How Oobe.xml Works
Applies To: Windows 7
Note
This content applies to Windows 7. For Windows 8 content, see Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK.
Windows Welcome and ISP sign-up opportunities, which get content from Oobe.xml, will check for and load Oobe.xml in the following locations, in the following order:
%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info\Oobe.xml
%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info\Default\Oobe.xml
%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info\Default\<language>\Oobe.xml
%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info\<country>\Oobe.xml
%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info\<country>\<language>\Oobe.xml
If you have customizations that span all countries/regions and languages, the Oobe.xml files can be placed in number 1.
If you are shipping a single-region, single-language system, your custom Oobe.xml file should be placed in the \Info or \Default directory as in numbers 1 and 2. Numbers 1 and 2 in this list work the same way.
If you are shipping to multiple countries or regions, and your OOBE settings require customizations for individual countries/regions, each with a single language, then all of your Oobe.xml files should be placed in the directories that correspond to numbers 4 and 5 in this list.
If you are shipping to multiple countries or regions, with multiple languages, then the following guidelines apply:
Place country/region-specific information in number 4.
Place language-specific information for each respective country/region in number 5.
Single Language Deployments
If you are delivering computers to one country or region, in a single language, you should place a single Oobe.xml file in \%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info.
This file can contain all your customizations to Windows Welcome, OEM First Run application, and ISP Signup.
For example, an English version of Windows® 7 that is delivered to the United States can have the following directory structure.
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\oobe.xml
If you are delivering computers to more than one country or region, in a single language, and you plan to vary your customizations from country or region to country or region, place an Oobe.xml file in \%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info.
This file can contain your logo, as well as the default regional settings that you plan to present to the user. You should also include a default set of customizations in this Oobe.xml file, in case the user selects a country or a region for which you have not made specific customizations. This Oobe.xml should also contain the <eulafilename> node with the name of the customized End-User License Agreement (EULA) that you intend to use.
Place an Oobe.xml file for each country or region that contains unique customized content into \%WINDIR%\System32\<country or region that you are deploying to>\<language you are deploying in>. Once the user has chosen a country or a region, this file will be used to display branded content, offers, and additional customizations.
For example, an English version of Windows 7 delivered to the United States and to Canada can have the following directory structure.
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\oobe.xml (logo, EULA file name, and regional settings)
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\244\1033\oobe.xml (United States custom content)
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\39\1033\oobe.xml (Canada custom content)
Multiple Language or Region Deployments
If you are delivering computers to one or more countries or regions and are delivering computers running Windows 7 with additional language packs, place an Oobe.xml file in \%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info. This can contain your logo, as well as the default regional settings that you plan to present to the user. You should also include a default set of customizations in this Oobe.xml file, in case the user selects a country or a region for which you have not made specific customizations. This Oobe.xml should also contain the <eulafilename> node with the name of the custom EULA that you intend to use.
Place an Oobe.xml file for each country or region that contains unique customized content into \%WINDIR%\System32\<country or region that you are deploying to>\<language that you are deploying in>. After the user has chosen a country or a region, this file will be used to display your branded content, offers, and additional customizations.
For example, an English version of Windows 7 that is delivered to the United States and to Canada would use the following directory structure.
\%WINDIR %\system32\oobe\info\oobe.xml (logo, EULA file name, and regional settings)
\%WINDIR %\system32\oobe\info\244\1033\oobe.xml (United States custom content)
\%WINDIR %\system32\oobe\info\39\1033\oobe.xml (Canada custom content)
If you are delivering computers to one or more countries or regions and are delivering computers running Windows 7 with additional language packs, place an Oobe.xml file in \%WINDIR%\System32\Oobe\Info. The logo that is specified in this file will be displayed on the first (language selection) page in Windows Welcome. This Oobe.xml file should also contain the <eulafilename> node with the name of the customized EULA that you intend to use.
Place an Oobe.xml for each Windows language that you are including into \%WINDIR%\System32\Default\<language you are deploying>. This should contain the default regional settings that you plan to present for a given language, as well as a default set of customizations in this Oobe.xml file, in case the user selects a country or a region for which you have not made specific customizations.
Place an Oobe.xml file for each country or region that contains unique customized content into \%WINDIR%\System32\<country or region that you are deploying to>\<language that you are deploying in>. Once the user has chosen a country or a region, this file will be used to display your branded content, offers, and additional customizations.
For example, a version of Windows 7 with English and French language packs that is delivered to the United States and Canada would use the following directory structure.
Logo and EULA
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\oobe.xml(logo and EULA file name)Regional settings and fallback (for content that is not localized specifically for a country/region)
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\default\1033\oobe.xml(default regional settings and English content if the user chooses a country or region other than the United States or Canada)\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\default\1036\oobe.xml(default regional settings and French content if the user chooses a country or region other than United States or Canada)Country-specific or region-specific content in the appropriate languages
\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\244\1033\oobe.xml(United States custom content in English)\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\244\1036\oobe.xml(United States custom content in French)\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\39\1033\oobe.xml(Canada custom content in English)\%WINDIR%\system32\oobe\info\39\1036\oobe.xml(Canada custom content in French)
Country/Region Folder Format
The country/region folders must be named based on the decimal version of the GeoID of the country/regopm. For example, to create a "Canada" folder, name the folder "39".
For a complete list of GeoIDs, see the MSDN Web site.
Note
These values are provided in hexadecimal format and must be converted to decimal format to be used in the folder structure.
Language Folder Format
The name of the language folders must be based on the decimal version of the LCID value for the given language. For example, to create an "English" folder, name the folder "1033."
There are many more LCIDs than languages. A few LCIDs correlate to the languages that can be released with Windows 7. For more information about which languages release with Windows 7, at what level of localization, and their decimal identifiers, see Understanding Language Packs.