Kiosk Provisioning Package prevents Win11 24H2 OOBE completion

Question

Kiosk Provisioning Package prevents Win11 24H2 OOBE completion

Mark Bewley 71

I am still attempting to build a viable Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTCS 2024 image for our Kiosk hardware.

It is documented that a provisioning package can be applied during OOBE. First testing it with one a USB drive.

If I create a provisioning package that enables Single App in Kiosk mode (using a Classic Windows App), it is detected and applied, and the device restarts.

The issue I am now seeing, is after the restart, it boots to the command prompt (as the defaultuser0 user account) and does not resume/complete the OOBE process.

2 answers

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Answer 1

Anonymous

Hello

Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot:

Ensure that the provisioning package is correctly configured and applied. Check for any errors in the configuration XML file.
Make sure that UAC is turned on. This can sometimes affect the OOBE process.
Look at the Event Viewer logs for any sign-in or auto logon issues under Applications and Services Logs\Microsoft\Windows\Authentication User Interface\Operational.
Enable logging for kiosk issues to capture any one-time events that might be causing the problem. 5. Ensure that your device is up to date with the latest Windows updates. Sometimes, specific updates can resolve issues related to provisioning packages and OOBE.
Verify that the assigned access configuration is correctly set up and that the kiosk app is specified properly.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

============================================

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Mark Bewley 71 Reputation points

2025-03-18T12:23:15.1066667+00:00

If I complete the OOBE process first and let it display the Explorer desktop, I can successfully add the provisioning package (by double-clicking the ppkg file). The device [correctly] reboots, logins and displays the kiosk app.

UAC is enabled.

I installed the latest updates into Windows - via offline WIM. As I know there are references to Setup updates.

It is applying the assigned access before OOBE completes that appears to cause problems - the "custom shell" boot\login logic seems to bypass / prevent the OOBE process from [re]starting.
Sean Liming 4,766 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-03-21T17:09:10.6533333+00:00

Is your application a UWP application and that is why you are using the Kiosk Mode? If not and the application is a regular .EXE app, why not use Shell Launcher?
Mark Bewley 71 Reputation points

2025-03-21T17:34:34.8266667+00:00

Hi Sean, in reality I am using the Shell Launcher (discussed in another thread); but that has issues, [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2074822/blank-screen-during-oobe-(windows-11-iot-enterpris](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2074822/blank-screen-during-oobe-(windows-11-iot-enterpris)

I read that applying provisioning packages during OOBE is an option - so I thought I would try is and see if it worked, which it doesn't for the Kiosk mode package.

If you want a full background I read that you can include provisioning packages under Recovery and OOBE should auto install them - but it didn't do anything with a Kiosk mode package. So I was trying the "manual" USB method, to see what would happen.

If applying the provisioning package worked, I was just going to get it to run a custom app to properly configure the Shell Launcher (after OOBE) and restart into that.

So this method doesn't seem like a possible workaround.
Sean Liming 4,766 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-03-23T15:27:50.8233333+00:00

OK. I have connected the dots. Something odd is going on if Shell Launcher doesn't work, but I would never use Shell Launcher V2. I recommend Shell Launcher V1 as it is straight forward setup.
Mark Bewley 71 Reputation points

2025-03-23T15:39:05.2633333+00:00

Thanks Seam, I appreciate your response - I will have to go back and look at Shell Launcher V1.

Although most might not generally use this approach for production deployment, I suppose my main question [in this thread] is:

Whether anyone else has used Windows Configuration Designer to create a Kiosk. Put it on a USB stick and apply it during the OOBE screens of Windows 11?
Sean Liming 4,766 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-03-25T15:18:59.1966667+00:00

I don't use WCD as it was a poorly designed tool for Windows development. Even Microsoft folks wouldn't talk about it as it was developed. I recommend System Image Manager to create custom Windows images. My Shell Launcher utility can help: https://annabooks.com/SW_SLUtility.html

My book covers SIM: https://annabooks.com/Book_SGWin10IoTE2.html
Mark Bewley 71 Reputation points

2025-03-25T16:26:55.7566667+00:00

Thanks Sean, it is a little frustrating.

Reading about provisioning, Autopilot and InTune, I was curious whether it worked during OOBE.

If this turned out to an active\supported usage case whether it would ever be fixed - and if fixed whether it would (by implication fix \ workaround my real problem).

Revisiting Shell Launcher V1 is in my backlog.
Sean Liming 4,766 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-03-25T22:01:23.11+00:00

Sounds like your project has more requirements than what can be posted of shared online. Please keep in mind my suggestions are based on the questions asked and not the full picture that you are dealing with.

You are more than welcome to reach out to me directly if you want to discuss further.
Mark Bewley 71 Reputation points

2025-04-06T11:04:52.82+00:00

@Sean Liming , I have a had a change to circle back to this issue (among many we are having getting this new product revision ready for launch.

But will add comments on this over on the other, more relevant, question [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2074822/blank-screen-during-oobe-(windows-11-iot-enterpris](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2074822/blank-screen-during-oobe-(windows-11-iot-enterpris) and leave this one focused on my observations of the side testing I did with the Kiosk Provisioning Package.

Answer 2

It appears the simple Provision kiosk devices template in the Windows Configuration Designer does not specify the default shell.

Using the Switch to advanced editor option. The SMISettings/ShellLauncher/DefaultCustomShell can be set to explorer.exe.

The help states, "The shell will default to cmd.exe if not specified."

It looks like the OOBE UI is launched by explorer.exe. When applying the original provisioning package and it booting to the command prompt, if explorer.exe is entered the desktop is briefly seen and the OOBE UI relaunches.

The advance project does need further editing as the ProvisioningCommands seem to get messed up - But applying the updated provisioning package after restart it redisplays the OOBE UI, logs in and displays the custom shell.

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Kiosk Provisioning Package prevents Win11 24H2 OOBE completion

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