Unattended
Create fully automated Windows installations.
This page automates setup choices for an image, so that the installation can be fully or partially automated.
First enable the page on the upper-left, check the extra options in the toolbar, then set the remaining options on the main list. All options are queued to be executed on deployment of the loaded image.
Autofill
Set and overwrite available entries with the host machine data where available, speeding up the process of setting up full automation.
- All - fills the entire page and prompts for the first user creation
- Windows PE - fills just the boot portion of setup, leaving OOBE prompts as set
- Reset - resets the whole page back to defaults
Add Local Account
Create a local user account. Also has the option to enable the built-in Administrator account, and to auto-logon a user.
Join Network
Join a network domain or a workgroup.
Configure Disk
Easily setup disk partition layout with the recommended BIOS and UEFI presets with templates, or setup individual disk partitions.
Disk Template
When wiping an entire disk, it is recommended to use the disk templates. Select disk type by clicking on that row, depending if using a UEFI or BIOS machine.
If using a specific disk size (in gigabytes), move the recovery image before or after it using the green arrow button on the right. Disk size can also be extended to use all available space with the yellow extend button on the right of the “Operating system” partition.
Type 0 for size to remove a recovery partition.
Individual Partition
To format or only automatically install to a particular partition without wiping the entire drive, use the “Individual partition” option.
Make sure “Wipe disk” is unchecked, set Partition mode to “Modify” instead of “Create”. Under “Format” choose if you want to format it, and check “Install to this partition” if you want to deploy to that one.
Be very careful when configuring formatting or wiping; ensure disk and partition IDs are correct. Consider pre-testing in a virtual machine configured with the same disk layout.
Additional Options
Copy to Install Image
Copy the answer file directly to the final image location (%WINDIR%\Panther\unattend.xml). Use only if directly deploying an image to a partition, without Windows setup.
Copy to Boot Image
Copy the answer file directly to the setup boot image. Can help machines which otherwise do not apply Unattended settings on booting up this image.
Dual Architecture
If using a 64-bit image, this also saves the 32-bit automation entries, and vice-versa. Helpful when building multiple-architecture, All-In-One images. This also enables prompting the list of all editions on the image during setup boot-up.
Computer Name
Type or select [Prompt] to enable changing the computer name through a prompt during Windows setup. Note that the prompt option is applied only to the loaded/configured image edition.
Type or select %SERIAL% to dynamically insert a computer serial number in its name during install. It can be combined with other letters, e.g., PREFIXHERE-%SERIAL%