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the XML files unattend..xml OOBE.xml and ei.xml- Part 1

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In this blog i am going to mention what are the different type of files that are available to us when we will have to take up an enterprise level deployment. So lets get started.

EI.cfg

An EI.cfg is a prettu much a straight forward file. it is typically used in the scenario where you do not want that users will be prompted to select what version they want to install. A sample ET.cfg looks like this:

Edition specifies what edition you want to use, you must use get-wim info command againt the wim file and then carefully copy the value from there. In my case i wanted to use SERVERSTANDARD as my default SKU to get installed on the machine so i wil copy SERVERSTANDARD from it.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment
 Tools>dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:C:\ISOs\ISO\2012_9200\9200\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17029

Details for image : C:\ISOs\ISO\2012_9200\9200.16384.WIN8_RTM.120725-1247_X64FRE
_SERVER_EN-US_VL-HRM_SSS_X64FREV_EN-US_DV5\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Description : Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Size : 7,178,226,690 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARD
Description : Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARD
Size : 11,999,889,351 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows Server 2012 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Description : Windows Server 2012 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Size : 7,172,264,095 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows Server 2012 SERVERDATACENTER
Description : Windows Server 2012 SERVERDATACENTER
Size : 11,995,265,169 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

Second in line is Channel, it can contain two values; OEM or volume based upon what version of OEM you have.

Third parameter is vl- it can contain two values, 0 or 1. If you are going to use volume licenses, you will use 1 else it will be 0.

So if i wanted to use the above wim file which will directly install Server standard edition, will be a volume license, my EI.cfg should be like this:

[EditionID]
SERVERSTANDARD

[Channel]
volume

[VL]
1

A very important note. If you are going to use unattend.xml; EI.cfg will be completely ignored.

Part 2 of this blog covers oobe.xml file.