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Configure an Answer File to Be Unattended

  • Article

3/21/2011

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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Language tag for the default system language. For more information, see Language Packs in Windows Embedded Standard 7.
  • OEM information 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

  1. 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.

  2. In the Answer File pane of Image Configuration Editor, expand the Ecore > Image > Product > Operating System > Foundation Core > nodes to display available settings.

    All of the settings and steps that you will configure for Windows Embedded Standard 7 in Step 3 are the same as on Windows 7.

  3. Add the settings to your answer file by right-clicking the package and then selecting the appropriate configuration pass. This task adds the component to your answer file in the specified configuration pass. A configuration pass is a phase of Standard 7 installation. Different parts of the Standard 7 operating system are installed in different configuration passes. You can specify settings to be applied in one or more configuration passes.

  4. After adding these packages to the appropriate pass, they must appear in the Answer File window pane.

    For more information about Windows Embedded Standard 7 and Windows 7 settings, see this Microsoft Web site.

    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

HideEvaluationWarning

HideEvaluationWarning = <1>

7 oobeSystem

Product Key & Licensing

ProductKey = <productkey>

4 specialize

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