this setting.

Valid Configuration Passes
specialize



Problem is, the version of WSIM referenced in the title will NOT allow adding this under 'specialize'. It only allows adding it to the XML under the 'PE' pass.


Does anyone know if this is a bug in WSIM or in the webpage documentation? And can anyone state how to set the Product Key for deployment under WDS of Win 10 Education???


Many thanks in advance.

:)

 

Problem with Windows 10 unattended answer file?






Hej Ken. Din svarfil antyder att du är också en Finlandsvensk. Välkommen till Ten Forums!






Hi Ken. Your answer file suggests that you are a fellow Finland Swede. Welcome to Ten Forums!

That error is because there's no generic product key or MAK key in your answer file. It is obligatory in autounattend.xml answer file, the one that takes care of first phase of Windows setup, partitioning and installing.

Please see step 3.9 in following tutorial for how to add key in answer file: Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10

 

System Image Problem


Version Date 5.05 8/03/2009 5.08 7/21/2009 Which one is newer?
Only 5.05 was offered on HP for the machine I linked.
The description danced around some of the anomalies we're seen with drives.

Since only 5.05 was offered, I questioned 5.08
Guess we know the answer now - 5.05 failed to flash.
We could spend time trying to figure that out, but IMO it's better on the back burner for now

I think the next step is to try the Macrium sleight of hand to get the System Image restored.
I'd like to get the System Image up and running to do the follwoing

• Copy Nick's data to a folder off of the restored System Image C: drive
  
  
• run a Belarc Advisor audit to collect license keys for Nick's software
  
  
• there might be other data collection that Nick can do in preparation for the final step

The final step is a clean install, install up-to-date MS and 3rd party software, and restore the copied personal data.

Nick was having difficulty locating the outlook files in the System Image - so getting it back running live is the best I can think of.

Thoughts, suggestions, and objections are always welcome and considered

 

System Image Problem

Perhaps .... but if the image restore got so far and then threw the error, that would account for the same layout. Don't know for certain.

Do you recall when you last tried the restore (deleting the partitions) if the list par and lis vol showed the same or if the list did not show any partitions on disk 0?

There's one one thing you could try - I asked you to delete the partitions last time. I wonder if the disk was unallocated if that would help get past this error.

You would boot to the install USB
Shift+F10

Since there are drive letters, you should check the partitions for errors
This will take some time to run

chkdsk c: /r
chkdsk h: /r
Then
diskpart
sel dis 0
clean

lis par
(there should not be anything on that disk now)

exit
exitNext
Select Repair
- drill down to Restore System image

Here's a tutorial on System image restore - for reference (works the same in Win10)
System Image Recovery - Restore Image on Computer in Windows 8

Steps 6 - 9 is what I was talking about when I asked if there were other images you could choose
Step 8 is where you might be able to specify reformat - which is what I alluded to in a previous restore image attempt.
The Note box explains what I said might be able to

Step 11 can tell you the layout in the image

Here's the Tutorial about extracting files from an image. I think it might come in handy to get the eMail backup once you get a working Windows on that disk - either an Image restore or a Clean install.

System Image - Extract Files Using Disk Management

Here's a tutorial on a Clean install
Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

There are a few key points
1) Disconnect all external devices
2) have only Disk 0 and the install media available
(I don't know if the HP Pavilion disk is internal or external - you probably told me, but I'd have to go look.
If it is internal - disconnect the sata cable before installing)
3) Clean Disk 0 (see above diskpart clean) before the install
4) You've already upgraded to Win10 - when teh install asks for a key - press skip or next.
You don't have a key to enter ... The original upgrade created a Digital License on the MS activation server(s)

I'll leave it up to you how many times you want to try the Image Restore or just do a Clean install.

You're really doing great.