win10 22H2 customized (multilanguage with FODs) WIM image leaves instalation stuck in a restarting loop

Bradley Bird 106 Reputation points
2022-11-30T20:02:48.627+00:00

Context:
I'm deploying a baremetal task sequence in MECM. I've created a custom WIM image with the FODs and language packs for ca-fr and fr-fr obviously also en-us which is the base. There are 2 indexes. 1: en-us 2. ca-fr I used Windows 10 22H2 Enterprise to create the image.

The SAME process down step by step works with 21H2 creating the WIM. All I did was copy the TS, rename it to 22H2 and change the source files in the apply operating system task for the newly created 22H2 custom WIM.

The same process worked for the 20H2 task sequence as well...

Here's the rub:
when Index 1 en-us index is used, the process goes like butter, no problem!

when index 2 ca-fr is used I get a few application install failures (symptom) and then once I get past these using continue on error, the task sequence completes, and the system which in this case is a VMWare VM is stuck in an endless reboot loop.

The issue has been isolated to use of the ca-fr index.

I'm currently downloading seperate media for each language, I really don't want to do that... I have a front-end ps1 script setting variables and other fun stuff. Once again, the SAME (apple to apple) process works in 20H2, 21H2 AND using the en-us index on 22H2...

Any help is appreciated. I have a case open with Microsoft, I thought I'd log the issue here so my peers are aware and I get the communnity experience. :)

Update: As at 12=05-2022

In working to further isolate this issue, I have a definite reproduceable condition:

The issue ALSO occurs with french canadian media when the en-us language pack is injected along with the FODs.

The problem presents specifically in both conditions when the non-default locale is selected to install the OS with. It happens when ca-fr is selected starting off with the en-us media and when en-us is selected starting off with the ca-fr media.

To add language packs this process is used:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/add-language-packs-to-windows?view=windows-10

To add FODs, this process is used:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/features-on-demand-language-fod?view=windows-10

There's a big update, the condition is fully isolated and reproduceable.

I'm going to modify the task sequence to include separate tasks for assign operating system based on the language choice, that moves my project forward. This process which worked up until 21H2 and allowed only 1 image to be maintained is now broken and 2 images need to be used for the language choices.

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5 answers

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  1. abbodi86 3,856 Reputation points
    2022-12-15T16:32:11.983+00:00

    When you add language packs and optional features (FODs) to installation image that already have updates preintegrated, you must re-add the same updates or latest updates
    because all LPs and FODs are on base rtm level, updates are needed to get the updated components for those packs

    it's common practice since Windows 8.1
    in Windows 10/11 case, it's enough to re-add Latest Cumulative Update (LCU)

    Windows 10 20H2-22H2 are essentially Windows 10 2004 (19041.1) + updates
    thus, any multilanguage cutomization for them require adding LCU afterwards

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Limitless Technology 43,966 Reputation points
    2022-12-02T10:09:02.163+00:00

    Hi,

    Thank you for posting your query.

    Kindly follow the steps provided below to resolve your issue.

    I would suggest you to run startup repair from Windows recovery environment and check if it helps. Please follow these steps:

    a. Do one of the following, depending on whether you have installation media (such as a DVD or USB flash drive):

    • If you have installation media for Windows, start (or boot) your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer. If you see a message asking you to "Press any key to boot from DVD", do so. If you don’t see the message, you might need to change the boot order in your computer's BIOS settings so that it first starts from the DVD or USB. When you see the "Install Windows" page, click "Repair your computer" to start the Windows recovery environment.

    Go to this link for your reference and other troubleshooting procedures https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-reset-caused-infinite-restart-loops-of/3ca3d565-3822-4c0e-b420-666510b3e05d

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If the answer is helpful kindly click "Accept as Answer" and up vote it.

  3. Bradley Bird 106 Reputation points
    2022-12-02T16:26:25.367+00:00

    OK, there was new media released in November...

    The install.wim taken from the SW_DVD9_Win_Pro_10_22H2_64BIT_English_Pro_Ent_EDU_N_MLF_X23-20019.ISO file released October 18 2022.

    The install.wim taken from the SW_DVD9_Win_Pro_10_22H2_64BIT_English_Pro_Ent_EDU_N_MLF_X23-31722.ISO which is different and we downloaded 11-30-2022.

    They are different! So, I'll recreate the custom WIM file using this new modified source and provide results of my test.

  4. Bradley Bird 106 Reputation points
    2023-02-13T16:57:42.5166667+00:00

    Further updates: I managed to get a winPE ISO into our VM management network as a boot source. Now I was able to basically reproduce the issue except now, I could access a failing system and provide Microsoft with THOSE specific logs to work with. Still waiting on further resolution. There's a combined effort from the Windows performance team AND the MECM team on this because using native stuff WITH our WIM which has the FODs, LPs and SSU and CU reinjected afterwards we get the whole thing deployed in VMWare this time with the non-default UILanguage when stepping through the OOBE.

    OK, so it seems something MECM related is now culprit, we're analyzing from that view. Maybe to do when the client is added, I'm uncertain. Further news as updates come.

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  5. Bradley Bird 106 Reputation points
    2023-03-30T14:37:41.2333333+00:00

    I wanted to chime in and say this issue is closed. I worked with Microsoft and using the March 2023 installation media with the most current CU applied to the WIM using dism and the exact same process we validated everything works. It seemed to be the issue where after reapplying the update it wasn't applying to the additional language pack which was imported, this was visible in the get-packages command. I guess something got changed on the back end as using the exact same commands and the new media, it now works.

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