Settings to Use for an Unattended Installation
Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2
Note
This content applies to Windows 7. For Windows 8 content, see Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK.
There are certain settings that are required to be specified to prevent the Windows® Setup user interface (UI) from being displayed. The default behavior of Windows Setup is to display the Setup UI if any of the required settings are incorrect or empty.
In some cases, there are multiple ways to configure your unattended installation, depending on your deployment preferences. The following sections describe only the minimum required settings to perform an unattended installation.
Settings to Use with an Unattended Windows Setup
The following list of settings should be used for unattended Windows Setup installations.
Windows Setup Language and Locale Settings
Windows Setup requires a default language to use during installation.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE | UILanguage |
Specifies the default language to use on the installed Windows operating system. |
Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE | SetupUILanguage | UILanguage |
Specifies the default language to use during Windows Setup. During installation, Windows Setup displays installation progress in the selected language. |
Note
When you use an Autounattend.xml file with Windows Setup and rely on an implicit answer-file search, the language selection page in Setup is not displayed, even if you explicitly do not configure language settings in your answer file. For more information about implicit answer files, see Methods for Running Windows Setup.
Accept Microsoft Software License Terms
You must automatically accept Microsoft® Software License Terms to complete an unattended installation.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | UserData | AcceptEula |
Specifies whether to accept Microsoft License Software Terms during Windows Setup. |
Select a Windows Edition to Install
You must specify which edition of Windows to install. You can specify the edition either by using a product key or by using the MetaData setting to select an image from the Windows image file. For more information, see Work with Product Keys and Activation.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | UserData | ProductKey | Key |
Specifies the product key used to install Windows. |
-or-
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | ImageInstall | OSImage | InstallFrom | MetaData | Key |
Specifies an image in a Windows image (.wim) file. Use this setting with Value to determine whether to select the image based on an index, a name, or a description of the image. |
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | ImageInstall | OSImage | InstallFrom | MetaData | Value |
Specifies an image in a Windows image (.wim) file. Use this setting with Key to specify an index, a name, or a description of an image. |
Image Installation
You must specify where you intend to install Windows. You can either specify the exact disk ID and partition ID, or you can install Windows to the first available partition.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | ImageInstall | OSImage | InstallTo | DiskID |
Specifies the disk where to install Windows. |
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | ImageInstall | OSImage | InstallTo | PartitionID |
Specifies the partition where to install Windows. |
-or-
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | ImageInstall | OSImage | InstallToAvailablePartition |
Specifies to install Windows on the first available partition. |
Settings to Use with Unattended Windows Deployment Services
The following list of settings should be used for unattended Windows Deployment Services installations. These are the only settings required for an unattended installation.
Windows Setup Language and Locale Settings
Windows Setup must specify a default language and a locale. If you are creating an unattended installation and do not plan on displaying the Windows UI, configure these settings.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE | SetupUILanguage | UILanguage |
Specifies the default language to use during Windows Setup. |
Windows Deployment Services Credentials
You must provide credentials for an unattended Windows Deployment Services installation.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | WindowsDeploymentServices | Login |
Specifies the credentials used for Windows Deployment Services logon, and specifies in what circumstances the UI is displayed for logon. |
Image Selection
You must specify the Windows image to install.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | WindowsDeploymentServices | ImageSelection |
Specifies the image to be installed and the location where it is installed, as well as whether the UI is displayed. |
Image Installation
You must specify where you plan on installing Windows. These settings assume that you are installing to a partitioned disk drive.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | WindowsDeploymentServices | ImageSelection | InstallTo | DiskID |
Specifies the disk ID of the disk to which the image is to be installed. |
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | WindowsDeploymentServices | ImageSelection | InstallTo | PartitionID |
Specifies the partition ID of the partition to which the image is to be installed. |