Add the LayoutModification.xml file to the device. Once you have created your LayoutModification.xml file to customize devices that will run Windows 10 for desktop editions, you can use Windows ICD methods to add the XML file to the device. In the Available customizations pane, expand Runtime settings, select Start and then click the StartLayout setting. 3424.By RJ Skerry-Ryan on 2013-06-10 Fix issue in EngineBufferSca leLinear that can cause loops to go out of sync. Fixes Bug #1025007. Prepended samples from pre-existing buffer were not represented as part of read-sample count.
Answer files (or Unattend files) can be used to modify Windows settings in your images during Setup. You can also create settings that trigger scripts in your images that run after the first user creates their account and picks their default language.
Windows Setup will automatically search for answer files in certain locations, or you can specify an unattend file to use by using the /unattend:
option when running Windows Setup (setup.exe).
Windows settings overview
While you can set many Windows settings in audit mode, some settings can only be set by using an answer file or Windows Configuration Designer, such as adding manufacturer’s support information. A full list of answer file settings (also known as Unattend settings) is in the Unattended Windows Setup Reference.
Enterprises can control other settings by using Group Policy. For more info, see Group Policy.
Answer file settings
You can specify which configuration pass to add new settings:
1 windowsPE: These settings are used by the Windows Setup installation program. If you’re modifying existing images, you can usually ignore these settings.
4 specialize: Most settings should be added here. These settings are triggered both at the beginning of audit mode and at the beginning of OOBE. If you need to make multiple updates or test settings, generalize the device again and add another batch of settings in the Specialize Configuration pass.
6 auditUser: Runs as soon as you start audit mode.
This is a great time to run a system test script - we'll add Microsoft-Windows-DeploymentRunAsynchronousCommand as our example. To learn more, see Add a Custom Script to Windows Setup.
7 oobeSystem: Use sparingly. Most of these settings run after the user completes OOBE. The exception is the Microsoft-Windows-DeploymentResealMode = Audit setting, which we’ll use to bypass OOBE and boot the PC into audit mode.
If your script relies on knowing which language the user selects during OOBE, you’d add it to the oobeSystem pass.
To learn more, see Windows Setup Configuration Passes.
Note
These settings could be lost if the user resets their PC with the built-in recovery tools. To see how to make sure these settings stay on the device during a reset, see Sample scripts: Keeping Windows settings through a recovery.
Create and modify an answer file
Step 1: Create a catalog file
Start Windows System Image Manager.
Click File > Select Windows Image.
In Select a Windows Image, browse to and select the image file (D:install.wim). Next, select an edition of Windows, for example, Windows 10 Pro, and click OK. Click Yes to create the catalog file. Windows SIM creates the file based on the image file, and saves it to the same folder as the image file. This process can take several minutes.
The catalog file appears in the Windows Image pane. Windows SIM lists the configurable components and packages in that image.
Troubleshooting: If Windows SIM does not create the catalog file, try the following steps:
To create a catalog file for either 32-bit or ARM-based devices, use a 32-bit device.
Make sure the Windows base-image file (SourcesInstall.wim) is in a folder that has read-write privileges, such as a USB flash drive or on your hard drive.
Step 2: Create an answer file
Click File > New Answer File.
The new answer file appears in the Answer File pane.
Note If you open an existing answer file, you might be prompted to associate the answer file with the image. Click Yes.
Step 3: Add new answer file settings
Add OEM info:
In the Windows Image pane, expand Components, right-click amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_(version), and then select Add Setting to Pass 4 specialize.
In the Answer File pane, select Components4 specializeamd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutralOEMInformation.
In the OEMInformation Properties pane, in the Settings section, select:
- Manufacturer=
Fabrikam
- Model=
Notebook Model 1
- Logo=
C:FabrikamFabrikam.bmp
Create a 32-bit color with a maximum size of 120x120 pixels, save it as
D:AnswerFilesFabrikam.bmp
file on your local PC, or use the sample from the USB-B key:D:ConfigSet$OEM$$$System32OEMFabrikam.bmp
.We'll copy the logo into the Windows image in a few steps.
- Manufacturer=
Set the device to automatically boot to audit mode:
In the Windows Image pane, expand Components, right-click amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_(version), and then select Add Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.
In the Answer File pane, select Components7 oobeSystemamd64_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_neutralReseal.
In the Reseal Properties pane, in the Settings section, select Mode=
Audit
.Prepare a script to run after Audit mode begins.
In the Windows Image pane, right-click amd64_ Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_(version) and then click Add Setting to Pass 6 auditUser.
In the Answer File pane, expand Components6 auditUseramd64_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_neutralRunAsynchronous. Right-click RunAsynchronousCommand Properties and click Insert New AsynchronousCommand.
In the AsynchronousCommand Properties pane, in the Settings section, add the following values:
Path = C:FabrikamSampleCommand.cmd
Description = Sample command to run a system diagnostic check.
Order = 1
(Determines the order that commands are run, starting with 1.)Add a registry key. In this example, we add keys for the OEM Windows Store program. Use the same process as adding a script, using
CMD /c REG ADD
.For Windows 10 Customer Systems, you may use the OEM Store ID alone or in combination with a Store Content Modifier (SCM) to identify an OEM brand for the OEM Store. By adding a SCM, you can target Customer Systems at a more granular level. For example, you may choose to target commercial devices separately from consumer devices by inserting unique SCMs for consumer and commercial brands into those devices.
Add RunAsynchronousCommands for each registry key to add. (Right-click RunAsynchronousCommand Properties and click Insert New AsynchronousCommand).
See the Unattended Windows Setup Reference for a full list of configuration options.
Step 4: Save the answer file
Save the answer file, for example: D:AnswerFilesBootToAudit-x64.xml.
Note Windows SIM will not allow you to save the answer file into the mounted image folders. Step 5: Create a script
Xml File To Excel
Since we specified a script to run in Step 3, let's create that script now.
Copy the following sample script into Notepad, and save it as D:AnswerFilesSampleCommand.cmd.
Add the answer file and script to the image
Step 6: Mount an image and add the answer file
Use DISM to mount a Windows image. To learn how to mount an image, see Mount and modify a Windows image using DISM
Copy the answer file into the image into the WindowsPanther folder, and name it unattend.xml. The Panther folder is one of the folders where Windows searches for an answer file. Create the folder if it doesn’t exist. If there’s an existing answer file, replace it or use Windows System Image Manager to edit/combine settings if necessary.
Unmount the image, committing the changes. For example:
where C is the drive letter of the drive that contains the mounted image.
This process may take several minutes.
Xml File Example
When you apply your image, Windows will process your unattend file and will configure your settings based on what you specified in the unattend.
-->You can use the default application association-servicing commands to import, export, list, and remove the settings that specify which application opens a file based on the file name extension or protocol.
The base syntax for servicing a Windows image using DISM is:
DISM.exe {/Image:<path_to_ image_directory> | /Online} [dism_global_options] {servicing_option} [<servicing_argument>]
The following default application servicing options are available for an offline image.
DISM.exe /image:<path_to_image_directory> [/Get-DefaultAppAssociations | /Import-DefaultAppAssociations | /Remove-DefaultAppAssociations]
The following default application association servicing options are available for a running operating system.
DISM.exe /Online [/Export-DefaultAppAssociations | /Get-DefaultAppAssociations | Import-DefaultAppAssociations | Remove-DefaultAppAssociations]
The following table provides a description of how each default application association servicing option can be used. These options are not case sensitive.
Option | Description |
---|---|
/Get-Help /? | When used immediately after a default application association servicing command-line option, information about the option and the arguments is displayed. Additional topics might become available when an image is specified. Examples: Dism /image:C:testoffline /Import-DefaultAppAssociations /? Dism /online /Get-DefaultAppAssociations /? |
/Export-DefaultAppAssociations:<path_to_export_file> | Exports the default application associations from a running operating system to an .xml file. Example: Dism.exe /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:C:AppAssoc.xml |
/Get-DefaultAppAssociations | Displays the list of default application associations that have been set in the specified Windows image. You can use this option to verify that default application associations were successfully imported to the image. Examples: Dism.exe /Image:C:testoffline /Get-DefaultAppAssociations Dism.exe /Online /Get-DefaultAppAssociations |
/Import-DefaultAppAssociations:<path_to_xml_file> | Imports a set of default application associations to a specified Windows image from an .xml file. The default application associations will be applied for each user during their first logon. Examples: Dism.exe /Image:C:testoffline /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:C:AppAssoc.xml Dism.exe /Online /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:C:AppAssoc.xml |
/Remove-DefaultAppAssociations | Removes the default application associations from the specified Windows image. Examples: Dism.exe /Image:C:testoffline /Remove-DefaultAppAssociations Dism.exe /Online /Remove-DefaultAppAssociations |