Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7

Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Table of Contents
Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation
Kit ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Exercise 1 Create an Answer File ...................................................................................................................................2
Exercise 2 Distribution Share .........................................................................................................................................3
Exercise 3 Add and Configure Welcome Settings ..........................................................................................................6

Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying

Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated
Installation Kit
Objectives

Scenario

Estimated Time to
Complete This Lab
Computer used in this
Lab

After completing this lab, you will be better able to:

Demonstrate new features of the Windows Automated Installation Kit

(Windows AIK) tools

Understand new Windows 7 deployment technologies

The following labs demonstrate new features of the Windows Automated

Installation Kit (Windows AIK) tools. These labs provide a preview of key
functions within each technology area of the WAIK to provide an understanding
of new Windows 7 deployment technologies. These labs are based on the Beta
1 release of Windows 7 and are subject to change.

45 Minutes

SEA-DC-01

The password for the Administrator account on the computer in this lab is:
P@ssword

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Exercise 1
Create an Answer File
Scenario
In this step, you will create a new answer file. For this step, a Windows 7 catalog is provided. A catalog file (.clg) is
a binary file that contains the state of all the unattended setup settings and the packages in a Windows image. If
you do not have a catalog file, you can generate one from a valid install.wim file.
Tasks

Detailed Steps

Complete the following

task on:

a. Start the SEA-DC-01 virtual machine and logon as Woodgrovebank\Administrator

SEA-DC-01
1.

Generate a new
answer file

with the password of P@ssword.

b. Click Start | All Programs | Microsoft Windows AIK | Windows System Image
Manager (Windows SIM).
c. Maximize Windows System Image Manager.
d. On the File menu, click Select Windows Image.
e. In the Select a Windows Image dialog box, select Catalog files from the Files of
type list.
f. Browse to the D:\LabSource\Windows7_Ent\sources folder, select
install_Windows 7 ENTERPRISE.clg and then click Open.
g. On the File menu, click New Answer File.

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Exercise 2
Distribution Share
Scenario
To support this exercise, a sample distribution share was created on your local hard drive.
Tasks

Detailed Steps

Complete the following

tasks on:

a. In Windows SIM, in the Distribution Share pane, right-click Select a Distribution

SEA-DC-01
1.

Review the
Distribution share

Share and click Create Distribution Share.

b. Browse to D:\, create a new folder named WAIK_Distribution, select the folder
and click Open.
c. In the Distribution Share pane, expand D:\WAIK_Distribution. Windows SIM
automatically generates the following folder structure when you use it to create a
distribution share:
C:\MyDistributionShare\$OEM$ Folders
C:\MyDistributionShare\Out-of-Box Drivers
C:\MyDistributionShare\Packages
d. In Windows Explorer, browse to D:\WAIK_Distribution.
e. Review the folder structure.

2.

Include core settings

in your answer file

a. Switch to Windows SIM.

b. In the Windows Image pane of Windows SIM, expand the Components node to
display available settings.
c. On the expanded list of components, add the following components to your
answer file by right-clicking the component and then selecting the appropriate
configuration pass.
Component

Configuration Pass

Microsoft-Windows-

oobeSystem

Deployment\Reseal
Microsoft-Windows-International-

windowsPE

Core-WinPE
Microsoft-WindowsSetup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\Create

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windowsPE

Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps
Partitions\ CreatePartition
Microsoft-Windows-

windowsPE

Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\Modify
Partitions\ ModifyPartition
Microsoft-Windows-

windowsPE

Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage\InstallTo
Microsoft-Windows-Setup\UserData

windowsPE

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-

auditSystem

Setup\Autologon

d. All the settings that you added appear in the Answer File pane. Select and
configure each setting as specified below.
Component

Value

Microsoft-Windows-International-

InputLocale = en-US

Core-WinPE

SystemLocale = en-US
UILanguage = en-US
UserLocale = en-US

Microsoft-Windows-International-

UILanguage = en-US

Core-WinPE\SetupUILanguage
Microsoft-Windows-

WillShowUI = OnError

Setup\DiskConfiguration
Microsoft-Windows-

DiskID = 0

Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk

WillWipeDisk = true

Microsoft-Windows-

Extend = true

Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\Create

Order = 1

Partitions\CreatePartition

Type = Primary

Microsoft-Windows-Setup

Active = true

\DiskConfiguration\Disk\ModifyPartiti

Format = NTFS

ons\ModifyPartition

Label = WIN7_OS
Letter = C
Order = 1

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps
PartitionID = 1

Microsoft-Windows-

WillShowUI = OnError

Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage\
Microsoft-Windows-

DiskID = 0

Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage\InstallTo

PartitionID = 1

Microsoft-Windows-Setup \UserData

AcceptEula = true

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-

Enabled = true

Setup\AutoLogon

LogonCount = 5
Username = Administrator

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-

Value = P@ssword

Setup\AutoLogon\Password
Microsoft-Windows-

ForceShutdownNow = false

Deployment\Reseal

Mode = Audit

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Exercise 3
Add and Configure Welcome Settings
Scenario
In this exercise, you define answer file settings to automatically configure user interface (UI) pages in Windows
Welcome. In addition, you must create a custom content file called oobe.xml. The customizations include:

Windows Welcome (oobe.xml)

System Properties (Shell-Setup component)
Performance Information and Tools (PerfCenterCPL component)
Internet Explorer (IE_InternetExplorer component)
Desktop Background (Shell-Setup component)
OEM Welcome Center (Shell-Setup component)

Tasks

Detailed Steps

Complete the following

tasks on:

a. In the Windows Image pane of Windows SIM, on the expanded list of

components, add the following components to your answer file by right-clicking
the component and then selecting the appropriate configuration pass.

SEA-DC-01
1.

Add additional
settings

Component

Configuration Pass

Microsoft-Windows-IE-

Specialize

InternetExplorer\FavoritesList\FavoriteItem
Microsoft-Windows-IE-

Specialize

InternetExplorer\SearchScopes\Scope
Microsoft-Windows-IE-

Specialize

InternetExplorer\StartPages\StartPage
Microsoft-Windows-

oobeSystem

PerfCenterCPL\WindowsExperienceIndexOemInfo
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\OEMInformation

Specialize

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-

Specialize

Setup\OEMWelcomeCenter

b. In the Answer File pane, navigate to Microsoft-Windows-IEInternetExplorer\StartPages\StartPage.

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps
c. Right-click StartPages and click Insert New StartPage.
d. All the settings that you added must appear in the Answer File pane. Select and
configure each setting as specified below.
Component

Value

Microsoft-Windows-IE-

FavID = Favorite1

InternetExplorer\FavoritesList\F

FavTitle = Woodgrove Bank

avoriteItem

FavURL = http://www.woodgrovebank.com

Microsoft-Windows-IE-

ScopeDisplayName = Wikipedia

InternetExplorer\SearchScopes\

ScopeKey = Scope1

Scope

ScopeURL =
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?
search={searchTerms}

Microsoft-Windows-IE-

StartPageKey = Home page 1

InternetExplorer\StartPages\Star

StartPageURL =

tPage

http://www.woodgrovebank.com

Microsoft-Windows-IE-

StartPageKey = Home page 2

InternetExplorer\StartPages\Star

StartPageURL = http://www.wikipedia.com

tPage
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

HelpCustomized = false

\OEMInformation

Manufacturer = Woodgrove Bank

SupportHours = 9am-5pm
SupportPhone = 555-5555
SupportURL =
http://support.woodgrovebank.com

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

Link=C:\WoodgroveBank\Welcome\Welcome

\OEMWelcomeCenter

.lnk

Microsoft-Windows-

HardwareUpgradeURL =
http://support.woodgrovebank.com

PerfCenterCPL\WindowsExperie

Logo =

nceIndexOemInfo

c:\Windows\System32\OOBE\Info\WGB_ico
n.bmp

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps

2.

Note: In this step you will review an Oobe.xml file. Oobe.xml is a content file that you
can use to collect text, images, and settings for customizing Windows Welcome, the
out-of-box experience for Windows 7. The Oobe.xml file can also be used to define
custom specified images for the first user tile and for the desktop background. Using a
text editor, like Notepad, create a file called Oobe.xml.

Review the Oobe.xml

a. In Windows Explorer, browse to D:\LabSource\Samples\Info and open oobe.xml.

b. Review the following text and then close Internet Explorer.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<FirstExperience>
<oobe>
<oem>
<name>WoodgroveBank</name>
<logopath>C:\Windows\System32\OOBE\Info\WGB_logo.png</logopath>
<eulafilename>WGB_eula.rtf</eulafilename>
<OutOfBoxBackground>true</OutOfBoxBackground>
<usertilepath>
C:\Windows\System32\OOBE\Info\WGB_usertile.bmp</usertilepath>
<computername>WGB01</computername>
</oem>
<defaults>
<language>1033</language>
<location>39</location>
<locale>16393</locale>
<keyboard>00000409</keyboard>
<timezone>Hawaiian Standard Time</timezone>
<adjustForDST>false</adjustForDST>
<hideRegionalSettings>true</hideRegionalSettings>
<hideTimeAndDate>true</hideTimeAndDate>
</defaults>
</oobe>
</FirstExperience>
c. Close Oobe.xml.
d. Open Command Prompt and execute the following command:
md "D:\WAIK_Distribution\$OEM$ Folders\$$\System32\OOBE"
e. Open Windows Explorer and copy the \Info folder to the location you just
created in your distribution share (D:\WAIK_Distribution\$OEM$
Folders\$$\System32\OOBE).

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

Exercise 4
Add a language pack
Scenario
In this step, you will enable support for multiple languages by adding language packs to your reference installation.
During deployment, you can set the default user interface (UI) display language, remove unwanted language packs
or leave the language packs and allow the end user to choose. In this lab, English (en-US) is your base language.
This lab provides the following language packs: German (de-DE), Spanish (es-ES).

Tasks

Detailed Steps

Complete the following

tasks on:

a. Switch to Windows SIM.

SEA-DC-01
1.

Include Language
Packs

b. On the Insert menu, select Package(s).

c. Navigate to D:\LabSource\LanguagePacks\de-de\lp.cab.
d. Click Open.
Note: The language pack is added to your answer file under the Packages section.
e. Repeat the previous steps to add the fr-fr Language Pack.
Note: During Windows Welcome, the computer will list all the available languages.
The end user can select the default UI display language and locale settings to use on
the computer.

2.

Add drivers

a. In Windows SIM, on the Insert menu, click Driver Path, and then click Pass 1
windowsPE.
b. The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.
Note: You can also add drivers non-boot-critical drivers to the auditSystem pass
which will be processed during Audit mode only. For information about using audit
mode, see the Customize Windows in Audit Mode topic in the WAIK.chm.
c. Navigate to D:\LabSource\Drivers\IntelDrivers and click Open.
Note The driver path that you selected is added to the answer file under the
configuration pass that you selected. Depending on the configuration pass that you
selected, the driver path is included as a list item to one of the following components:
Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE for windowsPE
Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE for auditSystem
Only .inf files are added to the driver store during installation. To run an .exe or .msi
driver package, you must add a custom command to install the driver package. For
more information, see the Add a Custom Command to an Answer File topic in the
WAIK.chm.
d. In the Answer File pane, navigate to the Credentials node under
DriversPaths\PathAndCreentials and complete the settings with the following

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps
values:
Domain
Password

WoodgroveBank
P@ssword

Username Administrator
3.

Add an application

Note: In this step, you can optionally add an application to your distribution share
and add a custom command to your answer file to install the application after the
operating system is installed.
a. Open Command Prompt and execute the following command:
md "D:\LabSource\WAIK_Distribution\$OEM$ Folders\$1\Program
Files\WGB\Welcome"
b. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to D:\LabSource\Samples\Start_Menu.
c. Copy the Welcome.exe application into the application folder you just created
(D:\LabSource\WAIK_Distribution\$OEM$ Folders\$1\Program
Files\WGB\Welcome).
d. Switch to Windows SIM.
e. On the Insert menu, point to Synchronous Command, and then click Pass 6
auditUser. The Create Synchronous Command dialog box opens.
f. In the Enter command line text box, type D:\WAIK_Distribution\$OEM$
Folders\$1\Program Files\WGB\Welcome\Welcome.exe.
Note: Welcome.exe can be replaced by your applications setup program. Be sure to
include any required arguments.
If you have more than one command to run, enter a number in the Order field to
specify in what order multiple commands will run. Enter 1 for the first command, 2 for
the second command, and so forth.
g. Click OK. The command is added to the answer file in the selected configuration
pass.
Note: Driver applications (.exe) should be treated as applications and added using
Synchronous Command or in Audit Mode.
h. Expand 6 auditUser | x86_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment-neutral |
RunSynchronousCommand | Credentials.
i. Complete the Credentials values with the following:
Domain
Password

WoodgroveBank
P@ssword

Username Administrator

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Windows 7: Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Tasks

Detailed Steps

4.

a. In Windows SIM, click Tools, and then click Validate Answer File.

Check your answer

file

Note: The setting values in the answer file are compared with the available settings in
the Windows image.
b. The answer file validates successfully, with a single warning message appearing in
the Messages pane.
Note: Any error messages appear in the same location.
c. Double-click the warning in the Messages pane to navigate to the empty
ProductKey setting.
Note: The warning concerns a setting that you have defined but you have not
changed. You can easily delete any unchanged settings in the answer file.
d. In the Answer File pane, right-click ProductKey and click Delete.
Note that the ProductKey subkey can be deleted while the changes we made to the
UserData node remain unchanged.
e. Click Tools, and then click Validate Answer File. The Messages pane will now
show no warnings or errors.
f. On the File menu, click Save Answer File. Navigate to D:\ and save the answer file
as LabAnswerFile.xml.
Note: When you create a configuration set in the next step, the answer file you saved
will be copied and resaved as autounattend.xml.

5.

Collect files in a
single location

Note: In this step, you create a configuration set that will gather all the resource files
that you specified in your answer file into one location. You will need to copy all
custom resource files to your distribution share before creating a configuration set.
a. In Windows SIM, on the Tools menu, select Create Configuration Set. The Create
Configuration Set window opens.
b. In the Select the target folder for the configuration set box, click the ellipsis ().
c. Navigate to D:\, create a new folder named ConfigSet, select the folder and click
Open.
d. In the Select the folder that you want to copy to $OEM$ (optional) box, click the
ellipsis ().
e. Select $OEM$ Folders and click Open.
f. Click OK.
g. Click OK at the success dialog.
h. In Windows Explorer, browse to D:\ConfigSet and review the files located there.

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