Configure an Answer File to Be Unattended (Standard 7 SP1)
7/8/2014
You can configure an answer file in Windows Embedded Standard 7 so that it is fully unattended, which means that Image Builder suppresses the user interface that typically appears while it builds an image. If you provide specific settings in the answer file, Image Builder can build the image without user intervention after you start it. You use Image Configuration Editor to configure the settings in your answer file. For more information, see Configure Settings in an Answer File in Image Configuration Editor.
Hardware and Software Assumptions
- You have installed Windows Embedded Standard 7 Toolkit on a development computer that meets the Requirements for a Development Computer
- You hide sensitive information in the answer file. For more information, see Hide Sensitive Data in an Answer File.
- You have the following information available:
- A valid Standard 7 product key. For more information about the differences between Volume License Runtime keys and Evaluation License keys, see Image Product Keys and Activation.
- The disk identifier (ID) of the disk where you want to install the image. Image Builder formats the disk in preparation for the image. For more information, see this Microsoft Web site.
- The partition identifier (ID) of the partition where you want to install the image if you do not want to install it on the first available partition. Image Builder formats this partition in preparation for the image. For more information, see this Microsoft Web site.
- The language tag for the default system language. For more information, see Language Packs in Windows Embedded Standard 7.
- The OEM information for the device such as the name of the manufacturer, device model, and a support URL.
Note
The Standard 7 setup process performs several verifications, which rely on the target device's date and time settings. For optimal performance, confirm that the target device is set to the correct date and time.
To configure an answer file to be fully unattended
On the development computer, in Image Configuration Editor, create a new answer file or open an existing answer file. For more information, see Create an Answer File in Image Configuration Editor.
In the Answer File pane of ICE, expand the Windows Embedded Edition node to display available nodes.
Configure the Standard 7 settings as needed. Standard 7 uses the same settings as Windows 7. For more information on these shared settings, see The Unattended Windows Setup Reference.
To configure the setting, select the appropriate configuration pass in the Filter View By menu, then double-click the setting you wish to configure in the Answer File pane of wveice and add the appropriate value in the Value column. You can specify settings to be applied in one or more configuration passes.
If you want to add settings for other packages, you must first add the package to the answer file by right-clicking on the package in the Distribution Share pane and selecting Add to Answer File. Then select that package in the Answer File pane and configure the required settings.
There are two settings in Windows Embedded Standard 7 that are not part of Windows 7. These settings are described in the following table.
Setting |
Value |
Configuration Pass |
|---|---|---|
1 |
7 oobeSystem |
|
product_key |
4 specialize |
For more information about the settings used to automate Windows Setup and Windows Welcome, see this Microsoft Web site.
Next Steps
After you have configured your answer file to be fully unattended, the next step is to add and configure other packages and settings. For more information, see Build an Answer File Using Image Configuration Editor.
See Also
Tasks
Hide Sensitive Data in an Answer File
Concepts
Image Product Keys and Activation
Methods for Running Image Builder