How to add additional programs (mcafee, ms office) to WIM File

Hello,

On a clean hard drive with all partitions removed, install the O/S, applications, then install and run ImageAssist from the green blinking "Guide Me" button.  ImageAssist will then validate it, run sysprep and after sysprep completes it will reboot to begin the auto capture process.

Hi AWAISARWAR -

You're welcome. Please see my responses below.

• Download latest build of Win10 (1703), installed it.During installing process it obligates me to create an account (local account) or add to the domain or login with Microsoft id. I created a local temp account. A best practice for building a Windows 10 image where Sysprep will be used is to enable the local administrator account, login as that account and delete the account created during setup - along with the profile. Here's an example.

[View:/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/4916/Configure_5F00_W10_5F00_Accounts_5F00_Reference_5F00_Build.mp4:550:0]

• I installed each and every program provided by my company including anti-virus and customize everything according to our need. You may want to consider uninstalling the antivirus application on your reference build and staging it for 1st logon. It has been known to cause issues with Sysprep process.
• Next, I installed the latest Dell image assist application.
• Create the reference image with Guide Me option, created in USB.
• Next I followed up with Unattended XML process to and validate the selection. During this process it asks you to provide the user name /password , company name and filled the fields. There are two sections which allow for a password. If joining a domain, a username and password are required in that section. The other section is to set the password for the local administrator account. Both of these fields are purposefully in clear text during the form process so that you can see what the actual password is – versus finding out later that it was mis-typed. When the process runs, the passwords will be encrypted on the backend.
• Next I run the Sysprep. (Before I run sysprep, should I need to change in anything in OOB Utility in System32 Folder), No
• Completed the Sysprep, saved the WIM file in separate USB (20GB)
• Now it reboots and run for restore, installed it. Instead of rebooting, restore the image using the USB tool created earlier in the process. Instructions here > http://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/19/dell-imageassist/imageassist/restoring-an-image?guid=guid-1da9f888-12ae-433e-8766-41c29fe1e49b&lang=en-us
• Boot the PC, and it got stuck on with windows with Just a moment message, waited for 1h,reboot it, before to come typical windows 10 screen, a message appears indicates the password is incorrect (did not even touch its weired, i beleive this is something to do with where i filled the fields for the information that was suppose to appear on your image) Some Googling turns up a lot of hits for this problem. I don’t see any definitive answers to the problem. I recommend fixing any possible password issues and configuring accounts on reference build as seen in video above.
• Finally appears the normal screen for login, It showed me 2 usres, One which cretaed when I insalled win10 (Test account)and other it says defaultuser. I believe here it must showed me the administrator account. Try configuring accounts on reference build as seen in video above.

Hi Tyler,

Finally I made it. I installed all the programs including antivirus.

One last thing..

When login as with the account i create, it has lost the customise settings and dell image assit application still installed. I beleive it must be uninsatlled automatically.

Really appreciate your reply.

You are real hero.

awais

awais,

Good to hear you're making progress. Depending on what settings were customized, the Sysprep process may prevent certain items from carrying over. If performed correctly, customizations to the desktop background, start menu & desktop shortcuts will carry over to all newly created users. This requires use of the local Administrator account when customizing and the "COPY Administrator's profile to Default User profile" option must be selected in the Unattend XML creator. ImageAssist utilizes the CopyProfile function of Windows Sysprep to enable this functionality. With the introduction of Windows 10, Microsoft has developed some new solutions to help customize items beyond what CopyProfile is capable of. I've included some links with more information below.

• Microsoft - CopyProfile
• Microsoft - Configure Windows 10 taskbar
• Microsoft - Start layout XML for desktop editions of Windows 10
• Microsoft - Export or Import Default Application Associations

Thank you,

Tyler

Dear Tylor, Thanks for your patiene and writing in details. One last thing, Now i have WIM file captured /copied in separate usb and refernce image (in bootble usb). As you know the bootable usb when i created it wa formatted in FAT32. It has a capacity of only 4Gb. I have the WIM of 7Gigas. Now I know to send this bootble usb and wim file in a single usb. How can I make this. Cheers, Awais

Awaisarwar -

You're welcome. For this, you can use the WIM splitter tool provided in the direct tool links of the main ImageAssist interface.

Thank you,

Tyler

Awaisarwar

Hi Tyler,

Again for a quick consultation. Finally created the image and put in production. Now I need to discuss a case here.

Normally when we hand over a newly imaged PC to a user (who is working from home).

At first time logon the windows requires us to enter admin username and password, this is what we want to bypass

and run a script of autologin runonce. I can see an option when you do UNATTENED XML 

and can  run First Logon commands.

Here I need a script (provide me a good resource link,example how to create AutoLogon at first time logon only)

and what would be the formate. Can I simple type a script in this field e.g C:\Autologon.bat

Thanks for your help.

Awais

Hello,

The unattend.xml will need to be modified to reflect the auto logging in with no credential prompt.  Below is how to set the auto logon and not prompt for credentials.

Under local system administrator account choose "Enable local system administrator account" and then select how many times the system will auto logon occur. Select the times under local system administrator accounts "When a destination computer starts, automatically login as administrator", here choose the number of auto logins.  You should not be prompted for credentials.

The unattend.xml will need to be modified to reflect the auto logging in with no credential prompt.  Below is how to set the auto logon and not prompt for credentials.

Under local system administrator account choose "Enable local system administrator account" and then select how many times the system will auto logon occur. Select the times under local system administrator accounts "When a destination computer starts, automatically login as administrator", here choose the number of auto logins.  You should not be prompted for credentials.

I know this is a very old post but I have an additional question since I am using this same process in our image to automate our company-specific programs via a Powershell script and an automated task that runs on startup.

Is there a way to have the local Administrator account login, BUT, keep the screen locked (or immediately lock it once it is logged in)?  This is to keep the possibility of any additional (rogue) software from being installed by the vendor applying the image.

Thank you.

I believe the below example should work. It will lock screen, install an app, then shutdown and reboot in 5 seconds

rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation

start /wait c:\apps\example.exe /s

shutdown.exe /r /t 5

Thanks for the commands.

I'm using the below in my ps1 script.

#Pause Script
# Pauses script for specified number of seconds
Start-Sleep -s 3

#Lock Screen Command
# Makes sure user account screen is locked.
$xCmdString = {rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation}
Invoke-Command $xCmdString

I added the Start-Sleep command to be able to pause the script log enough for the profile to load before issuing the lock command.

I may have found a way around the situation by changing the "Task Scheduler" task trigger to start "on connection to user session".  I'll post when it has been tested.

So I could not get the LockWorkstation to work inside the script, but I just needed to create an additional scheduled task that locked the workstation as soon as the local administrator account logged on.  I restricted it to only that account since we use a secondary admin account for our IT.  As part of our RMM onboarding that gets installed via this initial image task, we disable the local admin account as one of the steps, taking the security risk out of play.