Automate Windows Welcome
Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2
Note
This content applies to Windows 7. For Windows 8 content, see Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK.
You can use unattended answer file settings to automatically configure the settings for the user interface (UI) pages in Windows® Welcome. When each setting from a Windows Welcome page is configured, then that page is skipped.
Start Page
If all of the other Windows Welcome page settings are configured in an answer file, then this page will be skipped.
Language and Country or Region Selection Page
The Language and Region selection page enables an end user to select a country or region, a locale, and a keyboard layout based on the languages installed on the computer.
This page always appears if there are Language Interface Packs (LIPs) installed.
Licensing requirements state that all Windows® 7 editions can include only a single language, except for Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise. For these editions, Windows automatically removes all non-default languages from the computer 25-60 minutes after the end user restarts the operating system. The language packs will be removed during idle time.
For Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise, and all editions of Windows Server® 2008 R2, you can install multiple language packs.
For more information, see the Windows® OEM Preinstallation Kit (Windows OPK) User's Guide or the Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) User's Guide.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-International-Core | InputLocale |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the default input locale of the Windows installation. |
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Microsoft-Windows-International-Core | SystemLocale |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the default system locale of the Windows installation. |
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Microsoft-Windows-International-Core | UILanguage |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the default UI language of the Windows installation. |
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Microsoft-Windows-International-Core | UserLocale |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the default user locale of the Windows installation. |
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Microsoft Software License Terms Selection Page
The Microsoft Software License Terms selection page enables an end user to read and to accept the Microsoft® Software License Terms.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | OOBE | HideEULAPage |
oobeSystem |
Specifies to hide the Microsoft Software License Terms page |
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Product Key Selection Page
The Product Key selection page enables an end user to type a product key to activate Windows. You can specify the product key in more than one component. For more information about when to specify which component, see Work with Product Keys and Activation in the Windows® OEM Preinstallation Kit (Windows OPK) User's Guide or the Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) User's Guide.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | ProductKey |
specialize |
Specifies the product key to use for activation. |
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-or-
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup | User Data | ProductKey |
windowsPE |
Specifies the product key to use for edition selection. |
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Note
To prevent the Product Key UI page from displaying when the image boots, use an answer file with Sysprep. In the answer file, specify the Product Key value during the specialize configuration pass. For more information, see "How Sysprep Works" in the Windows® OEM Preinstallation Kit (Windows OPK) User's Guide or the Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) User's Guide.
User Name Selection Page
The User Name selection page enables an end user to add a user account and a password, and to select a tile for that account. You can automatically create a user account in an answer file. Setting a user tile is not required, but can be configured through OOBE.xml. For information, see Oobe.xml Settings.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the user accounts to create on the Windows installation. |
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Computer Name and Desktop Background Selection Page
The Computer Name and Desktop Background page enables an end user to specify a computer name and a default background to apply to the Windows installation.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | ComputerName |
specialize |
Specifies the computer's name to apply to the Windows installation. Computer names can be customized by OEMs and by corporate customers. They can append a string that is up to five bytes long to the customer-chosen computer name. If they do not customize this string, "-PC" is appended to the customer-chosen computer name. In some languages, “-PC” is localized and the resulting string might be more than five bytes. When this occurs, the computer-name string is truncated and this truncation may result in a nonsense string appended to the computer name. To avoid this situation, OEMs and corporate customers should provide an appending string in an Oobe.xml file. |
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(Optional) Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | Themes | CustomDefaultThemeFile |
auditSystem auditUser oobeSystem specialize |
Specifies the path to a customized theme file. These files may include a .bmp file for customized wallpaper.
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Windows Protection Selection Page
The Windows Protection selection page enables an end user to specify the level of protection to configure on the computer.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | OOBE | ProtectYourPC |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the protection level of the Windows installation. |
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Time and Date Selection Page
The Time and Date selection page enables an end user to specify the computer's time zone.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | TimeZone |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the computer's time zone. |
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Computer's Current Location Selection Page
The Computer's Current Location selection page enables an end user to specify the type of network that the computer uses: home, work, or public.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | OOBE | NetworkLocation |
oobeSystem |
Specifies the computer's location. |
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Home Group Selection Page
The Home Group selection page enables an end user to specify a network group for Home.
Note
Wireless Network Selection Page
The Wireless Network selection page enables an end user to connect to a wireless network.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | OOBE | HideWirelessSetupInOOBE |
oobeSystem |
Hides the Wireless Network selection page. |
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Note
Change Administrator Password Page
The Change Administrator Password selection page requires you to change the Administrator password when you first start the computer.
Setting | Configuration pass | Description | Applies to |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts | AdministratorPassword | Value |
oobeSystem |
Configures the Administrator account password. |
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Note
The Password Hint on the Change Administrator Password page is not configurable through unattended answer file settings. If you add an Administrator Password, the Change Administrator Password page is bypassed. Otherwise, Windows Setup requires both a password and a password hint before first logon.