Automating the installation of Windows operating systems can significantly reduce the time and effort required for deploying multiple machines. This article will guide you through the process of creating an unattended installation using Answer Files and automating post-installation tasks with PowerShell scripts.

What is an Answer File?

An Answer File is an XML file used by Windows Setup to automate the installation process. It contains configuration settings and instructions that Windows Setup uses to install and configure the OS without user intervention.

Tools You Will Need

1. Windows System Image Manager (WSIM): Part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK), used to create and manage Answer Files.
2. PowerShell: A task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install the Windows ADK

1. Download the Windows ADK from the Microsoft website.
2. Run the installer and select the "Deployment Tools" feature.

Step 2: Create an Answer File

1. Open Windows System Image Manager (WSIM).
2. Select "File" > "Select Windows Image" and choose the appropriate Windows image file (install.wim).
3. Create a new Answer File by selecting "File" > "New Answer File".
4. Add components to the Answer File by right-clicking on the desired component and selecting "Add Setting to Pass 1" (or another pass as needed).
5. Configure the settings for each component. For example, to automate the disk partitioning, you can add the Microsoft-Windows-Setup component and configure the DiskConfiguration settings.
6. Save the Answer File as autounattend.xml.

Example: Basic Answer File Configuration

<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
  <settings pass="windowsPE">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State">
      <DiskConfiguration>
        <Disk wcm:action="add">
          <DiskID>0</DiskID>
          <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
          <CreatePartitions>
            <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
              <Order>1</Order>
              <Type>Primary</Type>
              <Size>100000</Size>
            </CreatePartition>
            <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
              <Order>2</Order>
              <Type>Primary</Type>
              <Extend>true</Extend>
            </CreatePartition>
          </CreatePartitions>
          <ModifyPartitions>
            <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
              <Active>true</Active>
              <Format>NTFS</Format>
              <Label>System</Label>
              <Order>1</Order>
              <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
            </ModifyPartition>
            <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
              <Active>false</Active>
              <Format>NTFS</Format>
              <Label>Windows</Label>
              <Order>2</Order>
              <PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
            </ModifyPartition>
          </ModifyPartitions>
        </Disk>
      </DiskConfiguration>
    </component>
  </settings>
</unattend>

Step 3: Automate Post-Installation Tasks with PowerShell

After the OS is installed, you can use PowerShell scripts to automate additional configuration tasks.

Example: PowerShell Script for Post-Installation

Create a PowerShell script named PostInstall.ps1:

# Set the computer name
Rename-Computer -NewName "NewComputerName" -Force -Restart

# Install Windows Features
Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server, Web-Mgmt-Tools

# Create a new user
New-LocalUser -Name "NewUser" -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString "P@ssw0rd" -AsPlainText -Force) -FullName "New User" -Description "A new local user"

# Add the user to the Administrators group
Add-LocalGroupMember -Group "Administrators" -Member "NewUser"

To execute this script automatically after installation, you can add it to the FirstLogonCommands section of your Answer File:

<FirstLogonCommands>
  <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
    <CommandLine>powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Scripts\PostInstall.ps1</CommandLine>
    <Description>Run Post-Installation Script</Description>
    <Order>1</Order>
  </SynchronousCommand>
</FirstLogonCommands>

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can create an automated Windows installation process that includes both the initial OS setup and post-installation configuration. This can save significant time and ensure consistency across multiple deployments.