Customizing the unattend.xml File

HPCA provides an answer file that you can use for unattended OS installations. This answer file is called unattend.xml.

Each operating system and architecture (for example, 32-bit or 64-bit) has its own unattend.xml file. The files are located in subdirectories of:

<InstallDir>\Data\OSManagerServer\capture-conf

The header at the beginning of the file shows you the OS, architecture, and deployment method to which the file applies.

If you want to use the unattend.xml file that HP provides, you must modify it for your environment before you publish the OS image. Here are some settings that you will want to customize:

Caution: At a minimum, you must specify a valid product key (see ProductKey). Modifying the other settings discussed here is optional.

Use a text editor to modify a copy of the pertinent unattend.xml file. You can name this copy anything that you like as long as it has the .xml file extension. When you publish the OS image, you will specify where your customized answer file is located.

Note: The Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) includes a file called Unattend.chm. This is a compiled online help file that contains reference information about the contents of the unattend.xml file. See this help file for more detailed information about the settings discussed here and the other settings available that you can customize. To open the file, simply double-click Unattend.chm.


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